Beef Daube Provencal

From Cooking Light Mag

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 12 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 (2-pound) boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 cups chopped carrot
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion

• 1/2 cup lower-sodium beef broth
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• Dash of ground cloves
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cups cooked medium egg noodles (about 4 cups uncooked noodles)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 300°.
2. Heat a small Dutch oven over low heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add garlic; cook 5 minutes or until garlic is fragrant, stirring occasionally. Remove garlic with a slotted spoon; set aside. Increase heat to medium-high. Add beef to pan; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove beef from pan. Add wine to pan; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add reserved garlic, beef, remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, carrot, and next 8 ingredients (through bay leaf), and bring to a boil.
3. Cover and bake at 300° for 2 1/2 hours or until beef is tender. Discard bay leaf. Serve over noodles.

Note: To make in a slow cooker, prepare through Step 2. Place beef mixture in an electric slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 5 hours or until beef is tender.

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

• Calories: 367
• Fat: 12.8g
• Saturated fat: 4.3g
• Monounsaturated fat: 5.8g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 0.9g
• Protein: 29.1g
• Carbohydrate: 33.4g
• Fiber: 3.9g
• Cholesterol: 105mg
• Iron: 4.3mg
• Sodium: 678mg
• Calcium: 76mg

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Chocolate Cake with Salted Caramel Sauce

From EasyEats. com via Pinterest

(I didn't take this picture but I wish I had!)

• Makes: One 9-inch cake
• Prep time: 15 min
• Cook time: 1 hr 30 min

• 14 ounces high-quality chocolate
• 1 stick plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 6 eggs or equivalent egg replacement
• ½ cup superfine sugar
• ¼ cup dark brown sugar
• ¾ cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¼ cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup heavy cream or nondairy creamer
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 vanilla bean, split and beans scraped into a bowl

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line with parchment paper cut to fit the bottom of the pan. Set the prepared pan inside a 12-inch pan. In a double boiler, heat chocolate and 7 tablespoons butter until fully melted. Stir until smooth. Let cool for about 5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, the superfine sugar, dark brown sugar, ¼ cup light brown sugar and the vanilla until fully incorporated. Add the cooled chocolate mixture to the egg mixture; whisk until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared 9-inch pan. Carefully fill the larger pan with water until it reaches about halfway up the side of the smaller pan. Tightly cover with aluminum foil.
3. Bake until top of cake is no longer sticky to the touch, about 90 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then invert the cake onto a plate to cool completely.
4. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine the remaining ½ cup light brown sugar, the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the syrup, ½ cup cream and the salt and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Boil uncovered until the sauce is very thick and deep golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the remaining ½ cup cream and return to a boil, stirring constantly until the mixture is perfectly smooth. Stir in the vanilla beans. Pour sauce into a heatproof glass jar; refrigerate until just cool (about 2 hours) and spread a thick layer over the cake. Refrigerate the cake until fully cool, about another hour.

NUTRITIONAL INFO

1 SLICE: CALORIES 465; FAT 28.4 g (sat 16.6 g, mono 8.9 g, poly 1.4 g); PROTEIN 5.0 g; CARBS 60.7 g; FIBER 2.0 g; CHOLEST 143.0 mg; IRON 1.7 mg; SODIUM 256 mg; CALCIUM 55 mg

MY NOTES: I made this after we had a French style flour less chocolate cake the last time we went to the beach. The whole family just melted when we ate it. This recipe didn't disappoint. It's time consuming. And next time I will start the caramel sauce while the cake is cooling. 

Summer Vegetable Crepes

 

From Eating Well

• 1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives, divided, plus more for garnish
• 3 tablespoons low-fat milk
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups chopped zucchini
• 1 1/4 cups chopped green beans
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels, (from 1 large ear; see Tip)
• 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• Crepes

Preparation

1. Stir sour cream, 1/4 cup chives, milk, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl until combined. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, green beans and corn and cook, stirring, until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low; stir in ricotta, Monterey Jack, the remaining 1/4 cup chives, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook, stirring gently, until the cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. Roll some of the filling in a crepe. Place the crêpe seam-side down on a dinner plate. Serve each crêpe topped with 2 tablespoons of the reserved sauce and more chives, if desired.

Crustless Quiche Lorraine

from Kara's Cuisine

8 slices of bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese, divided
6 large eggs, beaten
1 cup half and half
1/2 tsp.Kosher salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease quiche/pie pan with cooking spray or butter.

Fry the bacon and green onions together in a non-stick pan until done. Sprinkle the bacon/onion mixture in the bottom of the quiche dish. Top with 1 cup of the Swiss cheese.

In another bowl, stir the beaten eggs, half and half, salt, pepper, paprika, and nutmeg. Pour into quiche dish. Top mixture with the remaining 1 cup of Swiss cheese.

Bake the quiche for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand 10-15 minutes before serving.

MY NTOES: I made with 1 cup swiss, 1 cup gruyere.

Ratatouille

From (the only cookbook I own): Healthy Mediterranean Cookbook by Joanna Farrow & Jacqueline Clark

2 lb ripe tomatoes
1/2 cup EVOO
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into chunks
1 yellow or orange bell pepper, seeded and cut into chunks
1 large aubergine (egg plant), cut into chunks
2 courgettes (zucchini) cut into thick slices
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 bay leaves
1 T fresh Thyme
salt and pepper

PLUNGE tomatoes into boiling water for 30 seconds, then refresh in cold water. Peel away skins and chop roughly.

HEAT a little of the oil in a large pan and fry the onions for five minutes. Add the peppers and fry for another 2 minutes. Set aside. Add eggplant and more oil, fry for 5 more minutes. Add remaining oil and zucchini and fry for 3 more minutes. Set aside.

ADD garlic and tomatoes to the pan with bay leaves and thyme, salt and pepper. Cook gently until the tomatoes have softened and are turning pulpy.

RETURN all of the vegetables to the pan and cook gently, stirring frequently, for about 15 minutes, until fairly pulpy but retaining a little texture. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.

SERVE over rice or just with a hot, buttery baguette.

Crepes

From (I forgot where)

3 large eggs
2/3 cup milk
1/2 c water
3/4 c flour
1 t granulated sugar
1/2 t salt
1 T melted butter (plus more for brushing)
1 T canola oil

WHISK eggs, milk and water
ADD flour, sugar. salt, butter, oil
REST batter 30 min at room temperature or overnight in the fridge

BRUSH pan with butter over med. heat
POUR 1/4 c or less batter in your pan, swirl around and cook gently on both sides

FILLING OPTIONS:
Nutella and bananas
Nutella and strawberries
Honey and toasted almond slivers
Lemon and Blueberry (2 t powdered sugar combined with 1 t lemon juice and fresh blueberries)

Or savory crepes:
Brie / Boursin
sauteed onions and mushrooms
diced ham
other delectable meats

Nutrition Facts
13 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories		71.5
Total Fat		3.7 g
	Saturated Fat	1.2 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.7 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	1.5 g
Cholesterol		58.5 mg
Sodium		295.1 mg
Potassium		47.8 mg
Total Carbohydrate		6.5 g
	Dietary Fiber	0.2 g
	Sugars	1.0 g
Protein		3.0 g

Vitamin A	3.0 %
Vitamin B-12	3.3 %
Vitamin B-6	1.6 %
Vitamin C	0.0 %
Vitamin D	4.6 %
Vitamin E	1.3 %
Calcium	2.2 %
Copper	0.6 %
Folate	5.3 %
Iron	3.1 %
Magnesium	0.7 %
Manganese	2.5 %
Niacin	2.2 %
Pantothenic Acid	0.8 %
Phosphorus	5.0 %
Riboflavin	6.5 %
Selenium	4.1 %
Thiamin	3.9 %
Zinc	1.9 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

2002 Thanksgiving Salad

This recipe is from the first Thanksgiving Brandon and I spent together.

1 shallot, minced
1/3 c sherry wine vinegar
1/2 c canola oil
1/2 c EVOO
salt and pepper to taste
1 c soft goat cheese (crumbled)
3/4 c toasted walnuts
hearts of romaine
1 can sliced beets
1 pear, peeled, cored and sliced


Vinaigrette:
Place shallots and sherry wine vinegar in a small bowl and slowly whisk in oils. Season to taste.

Salad:
Toss romaine, pear, goat cheese and walnuts with vinaigrette.
Arrange salad on plates.
Top with the beets.

Mushroom Salad in Garlic and Parsley Vinaigrette

From Amy Finley

1 pound white button mushrooms, thinly sliced

Garlic and Parsley Vinaigrette, recipe follows

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the mushrooms in a medium glass bowl. Add the vinaigrette and toss gently. Allow to sit at least 10 minutes, until the mushrooms are wilted and impregnated with sauce. Check for seasoning and add additional salt and pepper, if necessary.

Vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot (about 1 small)
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons country Dijon mustard
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
5 tablespoons olive oil

Place shallot, garlic, parsley, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper in the bottom of a small mixing bowl. Stir to combine, then whisk in olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Alternately, place all ingredients in a clean 8-ounce jar. Cover and shake vigorously.

Endive Gratin with Ham and Gruyere Cheese

From Amy Finley

8 endives, intact but cored
4 tablespoons butter
8 slices low-sodium ham
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
Freshly cracked black pepper, for seasoning
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
8 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350 to 375 degrees F.

In a large pot fitted with a steaming basket, bring 1-inch of water to a boil. Place the endives in the basket, cover, and let cook until very soft, about 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a colander and let drain, pushing down on the endives with a clean kitchen towel until as much of the water as possible has been expelled. Do not mush the endives!

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. When the foam has subsided, add the endives and cook, turning occasionally, until brown and caramelized on all surfaces. Remove from heat and wrap each endive in 1 slice of the ham. Set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. When the foam has subsided whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute, being careful not to brown the flour. Whisk in the milk in a slow, steady stream. Bring to a boil whisking constantly, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, about 8 minutes. Season with a generous amount of pepper and the nutmeg.

Spread about 1 cup of the sauce over the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish, then arrange the ham-wrapped endives on top in a single layer. Cover with the remaining sauce and the cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Turn on the broiler, transfer the pan to the top rack, and broil until the cheese has patches of golden goodness - about 2 minutes. Serve hot with generous amounts of sauce and baguette slices.

Great paired with Mushroom Salad in Garlic and Parsley Vinaigrette

Chicken a la Patti

From my MIL

4 chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 t Herbes de Provence
1 T butter
1 T EVOO
½ lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, sliced
1 c half n half or heavy cream
¾ c white wine
Salt and pepper, to taste
Cornstarch

SAUTE chicken in butter and EVOO, remove and set aside
SAUTE mushrooms, onions and garlic
ADD chicken, herbs and wine
Let SIMMER.
Before serving add cream, salt and pepper and cornstarch
Best served alongside rice.
NOTE: Begin with 1 T cornstarch. It is a thickening agent so stir it around for a bit and if you think it should be thicker, add another T.