Category Archives: Recipes

October 8, 2008 · 8:31 am

French Onion Soup Under Pressure

Kitchen Kutter

Kitchen Kutter

Our older daughter requested a recipe for easy French onion soup, so this is for you, Lynn. The most difficult, time-consuming part of making the soup is slicing 5 onions, and the Kitchen Kutter makes quick work of that (I use the #4 cone). Or use a mandoline, but exercise great care; I’ve cut a finger more than once on one of those! This is a healthful soup that is quick and simple to prepare.

RECIPE

FRENCH ONION SOUP
Makes 6 Servings

Ingredients:

5 medium onions, thinly sliced
¼ cup white wine
2 Tablespoons butter
6 cups reduced fat, reduced sodium beef broth
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
6 slices reduced fat mozzarella cheese (or Parmesan cheese or any mild, white cheese)
1 cup toasted croutons (optional)

Directions:

In the bottom of a 6 quart pressure cooker over medium heat, sauté the onion slices in butter for 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Add the broth, seasonings, and wine. Secure the lid to the pressure cooker, bring to pressure, and cook 8 minutes. Remove from heat, release the pressure, then remove the lid. To serve, ladle into soup mugs or bowls, immediately add cheese so it can melt, then sprinkle with croutons (if desired).

Enjoy!

Cheri

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September 17, 2008 · 8:17 am

Cincinnati-style Chili

As we begin fall, the season of tailgate parties and cooler weather, we dig out our favorite chili recipes.  Although most of the time, we make a Tex-Mex style chili, I make this recipe for a change of pace.

Skyline Chili restaurant has been a favorite of our family–especially my nephew (Happy birthday, Joe!), but there are no Skyline Chili restaurants where we live. I needed to develop a Skyline knock off. It took work, but I did it. Wait till you taste my version of their famous, Cincinnati-style chili. I shaved off about an hour of cooking time by using a pressure cooker.  Make this one a day ahead to do it right!

[For an added treat, spoon chili over a cooked wiener in a bun then top with shredded cheese.]

Cincinnati-style Chili

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

2 large onions chopped
2  pounds extra-lean ground beef or lean ground turkey (Or 1 of each)
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon red (cayenne) pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa or 1/2 ounce grated unsweetened chocolate
2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 cups water
2 (16-ounce) packages uncooked dried spaghetti pasta (I use whole grain thin spaghetti for added fiber)

Toppings: 1 can red beans, rinsed
1 sweet onion, diced
1 pound cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

In a large (4 qt) pot (I use the pot to my pressure cooker), add water and meat. Boil meat for 30 minutes, stirring often to separate the meat. Add remaining ingredients (except pasta and toppings) and bring to a boil. Put on the lid and seal, bring to pressure, then cook under pressure for 45 minutes¹. Remove from heat and allow pressure to drop on its own.  When cooled, transfer chili to a glass or plastic container. Refrigerate overnight.


The next day, skim off any congealed fat from the top of the chili and remove bay leaf. To serve, return to large pot and warm over low heat. Meanwhile, cook the pasta, dice onions, shred cheese (if necessary) and warm the beans. To serve three way, ladle ½ to ¾ cup of the chili over a ½ cup spaghetti then top with 2 oz. shredded cheese. Four way: add either 2 Tablespoons of beans or 2 Tablespoons diced sweet onion. Five way: add both beans and onion.

¹If you aren’t using a pressure cooker, you need to cook uncovered for 1 hour then covered an additional hour.

 

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August 26, 2008 · 9:16 am

From my RV kitchen

Cheryl at Old Faithful

Cheryl at Old Faithful

Old Faithful Inn, built 1904-5

Old Faithful Inn, built 1904-5

We just returned from a three-week trip in our RV, traveling from Florida to Yellowstone National Park via South Dakota. This was our first extended trip in our new Winnebago Aspect, and we were curious to see how it performed. Good news. We came home under budget! First, fuel prices were lower than we’d expected (we paid under $4/gal. except at Gardiner, MT, where we paid $4.04). Also, traveling 55 MPH gave us 10 MPG, very respectable economy for a V-10 gasoline engine in a large rig.

We also came in under budget for meals. We ate most of our HASTY TASTY MEALS in our camper. In fact, we ate only 11% of our meals out. We ate well, too, dining on bison burgers, grilled salmon, red beans and rice, “fried” chicken, chicken fajitas, and a couple of Tombstone Pizzas, along with a lot of fresh vegetables. Because I travel with my Healthy Gourmet cookware, Vita-Mix, and microwave/convection oven, I have what I need to prepare a variety of meals in the tiny RV kitchen. Our lunches were often sandwiches, but they were lean meats on whole grain buns. The few times we dined out were special (like brunch at Old Faithful Inn, a magnificent 104-year-old log lodge; and breakfast at Wall Drug Store, where coffee is a nickel a cup).

Even better news than saving money is we lost weight! I weighed the morning after we got home and had lost two pounds; my hubby lost three. True, we did lots of walking every day, which helped, but avoiding restaurant meals contributed to our weight loss. We’re happy campers!

Cheri

Bison in Yellowstone National Park

Bison in Yellowstone National Park

RECIPE

Bison Burgers
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 pound ground bison
Mrs. Dash (any flavor, but we like Southwest Chipotle)
4 Whole Wheat burger buns

Directions:

Preheat electric skillet to 350°F. Divide meat into fourths and form flat patties (no thicker than ¼”). Place patties in skillet, cover, and time for five minutes. After five minutes, flip burgers to check for doneness (They will be if you are using quality cookware), unplug, and serve on buns with condiments of your choice. We like Iceburg lettuce, tomato, and sweet onion on ours.

Bison meat is lower in fat than beef and very tasty.

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July 9, 2008 · 11:45 am

Versatile Pesto

Now that I’m focused on MUFAs, I am experimenting more with one of my favorites, pesto. Here is my recipe for making the basic sauce, in case you don’t have one. Use a food processor or blender if you don’t have the Vita-Mix, and allow more time for the mixture to blend.

RECIPE

Vita-Mix Pesto
Yields 1 cup sauce

2 cups fresh basil leaves (no stems)
2 large cloves of garlic, peeled
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup pine nuts (Or Walnuts will work)
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (Must be EVOO)
1/2 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Italian blend seasoning (or dried oregano)
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmesan and Romano cheese
(optional: dash of salt)

Place these ingredients in the order listed into the Vita-Mix container. Secure lid. On Variable speed #5-6, process until thoroughly combined (may have to use tamper to push ingredients into the blades). Usually the process takes 20 seconds. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to ten days (but mine seldom lasts that long!)

Pesto sauce is high calorie, so use it sparingly. Thin it with the cooking water from pasta to make a delicious pasta sauce or thin a tablespoon with about 1 or 2 tablespoons water to dress your salad. You can cook with pesto sauce, too. Spread a little over a boneless, skinless chicken breast. (Cook gently, though. The garlic turns bitter at higher temperatures, so cook low and slow or add after removing food from heat) For a snack, dip fresh vegetables in some of the pesto sauce, or spoon some inside a celery stick.

A little goes a long way. Pesto is rich in taste and in calories. It’s also rich in MUFAs, thanks to the nuts and olive oil, so enjoy a little each day.

KITCHEN TIP

If you struggle with growing your own herbs or live where it’s difficult to have an herb garden, check out the AeroGarden. You can grow herbs, tomatoes, or salad greens (or even flowers) the NASA way, using hydroponic technology. I recently added an AeroGarden to my kitchen, where it sits on my table as a centerpiece. In making my pesto sauce, I had all the fresh herbs I needed at hand. I’ll be the first to admit it’s an extravagance; I could buy lots of herbs at the supermarket for what an AeroGarden costs! On second thought, considering the price of fuel and the fact that I live 12 miles one way from the closest grocery store …

AeroGarden after three weeks

AeroGarden after three weeks

Cheri

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