Spaghetti Carbonara

I love pasta! I also know that swim suit season will be here soon!!!!! So I came up with a healthy version of spaghetti carbonara.

Ingredients:

1 box of whole wheat spaghetti
5 slices of turkey bacon, chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
1/2 cup of dry white wine (or 1/2 cup of chicken stock)
1 cup of peas, thawed
3/4 cup of egg beaters
1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
1 Tbsp. of dried basil (or 3 Tbsp chopped fresh)
1/4 cup of sun dried tomatoes, chopped
2 Tbsp. of olive oil
salt and pepper

Cook the pasta in salty water according to the directions on the box. (Remember, the only chance you get to season the pasta itself is during the cooking time). While pasta is cooking, add oil to a skillet. Cook the turkey bacon until slightly crisp. Add the wine and peas and simmer for 2 minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg beaters. Stir in the parmesan cheese. Drain the hot pasta and return to pot. Add the bacon egg mixture and stir until hot spaghetti slightly cooks the egg mixture. Toss in parsley, basil, and sun dried tomatoes.

Slow Cooker Pork Chops and Cheesy Bacon Potatoes

Pork Chops

Ingredients:

6 boneless pork chops
1 cup italian bread crumbs
2 eggs
1 can cream of mushroom
1/4 cup of milk
1/4 cup of sour cream
2 Tbsp. of oil
salt and pepper to taste

In a bowl or plate place your breadcrumbs. In a separate bowl place your two eggs and whisk. Place pork chop in egg mixture than the breadcrumb mixture. Complete this for all the chops. Allow these to rest for 5 minutes. This will help the breading to set so it does not fall off when you are browning them. In a pan, heat oil over medium. Brown the pork chops on both sides and place in slow cooker. In a bowl, stir together the rest of the ingredients and pour over the chops. Cook for 4 hours on high.

Cheesy Bacon Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 pound of frozen shredded hash browns
1 can cream of mushroom
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup of sour cream
12 slices of bacon, fried until crispy
1 small onion diced
1/4 cup of butter

In a pan melt the butter on medium. Add the onions and brown them. In a large bowl, mix together the cream of mushroom, sour cream, cheddar cheese, and onions with butter. Mix well. Crumble the bacon and stir in. Add the frozen hash browns and mix well. Pour mixture into slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours. Stir once half way through.

A helpful hint when using your slow cooker:

DON'T PEEK!
The vacuum seal created by the tight-fitting lid of a slow-cooker plays a big part in the way the appliance works its magic. Once the meal starts heating up, hot steam is generated, which helps cook the food. Just like the oven door, the lid is best left on throughout the entire cooking time required for the dish unless, of course, you suspect it is going to be overcooked, there is a problem or you need to add additional ingredients. Lifting the lid can result in as much as a 15-degree loss in heat, not to mention loss of the accumulated steam, which can take up to 20 minutes to replace. Ultimately, the overall time needed for your dish to completely cook could be altered, so keep your curiosity in check and don’t lift that lid!

Oyster Mushroom Chips

Do you like salt? Do you like bacon? OK, odd question considering the title of the recipe. Well, this recipe I can not take credit for. This is a recipe from Anne Burrell from the food network. These mushrooms bake so crispy, that they taste like salty, spicy pieces of bacon! Really. I love to it them plain, but I especially love them on a salad! Give it a try!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds oyster mushrooms
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Crushed red pepper flakes

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Remove the oyster mushrooms from the stem and pull them into bite-size pieces (the smaller ones can be left whole). Add them to a bowl along with some olive oil. Season with salt and crushed red pepper, to taste, and toss to coat. Spread the seasoned mushrooms out on 2 baking sheets in a single layer. Roast the mushrooms in the preheated oven until the mushrooms are sort of "cooked on" to the bottom of the baking sheet, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let it cool for 3 to 5 minutes. Scrape the mushroom chips off the bottom of the baking sheet with a bench scraper and reserve in a small bowl.

MMMMM...mushroom chips!

Hungarian Goulash

While it is not customary to add tomatoes to goulash, and I substitute elbow macaroni for potatoes.....I think you will still enjoy this dish!

Ingredients:

1 box of elbow macaroni
3 pounds of ground beef, brown and drained
1 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
2 cups of beef broth
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 medium onion diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. paprika
1 tsp. crushed red pepper seeds
1 tsp. marjoram
2 tsp. caraway seeds
3 Tbsp. sour cream
2 tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
garish, shredded mozzarella and chopped parsley (optional)

Directions:

In a skillet, heat oil on medium. Add onions and garlic and saute until translucent. In a large pot, add the canned tomatoes, beef, broth, vinegar, paprika, red pepper seeds, and marjoram. (Salt and pepper to taste) Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for one hour.
In a separate pot, cook the elbow macaroni in heavily salted water to al dente. Drain and return to pot. Add caraway seeds to pasta and toss. Add sauce (reserving 2 cups) and the sour cream. Mix well. Serve with some of the reserved sauce on top. Garnish with mozzarella and fresh parsley.

ÉLVEZ (Enjoy)

Buddha's Hand ~ One of Nature's Hidden Treasures

As always, I am at the wonderful Market District. Let me tell you, this is the store of all stores. If you love to cook, it is a chef's heaven! As you stroll through the aisles, I challenge you to NOT be able to find what you are looking for. I also love discovering new items in produce. I came across an odd looking item. It was called Buddha's Hand. I was quite fascinated by it but had no clue as to what it was. It was in the fruit section, OK so I am guessing a fruit. Hmm...I picked it on and smelled it. A lovely aroma of lemon and oranges. Well, it was 6.99 per pound, so I passed. Later that evening, like some weird fate of destiny, I discovered it's use. While watching the Food Network, there it was. What I found out is it is used just like lemon zest. And I use plenty of lemon zest. Now, different from a lemon, there is no juicy fruit in the middle. The entire fruit is used as a zest. Also, the inner white pith is not bitter as is usually the case with citrus, so the fingers may be cut off and then sliced, peel pith and all, and used in salads or scattered over cooked foods such as fish.
Another "fun fact" is it used predominantly by the Chinese and Japanese for perfuming rooms and personal items, such as clothing. A natural air freshener!
So next time you are grocery shopping, pick up one of these lovely treasure. They average about 1/2 pound each and have alot of wonderful uses.

Hearty Beef Chili

Nothing is more comforting than a steamy bowl of chili on a cold snowy day. I have many versions. My family especially loves the one that I include steak. It is great to take a bite and have the chunky pieces of steak. I use any braising steak that is on sale. This makes it less expensive without sacrificing taste.

Ingredients:

2 different cans of beans rinsed and drained (kidney, pinto, butter, or black beans)
1 pound of hamburger, browned and drained
1 1/2 pounds of a braising steak, cut into 1" pieces
1 small onion diced
2 large cans of tomatoes (whole, stewed, crushed, or diced depending on your preference)
3 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. cilantro
1 Tsp. cumin
1 Tsp. paprika
2 Tbsp. hot sauce
1 Tsp. chili flakes
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tsp. salt
1 Tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. oil

In a skillet heat oil on medium. Brown the steak on all sides. Remove. Place the onion in the skillet. Saute until translucent. In a slower cooker combine all the ingredients. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Garnish with your favorite toppings. (cheddar cheese, sour cream, onions, jalapenos, etc.)

Salmon Cakes

Ingredients:

1 large can salmon, drained and flaked
3 scallions chopped
1 egg
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
1 cup bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley chopped
1 lemon, wedged
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. oil

In a large bowl mix all ingredients, except lemon. Form 3 inch patties with mixture. Heat oil in a large pan. On medium cook salmon cakes 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Serve with a lemon wedge.