Lower Fat Key Lime Pie

Ingredients: 

3 egg yokes

1/2 cup lime juice

1 can fat-free sweetened condensed milk

1 pre-made graham cracker pie shell

 Step One:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Mix the first three ingredients together either by a stand mixer of by hand with a spoon or spatula. A stand mixer makes easy work, but it can be perfectly done without one. If using an stand mixer or even a hand mixer, start off slowly. Set the mixer to the stir setting. Only if needed, increase the speed for a few seconds and then reduce to stir for about 2 minutes. All ingredients should be well incorporated.  There should be no streaks of yoke for example.   The resulting custard should be pale yellow.

Step Two:
Pour the custard into the pie shell. Tap the filled pie shell on the counter a few times to remove any possible air bubbles.  Place the pie in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.  Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool to room temperature.  After the pie is room temperature, place it in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours. 

Roast Beef

Ingredients:

1 3-pound Eye of Round Roast (1.3608 kg)
1 teaspoon salt (6g)
1 teaspoon pepper (2.3g)
1 teaspoon garlic powder (1.5g)
2 or 3 tablespoons of flour (24g)
2 tablespoons cooking oil (30ml)

Step One:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (148 C). Remove the roast from the refrigerator about 15 minutes before seasoning. Season the roast starting with the salt. Salt the roast on all sides. Rub/massage the salt into the roast. Next season all sides of the roast with the pepper and garlic powder.

Step Two:
Add the flour to a large bowl or a large ziptop bag.  Place the roast in to the bowl or bag and manipulate the roast so that all sides are covered with flour. Remove the roast from the flour and tap it to remove any excess flour. The aim is for the roast to have a dusting of flour all over, but not clumps. Add the oil to an oven safe large pan or dutch oven.  Heat the pan over high heat. Once the oil is shimmering place the roast in the pan. The process being undertaken is called browning. This is done to help seal in the juices,  it also helps the roast achieve a deeper, almost spit roasted look.  Brown the roast on all sides about 2 minutes per side (including the short ends).

Step Three:
Place the entire pan with the roast into the oven. Roast until the internal temperature reaches 145 F  (63 C).  The timing for this can vary.  For planning purposes a little more than an hour should be set aside. The internal temperature is primary factor here, not cooking time. If your kitchen arsenal doesn't contain a meat thermometer, then please run an buy one before attempting this preparation.  There really is no good way to guess at a roast's internal temperature. With a lean cut like the Eye of Round, there is very little margin for error. If cooked by guesswork alone the roast can go from succulent and delicious, to overcooked and dry.

Step Four:
Once the roast reaches the targeted internal temperature remove it from the oven and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

Step Five:
Carve the roast, and enjoy.

Bean Burritos

4 8-10” flour Tortillas

1 ½ cup sliced onion

1 14.5 oz can pinto beans drained

1 cup sliced Green pepper

½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon ground red pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

Cooking Spray

Step One:

Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Spray the pan with cooking spray and add the onions. Cook the onions for five minutes until.  Add the green peppers and cook until soft.  Reserve the cooked onions and pepper to a bowl.

Step Two:

Add the pinto beans to the pan.  Stir in the cumin, red pepper and salt. Heat the beans until hot.  Reduce the heat to low and mix the onions and peppers.  Remove the bean mixture from the heat.

Step Three:

Heat an empty non-stick pan over medium heat.  Add one tortilla shell to the pan for about 30-45 seconds each side.  Remove the tortilla from pan. Place a quarter of the bean mixture on to the center of the tortilla shell.  Roll the burrito tucking the sides in as you go.  Repeat for all three remaining tortillas.

Pan Roasted Cod with Lemon

Ingredients

4 6oz cod fillets
1 lemon, lemon sliced thinly
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
Cooking Spray



Step One:

Season each fillet with salt and pepper.  Heat the skillet under medium-high heat.  Apply cooking spray to the skillet. Groupd three lemon slices in the skillet per fillet.  Place the fillets on top of the lemon slices and cook five minutes.

Step Two:

Carefully turn the fillets with the lemon over and cook for another five minutes.  

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Originally from our Cube Steak with Garlic Mashed Potatoes recipe, it seemed fitting to reshare this wonderful recipe for the holiday season.

Ingredients:
2 quarts water
2 pound white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
1/3 cup fat free half and half
1 tablespoon butter
3 cloves garlic pressed
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt



Step One:

Bring the water to a rapid boil and then add the potatoes. Cover and reduce to a simmer.  Cook the potatoes for 15 minutes, or until tender.




Step Two:

Remove the pan from the heat, and using a colander,  strain potatoes. Return the hot potatoes to the pan.  Add the remaining ingredients, and mash then the potatoes to combine all ingredients well.

Roasted Cornish Game Hens

Ingredients

2 1-pound Cornish Game Hens

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

½ onion rough, chopped

1 clove garlic, pressed

½ teaspoon thyme

2 2-inch sprigs of rosemary

1 tablespoon olive oil*

*Optionally, additional oil or cooking spray may be used for basting

Step One:

Preheat Oven to 425 degrees F. While the oven is preheating remove the game hens from the refrigerator. Wash the game hens. Remove any organs that may have been included with the game hens.  Reserve the organs if you intend to use them, for example in gravy, else discard them.  Pat the game hens down with a paper towel to dry and place them on to a clean cutting board.

Step Two:

In a medium sized bowl, add the onion, ½ teaspoon of salt and pepper and the remaining ingredients save for the rosemary and combine well.  In a small bowl combine the oil and the remaining salt and pepper.

Step Three:

Stuff each game hen with ½ of the onion mixture, and a rosemary sprig each.  Then rub each game hen all over with the oil mixture.  Place the game hens on a baking pan with a rack.

Step Four:

Place the game hens in the oven and roast them for 30 minutes. If basting with oil, then remove the game hens from the oven and baste them then return the game hens to the oven. Reduce the Oven temperature to 400 degrees F and continue roasting for another 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature 175 to 180 degrees F.

Step Five:

Remove the game hens from the oven. Remove the stuffing, and drain any fluid that collected in the cavity.  Allow the game hens to rest for 15 minutes.  Half each game hen, and serve with desired accompaniments.

Easy Chicken Salad

Ingredients

2 6.5 Ounce canned chicken breast

¼ cup diced celery

¼ cup real mayonnaise (not salad dressing)

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

Step One:

Empty the chicken into a colander to drain. Rinse the chicken under cold water to remove the canning solution.  After rinsing, gently shake the colander to remove excess water.  Transfer the chicken to a medium sized bowl.

Step Two:

Combine the remaining ingredients with the chicken in the bowl. Transfer the chicken salad to a storage container. Lid the container and place it into the refrigerator. Allow the chicken salad to chill for at least 2 hours, or even overnight.

Steak and Cheese Eggrolls

Steak and Cheese Eggrolls came into my life completely by accident. One night the Asian takeout  order was messed up. I sunk my teeth into what I thought was a normal eggroll, and to my surprise and ultimately to my delight there it was - steak and cheese.  And there it began, a new guilty pleasure.   It's not the type of food one brags about, yet it is the type of food shared amongst close friends and the occasional pub/bar mate.

Ingredients

2 frozen beefsteaks Or 4 oz fresh shaved round beefsteaks
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup minced onions
1/2 cup shredded cheese (provolone, coby, cheddar, or Mexican blend)
6 eggroll wrappers
2 tablespoons water
2/3 cup cooking oil

Step One:

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the beefsteaks. Season with the salt and the pepper and cook thoroughly done.  Reserve the beefsteaks to a cutting board, and add the onions to the skillet and cook until soft. Bowl the onions and remove the skillet from heat.  Back at the cutting board chop the beefsteaks.











Step Two:


Pour 1 tablespoon of water into a small shallow bowl. Retrieve the eggroll wrappers from the package. Please note they can dry out quickly.  Turn the wrapper such that one of the corners faces you as if you are south and the opposite corner is north. Place 1/4ths of the beefsteak, onion, and cheese on the corner closest to you.

Dip your fingers in to the water and moisten the east and west corners. Roll the wrapper from south to north, making sure to tuck in the east and west corners as you go. At the vest end moisten the north corner with a bit of water.  Repeat for the remaining three wrappers.





Step Three:

Add 2/3 cups of cooking oil to a skillet. If you own a home deep fryer, then by all means feel free to use it for this preparation. Heat the oil to 350 degrees (it should shimmer).   Using tongs add the eggrolls to the skillet. After 1 1/2 minutes rotate the eggrolls until all sides are crispy and golden.


Step Four:

Place the eggrolls on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil. After about a minute serve them and enjoy.

Turkey Sliders

Ingredients

Cooking spray
6 slider rolls

½ pound ground turkey

½ cup onions, minced

1 clove garlic, pressed

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 egg

¼ cup bread crumbs

Step One:

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Lightly apply cooking spray to the skillet.  Split the sider rolls and place the cut side down in the skillet until evenly toasted.  Repeat this for each roll.

Step Two:

Mix the remaining above ingredients together in a bowl.  Form six 2” meatballs and then flatten the meatballs to a small burger patty shape.

Step Three:

Apply cooking spray to a non-stick skillet or griddle, and heat it over high-medium heat.     Add the sliders.  There should be a sizzle sound, and almost instant browning.

Step Four:

After five minutes flip the sliders over to cook the other side. Cook the sliders until it reaches doneness.   Place each slider on its own roll and dress it to your liking.

Seared Cod with Green Mojo

Ingredients:

4 garlic cloves, pressed

½ cup fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon olive oil.

2 6 oz 1” thick cut cod filets

¼ teaspoon salt

pepper to taste

3 sprays of cooking spray

Step One: 

Place the garlic, cilantro and oil in a blender or food processor and blend/process until smooth. Alternatively a stick blender can be used. A classic mortar and pestle can also e used if one desires an upper body workout.  No matter the method employed once the mojo is made reserve it at room temperature.

Step Two: 

Remove the fish from the wrapper; if the filet is whole, then cut it in to two equal sized pieces. Take note there is a top side of the filet that is pale and even colored, and a bottom side that has a pattern of dark coloration.

Step Three: 

Spray a non-stick pan and heat it to medium-high heat.  Place the filets in the pan topside down.  Cook for five minutes. Turn the filets over using a traditional turner, or better yet using a fish turner and cook for another ten minutes.   Remove the filets from the pan to one plate each. Spoon the mojo over the filets and enjoy.