Chicken with Southwestern Salsa

From Cooking Light Magazine Jan/Feb 2009

Serve with a mixed green salad.  For the dressing, combine 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 tablespoons EVOO, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon cumin in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk.  Add 6 cupstorn romaine lettuce, 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion, and 1/4 cup diced avocado; toss gently to combine.

1 Tbsp canola oil, divided

1 tsp ground cumin, divided

3/4 tsp ground coriander, divided

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp ground red pepper

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/2 C chopped onion

1 tsp minced garlic

1/3 C chopped plum tomato

1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro

2 Tbsp lime juice

1 (15oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (8 3/4oz) can no-salt-added whole kernel corn, drained

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Combine 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon coriander, salt, black pepper, and red pepper; sprinkle mixture evenly over chicken.  Add chicken to pan; cook 7 minutes on each side or until done.

While chicken cooks, heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in a smallskillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion to pan; saute 1 minute.  Add garlic to pan; saute 30 seconds.  Transfer onion mixture to a large bowl; add remaining 1/2 teaspoon cumin, remaining 1/4 teaspoon coriander, tomato, and remaining ingredients to onion mixture, tossing well.  Serve with chicken.  

Sweet Potato-Pecan Burgers with Caramelized Onions

From Cooking Light Magazine Jan/Feb 2009

Onions:

1 tsp canola oil

3 C sliced onion

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp sugar

1/8 tsp salt

Burgers:

2 1/2 C cubed, peeled, sweet potato

Cooking spray

2 1/2C chopped onion

3 garlic cloves

1 C regular oats

1 1/2tsp ground cumin

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 C chopped pecans, toasted

1 Tbsp canola oil, divided

6 boston lettuce leaves

6 100% whole wheat or whole-grain buns

6 Tbsp chili sauce

To prepare onions, heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add sliced onion to pan;saute 12 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally.  Stir in vinegar, sugar, and 1/8 tsp salt; cook 30 seconds or until vinegar is absorbed.  Remove onion mixture from pan;keep warm. Wipe pan dry with a paper towel.

To prepare burgers, place potato in a large saucepan; cover with water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat,and simmer 15 minutes or until tender; drain.

Heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Coat pan with cooking spray.  Add chopped onion and garlic to pan; saute 5 minutes or until tender.

Place potato, chopped onion mixture,oats, cumin, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a food processor; process until smooth.  Place potato mixture in a large bowl; stir in nuts.  Divide potato mixture into 6 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2" thick patty.

Wipe pan dry with a paper towel.  Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in pan over medium-high heat.  Add 3 patties to pan; cook 4 minutes or until browned.  Carefully turn patties over; cook 3 minutes or until browned.  Remove from pan; keep warm.  Repeat procedure with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and 3 patties. Place lettuce leaves and patties on bottom halves of bun; top each patty with 1 tablespoon chili sauce, about 3 tablespoons onion, and top halves of buns.

Tofu Mushroom Scramble On Whole Wheat Tortilla

From The Best Life Diet Cookbook

Vegetable oil cooking spray
2 Tbsp minced onion
1 C sliced mushrooms
1/2 C firm tofu (with calcium sulfate)
1/8 tsp salt
Black pepper to taste
1 whole wheat tortilla

Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat.
Coat the skillet with cooking spray. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook 3 minutes. Add the tofu and stir, breaking the tofu up and incorporating it with the onion and mushrooms. Cook until the tofu is slightly browned, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the salt and pepper.
Place the tofu mixture on the tortilla. Roll the tortilla, tucking in the ends as you roll. Serve.

Grilled Chicken with Avocado Cucumber Salad

From Food Network Kitchens Making It Easy

4 chicken paillards, about 60z each
EVOO
1 tsp ground coriander
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Salad
1 kirby cucumber with peel, coarsely chopped
1 C grape or cherry tomatoes and/or yellow pear tomatoes, halved
1/4 red onion, diced
1 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
1 tsp grated lemon zest
Freshly squeezed juice of half a lemon
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 ripe hass avocado

Preheat a grill pan or heat and outdoor grill to medium-high. Brush the chicken with olive oil and season with coriander, salt and black pepper to taste. Grill the chicken, in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pan, turning once, until cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.
While the chicken cooks, toss the cucumber, tomatoes, onion, tarragon, lemon zest and juice, salt and cayenne pepper in a serving bowl. Add avocado chunks. Put a paillard on each of 4 plates and spoon some salad over the chicken.

Ratatouille Stoup

From Rachael Ray


3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium eggplant, peeled and diced
2 small zucchini, diced
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 can diced tomatoes (28 ounces)
6 cups chicken stock
1/2 pound small cut whole grain pasta
A handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
A few leaves fresh basil, torn or shredded

Heat a deep pot over medium-high heat with three turns of the pan of EVOO, about three tablespoons. Add the onion, peppers, garlic, eggplant and zucchini. Season the vegetables with salt, pepper and thyme. Cook until softened, about 7-8 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and chicken stock, bring the soup to a boil, then turn it down to a simmer. Stir in the pasta and cook to al dente, with a bite to it. Stir in parsley and basil, adjust salt and pepper and serve.

Salmon Burger

From Rachael Ray Big Orange Book

1 1/2 pounds skinless salmon fillet, cut into large chunks
2 tablespoons capers, chopped
Grated peel of half a lemon (lemon half reserved for squeezing)
1/3 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley (a generous handful)
2 teaspoons seafood seasoning
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1/4 English (seedless) cucumber, chopped
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
4 Kaiser rolls, split
4 red leaf lettuce leaves

Using a food processor, coarsely chop the salmon; transfer to a bowl. Mix in the capers, lemon peel, parsley and seafood seasoning and season with salt and pepper. Form into four patties.Pre-heat the broiler. In a nonstick skillet, heat the EVOO, one turn around the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook for 4 minutes on each side.Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the cucumber, tomatoes and red onion. In another small bowl, mix the mustard with the dill.Toast the rolls under the broiler and slather each side with the mustard-dill sauce. Squeeze the lemon half over the cooked burgers. Set a lettuce leaf and burger on each roll bottom and top with tomato-cucumber relish and a roll top.

Buffalo Chicken Chili Mac

From Rachael Ray Big Orange Book

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4-6, depending on size), cut into small bits
1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 ribs celery, finely chopped
5 large cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 bay leaf
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chicken stock
1/4-1/2 cup hot sauce, depending on how hot you like it
1 can crushed tomatoes (15 ounces)
1 pound whole wheat elbow macaroni
1/2 cup pepper Jack cheese
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 scallions, root ends removed and thinly sliced

Pre-heat the broiler.
Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring it up to a boil for the whole wheat elbow macaroni.
Place a large pot over medium-high heat and add two turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Add the chicken bits and brown them, about 5-6 minutes. Tip: To make cutting the chicken easier, place it into the freezer for about 15 minutes until it firms up slightly but isn’t frozen through. This will let you cut it up quickly into small pieces.Add the carrot, onion, celery, garlic, paprika, bay leaf and some salt and freshly ground black pepper to the chicken. Cook the veggies, stirring frequently, until tender, 3-4 minutes. Add the chicken stock and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the hot sauce and crushed tomatoes and bring up to a bubble. Simmer the chili for 8-10 minutes to let the flavors come together and thicken it slightly.
While the chili is simmering, toss the pasta into the boiling salted water and cook until al dente, according to package directions. Once cooked, drain the pasta and toss it into the chili, then transfer everything to a casserole dish. Sprinkle the cheeses evenly over the top and place it under the broiler until the cheeses have melted and the top is golden brown, 2-3 minutes.
Sprinkle the chopped scallions over the top. Serve and watch this one disappear in no time!

Roasted Veggie Dip

From Rachael Ray Big Orange Book


1 bulb fennel, cored and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 small eggplant, peeled and chopped
1 small zucchini, trimmed, cut in half lengthwise, then cut into thick half-moons
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
20 basil leaves, roughly chopped
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped (a handful),

Pre-heat the oven to 400°F. Place the veggies on a cookie sheet, drizzle them with EVOO and balsamic vinegar, then season them liberally with the salt and pepper. Toss to coat thoroughly and transfer to the oven to roast for 30-40 minutes, until brown and tender.Cool the veggies and transfer them to a food processor with the basil and parsley. Pulse to chop and combine. Transfer the dip to a bowl and stir; season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with baked pita chips, celery sticks and carrot sticks for a healthy snack.

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

From Rachale Ray Big Orange Book


1 pound ground all-white-meat chicken
1/2 small onion, grated
2 cloves garlic, grated
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup hot sauce, such as Frank's brand
Good quality store-bought blue cheese dressing, for dipping
3 scallions, green and white parts thinly sliced, for garnish
A couple of handfuls of celery sticks
A couple of handfuls of carrot sticks
Toothpicks, for serving

Pre-heat the oven to 400ºF.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken with the onion, garlic and parsley and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Flatten out the meat in the bowl and score it into four portions using the side of your hand. Shape each portion into four balls – you should have sixteen meatballs in total.
Wash your hands after handling the raw poultry.
Arrange the meatballs on a nonstick sheet pan and drizzle them with EVOO. Place in the oven and bake until the meatballs are cooked through and golden brown, about 10-12 minutes.
While the meatballs are baking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the hot sauce and whisk to combine. Toss the baked meatballs in the hot sauce to coat.
Transfer the meatballs to a serving platter and spike each one with a toothpick or serving fork. Place the blue cheese dressing in a small serving bowl and garnish with scallions. Serve the meatballs with the blue cheese dressing, celery and carrot sticks alongside.This is one of many "Yum-o!" recipes – it's good and good for you. To find out more about Yum-o!, Rachael's nonprofit organization, go to www.yum-o.org.

Teriyaki Chicken with Warm Ginger Carrot Slaw

From Rachael Ray Express Lane Meals


1 1/2 pounds chicken breast cutlets
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 rounded tablespoon grill seasoning (eyeball it), such as McCormick brand Montreal Steak Seasoning
1 small Savoy cabbage (1 1/2 pounds)
1 bunch scallions
1 cup snow peas (a couple of handfuls)
1/4 cup honey (eyeball it)
3 tablespoons cider vinegar (eyeball it)
3 tablespoons pickled ginger, drained and thinly sliced, found on Asian foods aisle
1 sack store-bought shredded or julienne-cut carrots (10 ounces)
Salt and pepper

In a large sealable plastic bag, combine chicken cutlets with teriyaki sauce, 2 tablespoons oil and grill seasoning. Close bag and combine to coat evenly. Let stand 15 minutes.
Pre-heat an outdoor or indoor grill or grill pan to medium-high.
Cut cabbage into quarters and cut away core. Shred the cabbage and set aside. Cut clean, trimmed scallions into 3-inch lengths. Pile scallions lengthwise and julienne them into thin strips. Pull the threads from the ends of snow peas and julienne into thin strips, lengthwise, like the scallions.
Drizzle honey into a small bowl. Add vinegar and combine with a fork.
Place chicken cutlets on grill or into hot pan and cook 3 minutes on each side.
Heat a nonstick skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil, two turns of the pan. Add pickled ginger and cut carrots and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add cabbage and stir fry 2 minutes more. Fluff and toss veggies with tongs so they stay dry and crisp while cooking. Add scallions and snow peas and stir fry another minute. Add honey and vinegar combination, pouring it all around the pan in a slow stream. Cook the liquids down 30 seconds more then turn off heat. Continue to toss the slaw and season it up with salt and pepper to your taste.
Slice the chicken meat thinly on an angle. Mound up a quarter of the slaw on each plate and place the sliced chicken along side, edging its way up the slaw salad. Serve immediately.

Smoky Sweet Potato Chicken Stoup

From Rachael Ray Express Lane Meals


2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
2 medium carrots, peeled
2 ribs celery
1 large onion, peeled and halved
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1-2 chipotle chili in adobo, finely chopped, plus a spoon of sauce from the can
Salt and black pepper
1 teaspoon dry thyme (eyeball it)
1 bay leaf
1 cup dry white wine (eyeball it)
5 cups chicken stock
1 large sweet potato
3/4-1 pound chicken tenders, cut into bite-size pieces
4 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, a generous handful, roughly chopped
1/2 cup sour cream, for garnish (optional)

Heat a soup pot over medium-high heat with two tablespoons of EVOO, about two turns of the pan.
While soup pot heats, chop carrots in half lengthwise then slice into thin half moons. Add the carrots to the pot while it heats, stirring to coat the carrots in the EVOO. Chop and drop in celery and onion, chopping as small as you can, but don't make yourself crazy. Add the garlic, chipotle, and adobo sauce and stir to combine. Season the veggies with salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook the veggies together for one minute. Add the wine and reduce a minute. Add the stock to the pot, cover the pot, and raise heat to high. Bring the stoup to a boil, remove the cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into quarters lengthwise, then thinly slice into bite-size pieces. Add the cut chicken and sweet potatoes and simmer five minutes until sweet potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through. Turn the heat off and add the scallions and cilantro. Serve each portion of stoup with a dollop of sour cream on top.

Spaghetti Alla Ceci

From Rachael Ray Express Lane Meals

1 pound spaghetti
Salt
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), 3 turns of the pan
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 can, chick peas (14 ounces), drained
1/2 teaspoon dry thyme, eyeball it
Pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
1 can, crushed tomatoes (14 ounces)
Handful flat leaf parsley, chopped
Grated Parmiginao Reggiano, to pass at table

Boil water for pasta, salt it, and cook spaghetti to al dente.
While spaghetti cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add EVOO, 3 turns of the pan, crushed red pepper flakes and garlic. Place chick peas in food processor and pulse grind them to a fine chop. Add chick peas to garlic and season them with thyme, salt and pepper then sauté them for 3-4 minutes. Add wine or broth and cook down 30 seconds or so then stir in tomatoes and adjust seasoning. Drain pasta and toss with sauce. Top with parsley and grated cheese.

Shepherd's Pie

From Every Day with Rachael Ray April 2008

2 pounds small yellow-fleshed potatoes, halved
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 ounces cremini mushroom slices
2 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 parsnips, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 onion, chopped
1 pound 93-percent lean ground beef
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1/2 cup canned crushed tomatoes
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup 2-percent milk
1 1/2 pounds baby spinach

In a large saucepan, combine the potatoes and enough salted water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and return to the pot; cover.
In a large, deep skillet, heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil over high heat, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until browned, about 5 minutes. Arrange in a greased 9-by- 13-inch baking dish in an even layer.
In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over mediumhigh heat. Add the carrots, parsnips and onion and cook, stirring, until crisp-tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the beef and cook, breaking it up, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Stir in the flour. Add the beef broth and tomatoes and simmer, stirring, until thickened, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Ladle the meat mixture over the mushrooms. Reserve the skillet.
Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400°. Add the milk to the potatoes and mash. Season with salt and pepper.
In the reserved skillet, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add the spinach and cook, turning, until wilted, about 2 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a colander; press to extract any liquid.
Arrange the spinach over the meat mixture, then spoon the potatoes on top. Drizzle with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes.

Eggplant Parmesan Lasagna

From Every Day with Rachael Ray April 2008

2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 small Italian eggplants (about 2 pounds total), cut lengthwise into 1/3-inch-thick slices
4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
Two 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
Salt and pepper
Six 3-by-6 1/2-inch lasagna noodles
16 ounces low-fat (1 percent) cottage cheese
1 large egg
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
8 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 400°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and drizzle 1/2 tablespoon olive oil on each. Place half of the eggplant slices on each pan, turn to coat with the oil, then arrange in a single layer. Bake until tender and lightly browned, about 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, heat the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat; add the garlic and cook, stirring, until just golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes; bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened, about 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the noodles, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the noodles and rinse with cold water.
Line a 9-inch square baking dish with two 16-inch-long sheets of parchment paper, allowing a few inches of overhang on all sides. Using a food processor, puree the cottage cheese. Add the egg and 1/4 cup parmesan, season with salt and pepper and pulse to combine.
Spread 1 cup tomato sauce in the bottom of the prepared dish. Lay 2 noodles side by side over the sauce. Layer half of the cottage cheese mixture, half of the eggplant slices and one-third of the mozzarella on top. Spoon 1 1/4 cups tomato sauce over the mozzarella and top with 2 more noodles. Layer with the remaining cottage cheese mixture and eggplant, another third of the mozzarella, 1 1/4 cups tomato sauce and the remaining 2 noodles. Spread the remaining tomato sauce on top and fold in the parchment to cover the lasagna.
Cover the dish tightly with foil, place on a baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and 2 tablespoons parmesan on top and bake until bubbly, about 10 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Carrots and Peas Orzo

From Every Day with Rachael Ray April 2008

Salt
1 C orzo
1 C frozen peas
4 carrots, sliced
Drizzle of honey (optional)
1/2 C grated parmigiano-reggiano
Pepper

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the orzo and cook until just before al dente, about 7 minutes. Add the peas and cook for 1 minute; drain and return the pasta and peas to the pot.
While the pasta is cooking, in a medium saucepan, cover the carrots with water and bring to a boil. Season with salt and cook until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup cooking water, then transfer the carrots to a food processor. Add the reserved cooking water and honey, if using, and process until smooth.
Stir the carrot puree into the pasta and peas. Stir in the parmigiano-reggiano. Portion out half for the dog and let cool before serving; season the people's portion with salt and pepper.