Healthy Eggplant Parmesan

This is my version of a healthy and tasty dish. Instead of deep frying, I baked the eggplant before assembling the dish.

Serves: 4

1 large eggplant, sliced thin into rounds
Salt
1 large egg, beaten
Black pepper
1/2 cup of Italian Breadcrumbs
Olive Oil
1 cup Rao’s Tomato Sauce
Parmesan cheese, grated
Fresh basil leaves, chopped (plus some for a garnish)
4 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced (or a little more if needed)
 
Place the eggplant slices on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with some salt, cover with paper towels and set aside for 30 minutes to drain the liquid.

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Rub some olive oil onto a baking sheet.

Place the breadcrumbs onto a large plate; and the beaten egg in a bowl.

Dip each eggplant slice in the egg and then into the breadcrumb, turn to coat both sides. Place onto the oiled baking sheet. More breadcrumbs may be needed.

Bake the eggplants for about 18 to 20 (half way through, turn the slices over) until they are browned. Remove from oven, and let cool for 10 minutes.
 
Reduce the oven to 325°F.

In a 9 x 12 glass baking dish, spread some tomato sauce on the bottom and add a layer of the eggplant. Top with the grated parmesan cheese, basil and mozzarella. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper to taste. Repeat this layer until all eggplant has been used. The final top should be a layer of tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. This should yield two layers of eggplant. If you want three layers, use a 8 x 8 pan.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. 

Remove from oven and set aside for 5 minutes before serving. Top with the fresh basil.

Serve with your favorite pasta. 

 

22 June 2022:

I'm still enjoying this recipe. I made it last night and layered it (3 layers).  I diced the cheese.  

Flatbread Pizza

 

Flatbread pizza! OMG, so good!

I used an Aldi Flatbread.

I brushed the flatbread with a little olive oil and topped it with the following ingredients:

Rao's Tomato Sauce
Turkey Italian sausage (cooked, then crumbled into small pieces
Fresh Mozzarella

Fresh baby spinach leaves
Kalamata olives, chopped
Baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
Grated Parmesan cheese

Baked for 10-12 minutes right on the rack at 425 degrees.

Shrimp and Avocado Ceviche

 

16 September 2020

This is my version, in which I adapted from these two recipes:
https://www.thekitchn.com/ceviche-recipe-22902965?fbclid=IwAR0jwL203YcfdRSOrJOioQQHuiVDGcVr8saK_b9TzbL5OVgcFbuKIM_8ItE
http://www.eatingwell.com/video/6984/how-to-make-shrimp-ceviche/

Serves: 1

5-6 peeled and deveined raw shrimp (purchased from Costco, frozen and thawed)
Freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
Freshly squeezed lime juice (1/3 lime)
Freshly squeezed orange juice (1/4 of an orange) 
4-5 grape tomatoes, seeded and quartered
1 T. red onion, sliced small
1  jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped (about 1 teaspoon)
1/4 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 small avocado
1 T cilantro leaves chopped, for garnish
 
1/4 cup (dry measurement) Whole wheat couscous

Cook the couscous according to directions; then chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Bring a pot of water, salted, to a boil over high heat. Turn off the heat and add the shrimp. Let the shrimp cook about 3 minutes until just done. Drain and rinse the shrimp in cold water; place on a plate and refrigerate for about 15 minutes to cool.
 
Chop the shrimp and place in a nonreactive bowl. Add the lemon juice, lime juice, orange juice, tomatoes, red onion, jalapeño, cucumber and salt; toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
 
Just before serving, dice the avocado and add to the ceviche mixture. Toss gently to combine.
 
To serve, place the couscous and top with the ceviche and all of the liquid. Top with the chopped cilantro.

Instant Pot Sausage Lentil Stew

  

I made this 11 December 2019 – my changes are in  [  ]

Prep Time 10 minutes    Cook Time 25 minutes   Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 8

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 lb Italian sausage  [I used a combination of sweet and hot; 6 links, which came to 1 lb 2.7 oz total]

1 large onion chopped [I had 3/4 of a large onion on hand]

2 stalks celery chopped [I used 3 stalks]

3-4 carrots peeled and chopped

3 cloves garlic minced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 1/2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon salt

29 oz canned diced tomatoes

5 cups chicken stock  [Only had 4 cups chicken stock, so I added 1/4 white wine and 3/4 cup beef broth]

1 1/2 cups dry lentils rinsed and picked over (preferably French Green Lentils)

1 cup finely chopped kale (optional)

Press the SAUTE button on the instant pot and let preheat for 1-2 minutes. Add the olive oil and Italian sausage. Cook, breaking into small pieces with a spoon, until no longer pink.

Add the onion, celery and carrot. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables start to soften. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and salt.

Add the diced tomatoes, chicken stock, and lentils. Stir to combine.

Close the instant pot [turn the dial to pressure cook] and press MANUAL and set timer for 10 minutes. When the time is up let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release the rest of the steam.

Stir in the chopped kale. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy!

Recipe from: https://meaningfuleats.com/instant-pot-sausage-lentil-stew/

Instant Pot Beef Chili

Instant Pot Beef Chili

This is one of my favorite recipes from the Instant Pot Miracle Cookbook. I sometimes use a combination of beef and pork, or just pork.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Function: Sauté (Normal); Pressure/Manual (high)

Closed Pot time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Release: Natural

Serves 8

1.5 Lbs ground beef

1 C Chopped onion

4 Cloves garlic, minced

1 15-oz Can tomato sauce

2 15 to 16-oz Cans kidney beans, drained

1 C Beef broth [or chicken broth – low salt/low fat]

2 14.5 oz Cans diced tomatoes, undrained

2 T Chili powder

1/2 t. Black pepper

1 4.5-oz Can diced green chilies, undrained (optional)

Hot sauce (optional)

Shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and/or sliced green onions

PREP

Select Sauté on the Instant Pot and adjust to Normal. Cook the ground beef, onion, and garlic for about 10 minutes or until the meat is browned and onion tender.

Press Cancel. Add tomato sauce, beans, broth tomatoes, chili powder, black pepper, and green chilies.

Secure the lid on the pot. Close the pressure-release valve.

COOK

Select Manual and cook at high pressure for 10 minutes.  When cooking is complete, use a natural release to depressurize.

SERVE

Serve chili with hot sauce, cheese, sour cream, and/or green onions.

My notes: I originally mis-read the recipe and only used one can of beans (black beans) and one can of diced tomatoes. It was on the soupy side but very flavorful and excellent. One time I made it with 2 lbs of ground meat, so I doubled the diced tomatoes and beans. This makes a lot for two people, so I freeze in smaller containers. 

INSTANT POT SHRIMP & GRITS

INSTANT POT SHRIMP & GRITS

15 April 2020: I searched for a shrimp & grits Instant Pot recipe and found several online. After reading through the recipes, I chose this one to make:

https://www.paintthekitchenred.com/best-instant-pot-shrimp-and-grits/?fbclid=IwAR0ULt_PvvLFyrEpoxs5PdUrlPLEOHOQR1nk5-_9PpN5bqT9Tb31u9JyfT0

Prep Time: 5 minutes   

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 2 servings 

Calories: 292 kcal

Shrimp Ingredients

1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined

2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning or more to taste (or Creole Seasoning)

3 strips smoked bacon diced

1/3 cup onion chopped

1/2 cup bell peppers red and/or green, chopped

1 Tbsp garlic, minced

2 Tbsp dry white wine

1 1/2 cups canned diced tomatoes

2 Tbsp lemon juice or to taste

1/4 cup chicken broth

1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce or hot sauce, more to taste

1/2 tsp salt or to taste

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup scallions sliced thin (green parts only)

Grits Ingredients

1/2 cup  grits

1 cup milk

1 cup water

salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbsp butter, optional

Pat shrimp dry and sprinkle with Old Bay seasoning. Set aside.

On 'Saute' mode, cook bacon until crisp, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove to a plate and set aside.

Sauté onions and bell peppers in the rendered bacon fat till onion is translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add garlic and sauté briefly. Turn Instant Pot off.

Deglaze with white wine, and stir well to remove any browned bits, allowing the wine to mostly evaporate.

Stir in tomatoes, lemon juice, chicken broth, hot sauce, salt and pepper.

Place trivet in the Instant Pot.

In a medium bowl that will fit in the Instant Pot, stir together grits, milk, water, salt and pepper. Place bowl on trivet.

Close Instant Pot Lid, and make sure steam release handle is in the ‘Sealing’ position.

Cook on 'Manual' (or 'Pressure Cook') mode for 10 minutes.

Allow the pressure to release naturally.

Open the Instant Pot, remove the grits and set aside.

Remove the trivet.

Carefully stir in shrimp and close the Instant Pot immediately and allow the shrimp to finish cooking in the residual heat.  Instant Pot will be in 'Keep Warm' mode.

While shrimp is cooking, fluff grits with a fork, adding in a tablespoon of butter.

After 10 minutes, open the Instant Pot. Gently stir the shrimp.

Turn on 'Saute' mode and stir in cream. Heat through (don't boil) and turn off Instant Pot.

Serve grits topped with shrimp and sauce.

Garnish with scallions and bacon.

My Comments: 

The recipe stated it serves four, but this really serves two people with some grits leftover. 

I used the large Costco shrimp (10) and they could have cooked a few minutes longer. I turned the shrimp over and they finished cooking while I was stirring in the cream.

I was worried about the size of the bowl for the grits thinking it would overflow, but it didn't.

I added a heaping tablespoon of Parmesan cheese (didn't have cheddar) into the grits, but it really wasn't needed because of the tomato broth. 

This was excellent and definitely a keeper.

The next time I will make it with Andouille sausage instead of bacon. 

Ribeye Roast

Ribeye Roast

Tony made this last night (14 February 2020) for Valentine's dinner.

This recipe is adapted https://healthyrecipesblogs.com/ribeye-roast/  Comments in [ ] are the changes Tony made.

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt (not fine salt)  [2 T Himalayan Pink Salt]

1 teaspoon black pepper [2 T Lemon Pepper]

1 teaspoon garlic powder [1 to 1.5 t garlic powder]

1 teaspoon dried sage [didn’t use]

1 teaspoon dried thyme [didn’t use]

[1 t. Paprika]

3 lb. boneless ribeye roast, USDA prime grade [trimmed of the thick fat. Ours was 5.25 lbs, so the dry ingredients were revised]

Instructions

In a small bowl, use a fork to mix together the salt, lemon pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Rub all over the roast, pressing to make sure the rub adheres to the meat.

Place the meat, fat side up, on a rack in a roasting pan and allow it to get to room temperature, about 1 hour [2 hours].

Preheat the oven to 500°F. Insert a meat thermometer into the middle of the roast and set the thermometer to 130°F (medium rare) [125° F for rare]. 

Place the ribeye roast in the 500°F oven and roast it for 15 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Keep roasting the meat until the thermometer registers 130°F [125° F].  [125°F]. For a 3 lb. roast this SHOULD take roughly 1 more hour (20 minutes per pound) according to conventional wisdom. But the only way to know for sure is to use a thermometer. [Use an internal instant read thermometer].

  

Remove the ribeye roast from the oven. Loosely cover it with foil and allow it to rest for 30 [15] minutes, then cut it into thin slices [or thick] and serve.

[Check out this web site for cooking times for meats: https://blog.thermoworks.com/beef/steak-temperatures-ordering-and-buying-guides/]

Fun Deviled Eggs for Halloween

For a Halloween-themed rotation dinner, I made Deviled Eggs.

I simply made my own deviled egg recipe and topped them with red bell peppers for horns and a goatee; and black olives for the eyes.

My recipe includes:

Mayonnaise
Dijon mustard
Blue cheese dressing

About 1 heaping tablespoon of minced onion

Dash of curry powder
Salt and pepper

Combine until creamy.  Adjust to your taste.

Hungarian Meatballs

My friend Carol made these delicious meatballs for a rotation group dinner.

Hungarian Meatballs

Meatballs:

1 pound ground veal or beef, pork, chicken, turkey

1 egg

⅓ cup plain breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika

2 tablespoons oil for frying

Sauce:

1 tablespoon oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

3 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups beef broth

1 cup cream (lower calories: substitute evaporated milk)

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika

1½ tablespoons fresh chopped dill

½ cup sour cream

Directions:

Place all the meatball ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and knead to thoroughly combine. Shape the mixture into 1-inch balls or whatever size you prefer.

Heat some oil in a skillet and once hot add the meatballs, browning on all sides. Transfer the meatballs to a plate and discard all but a tablespoon or so of grease.

Add the onions to the skillet and fry until translucent and golden brown. Add the garlic and fry for another minute (don't fry garlic too long or it becomes bitter). Add the mushrooms and fry until they've released their juices and they're mostly evaporated. Transfer the mushroom mixture to a bowl and set aside.

Add the butter to the skillet and melt it. Add the flour and whisk until dissolved. Continue whisking vigorously for another minute or two until the flour mixture is a deep golden brown. (We're creating what's called a roux, a French term and the grand secret for creating an irresistibly rich and flavorful sauce.)

Pour in the hot broth while continually whisking to prevent clumping. Continue to whisk while bringing the mixture to a simmer. Add the cream and whisk until combined. Continue to simmer for another minute or so until the sauce is thickened. Return the mushroom mixture to the sauce and add the pepper, salt and paprika. Stir in the sour cream and dill.

Return the meatballs to the sauce, stirring to coat them, and simmer covered for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve immediately over hot buttered egg noodles, Spatzle, potatoes or rice along with a cool cucumber or leafy green salad and some rustic crusty bread. Garnish with some chopped fresh dill if desired.

Recipe Source: https://www.daringgourmet.com/hungarian-meatballs/

Roasted Lamb Shoulder

My friend Bruce K. made this wonderful lamb for Passover.

Roasted Lamb Shoulder

Ingredients:

6.5 Lb. lamb shoulder, whole bone in

2/3 C. olive oil

4-5 cloves of garlic, mashed to a paste

1/4 C. parsley, minced

1/4 C. cilantro, minced

2 t. thyme

2 t. cumin

2 t. paprika

1 T. Kosher salt

2 t. ground black pepper

For the Gravy:

1 C. red wine

2 t. cornstarch

Special equipment: A roasting pan with a rack.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix together all the spices with the olive oil, excluding the salt and pepper.

Use the salt and pepper to season the lamb, and then cover the lam with the olive oil mixture.

Place the lamb on the rack in a roasting pan. Add 1 cup of water and half a cup of olive oil to the bottom of the pan (this is for basting, make sure the liquids don’t touch the lamb).

Roast uncovered for 30 minutes while basting the lamb once or twice.

Cover the lamb for another 1 hour, 45 minutes (however see below for doneness temperature) while basting the meat every 45 minutes.

Remove the lamb and let cool off a bit and then remove the bone (it should come right off).

For the gravy: Take all the juices left over in the pan and add the red wine and cornstarch, stir to combine and reduce for 10 minutes.

Serve hot and enjoy!

The right temperature for the doneness you want:

Rare: 115 to 120°F

Medium-rare: 120 to 125°F

Medium: 130 to 135°F

Medium-well: 140 to 145°F

Well-done: 150 to 155°F

Crispy Brazilian Sausage with Yucca served with Herb Butter on top

I made the following recipe for a rotation dinner, in which the food theme was Brazilian foods. 

Crispy Brazilian Sausage with Yucca served with Herb Butter on top

1 1/2 lbs. sausage
2 small sliced white onions
2 medium yuccas

2 T melted butter

1 T thyme
1 T parsley
1 T oregano

Heat a large pan and cut the sausages into slices 1 inch or thinner.

Place the sausage in the pan and add 3 ounces of water, cover it, and leave on high heat until the water runs dry. The idea is to cook the sausage in its own fat. Meanwhile, stir to prevent the sausage from burning. Add the onions and stir until the onions are caramelized and browned.

In a separate pan, slice and fry the yucca.

While everything is cooking, mix thyme, parsley, and oregano into melted butter.

Plate the sausage and yucca and drizzle the herb butter on top.

Recipe Source: http://www.vogue.com/13464599/2016-olympics-brazilian-recipes-chefs-snacks/

Chinese Noodle Chicken Salad

Chinese Noodle Chicken Salad

Serves 20-30
Bon Appétit, June 1994

I’ve been making this recipe for years. If you use the full recipe (rather than half), it does make a very large batch; however, it’s a good amount for large parties.


Salad: 

2 lbs linguini

1/4 C. Sesame oil
2 to 2.5 lbs roasted chicken, skinned, boned, shredded

4 bunches green onions, sliced

2 bunches fresh cilantro, chopped

4 jalapenos, seeded, deveined, minced

1-1/4 lbs snow peas, stringed, thinly sliced lengthwise

Dressing:

3/4 C. low sodium soy sauce

1/4 C. water
1/2 C. Creamy peanut butter
1/2 C. Rice Vinegar
1/2 C. Sesame oil
2 T.  Sugar


Directions:

Combine dressing ingredient in a food process until smooth. Set aside.

Cook linguini until al dente.  Drain, place in a large bowl; cool. Add sesame coat so the linguini doesn’t stick together.

Cook snow peas for one minute. Drain well and cool. [I save the linguini water to blanch the snow peas].

Mix in the chicken, onions, cilantro, jalapenos, and snow peas.

Pour dressing and toss to coat. 

Note: Can be prepared 1 day ahead but add the dressing right before serving.


19 July 2016: I made this again for an office luncheon. I cut the recipe in half (except the dressing) and it was still a very large amount of salad.  Next time I'll make this recipe, I will work around using just 1/4 lb. of linguini.

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

A friend made this delicious mushroom soup (from Allrecipes.com) for our rotation group dinner.

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Prep: 15 min

Cook: 35 min

Ready in: 50 min

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

4 T unsalted butter

2 C chopped onions

1 Lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced

2 t. dried dill weed

1 T paprika

1 T soy sauce

2 C chicken broth

1 C milk

3 T all-purpose flour

1 t. salt

Ground pepper to taste

2 t. lemon juice

1/4 C. chopped fresh parsley

1/2 C. sour cream

Directions:

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the onions in the butter for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 5 more minutes. Stir in the dill, paprika, soy sauce and broth. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

In a separate small bowl, whisk the milk and flour together. Pour this into the soup and stir well to blend. Cover and simmer for 15 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Finally, stir in the salt, ground black pepper, lemon juice, parsley and sour cream. Mix together and allow to heat through over low heat, about 3 to 5 minutes. Do not boil. Serve immediately.

Vinegar Marinated Cucumber Salad

I recently attended a party and wanted something light and refreshing for a hot summer day. I followed this recipe, but reduced the quantity of all ingredients for three cucumbers: 

https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/vinegar-marinated-cucumbers/

Easy Vinegar Marinated Cucumbers (Cucumber Salad)

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Total: 10 minutes

Serves: 10

Ingredients:

5 Cucumbers

1 Red Onion

1 C. Apple Cider Vinegar

1/2 C. Sugar (or more to taste)

1/2 C. Water

1 t. Salt

Instructions:

Peel and slice cucumbers into thin slices.

Cut onion in half and cut into very thin slices.

Combine onions and cucumbers in a large Ziploc bag.

In a separate, medium-sized bowl, combine remaining ingredients.

Stir until sugar dissolves. 

Pour vinegar mixture over cucumbers and onions in the bag.

Press out as much air as you can and seal bag.

Refrigerate at least 20 minutes.

Before serving, drain liquid and place in a serving bowl to serve.

This was delicious!! I'll make this again soon and will post a photo of the salad here.