Author Archives for popcorngirl12

Baked Eggplant Italiano

August 11, 2010
popcorngirl12
1 comment
asiago, baked, eggplant, garlic powder, marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, no breadcrumbs, no oil, parmesan, parmigiana, provolone

This is my version of a healthier eggplant parmigiana dish. Yes it can be done! I did not use any breadcrumbs and I didn’t fry the eggplant. That is where most of the fat and calories come from. Don’t get me wrong, I love the old-fashioned breaded and fried version of this dish but I just can’t have the extra fat and calories anymore. Plus it takes forever to fry it all! Next in line with the fat is the cheese used. I used a shredded, reduced fat 4 cheese Italian mix. It has reduced fat mozzarella, smoked provolone, Asiago and Romano cheese. It’s made with 2% milk so it has 33% less fat and 10% fewer calories than the full fat version. I broiled the slices of eggplant on a cookie sheet under the broiler and only sprayed them with olive oil cooking spray. The dish came out great. It is very filling even without all the extra bread crumbs! I really enjoy eggplant and this time I remembered to make it pretty soon after I bought it. I have a tendency to buy it and forget it’s in the refrigerator for days. Then when I go to use it, it’s all brown and spotty inside. Yuck! So this time I bought it and cooked it the next day! Remember when buying an eggplant the top crown should be green and not brown. Brown is bad, means it’s been there a while and not fresh. By the way, the leftovers are just as good as the first time too! (I started to cut the eggplant before I remembered to take a picture)

INGREDIENTS:

1 large eggplant

olive oil cooking spray

marinara or your choice of pasta sauce

Parmesan cheese, grated

garlic powder

2 cups reduced fat shredded Italian cheese of choice (Sargento’s 4 Italian Cheese is great)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Peel eggplant. Slice it lengthwise or if you prefer, round. For this recipe I sliced it lengthwise.

2. Set your oven to broil and place the rack about 4 inches under the broiler. Spray 1-2 cookie sheets with the cooking spray.

3. Place eggplant in a single layer onto cookie sheets. Spray tops of eggplant with cooking spray and sprinkle with garlic powder. Broil eggplant 4-5 minutes on each side. When you flip the eggplant spray again with cooking spray. Keep an eye on the slices as they can easily burn. They should be lightly browned on the edges and soft. Do this until all eggplant is broiled. After eggplant is done, move the rack to the middle and set your oven to 350º.

4. In a square Pyrex or other oven proof baking dish put a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the dish. Lay eggplant slices on bottom slightly overlapping till you have one layer. It should take about 3 large slices. Next add sauce to top of eggplant and spread a thin layer over it. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and about ¼ cup of the shredded cheese. Place another layer of eggplant, again overlapping slightly. I placed this layer in the other direction to give it more stability. Again apply sauce and cheeses. Continue until you have no eggplant left. Finish with shredded cheese on top.

5. Place the dish into the 350º oven and bake until sauce is bubbling and the cheese is all melted. About 15-20 minutes should do it. Remove from oven and let sit 5-10 minutes to let the sauce set up. It’s ok if it’s a little runny. Cut and serve!

This dish is great with a nice salad on the side or even a small dish of pasta.

Serves 2-4

Chicken Penne a la Vodka (minus the vodka)

Yes, Penne a la vodka with no vodka. I was inspired by chef Rocco DiSpirito with this recipe. It was his originally and I made it my own. He didn’t have chicken in his recipe. He uses whole-wheat pasta and I used my favorite Tofu Shirataki Noodles. Usually this recipe is loaded with heavy cream and vodka, making it very high in calories. This tasted just as good and you will never miss the vodka or cream. Honest! It is much lower in fat and since I have added chicken to mine it’s got more protein. I also added a little more marinara sauce than the recipe calls for so mine is a little more red than normal. Also I used 16 ounces (2 packages) of the Shirataki Noodles, next time I will use only 8 ounces (1 package) Mangia!

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound boneless chicken breast cut into 1-2″ strips or pieces

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

2-3 cloves garlic, chopped

12 ounces whole-wheat penne pasta (or 1 package Tofu Shirataki Noodles)

2½ cups low-fat, sugar-free marinara sauce (or your favorite light sauce)

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

7.1 ounce container 2% fat Greek-style yogurt (or any container close to that amount)

1 cup chopped fresh basil

salt and pepper to taste

6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large saucepan sauté the garlic in the oil. When the garlic is lightly browned add the chicken and cook till browned. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

2. If using whole wheat pasta bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions, about 9 minutes. If you are using the Shirataki Noodles follow package directions.

3. Meanwhile, in a large, nonstick sauté pan over medium heat, combine the marinara sauce and red pepper flakes and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until it is reduced and slightly thickened.

4. Remove the marinara from the heat. In a small bowl, stir about ½ cup of the marinara into the Greek yogurt until it is smooth, to temper it, then whisk the yogurt mixture back into the marinara in the sauté pan.

5. Drain the pasta and add it to the pan, tossing to coat. (or add the Shirataki noodles) Add the chicken and toss to mix. Add the basil and season with salt and pepper, if necessary. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Serves 6

Lobster Rolls

This one’s for you Cheryl! Lobster rolls always remind me of my visits to Maine in the summer. They come on those square-like New England-style split-top rolls. If you can’t find those rolls just use a regular long sandwich roll or even a larger hot dog rolls. This salad can be made with cooked lobster or shrimp. Either way it will be delicious and the salads should last up to 2 days in the refrigerator. Then again I am sure they won’t last that long so it won’t be a problem! If you are watching the calories or carbs you can always serve this on a bed of lettuce or in a hollowed out large beefsteak tomato or bell pepper! They will be so much better than anything you can buy already made! It’s funny, when in Maine or anywhere in New England they sell Lobster Rolls everywhere. At the rest stops on the highways, fast food restaurants, small restaurants, big restaurants, you name it, you can find the “rolls” pretty much everywhere! This will bring a little bit of New England to your home no matter where you live!

INGREDIENTS:

1½ pounds (4 cups) cooked lobster meat (preferably cold water lobster meat), cut into chunks

¾ cup finely chopped celery with leaves

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup thinly sliced fresh chives

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; more to taste

freshly ground pepper

6 hot dog rolls, preferably New England-style split-top rolls

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, stir the celery, mayonnaise, chives, tarragon, lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Stir in the lobster meat and season to taste with more lemon, salt and pepper.

2. Position a rack 6 inches from the broiler element and heat broiler to HIGH. Toast both sides of the rolls under the broiler, about 1 minute per side. Spoon the lobster salad into the rolls, using about 2/3 cup per roll.

VARIATION: Substitute 2 pounds cooked large shrimp (31-40 per lb.) cut into ½-¾” pieces.

Don’t forget to go to http://www.cucinadiandrea.com for more food fun! And if there is any recipe you’d like to see on here please leave a comment here or on my website and I will do my best to get you what you want!

Emeril’s Seasonings at Home

Everyone is familiar with Emeril and his TV shows, books, food, restaurants and so on. Years ago he listed some of his spice recipes we could make at home by ourselves. I have made them in the past and they are of course terrific. Today I am going to give everyone the recipes for his Creole and Southwest Spice seasonings. They are very easy to make on your own and there is nothing weird or crazy in them so you will be able to find all the spices in your grocery stores or spice stores. Just remember to store them in airtight containers, especially in climates that can be humid, like Florida! All of the ingredients are ‘dried’ spices/herbs as well.

Emeril’s Creole Seasoning (shown below)

INGREDIENTS:

2½ tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon oregano

1 tablespoon thyme

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients, mix thoroughly and store in an airtight container.

Makes about 2/3 cup

Emeril’s Southwest Seasoning Spice

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoons ground cumin

2 tablespoons paprika

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container.

Makes about ½ cup

Day off

Yes I am taking another day off from the blog. I should know better that I get side-tracked on the weekend. Going to dinner with friends so maybe I will have a new cocktail or dish to share tomorrow. Or even a new restaurant. Keep reading and in the meantime please don’t forget my website which is growing daily. Cucina di Andrea. Check it out and enjoy the weekend! Ciao!

Pesto #5: Arugula Pesto

August 6, 2010
popcorngirl12
0 comments
arugula, garlic, olive oil, parmesan cheese, pesto, sauce

Just like basil pesto and spinach pesto, arugula pesto is a vibrant green color. Full of flavor with a little bit of a bite to it. This is another perfect sauce for pasta. Make sure that you wash the arugula extremely well though. Change the water at least two times because it takes a while to remove all the soil and grit. Nobody likes a gritty pesto!

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups (packed) fresh arugula, cleaned extremely well!

1 garlic clove

½ cup olive oil

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

½ teaspoon salt, more to taste

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a food processor blend the arugula and garlic until finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add the oil, processing until well blended.

2. Transfer the pesto to a large bowl and stir in the Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Season with more salt and pepper if needed. Cover and refrigerate.

Makes about 1 cup and can be made 2 days ahead.

Pesto #4: Mushroom Pesto

As we’ve seen this week, pesto comes in all colors. Green is the most popular color and red is a newcomer with its own distinct flavor. Mushroom pesto adds another. I don’t want to say brown but it’s the color of mushrooms. This recipe uses both dried and fresh mushrooms. They both bring their own unique flavor and texture to the sauce. Dried porcini mushrooms are usually easy to find all year-round. They aren’t usually too cheap but if you can find them on sale they will keep for a while in your pantry. I even keep small cans of porcini and shiitake mushrooms in my pantry for any occasion as well. Try using them if you can’t find dried! This sauce is great on pasta but also just as good on toasted crostini (toasted bread slices)

INGREDIENTS:

1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms

8 ounces white button mushrooms, quartered

1½ cups fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

½ cup toasted walnuts

2 garlic cloves

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

½ teaspoon salt, more to taste

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the porcini mushrooms, press to submerge. Let stand until the mushrooms are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the soaking liquid from the mushrooms and discard.

2. In a bowl of the food processor add the porcini mushrooms, button mushrooms, parsley, toasted walnuts, and garlic. With the machine still running, gradually add the oil, blending just until the mushrooms are finely chopped. Transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Cover and refrigerate.

Makes about 1 cup and can be made 2 days ahead.

Pesto #3: Spinach and Pine Nut Pesto

Spinach and pine nut pesto is almost the same as the basil pesto. It looks the same and tastes just as good. Basil can be expensive especially if you’re using a large quantity of it. But with the wonderful bags of washed, pretrimmed spinach making a spinach pesto is a snap. Using the bags saves so much time as well, you don’t have to keep cleaning it over and over to get all the dirt out of it. And there are sales almost all the time for the bags of spinach. Many of them are buy 1 get 1 free! So this is a more economical way to make a great pesto! This pesto is great with grilled chicken, pasta, anything!

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups (tightly packed) baby spinach leaves (about 2 ounces)

¼ cup toasted pine nuts

1-2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (from about 1 lemon)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about ½ lemon)

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

½ teaspoon salt, more to taste

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a food processor, combine the spinach, pine nuts, lemon zest, and lemon juice. With the machine running, gradually add the oil, blending until it is creamy.

2. Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl. Stir in the cheese, salt and pepper. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate.

Makes 1 cup. The pesto can be made 2 days ahead of time.

Pesto #2: Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

August 3, 2010
popcorngirl12
2 comments
basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, pesto, sauce, sun-dried tomato

Sun-dried tomato pesto is not your usual pesto sauce. It’s great for topping sautéed or grilled fish and can be eaten hot or cold! It can also be used as a sauce on penne pasta. However you want to use it will be great! Using sun-dried tomatoes makes this pesto a sauce you can make all year-long as sun-dried tomatoes have a long pantry life and are great for so many recipes they won’t go to waste.

INGREDIENTS:

1 (8.5 ounce) jar of sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil*

1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves

2 garlic cloves

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

½ teaspoon salt, more to taste

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a food processor, blend the sun-dried tomatoes and their oil with the basil and garlic just until the tomatoes are finely chopped.

2. Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl and stir in the cheese and salt and pepper. Season with more salt and pepper if needed.

Makes about 1 cup and will last for 1 week if stored in an airtight container.

* If you can’t find oil-packed tomatoes, then soak dry sun-dried tomatoes in extra-virgin olive oil for 12 hours.

Pesto #1: Basil Pesto

Basil pesto is the most basic and traditional pesto. It is what most people think of when you mention pesto. The basil-based pesto was invented in Genoa, Italy. It is also sometimes called a Genovese sauce. It should be a beautiful bright green and the aroma is almost intoxicating. Just remember when adding the oil, add it slowly. This is so that the sauce is fully emulsified, meaning all the ingredients blend together in a thick, uniform consistency. There are also many types of basil out there in the markets today so be adventurous and try a few of them for their different flavors! And remember you will be using quite a bit in the recipe so if it’s on sale all the better!

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups (packed) fresh basil leaves

¼ cup toasted pine nuts (pignoli)*

1-2 cloves garlic

½ teaspoon salt, plus a little more to taste

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus a little more to taste

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a food processor or blender, pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon of the black pepper until finely chopped.

2. With the processor or blender still running, gradually add enough oil to form a smooth and thick consistency. Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl and stir in the cheese. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate.

Makes about 1 cup. The pesto can be made up to 2 days ahead.

*To toast pine nuts for pesto, bake them on a cookie sheet at 400ºF for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Just keep an eye on them because they can burn very quickly!

**TIP** If using the pesto as a pasta sauce it must be the right consistency. So when your pasta is just about ready you can add a little bit of the pasta cooking liquid to the pest to get it a little thinner so it will coat the pasta. Just be careful you don’t add too much and make it a pesto soup!

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Author Archives for popcorngirl12

Chicken Penne a la Vodka (minus the vodka)

Lobster Rolls

Emeril’s Seasonings at Home

Day off

Pesto #5: Arugula Pesto

Pesto #4: Mushroom Pesto

Pesto #3: Spinach and Pine Nut Pesto

Pesto #2: Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

Pesto #1: Basil Pesto

Top Posts & Pages

Follow my other blog! : Cruise Ship Recipes at Home

Chilled Strawberry Bisque (Carnival Cruise Lines)

Escargot Bourgignonne

Alchemy Bar’s Cucumber Sunrise (Carnival Cruise Lines)

Baked Alaska (Carnival Cruise Lines)

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