Archive for the ‘Main’ Category

Lemon-Herb Louisiana Shrimp with Dilled Orzo

Compliments of Louisiana Seafood for Life

Yield:  12 entrée portions

Prep time: 8 minutes / Total time: 30 minutes / Oven temp: 375° / Servings: 6

Ingredients:

1 8-ounce package Freekeh Foods Original freekeh (1 cup)

2 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1 sweet potato or yam, scrubbed, diced and roasted (leave the skins on)

1 large red pepper, diced

1/2 purple onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, diced

2 tablespoons olive oil, or grape seed oil

3 to 5 tablespoons mild curry powder

1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins

1 cup apricots, chopped

1 cup peas, frozen and thawed

1 cup sliced almonds or pepita seeds

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Pour 2 1/2 cups of water and the freekeh in a saucepan and bring to a boil for 1 minute.
• Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for about 25 minutes until the freekeh is tender.
• Once the freekeh is cooked, place in a separate dish to cool in the refrigerator.
• Scrub the sweet potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes.
• Place sweet potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet and drizzle a little olive oil on them.
• Bake in 375° oven for about 25 minutes or until tender.
• Remove from oven and set aside.
• In a large skillet, heat up oil over medium heat and toss in red peppers, onions and garlic.
• Cook for 3-5 minutes then toss in curry powder, salt and pepper.
• Cook further until the onions are translucent.
• Set aside to cool.
• Toss freekeh in bowl with vegetable mixture, add dried fruits, nuts, peas and sweet potatoes.
• Season to taste and serve.

Option: Try adding slightly steamed diced broccoli, sauted cauliflower, chickpeas or lentils to this recipe. Simply rinse and drain, then toss on in!

It’s shocking how much blood-pressure-raising sodium and belly-bulging calories are in many restaurant quesadillas. Chili’s Bacon Ranch Chicken Quesadilla, for example, tallies up a whopping 1,650 calories and 3,450 milligrams of sodium (that’s double the sodium that most of us should have in an entire day, say the recently-released 2010 U.S. Dietary Guidelines. Our Pritikin Vegetable Quesadilla has just 100 calories and 95 milligrams of sodium.  With Pritikin cuisine, there’s a very good chance you’ll never need blood pressure medication, or extra-large clothes.

Vegetable Quesadillas

Compliments of Chef Anthony Stewart

Serves 2

Nutrition Information (per serving):  100 calories, 1g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 5mg cholesterol, 6g protein, 3g fiber, 95mg sodium.

Ingredients:

2 cups julienned (sliced in long, thin strips) fresh vegetables
1 whole-wheat, thin-thin (lavash) bread
3 tablespoons shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
2 tablespoons fat-free sour cream
¼ cup pico de gallo (no salt added) or no-salt-added salsa (such as Enrico’s brand)

Directions:

• In a nonstick skillet on medium-high heat, sauté vegetables until crisp tender, about three minutes.
• On a warm griddle or flat-top grill, place thin-thin bread and let the side facing the heat get hot.
• Turn the bread over on the griddle or grill, and sprinkle the cheese on top side.
• On half of the top side, spread the sautéed vegetables and cilantro.
• When the cheese begins to melt, fold the bread in half to cover the vegetables.
• Press firmly using a tool like a large firm spatula or bottom of a pan.
• Flip on the other side, grill for about 2 minutes, and press.
• Remove from heat.  Cut quesadilla into four pieces.
• Serve two pieces per person with fat-free sour cream and pico de gallo on the side.

John Gregory-Smith is bringing his passion for global flavors and spices to HUNGRY with Mighty Spice. With just a few simple spices, you can take your favorite dishes and give them a unique and delicious international flair!

To learn more and to get this recipe for John’s Chicken Kadahi Curry, click here.

Rosemary-Lemon Marinade

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Chicken and Vegetables

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces

1 small green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 small yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 medium zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 medium red onion, cut into wedges

2 dozen cherry tomatoes

Directions:

• In shallow glass or plastic bowl, or re-sealable food-storage plastic bag, mix all marinade ingredients.
• Add chicken, stirring to coat with marinade.
• Cover dish or seal bag; refrigerate, stirring occasionally, at least 30 minutes but no longer than 6 hours.
• 2 Heat coals or gas grill for direct heat.
• Remove chicken from marinade; reserve marinade.
• Thread chicken, bell pepper, zucchini and onion alternately on each of four 15-inch metal skewers, leaving about 1/4-inch space between each piece.
• Brush vegetables with marinade.
• 3 Cover and grill kabobs over medium heat 10 to 15 minutes, turning and brushing frequently with marinade, until chicken is no longer pink in center.
• Add asparagus to grill for last 5 minutes of grilling, turning occasionally, until crisp-tender.
• You can discard any remaining marinade.

For more kabob ideas, click here.

Recipe courtesy Aarti Sequeira, The Food Network

Ingredients

For marinade:

1 cup plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

3 tablespoons Ginger-Garlic Paste, recipe follows (or 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger and 3 cloves garlic put through a garlic press or finely minced)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, poked with a fork, and cut into large bite-sized chunks…more

In this Weekend Kitchen Chef  Jennifer Booker show’s us how to make a delicious Grilled Steak Pizzialo with an Organic Basil Martini for dad’s big day.

Fore more on Chef Jennifer and Your Resident Gourmet, log onto: www.yourresidentgourmet.com.

Breaded & Baked Chicken Stuffed Lasagna

Compliments of Lizbeth

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serving size: 4 servings

Ingredients:

Pkg. of lasagna noodles

1 cup of shredded chicken meat-(cooked) Many stores carry shredded cooked chicken….

1 jar of Roasted Red Pepper Simmer Sauce

15 oz. container of whole milk ricotta

Salt & pepper to taste

3 large eggs (2 for ricotta, 1 for coating filled lasagnas.

1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

Freshly grated parmesan cheese

1- 15 oz. small container of whole milk ricotta cheese

Directions:

• Boil salted water and prepare pasta until they are just barely cooked. Do not over cook them. Drain pasta when done and spray with cool water-set aside.
• Heat Red Pepper sauce in a saucepan over medium heat. Season if you wish with dried basil and/or red pepper flakes. Allow to simmer on med. low heat and cook down slightly to thicken.
• Prepare ricotta stuffing by combining ricotta, finely shredded chicken, eggs, basil and parmesan cheese in a large bowl. Add desired amount of salt and pepper. Mix well.

To fill ricotta:

• Lay each lasagna noodle flat on counter; top each with a layer of ricotta mixture. Roll it up jellyroll style. Don’t be stingy on the amount of ricotta.
• Whip up one egg in shallow bowl and carefully take each rolled up lasagna and roll it in the egg. Use a small plate- pour out about 1/3 cup of seasoned bread crumbs on plate. Roll “egged” lasagnas in breadcrumbs to coat.

• Place breaded lasagnas on a flat cookie sheet standing on end. (Like photo). Leave space between them. Bake in a 400º oven for about 20 minutes or until breading is golden brown. (Use cooking spray to coat breadcrumbs if you wish to help them become golden brown.)

• Spoon heated red pepper simmer sauce onto plate or pasta bowl. Set lasagnas on top of sauce–on end. Top with grated or shaved parmesan cheese. Enjoy!!

Recipe Note(s):

This recipe also works with Manicotti shells just as well! If you want, try mixing our red pepper simmer sauce with some regular pasta sauce if you have some left over.

Go easy on salt when parmesan cheese is used in a recipe. It has an edge to its flavor which is salty tasting. Same holds true for Romano and Pecorino cheeses.

To get more recipes and to learn more about Lizbeth Lane Gourmet Cuisine, visit their site at www.lizbethlanecuisine.com.

Pork Tenderloin Medallions in A Red Pepper & Basil Cream Sauce

Compliments of Lizbeth

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serving size: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 jar of Lizbeth Lane Roasted Red Pepper & Basil Cream Sauce

Olive oil
One pork tenderloin-sliced crosswise into 1 inch thick medallions

2 cloves of garlic-thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, 1 yellow bell pepper sliced into thin strips

1 sprig Fresh rosemary-stem removed. Chop rosemary leaves.

Seasoning: salt, pepper to taste

Directions:

(Tip: Always use coarsely ground pepper instead of fine when cooking any meat dish.)

• Heat large sauté pan on medium heat. Add 2 tbsp. olive oil. Swirl oil in pan to heat.
• Place pork medallions in pan and brown for 2-3 minutes on each side. Season with salt and pepper. Pork will not be cooked through at this point.
• While sautéing pork, pour Lizbeth Lane Red Pepper simmer sauce into a saucepan and heat on medium uncovered. Stir occasionally.
• When pork has browned, lower heat to medium low and add sliced bell peppers to pan. Add garlic and rosemary. Cover and continue heating for 4-5 minutes. Move peppers and medallions in the pan occasionally.
• Dress each plate by pouring a serving spoon amount of simmer sauce in the middle of the plate. Carefully top with medallions, in a fan shaped configuration.
  (see photo)
• Place a small amount of peppers in the middle or dress entree with peppers as desired.
• Serve immediately.

Note(s):

The quickest way to prepare pork tenderloin is to cut the tenderloin into 1 inch thick medallions. They sauté quickly and are just as succulent and tasty as a tenderloin prepared in an oven

To get more recipes and to learn more about Lizbeth Lane Gourmet Cuisine, visit their site at www.lizbethlanecuisine.com.

Pasta Primavera

Compliments of Saveur.com

Serves 4

Sirio Maccioni, the well-known restaurateur of Le Cirque fame, has been acknowledged for creating this dish.

Ingredients:

• Salt
• 1 medium zucchini, trimmed, quartered lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 1⁄4″-thick pieces
• 1 medium yellow summer squash, trimmed, quartered lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 1/4″-thick pieces
• 1 1⁄2 cups fresh shelled green peas
• Florets from 1 lb. broccoli
• 8 spears asparagus, trimmed and cut crosswise into thirds
• 6 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 16 button mushrooms, stemmed, caps quartered
• 1⁄4 cup pine nuts
• 4 plum tomatoes, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped
• 1 lb. spaghetti
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1⁄4 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
• 1⁄4 cup chicken stock or vegetable stock
• 4 tbsp. butter, softened
• 12–14 leaves basil, shredded

Directions:

1. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Put zucchini and squash into a sieve, blanch for 30 seconds, transfer to a large bowl of ice water to stop them from cooking further, then gently shake sieve to remove excess water, transfer vegetables to a small bowl, and set aside. Repeat blanching and cooling process with the peas, broccoli, and asparagus, in that order, setting vegetables aside in separate bowls.

2. Heat 2 tbsp. of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté zucchini and squash and broccoli until just beginning to brown, 2–3 minutes. Add peas, one-third of the garlic, and salt to taste, sauté for 1 minute, then transfer to a medium bowl, cover, and set aside. Wipe skillet clean. Heat 2 tbsp. of the oil in the skillet over medium-high heat and sauté mushrooms until golden brown, 2–3 minutes. Add pine nuts and sauté until golden, 1–2 minutes. Add half the garlic and salt to taste, sauté for 30 seconds, then transfer to a small bowl, cover, and set aside. Wipe skillet clean. Heat 1 tbsp. of the oil in the skillet over medium-high heat, sauté asparagus until lightly browned, about 1 minute, then transfer to a small bowl, cover, and set aside. Add the remaining 1 tbsp. oil, tomatoes, remaining garlic, and salt to taste to the skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until tomatoes break apart and release their juice, 3–4 minutes. Cover and set aside.

3. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water over high heat until just cooked through, 10–12 minutes. Meanwhile, boil 2 1/2 cups of the cream in a large skillet over medium-high heat until slightly thickened, 5–6 minutes. Stir in parmigiano and salt to taste. Drain pasta, add to skillet with cream, and cook, stirring often, until pasta absorbs sauce, 2–3 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 cup cream, stock and butter, and stir constantly until sauce thickens, 1–2 minutes.

4. Divide pasta among four warm bowls. Dividing quantities equally, top pasta with zucchini-broccoli mixture, mushroom mixture, tomato sauce, and asparagus, in that order. Garnish with basil.