Recipe of the Day: Zesty Hot Holiday Broccoli Dip

Love It: I already love artichoke dip, and broccoli’s pretty good, too. Nice to vary the traditions up a bit to keep things interesting. Oh, and there’s melty cheese involved. Enough said.

Fear It: Miracle Whip. Despite this being a relatively healthy take on dip, there’s no call for replacing real mayo with that sweet slop. I would totally be substituting some reduced-fat mayonnaise.

Teach It: Hey, use the variation as inspiration. Why not try other veggies in that creamy, cheesy base?

Eat It: This sort of appetizer seems best suited to a midcentury-traditional sort of Thanksgiving, where the turkey is accompanied by old standards such as green-bean casserole and Stove Top.

Zesty Hot Holiday Broccoli Dip
Source: Kraft Foods
Yield: 3 cups dip

• 1 cup MIRACLE WHIP Light Dressing
• 1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed, well drained
• 1 jar (2 oz.) diced pimientos, drained
• ½ cup KRAFT 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Reduced Fat Mozzarella Cheese, divided
• WHEAT THINS Reduced Fat Baked Snack Crackers

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Combine dressing, broccoli, pimientos, Parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese.
SPREAD into 1-quart baking dish or 9-inch pie plate.
BAKE 20 to 25 min. or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Continue baking 5 min. or until mozzarella cheese is melted. Serve with the crackers.

Notes:

Nutrition Bonus:

Help your friends and family eat right this holiday season. Serve this festive dip at your next party. As a bonus, the cheese provides a good source of calcium.

Diet Exchange:

1-1/2 Starch,1 Fat

Nutritional notes:
Nutrition (per serving) 2 Tbsp. dip and 16 crackers
Calories 170
Total fat 6g
Saturated fat 1.5g
Cholesterol 5mg
Sodium 420mg
Carbohydrate 23g
Dietary fiber 1g
Sugars 4g
Protein 5g
Vitamin A 4%DV
Vitamin C 15%DV
Calcium 15%DV
Iron 8%DV

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Thanksgiving Recipe of the Day: Classic Potato Gratin

Note: With Turkey Day coming up, I thought I might steer attention to the online culinary world’s flowering of Thanksgiving-themed recipes for a few weeks.

Love It: I have nothing against mashed potatoes (I love Scott’s labor-of-love Herbed Mashed Potatoes at Thanksgiving each year), but I imagine some people out there might be plagued with gluey slop on the table each year (though I won’t go accusing others of resorting to potato buds on this most sacred food holiday). Here’s an alternative that’s steam-facial free and (yay!) includes cheese.

Fear It: Oh yeah, and cream. Three cups of it.

Teach It: Important! Note the instructions to let the gratin rest after it exits the oven. If you try to serve it right away, your guests’ plates will be awash is scalding-hot cream.

Eat It: You probably don’t need to drown this in any gravy. Though this gratin may be termed “Classic,” I imagine it would best be suited to a more upscale, more nontraditional Thanksgiving spread. This is the recipe for the kind of person who makes the “upscale” sort of green-bean casserole with real mushrooms and onions.

Classic Potato Gratin
Source: Fine Cooking
Yield: 6-8 servings

Try to get a good-quality Gruyère or Emmental, which will be moderately assertive yet mellow and nutty.

• 2 lb. Yukon Gold or russet potatoes, peeled
• 3 cups whipping or heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Generous pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• ¾ cup finely shredded Gruyère, Emmental, or Comté

Heat the oven to 400°F. Using a very sharp knife or a mandoline, carefully cut the potatoes into 1/8-inch slices (no thicker).

Put the potatoes in a large heavy-based saucepan and add the cream, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and garlic. Cook the mixture over medium-high heat until the cream is boiling, stirring occasionally (very gently with a rubber spatula so you don’t break up the slices).

When the cream boils, pour the mixture into a 2-1/2- or 3-qt. baking dish. If you don’t want a tender but garlicky surprise mouthful, remove and discard the garlic cloves. Shake the dish a bit to let the slices settle and then sprinkle the surface with the cheese.

Bake in the hot oven until the top is deep golden brown, the cream has thickened, and the potatoes are extremely tender when pierced with a knife, about 40 minutes. Don’t worry if the dish looks too liquidy at this point; it will set up as it cools a bit. Before serving, let the potatoes cool until they’re very warm but not hot (at least 15 minutes) or serve them at room temperature.

Notes:
from Fine Cooking #36, pp. 36-37

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Recipe of the Day: Caprese Antipasticks

Love It: I can close my eyes and picture those creamy, firm balls of fresh mozzarella — I can practically taste them. To me, eating fresh mozzarella is closer to drinking an icy cold glass of milk than to eating a typical cheese. But I digress. Here we have an adorable little appetizer spin on that summertime classic, caprese salad. Aww.

Fear It: It’s so easy to eat a ton of these since they look so tiny! But those bocconcini and that olive oil mean moderation is necessary.

Teach It: Rachael Ray also makes a version of this appetizer with salami, provolone, and pepperoncini. There’s no reason to stop there! Almost any appetizer you might put out in a bowl could be made into a mini-kabob. Think olives, various cheeses and cured meats, dried fruits, cooked meats, fresh fruits like grapes . . .

Eat It: With cocktails and friends or “the game” and family. One helpful hint — unless you’re planning to stick these into some craft styrofoam to make some sort of kabob bouquet, there’s no reason to go to the trouble of skewers. Pretty toothpicks are plenty big enough and look less intimidating to guests. But make sure to only skewer one serving per stick if you do go the larger route!

Caprese Antipasticks
Source: Rachael Ray
Yield: 8 servings . . . assuming your guests eat no other hors d’oeurves

• 1 package 8-inch bamboo skewers
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
• 2 (1-pound) tubs bocconcini (small balls of fresh mozzarella), drained
• 24 leaves fresh basil
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Salt and pepper

For caprese sticks, skewer tomatoes and bocconcini bites, placing basil leaves between them. Drizzle these sticks with extra-virgin oil and season with salt and pepper, to your taste.

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Recipe of the Day: 30-Minute Shepherd’s Pie

Love It: Rachael Ray has another version of this recipe in one of her cookbooks that calls for ground turkey, which is the version I have made before. You have to really know what you’re doing to get one of her recipes done in 30 minutes or less, but they generally make for some tasty home cooking. Nice and comforting one here.

Fear It: I imagine part of the comfort in comfort foods is the food coma all the starch and fat sends you into post-dinner. To keep this reasonable, use reduced-fat versions of the dairy (sure to dismay Rachael) and meat, and take Rachael Ray’s suggestion to sub broth for cream. By the way, while you can use ground turkey for your meat, it won’t save you any calories over 95% lean beef unless you look for the ultra-lean ground turkey breast.

Teach It: This recipe uses a classic strategy of the 30-minute meals genre — do most of the cooking on the stovetop then pop the completed dish in a hot oven for just a few minutes to melt or brown the top.

Eat It: With a tall glass of milk and soft dinner rolls. No salad — too light!

30-Minute Shepherd’s Pie
Source: Rachael Ray
Yield: 4 generous servings

• 2 lbs. potatoes, such as russet, peeled and cubed
• 2 tablespoons sour cream or softened cream cheese
• 1 large egg yolk
• ½ cup cream, for a lighter version substitute vegetable or chicken broth
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
• 1 ¾ lbs. ground beef or ground lamb
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup beef stock or broth
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire, eyeball it
• ½ cup frozen peas, a couple of handfuls
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and pour them into a bowl. Combine sour cream, egg yolk and cream. Add the cream mixture into potatoes and mash until potatoes are almost smooth.

While potatoes boil, preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil to hot pan with beef or lamb. Season meat with salt and pepper. Brown and crumble meat for 3 or 4 minutes. If you are using lamb and the pan is fatty, spoon away some of the drippings. Add chopped carrot and onion to the meat. Cook veggies with meat 5 minutes, stirring frequently. In a second small skillet over medium heat cook butter and flour together 2 minutes. Whisk in broth and Worcestershire sauce. Thicken gravy 1 minute. Add gravy to meat and vegetables. Stir in peas.

Preheat broiler to high. Fill a small rectangular casserole with meat and vegetable mixture. Spoon potatoes over meat evenly. Top potatoes with paprika and broil 6 to 8 inches from the heat until potatoes are evenly browned. Top casserole dish with chopped parsley and serve.

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Recipe of the Day: Back-From-the-Bar Snack

Love It: Potatoes? Eggs? Cheese? Bacon? You’ve convinced me.

Fear It: Yeah, all those South Beach diet people better steer clear, as I imagine the only approved food here would be the paltry teaspoon of oil. Sorry, folks.

Teach It: Lesson Number One: Adding bacon grease makes everything taste better. Lesson Number Two: Neat idea, using the peas’ water to heat the potatoes at the last minute.

Eat It: Alone in a dusky kitchen, with a beer from the fridge if that’s your thing.

Back-From-the-Bar Snack

Source: Nigella Lawson

Yield: 1 serving

• 2 (slices) rashers bacon, cut into little strips
• 1 teaspoon oil
• ½ cup frozen peas
• 2 cups cooked new or waxy potatoes
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup Cheddar, diced

Put some salted water on for the peas, and in a skillet that will take the potatoes and everything later, cook the bacon strips in the oil.

Cook the peas in the boiling water, and at the last minute, tip in the potatoes just so they heat up. Drain and turn into the pan with the bacon and take off the heat. Whisk the eggs with the cheese and then pour this over the potatoes and peas in the pan. Mix well and pour straight into a bowl to serve.

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Recipe of the Day: Mistral’s Chicken with Garlic

Love It: Mmm, garlic. Nice, toasty, roasted garlic. Sweet and succulent, and with 40 cloves, there’s plenty to go around.

Fear It: Wine, being alcoholic adds a surprising number of calories. Have you seen how many calories are in vodka? But it’s only a little bit for eight pieces of chicken, after all. Just be careful not to catch the pan on fire pouring it in (having set several kitchen fires myself, I always do it off the heat).

Teach It: It’s not mentioned in the recipe proper, but in the accompanying article in this week’s New York Times, it’s recommended that you seek out already-peeled cloves for this recipe. You can find them in jars or plastic bags in the refrigerated part of the produce department, or, if you have a Costco membership, you can pick up an enormous jar of Christopher Ranch peeled cloves back by the cheeses and prepared foods.

Eat It: Alton Brown made a similar recipe on his garlic episode of Good Eats, and he used the excess oil in the pan to make garlic toast. Then, he took a roasted clove and smooshed it all over the top of the bread. That’ll keep the vampires away! Yum.

Mistral’s Chicken with Garlic
Source: New York Times (originally from Patricia Wells)
Yield: 4 servings

• 1 3- to 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces, at room temperature
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• About 40 large garlic cloves
• ½ cup dry white wine
• ½ cup chicken stock or canned broth

1. Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper. Place a deep, nonreactive skillet or Dutch oven over high heat, and add oil and butter. When fats are hot but not smoking, add chicken pieces skin side down and cook until skin turns an even, golden brown, about 5 minutes. Work in batches, if necessary, and carefully regulate heat to avoid scorching skin. Turn pieces and brown them on other side for an additional 5 minutes.

2. Reduce heat to medium. Bury garlic cloves under chicken to make sure they settle in one layer at bottom of skillet. Sauté, shaking or stirring pan frequently, until garlic is lightly browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Add wine and stock, scraping bottom of pan.

3. Cover and continue cooking until juices run clear when a thigh is pricked, 10 to 15 minutes more. Serve chicken with garlic and pan juices and, if desired, rice or sautéed potatoes.

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Recipe of the Day: Pecan-Crusted Chicken Cutlets

Love It: The pecan is my absolute favorite nut. I might have something of a sentimental attachment to it, as through my exposure to Emeril on the Food Network, it became the first nut I tried after a long bout of nut pickiness. Almonds are also a favorite of mine but are better for cookies or eating straight up. Pecans are more versatile in my mind, as this recipe shows.

Fear It: Frying plus nuts is sure to equal one heck of a calorie count, so this must be saved for special occasions.

Teach It: The Cook’s Illustrated people are (often ridiculously) thorough in testing their recipes, and they’re happy to tell you all about it. It’s the formula for every recipe article in both their magazines. The takeaway here without the didacticism is that adding mustard to the egg wash and adding breadcrumbs to the pecans keeps your breading intact and unburned.

Eat It: I see rice in the picture, but I think something lighter such as green beans would help keep this rich dish from turning into a gut bomb. Plus, I very much enjoy green beans.

Pecan-Crusted Chicken Cutlets
Source: Cook’s Country
Yield: 4 servings

 

Do not process the pecans too finely or their natural oils will be released and you’ll end up with pecan paste.

 

• 2 large eggs
• 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons dried tarragon
• Table salt and ground black pepper
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds), halved horizontally
• 2 cups pecans
• 2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn in half
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup Vegetable oil

 

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with wire rack. Whisk eggs, mustard, garlic, tarragon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Add chicken, coat well, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate while preparing nut mixture.

2. Pulse pecans in food processor until finely chopped, with some pebble-sized pieces. Transfer to pie plate or shallow rimmed dish. Pulse bread in food processor until finely ground. Add bread crumbs to nuts and stir in cornstarch, brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cinnamon.

3. Working one at a time, remove cutlets from egg mixture, letting excess drip back into bowl. Thoroughly coat chicken with nut mixture, pressing on coating to help it adhere, and transfer to large plate.

4. Heat 1/2 cup oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place 4 cutlets in skillet and cook until golden brown on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side (lower heat if crust is browning too quickly). Transfer chicken to rack on baking sheet and keep warm in oven. Discard oil and solids from skillet and repeat with remaining oil and cutlets. Season cutlets with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

 

 

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Recipe of the Day: Peanut Thai Noodle Salad

Love It: Even avowed peanut butter haters enjoy sesame noodles. This recipe grinds its own, making a sweet-tangy sauce with nutty richness.

Fear It: Peanuts do have lots of fat, but it’s generally the healthy kind, so you only need to worry here if you have a peanut allergy.

Teach It: In a pan-saving technique, the recipe calls for throwing the veggies into the pasta pot during the last bit of cooking. Excellent! A fast and simple way to take a little crunch off and make the nutrients more available.

Eat It: While the recipe calls for eating the dish right away, while it’s still warm, these sort of nutty noodles are also great cold. They make a great lunch at work or school.

Peanut Thai Noodle Salad
Source: Kraft Foods
Yield: 1 serving

• 1 Tbsp. lime juice
  
• 2 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce
  
• 2 teaspoons honey
  
• 2 Tbsp. PLANTERS Dry Roasted Unsalted Peanuts, divided
  
• 2 ounces rotini pasta, uncooked
  
• 4 baby carrots, cut into thin strips
  
• ¼ cup snow pea pods, cut into thin strips
  
• ½ medium red pepper, cut into thin strips
  

PLACE lime juice, soy sauce, honey and 1 Tbsp. of the peanuts in a blender or food processor; cover. Blend until smooth; set aside.
COOK pasta as directed on package, adding carrots, pea pods and peppers to boiling water during the last 3 min. of cooking time. Drain pasta and vegetables in a colander; transfer to a serving bowl. Combine pasta and vegetables with peanut sauce and remaining peanuts.
ENJOY grapes for dessert.
SERVE a glass of water with the meal.

Nutritional notes:
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories 440
Total fat 11g
Saturated fat 1.5g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 400mg
Carbohydrate 78g
Dietary fiber 7g
Sugars 29g
Protein 15g
Vitamin A 150%DV
Vitamin C 250%DV
Calcium 6%DV
Iron 25%DV

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Recipe of the Day: Turkey Meatloaf

Love It: The first ingredient is ketchup, and I need to catch up . . . anyway, I think the muffin shape is so cute I could just eat it right up! Not even figuratively, too.

Fear It: The cup of cheese counteracts the healthiness of the turkey somewhat. Reduced-fat cheese could help combat this.

Teach It: I’ve seen the muffin method in other meatloaf recipes. Advantages? Portion control, no worries about slicing difficulties, and plentiful crusty edges for everyone. Apply the method to your favorite meatloaf recipe.

Eat It: Mashed potatoes and sweet corn would be traditional comfort-food accompaniments. You could go all retro and make the potatoes from buds and get the corn from a can, or you could go all oddball-cute and frost your muffins with the potatoes and sprinkle corn on top, like I saw on Serious Eats the other day.

Turkey Meatloaf
Source: Martha Stewart via Yahoo Food
Yield: 6 servings

 

• ¾ cup ketchup
• 2 lbs. ground turkey
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 slices sandwich bread, torn into small pieces
• 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
• ½ chopped dill pickle
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix 1/2 cup ketchup with the remaining ingredients until well combined. Divide mixture among 6 cups of a 12-cup (4 ounce) muffin tin, spacing them evenly and gently compressing and mounding the tops. Brush tops with remaining 1/4 cup ketchup.
2. Transfer tin to oven; bake until inside temperature registers 170 degrees F on an instant read thermometer, about 45 minutes.
3. Remove from oven; let rest 5 minutes before removing from tin. Serve hot.

 

 

Nutritional notes:
Per Serving
* Calories: 419 kcal
* Carbohydrates: 16 g
* Dietary Fiber: 1 g
* Fat: 22 g
* Protein: 37 g
* Sugars: 5 g

 

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Recipe of the Day: Bean Burritos

 

 

Love It: You know, even if they didn’t have great nutritional value, I’d still love pinto beans. I especially love them refried, but they’re also good whole, as in this recipe. Pinto beans and cheese are a match made in Tex-Mex heaven.

Fear It: It’s come to my attention that tortillas often have an insanely high calorie count. I remember going on a diet in Vegas and setting out for the grocery store with the intention of buying tortillas as a bread replacement for my sandwiches, only to be shocked by the discovery that a small wrap could have as many calories as two hearty slices. Look for high-fiber tortillas to save yourself the pain.

Teach It: If you are like me at all, then you hate having to spend free time after work whipping up tomorrow’s lunch just after finishing cooking and cleaning up dinner. In college I would make huge batches of beans and rice once a month or so and fill my freezer with individually wrapped burritos so I could grab and go in the morning. I made smaller ones, though, so they’d heat up faster, but I imagine you could thaw these in the fridge overnight.

Eat It: Like I said above, frozen homemade burritos are a great lunch staple. Make your lunch a fiesta by packing some cinnamon and a rice pudding cup for a horchata-like dessert.

Bean Burritos
Source: Everyday Food
Yield: 8 servings

• ¾ cup rice (brown or white)
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 2 medium onions, chopped
  
• 4 cloves, garlic chopped
  
• 1 jalapeño chile, chopped (ribs and seeds removed, for less heat)
  
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
  
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  
• 3 cans (15 ounces each) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  
• 1 box frozen corn kernels (10 ounces)
  
• 6 scallions, thinly sliced
  
• 8 burrito-size (10-inch) flour tortillas
  
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 ounces)
  
• Salsa and sour cream (optional)
  

1. Cook rice according to package instructions; set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add onions, garlic, jalapeño, and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Add tomato paste, and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
3. Add beans and 1 ½ cups water; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. Add corn; cook to heat through, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in scallions.
4. Heat tortillas according to package instructions; fill with rice, bean mixture, and cheese.
5. Assemble: Mound ¼ cup rice, ¾ cup bean mixture, and ¼ cup cheese on one side of tortilla. Fold, and hold in sides. Starting from filled end, holding sides in as you work, tightly roll into a bundle. Place on a baking sheet, seam side down, and prepare remaining burritos.
6. Serve immediately, with salsa and sour cream, if using, or wrap individually in plastic and freeze up to 3 months.

Notes:

Note: Before wrapping individually, freeze burritos on a baking sheet so they don’t come apart in the process; then put back in freezer.

Reheating From Frozen:

1. Microwave and oven: Remove frozen burritos from plastic wrap. Place on a microwave-safe plate; microwave on high for 3 minutes. Transfer to baking sheet; bake at 450° until crispy, about 10 minutes. This is our favorite quick method.

2. Oven only: Remove frozen burritos from plastic wrap; rewrap individually in aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet; bake at 450°, 40 minutes; remove foil, and bake to crisp, 5 to 10 minutes. (To reheat defrosted burritos, remove any wrapping, and bake for 10 minutes.)

3. Microwave only: Remove frozen burritos from plastic wrap. Place on a microwave-safe plate, covered with a microwave-safe bowl, and defrost at high power for 3 to 4 minutes; uncover, and microwave on high, 3 to 4 minutes longer.

Nutritional notes:

Per serving: (without salsa and sour cream) 519 calories; 18.6 grams fat; 18.7 grams protein; 70.5 grams carbohydrates; 7.4 grams fiber

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