May 5, 2009 · 7:06 pm

Just loafing.

The inspiration for this recipe was one of Rachael Ray’s 30 Minute Meals, in which she made spaghetti with turkey meatballs in a mushroom gravy, incorporating all the flavors of Thanksgiving turkey and dressing.  Instead of spaghetti and meatballs, I made a version of meatloaf using lean ground turkey breast.  My turkey-junkie husband declared it an absolute success.

RECIPE

Turkey Loaf
Makes 6 Servings

Ingredients:

1½ pounds lean ground turkey breast
2 cups seasoned stuffing mix ground into bread crumbs (yield: approx. 1 cup)
¼ cup egg substitute
¼ cup diced onion
¼ cup diced celery
1 Tbsp. poultry seasoning
1 regular size can condensed cream of chicken soup (reduced sodium and fat, if possible)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.  Combine all ingredients except the soup in a large bowl until mixed well.  Mold into an ungreased stainless steel loaf pan (approx. 9” X 4”).  Pour ¾ of the contents of the can of soup over top of loaf (reserve the remaining soup for gravy*).  Cover with aluminum foil, shiny side down, and place on the center shelf of the oven.  Bake for 35 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes.  (Times may vary for glass or stoneware loaf pans)  After removing the turkey loaf from the oven, let it stand for 10 minutes before slicing.  Divide the turkey loaf into six equal portions and slice.

*To make additional gravy, thin reserved ¼ cup of the cream of chicken soup with ½ cup of turkey or chicken stock.  Whisk together in a small pan over low heat.  Season as desired with poultry seasoning or other spices.  Serve on the side with the turkey loaf.

Now you don’t have to wait for the holidays to enjoy the flavors of Thanksgiving turkey. This dish is figure-friendly, too. Enjoy!

Cheri

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Filed under cooking, Healthful Eating, Recipes, turkey, Turkey Recipes

April 23, 2009 · 8:32 pm

Cajun Catfish Dinner

I love catfish, almost as much as I love salmon. Can you tell? This is my second catfish recipe this year. Although fried in cornmeal and served with cheese grits is tasty, it’s not figure friendly.  So here’s how I cook and serve catfish fillets (shown here with roasted squash/onion/red bell pepper, steamed green beans, and brown rice):

Cajun Catfish, brown rice, steamed green beans, and roasted vegetables.

Cajun Catfish, brown rice, steamed green beans, and roasted mix vegetables.

RECIPE

Cajun Catfish for Two

Ingredients:

2 fresh catfish fillets
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon spices (Your choice: I like Redneck Pepper Cayenne)

Directions:

Preheat a quality stainless steel covered skillet over medium heat.  Sprinkle spices on both sides of each fillet.  Drizzle olive oil in the skillet then place the catfish fillets into the pan. Do not touch.  Lower heat to its lowest setting and cover.  Cook for at least 15 minutes without lifting the lid.  Check for doneness (do not overcook).   If necessary, cover and cook another 5 minutes.  It’s not necessary to turn the fillets.  Check again for doneness.  Fish should be moist and flaky.  Serve immediately.

This low, slow method is still hasty, giving the cook just enough time to get the side dishes ready. Enjoy fish at least twice a week. It’s good for you!

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Filed under cooking, Fish, Green Beans, Healthful Eating, Recipes, Roasted Vegetables

March 15, 2009 · 3:26 pm

FIERY FISH WITH FENNEL

RECIPE

Fiery Fish with Fennel and Onion
Serves 2

Ingredients:

1-1¼ pound any firm fish fillets (I prefer catfish)
1 fresh bulb fennel
1 large yellow onion
1 Tbsp. lemon juice or 1 lemon, sliced
½ tsp – 1 tsp Redneck Pepper Flamin Fish seasoning (optional for sissies)

Directions:

Preheat a large electric skillet to 250°. Quarter, core, and slice fennel bulb into ¼” slices. Peel and slice onion into ¼” slices. Arrange fennel and onion slices in bottom of the skillet and cover, simmering for about ten minutes. Meanwhile, rinse the fish fillets, sprinkle with lemon juice (or if you prefer, cover fish with lemon slices when cooking), then season fillets with the Redneck Pepper Flamin Fish seasoning (or regular lemon pepper if you can’t find Redneck Pepper*) on both sides.

Carefully placed the fish fillets on top the sliced fennel and onions, cover, and steam for approximately fifteen minutes. Avoid lifting the lid, but if too much steam escapes, adjust temperature a bit lower, to about 225°. Check fish after fifteen minutes. If done, unplug skillet and serve. If fish needs additional time, cover and time an additional five minutes. Check again.

Serve the fish with a side of the cooked onions and fennel slices, cornbread, and a side vegetable of your choice. Tasty and healthful, too!

*For information on how to purchase Redneck Pepper, call 1-78-REDNECK2 or visit http://warningnotforsissies.com. You’ll be glad you did!

Liquid Core Electric Skillet

Liquid Core Electric Skillet

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February 19, 2009 · 2:31 pm

Easy Quiche for Two

I got the inspiration for this recipe from the electric skillet quiche that my friends Gary and Linda Straka make using a refrigerated pie crust. Their recipe is delicious, but it makes 6 servings (Or 8 if using the 12″ skillet). I wanted to be able to make an easy, healthy, stove-top quiche for my husband and me.

I’ve been using tortillas for years as pizza crusts, an idea I borrowed from Weight Watchers®. Why not use a tortilla for a quiche crust? Nothing ventured, nothing gained, so I headed to the laboratory kitchen to experiment.

We had the quiche this morning for breakfast. For a first-time effort, it turned out good! I used whole wheat tortillas, egg substitutes, skim milk, and reduced-fat cheese.

RECIPE

3/4 cup egg substitute (or 3 eggs)
1/4 cup skim milk
½ tsp salt (and other seasonings to taste)
1 8″ flour tortilla
1 tsp. butter
1/4 cup optional ingredients (your choice)
1/4 cup reduced fat cheese (your choice)

Combine the egg substitutes, milk, and salt in a blender and whip until frothy. Melt one teaspoon butter in the bottom of a quality, stainless steel pan (I use a 2 quart, but whatever fits your tortilla is fine). Place the tortilla in the skillet to form the crust of the quiche. Heat the pan on Low.

Pour the egg mixture into the tortilla “crust.” Add whatever ingredients you prefer (e.g. mushrooms, diced ham, peppers, onions) then sprinkle grated cheese on top.

Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Check to see if the egg mixture is set. If not, cook a few minutes more. Don’t overcook. (Caution: Don’t mistake melted cheese for uncooked egg product)

Remove from heat. Carefully cut the quiche into fourths and lift from the pan, using a small spatula.

As I prepared it, two quarter pieces of the quiche counts as three points on Weight Watchers®.

For the optional ingredients, I used minced onion, red bell pepper, and broccoli. Or use a handful of frozen seasoning blend, which I keep on hand. It is a mixture of diced onions, bell peppers, and celery, and is a wonderful time-saver available in the frozen food section of your supermarket. Next time I’ll try sliced mushrooms and Swiss cheese. Yum! Experiment and have fun with this recipe. Bonus: No need to light the oven!

Cheri

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