Thursday, June 30, 2011

Taco Pizza

  • 1/2 pound ground beef
  • 1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning, divided
  • 1 (10 ounce) package prepared pizza dough
  • 1 cup fat-free refried beans
  • 1/4 cup salsa
  • 4 ounces tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
Place the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat, and sprinkle on half the package of taco seasoning. Cook and stir the beef until browned and crumbly, about 8 minutes; discard excess grease.

Spread the pizza dough out onto a 12-inch round pan, forming a rim of slightly thickened dough around the edge. Mix together the refried beans with salsa in a bowl; spread evenly over the crust. Mix tomato paste, water, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and the remaining half of the taco seasoning mix together in a bowl, and spread the sauce over the refried beans mixture. Top with the cooked beef, sprinkle the onions over the pizza, and evenly spread the cheese on top.


Bake in the preheated oven until the crust is cooked through and the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Crispy Baked Rosemary-Garlic Chicken

  • 4 Chicken breasts
  • 2 Cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 Stems rosemary, leaves picked and roughly chopped
  • 4 cup Panko bread crumbs
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 Eggs
  • 2 cup Milk
  • 3 cup All-purpose flour
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put a sheet tray in the oven to preheat.

Wash and trim the chicken of any excess fat. Mix the garlic, rosemary and panko together in a shallow rimmed dish and season well with salt and pepper. Alternately, crush the garlic and rosemary with some olive oil and salt in a mortar and pestle.

Crack the eggs into a similar dish, add the milk and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. In another dish add the flour and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Take the chicken 1 at a time, dredge in the flour, then the egg wash and then coat well with the rosemary-garlic panko bread crumbs. Lay the chicken out on a tray lined with parchment paper, as you work. Refrigerate the chicken for about 15 to 20 minutes for the breading to set.

Remove the hot sheet tray from the oven and drizzle with a good amount of olive oil. Arrange the chicken legs carefully on the tray, spacing them out evenly. Roast until the chicken are golden and crispy, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven to a serving platter.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Linguine with Tuna Puttanesca


  • Kosher salt
  • 12 ounces linguine
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 tablespoons capers, drained
  • 1/2 cup roughly chopped kalamata olives
  • 1 28-ounce can San Marzano plum tomatoes
  • 4 basil leaves, torn, plus more for garnish
  • 1 5-ounce can albacore tuna, packed in olive oil
  • Freshly ground pepper
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until slightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the capers and olives and fry 2 more minutes. Crush the tomatoes into the skillet with your hands and reserve the juices. Cook until the tomatoes are slightly dry, about 2 minutes. Add the reserved tomato juices, the basil, and salt to taste and cook until the sauce thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tuna with its oil, breaking it up with a fork, and season with salt.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water, and return it to the pot. Add the sauce and the reserved cooking water and toss. Season with pepper and garnish with more basil.

Monday, June 20, 2011

Kickin' Turkey Burger with Caramelized Onions and Spicy Sweet Mayo

Spicy Sweet Mayo
  • 1 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup coarse-grain mustard
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
  • hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco™) to taste
  • 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Burgers
  • 1 1/4 pounds extra lean ground turkey
  • 1/2 large onion, grated
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
  • 2 tablespoons barbeque sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
  • 1 tablespoon steak seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon dry mesquite flavored seasoning mix
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 large onion, sliced
  • 5 hamburger buns, split
Combine mayonnaise, mustard, honey, horseradish, hot pepper sauce, and cayenne pepper in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate.

Mix ground turkey, grated onion, jalapeno, barbeque sauce, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, steak seasoning, and mesquite seasoning in a large bowl. Form into 5 patties.


Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, and continue cooking and stirring until the onion is very tender and dark brown, 15 to 20 minutes more.


Cook the patties in a medium skillet over medium heat, turning once, to an internal temperature of 180 degrees F (85 degrees C), about 6 minutes per side. Serve on buns topped with spicy sweet mayo and caramelized onions.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Chicken Puttanesca


  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 4 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast cutlets
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh onion
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups chopped tomato
  • 1/4 cup sliced green olives
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons capers, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 canned anchovy fillet, chopped
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken to pan; cook 5 minutes or until done, turning once. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil, onion, and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add tomato and remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 9 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Serve chicken with the tomato mixture.

White Bean and Sage Pita Burgers


  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons grated fresh onion
  • 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
  • 3 (6-inch) pitas, cut in half
  • 6 green leaf lettuce leaves
  • 6 (1/4-inch-thick) slices tomato
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan, and swirl to coat. Add 1/2 cup chopped onion and garlic; cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Place mixture in food processor. Add oats and next 8 ingredients (through egg); process until smooth.

Wipe pan with a paper towel. Return pan to medium heat. Add remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil to pan, and swirl to coat. Working with one portion at a time, spoon bean mixture into a 1/2-cup dry measuring cup, and carefully remove bean mixture with a rubber spatula onto pan. (Bean mixture is very soft and sticky.) Using spatula, shape mixture into a 3/4-inch-thick round patty. Repeat procedure 5 times to form 6 patties. Cook 8 minutes or until golden, turning after 4 minutes.

Combine sour cream, 2 tablespoons grated onion, and cheese in a small bowl. Spread about 2 tablespoons sour cream mixture into each pita half; top with 1 lettuce leaf, 1 tomato slice, and 1 bean patty.

Korma with Shrimp and Basmati Rice

  • 2 teaspoons butter
  • 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons Madras curry powder
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 2 cups organic vegetable broth
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/3 cup coconut milk
  • 1/4 cup diced tomato
  • 1/4 cup frozen green peas
  • 1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp or extra firm tofu
  • 4 cups hot cooked basmati rice
  • 1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and onion to pan; sauté 2 minutes. Add flour, ginger, and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add curry powder, garam masala, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook 30 seconds, stirring. Stir in broth and 1/3 cup water; bring to a boil. Stir in milk and tomato; reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Add peas, shrimp, and remaining salt; cook 5 minutes or until tofu is done. Spoon about 2/3 cup rice into each bowls. Top each serving with about 1 cup shrimp mixture and 2 teaspoons yogurt.