Paula Deen's Cheese Biscuits

Paula Deen's Cheese Biscuits, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

As expected, I haven't been cooking this week. Last night's dinner was simply stuffed potatoes with cheese, broccoli, and leftover chicken. I wanted to make these biscuits but Brandon went to a friend's and it was just Kyle and me. I'm working on taxes (ugh!), and my goal is to get them finished by the end of the week so I can adjust our impound budget (which will mean more spending money!) Anyway, I didn't get to the biscuits after all, but if I had.....

We made these for the first time at Christmas. I added some pepper sauce to Paula Deen's recipe, which made it similar to the Red Lobster recipe for Chesapeake Bay Biscuits. I used an ice cream scoop. They spread out and were quite large (about 3 inches in diameter). They had a fluffy texture, not too heavy, with melted cheese throughout. They were good at the meal, but even better the next day. Bob loved them.

PAULA DEEN'S CHEESE BISCUITS
Makes 24 biscuits

4 cups self-rising flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
2/3 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated (6 ounces)
2 cups lowfat buttermilk
Salt
4 tablespoons butter, melted
dash Tabasco sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, to taste, and sugar together using a fork; cut in shortening until it resembles cornmeal. Add cheese. Stir in buttermilk all at once just until blended. Do not overstir.

Drop by tablespoonfuls, or use an ice cream scoop, onto a well-greased baking sheet. Brush tops with melted butter. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

Nutrition Facts:
Per Serving: 179 Calories; 10g Fat (52.0% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 17g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 13mg Cholesterol; 390mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

Spicy Oven-Fried Chicken

Spicy Oven-Fried Chicken, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

I love fried chicken with its crisp crust, moist meat, and particularly served with a flavorful gravy (post to follow sometime in the future...) Since I can't make traditional fried chicken very often without sacrificing our health, I usually bake it after removing the skin.

This recipe requires a little planning ahead. I've marinated the chicken for as long as 2 days. Baking it on a wire rack allows a lot of the fat to drip out. The chicken bakes up crispy and tender. The buttermilk gives a nice tang and keeps the meat moist. The original recipe says to bake at 425 degrees for 50 minutes after drizzling the chicken with butter. I found the chicken to be too brown and overcooked, and I don't miss the extra butter.

SPICY OVEN-FRIED CHICKEN
12 pieces

1 1/4 cups lowfat buttermilk, or use 5 tbsp buttermilk mix and 1 1/4 c. water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, optional
3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 large onion, sliced
12 skinless chicken thighs, with or without bones, or a combination of thighs and drumsticks
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons thyme
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne


Whisk buttermilk, oil, pepper sauce, mustard, garlic and 1 tsp salt and pepper in large baking dish. Add onion, then chicken and turn to coat. Cover and chill for 3 hours or up to 1 day, turning chicken occasionally.

Line a large jelly roll pan with foil and set a large wire rack into the pan.

Combine breadcrumbs and seasonings and remaining 1 tsp salt in a plastic bag. Remove chicken from marinade. Place a few pieces of chicken at a time in bag and shake to coat evenly.

Set chicken on the rack for 30 minutes to set.

Reapply more breadcrumb mixture to the chicken if the coating looks thin by either shaking the chicken again or sprinkling on some crumb mixture and pressing it gently into place with your fingers. The boneless chicken should be "rolled" into a thigh-shaped piece, not set out flat.

Adjust oven rack to the lower 1/3 position (any higher and the crust scorches). Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

Adapted from a recipe in Bon Appetit, June 2000

Lox on a Cloud of Cream Cheese

Lox on a Cloud of Cream Cheese, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

This is more a serving suggestion than an actual recipe. I didn't have bagels and didn't want to hassle building these on each cracker. It turned out great; people could take as much or as little of each part as they wanted. It disappeared.

LOX ON A CLOUD OF CREAM CHEESE

8 oz. cream cheese or neufchatel, room temperature
8 oz. nova lox
2 tbsp. green onions, chopped
2 tbsp. capers, optional
Ritz or other buttery crackers

Whip cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Mound on a serving platter in a large "puddle". Mound lox in the center, being sure to keep an edge of the cream cheese showing. Garnish with capers and green onions. Encircle the cream cheese with crackers.

Serves 4-6

Uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums on 11 Feb '07, 4.59am PST.

Maze Gohan

Maze Gohan, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

My dad's aunt would make enormous vats of this rice for family gatherings. He came from huge family, 10 kids here in America (and 2 that stayed behind in Japan when the family emigrated). There'd be 50 of us in the house on the holidays. This rice was always part of the meal. I've never had rice like this before or since and have been trying to figure out the secret. It was basically pork fried rice but it was sweet. I think carrot and sugar may be what make the difference. I recently heard from my cousin Paul that Auntie would also use a lot of bacon grease (ah-ha!) - of course, what wouldn't taste great with bacon grease!

I use various combinations of meats when I make fried rice. My favorite is chicken, ham, and shrimp. This time, I used leftover pork roast, soy chicken strips, and Chinese lop chong sausage. I didn't have greens (spinach or bok choy). After I took the picture, I realized I had forgotten the peas. I like them more for the color than anything else, but there was definitely something missing without them. It's important to use cold rice so the grains stay separate and firm.

MAZE GOHAN

3 stalks celery, minced
1 onion, slivered
1 carrot, slivered
mushrooms, sliced, optional
2 cups spinach, coarsely chopped
3 eggs
1/4 cup peas
4 cups cooked white rice

1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon sherry
green onions, chopped

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a wok over highest heat. Stir-fry the carrot, onion, and celery until tender. Add some sherry if needed, to allow vegetables to steam and reduce browning. Add mushrooms and cook until soft and the liquid has evaporated. Add spinach and cook until wilted down. Remove from pan to large serving bowl or platter.

Add another tablespoon of oil to wok. Add rice and cook until warmed and lightly browned. Remove to bowl with the vegetables.

Heat another tablespoon of oil. Add eggs and cook until set into a 1/2-inch pancake. Remove from pan and chop into 1/2-inch cubes.

Combine sauce ingredients and heat in the wok. Return all ingredients to the wok and stir gently. Season to taste with more sugar, sesame oil, and bean sprouts if desired. Add green onions at the end so they keep their bright color and shape.

Caesar Salad with Make-Do Croutons

Caesar Salad with Make-Do Croutons, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

Caesar Salad with Make-Do Croutons

Caesar salad is my everyday salad. Kyle will eat huge bowlfuls of it, so that's a good thing. I usually just throw together torn romaine hearts, grated Parmesan, and a nice dressing (we like Cardini's brand). If I feel like splurging, I'll add some homemade croutons. Honestly, I'm the only one who likes the croutons, so the splurging is really for me and not for anybody else.

I didn't have any crusty bread and wanted some garlic croutons in the salad tonight. I used some regular good-quality sandwich bread (buttermilk, in this case) and sliced it into 1-inch cubes. I think it would have been better to tear the bread into pieces.

MAKE-DO CROUTONS

3 slices buttermilk bread, or other firm sandwich bread
1/2 stick unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
Dash salt

Tear the bread into approximately 1-inch pieces.

Melt the butter in a medium skillet. Stir in the garlic and simmer on very low heat until the garlic softens and is fragrant. Stir in the bread and season with salt. Stir until the bread is evenly coated. Toast over a low heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Sprinkle with salt.

Makes enough croutons for 2 salads.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Tuna Noodle Casserole 2, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

Growing up in the 50's and 60's, casseroles were a mainstay in my mom's limited cooking repetoire. Even though she was basically a housewife, she had lost her senses of taste and smell due to a fall when she was a girl, so cooking was not one of her strong suits. She wouldn't make this dish very often, but it was hard to not go for thirds when she'd serve the noodles with creamy sauce and crunchy, salty potato chips on top.

My family is usually not really fans of this dish - Bob doesn't like creamy casserole dishes, Linz doesn't like tuna, and Brandon doesn't like hot tuna. I'm surprised that Kyle eats it, because he usually doesn't like fish or shellfish of any sort.

I had some leftover cooked spaghetti in the freezer and thought this would be a great dish to throw together for the boys and me. Bob's started his week-long solo trip to Mexico. I probably won't be doing a lot of elaborate dishes while he's gone, since it just the three of us and the boys are happy with grilled cheese/hot dogs/mac and cheese, etc.

TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE

6 ounces egg noodles, cooked al dente
1 6 1/2 oz. can tuna in water, canned, drained
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1 cup celery, minced
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1 10 3/4 ounce can cream of celery soup
1/2 cup nonfat milk
4 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
3/4 cup potato chips, crushed

Combine soup, milk, and cheddar in bowl. Microwave on low for 1 minute or until cheese is melted. Combine with remaining ingredients.

Top with crushed potato chips.

Bake at 350° until bubbly.

Per Serving: 343 Calories; 17g Fat (44.9% calories from fat); 15g Protein; 33g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 50mg Cholesterol; 546mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 3 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

Maná

Bob surprised me with tickets to the Maná concert. We discovered this alternative group and have enjoyed their music for the past few years. I guess they haven't toured for a while and launched a new tour, starting in San Diego! The drummer, Alex Gonzalez, is amazing - flamboyant, talented, and energetic. I wish I spoke Spanish so I could understand the lyrics. The audience was singing along during most of the songs.

Mana'

Blogging

Here's my revised blogpage. I've been tweaking it for the past few days; narrowing the margins, adding pictures with captions for some of the lists, creating a recipe index blog with a picture link (my most challenging accomplishment).

I've gotten a lot of inspiration from the foodblogs I read. I have a list of about 50 (food and non-food blogs) (not all of them have made it to my list yet) and I can't keep up with the feeds. I'm inspired by the eloquence and humor, not to mention the beautiful food photography.

Here are some of my personal favorites:

Humor: The Amateur Gourmet, Diary of the Food Whore, Jumbo Empanadas, Talkin' Story, Woulda Coulda Shoulda

Photography: Bronmarshall, Culinary Concoctions by Peabody, Nordijus, Orangette, Something So Clever

Recipes: (hard to narrow this down) Culinary Concoctions by Peabody, Simply Recipes, Something So Clever

Neno's Sticky Chicken

Neno's Sticky Chicken, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

This recipe is a great way to roast a large chicken. It's reminiscent of rotisserie-style chickens, and it is very easy to make. The meat comes out very moist and flavorful, so it is as good leftover as freshly cooked. Once you try it, you will never roast chicken any other way again! You need to start this the night before serving.

This is a very popular item on Sharon Worster's Aunt Neno's Personal Chef Service menu, and many other other Personal Chef Service menus list this item as well. The boys say it tastes just like store-bought rotisserie chicken at about half the cost. It just requires some planning ahead. It isn't "sticky" at all...........not sure why the title.

I like this spice blend to use as a Cajun seasoning (it's not as spicy as Emeril's Essence). I make a large batch and store it in a 1-cup jar. Use about 1/4 cup of seasoning blend in this recipe.

NENO'S STICKY CHICKEN

4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 large roasting chicken
1 cup chopped onion

In a small bowl, thoroughly combine all the spices.

Remove giblets from chicken, clean the cavity well and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture into the chicken, both inside and out, making sure it is evenly distributed and down deep into the skin. Place in a resealable plastic bag, seal and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to roast the chicken, stuff cavity with onions, and place in a shallow baking pan. Roast, uncovered, at 250 degrees F for 5 hours (yes, 250 degrees for 5 hours). After the first hour, baste chicken occasionally (every half hour or so) with pan juices. The pan juices will start to caramelize on the bottom of pan and the chicken will turn golden brown. If the chicken contains a pop-up thermometer, ignore it. Let chicken rest about 10 minutes before carving.

Per Serving: 499 Calories; 36g Fat (65.2% calories from fat); 39g Protein; 4g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 163mg Cholesterol; 627mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 5 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 4 Fat.

Thai-Style Green Beans

Thai-Style Green Beans, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

This was posted on Paula G on RecipeZaar. She says she modified it from a recipe found in the Summer 2006 edition of Cooking for 2. I've cut the oil in half and used sesame oil instead of the generic oil called for in the recipe.

This isn't the greatest picture. It was taken a few months back with my Olympus C750, which had just 4.0 megapixels. It just didn't take great macros. I've since upgraded to a Canon G7, with 10.0 megapixels, and it's been great for my food photography. That being said, I can't blame the camera anymore if my shots are out of focus a little. I'll have to update this picture the next time I make the dish.

THAI-STYLE GREEN BEANS

2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce, or oyster sauce
2 tablespoons reduced-fat peanut butter
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (1/8 to 1/4)
2 tablespoons shallots, minced
2 teaspoons ginger, grated
1 teaspoons sesame oil, 1-2
1 pound green beans, trimmed
Garnishes:
cilantro, chopped
dry roasted peanuts

Combine the soy sauce, oyster or fish sauce, peanut butter and crushed red pepper in a small bowl; set aside.

Rinse the beans and place in a microwave safe dish, cover and cook until crisp tender; approximately 3 to 5 minutes depending on the wattage of your microwave. Remove beans from microwave, rinse in cool water and allow to drain while preparing the sauce.

In a skillet or wok, heat the 1 teaspoon oil add the minced shallot and grated gingerroot. Cook the shallot and ginger for 2 minutes and then add the soy sauce mixture; stirring until the peanut butter is melted and the sauce is smooth.

Once the sauce is thoroughly combined, stir in beans and warm in sauce. Prior to serving sprinkle with chopped cilantro and peanuts if desired.

Per Serving (excluding garnishes): 117 Calories; 5g Fat (38.8% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 14g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 1mg Cholesterol; 357mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 1 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

Spicy Korean-Style Pork Tenderloin Medallions

Spicy Korean-Style Pork Tenderloin Medallions, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

We've been dealing with a round of colds in the house. Bob's been sick three times in the past two months and just got over the last one a week ago. I wasn't so lucky this time and got caught. I'm not sure if it was just a bad cold or the flu, but I was pretty wiped out for two days and finally started feeling more like myself just today.

The family's had to fend for itself, eating leftovers and fastfood. I decided to celebrate my improved health by fixing one of my favorite new pork dishes. I found this recipe in Fine Cooking Magazine about two months ago and happened to have some tenderloin in the freezer. I like the lean quality of tenderloin, but I've been wanting a recipe that improves the moisture and flavor because of the lack of fat. I love Chinese food and have recently started experimenting with Thai, Indian, and Korean cooking. The combination of vinegar, sugar, garlic and ginger makes a deeply-flavorful marinade. The quick-cooking keeps the meat tender. Original recipe suggests serving the meat over a bed of Thai-style coleslaw.

SPICY KOREAN-STYLE PORK TENDERLOIN MEDALLIONS

Serves 4

1 1/4 lbs pork tenderloin, trimmed of all silverskin, partially frozen
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons minced ginger
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons chili sauce, like Sriracha

Cut the pork on the diagonal into 1/2-inch medallions. Set aside.

Mix together marinade ingredients in a ziploc bag. Add the pork medallions. Seal the bag and be sure the meat is evenly coated with the marinade. Marinate for up to 2 hours in the refrigerator or 25 minutes at room temperature, rotating the bag after half the time to keep the meat coated..

Spray a heavy 12” skillet with non-stick spray. Heat over a med-high flame until shimmering hot. Remove the pork from the marinade, shaking off the excess, and transfer the pork to a clean plate. Discard the marinade and add half of the pork medallions to the skillet, spacing them evenly. Cook them without touching until well browned, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until the pork is just cooked through, about 2 more minutes.

Wipe out the pan if the drippings look too brown and spray the pan again. Add remaining meat and repeat the cooking process.

Serve immediately, sprinkled with cilantro and/or chopped green onions.

Adapted from a recipe in Fine Cooking Magazine #78

Per Serving: 316 Calories; 12g Fat (33.9% calories from fat); 34g Protein; 19g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 92mg Cholesterol; 1140mg Sodium. Exchanges: 4 1/2 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 1 1/2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

A great weekend

Sunset in Rosarito

So, we were supposed to go to the desert and I was going to ride the quad for the first time. What was I thinking? I wasn't especially looking forward to it - it was going to be very cold and I didn't think I'd be riding very much, as the quad is a manual transmission and it will take a while to learn.

Anyway, as it turned out, Bob caught another cold (the third one in 2 months!!?). We decided not to chance infecting everyone, because we were going to stay with Mich and Brian in their motorhome. Probably not a good idea. Mich couldn't ride because she's still recuperating.

We ended up going to Rosarito on the spur of the moment. Mich and I drove out separately and Bob took the dogs. Spanky was shaking his head a lot by the time we got there, and took him to the vet. I highly recommend Alejandra at Bites and Scratches in Rosarito. It's a simple building with 1 exam room and she actually checked him out while we were in the waiting room. She said he had a bad ear infection that had been brewing for a long time, but the symptoms just showed up. We've been lucky that he's been infection-free for quite some time now (at least, as far as we know!)- cockers are prone to ear infections because of their floppy ears and the structure of the ear canals.

Funny how things turn out. If we'd gone to the desert, Spanky would have been sick at home with nobody to take him to the vet. We might have taken him to the vet in town, and paid $200 for the exam and meds. As it was, we were out the door for only $38.

He just wasn't himself - moping around, refusing to run on the beach, even forgetting to growl when we were petting him too much. But, by yesterday he was getting back to normal and wiggling his nubbin again.

Bob barbecued his filet, Mich made a pasta dish with added anchovies and olives, and I stir-fried some onions and peppers. We watched CSI episodes on DVD and watched the sunset.

Then, Mich and I stopped off at the mall on our way home and had to go to Humphrey Yogart's. It's a yogurt shop with a twist - they blend yogurt with mix-ins, sort of like a Dairy Queen Blizzard. We get the espresso with either Heath Bars or Mint Chocolate Cookies (like Girl Scout Thin Mints). We get a small, which has about 2 cups of fluffed yogurt, for only $3.50. I forgot to get a picture because it was cold and windy and we were freezing while we were eating.

Here are pictures of Michelle's pasta dish and her famous Bloody Mary:

Hamburger and Beans

Hamburger and Beans, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

Soon after Bob and I started dating, he told me about a great dish his mom would often make. When he described it, I was a bit skeptical, and the feeling increased after I made it. It reminded me of ....... dog food (shhhhh....). Anyway, looks aside, it is now a favorite in our household, too. It's easy to throw together and has only 3 ingredients - hamburger, canned refried beans, and tomato sauce. I've tried adding onion (too sweet), cheese (not the right flavor), and decided to not mess with a good thing.

HAMBURGER AND BEANS
Serves 6

2 pounds ground turkey and/or lean ground beef
26-oz can refried beans
16 oz no-salt-added tomato sauce

Brown turkey and/or beef. Drain excess fat. Stir in beans and tomato sauce until throughly blended. Simmer over medium heat for 15-30 minutes. Serve with diced onion, shredded cheese, hot pepper sauce, etc. Simple.

NUTRITION FACTS:
Per Serving: 510 Calories; 4g Fat (11.7% calories from fat); 41g Protein; 31g Carbohydrate; 10g Dietary Fiber; 81mg Cholesterol; 1373mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 3 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable.

Baked Tomatoes

Baked Tomatoes, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

Bob works with Persian businessmen, and they often discuss business over lunch. He's wanted me to learn to make Persian rice, and I've just never been able to master it. I probably need some hands-on instruction. Anyway, the restaurants will often serve baked tomatoes on the side, and Bob loves to combine them with his rice. Now, tomatoes I can manage and I've made a version of these for many years. I invariably get a positive comment and a smile when I serve this to Bob, even on plain jasmine rice.

For something more Mediterranean, eliminate the basil and substitute crumbled feta for the Parmesan.

BAKED TOMATOES
Serves 2

4 tomatoes
Oregano
Basil
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut tops off tomatoes. Score the tops to allow tomatoes to open as they bake

Sprinkle with seasonings. Top with 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese

Bake uncovered for 30-45 minutes, or until very soft.

Serve over basmati rice.

NUTRITION FACTS
Per Serving: 143 Calories; 7g Fat (40.5% calories from fat); 10g Protein; 12g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 16mg Cholesterol; 394mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat.

Broccoli Beef with Tofu

Broccoli Beef with Tofu, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

Broccoli is my all-time favorite vegetable. I can eat a whole pan of it. It's only natural that Broccoli Beef would be one of my favorite Chinese dishes. I usually make it with skirt steak, but am trying to use leaner cuts like sirloin. Just be sure to not overcook the meat to keep it tender. The recipe has been adapted from the recipes in Rose Cheng and Michelle Morris' Chinese Cookery and Lily Loh's Chinese Seafood and Vegetables.

BROCCOLI BEEF WITH TOFU
Serves 4

9 1/2 ounces light firm tofu, cubed and drained well
8 ounces top sirloin steak, partially frozen (or use skirt steak)
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 tablespoon cold water
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 tablespoon sherry
1 1/2 heads broccoli, trimmed and cut into chunks and flowerets
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water, or chicken broth
1/2 scallion, 1-2, cut into 1/2 inch diagonal lengths
1 slice ginger, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon canola oil, divided
SEASONING SAUCE
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon sherry
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch

Cut up tofu into 1/2 inch cubes or strips and drain well on several layers of paper towels.

Slice partially frozen steak with the grain into 1-inch wide strips. The partially frozen meat makes it easier to control the outcome of the slices. The idea is to create more surface area of the steak to absorb the flavors of the sauce and to cook more quickly. Instead of cutting the meat across the grain into slices, angle the knife so you are cutting at about a 45 degree horizontal angle. Cut into the meat starting at about 1/2- 3/4 inch from the edge. You should finish with 1-inch wide squares of meat, about 1/8 inch thick.

Place the meat in a medium mixing bowl. Combine with sugar, soy, cornstarch, water, sesame oil, baking soda, and sherry. Allow to marinate about 20 minutes while you prepare the rest of the dish.

Combine the seasoning sauce and set aside.

Heat a wok over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil. Stir fry the tofu until it is well browned on all sides. Remove to serving platter.

Add another tablespoon of oil to the wok if necessary. Stir fry the steak until it is mostly cooked but still pink in the middle. Remove to the platter.

Stir fry the scallions and ginger for about 30 seconds. Watch that the ginger doesn't burn. Add the broccoli and 1/2 cup water or broth. Cover and steam for about 3 minutes or until crisp-tender.

Return beef and tofu to the pan and add the seasoning sauce. Stir until well mixed and partially thickened.

Serve hot with steamed rice.

Nutrition Facts:
Per Serving: 237 Calories; 9g Fat (31.9% calories from fat); 23g Protein; 19g Carbohydrate; 7g Dietary Fiber; 33mg Cholesterol; 571mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 2 1/2 Vegetable; 1 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

Technorati Profile

Sausages, Peppers and Onions

Sausages, Peppers and Onions, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

SAUSAGES, PEPPERS AND ONIONS
Serves 4

1 pound turkey Italian Sausage
1/4 cup white wine
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 onions, slivered
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips

Brown sausages in non-stick skillet for about 5 minutes. Add white wine and simmer for 10 minutes until no longer pink.

Meanwhile, heat oil in another pan. Add pepper flakes. Saute onions and peppers in olive oil for 5 minutes.. Add garlic. Simmer for 10 minutes until almost tender.

Combine all ingredients, simmer for 5 minutes.

Nutrition Facts:
Per Serving : 252 Calories; 13g Fat (48.3% calories from fat); 18g Protein; 15g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 58mg Cholesterol; 1021mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 3 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat.

Toffee Bars

Toffee Bars, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

This was published in Good Housekeeping Magazine over 20 years ago, in an article entitled "100 Cookies for Christmas". The cookies are crisp, buttery, and candy-like.

TOFFEE BARS
Makes 48 squares

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 cup sugar
1 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg, separated
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 275°. Well-grease a 15 x 10 inch jelly-roll pan. Combine above ingredients, except for egg white, and beat at medium speed with mixer until well mixed. Pat dough evenly into pan. Slightly beat egg white and brush over dough. Sprinkle evenly with nuts. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until golden. Immediately cut into 4 strips and then into 12 pieces to make 48 bars. Bars become crisp as they cool.

Nutrition Facts:
Per Serving: 76 Calories; 5g Fat (54.7% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 14mg Cholesterol; 2mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates

Insalata Caprese

Insalata Caprese, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

We grew basil for the first time last year and tried some new recipes. This salad is refreshing on a hot summer day and simple to put together. Fat content can be controlled by the amount of cheese that is eaten. Be sure to use fresh mozzarella, packed in water. (usually found in the gourmet cheese section of the supermarket) - the mozzarella found in the deli case would be rubbery and not a good substitute.

INSALATA CAPRESE
Serves 4

3 roma tomatoes, sliced
3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, fresh, sliced
10 basil leaves
extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper

Alternate slices of tomato and cheese on a serving platter. Tuck basil leaves around the salad. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Nutrition Facts:
Per Serving : 291 Calories; 21g Fat (65.1% calories from fat); 19g Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 76mg Cholesterol; 362mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 2 1/2 Fat.

Cheese Enchiladas

Cheese Enchiladas Blue, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

The key to luscious enchiladas is to leave some of the oil on the tortillas. Don't press the tortillas between paper towels to squeeze out the oil, but you can blot off the excess oil if desired.

CHEESE ENCHILADAS
Serves 6

12 corn tortillas, thick tortillas, if possible, available at Costco
1/4 cup canola oil, or more, for frying
1/2 white onion, finely minced
1 pound Monterey jack cheese, grated
1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated
28 ounces enchilada sauce
Garnish:
sliced olives
green onions, sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with foil and spray with non-stick spray.

Heat 1/4 cup or more of canola oil in a skillet. Add the tortillas, one or two at a time, and fry until softened but not crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain.

Place the enchilada sauce in a large pie plate or casserole dish and heat in the microwave.

To assemble the enchiladas, place about a tablespoon of onion on a tortilla. Add about 1/4 cup of cheeses in a long strip on the tortilla. Roll the tortilla tightly around the cheese and place with the seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Pour remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

If desired, sprinkle with the sliced olives and green onions.

Nutrition Facts:
Per Serving : 473 Calories; 37g Fat (68.7% calories from fat); 21g Protein; 16g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 95mg Cholesterol; 554mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 2 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 5 1/2 Fat.