HEALTHY Broccoli Cheddar Soup from Ellie Krieger!

Ellie Krieger's Broccoli Cheddar Soup from her Web site When it comes to favorite foods and healthier versions, I always look to Ellie Krieger. She's a wonderful nutritionis/chef with a number of terrific cookbooks and a great Web site.  I own "The Food You Crave" which I have mentioned here on the blog before, writing about such recipes as Sloppy Joes and Pumpkin Muffins.  My Roasted Butternut Squash Mac 'N Cheese was greatly inspired by one of Ellie's recipes.  Ellie knows that we want the foods we want, and she brings those comforting indulgences to us in much more nutrition-friendly renditions.  You CAN indulge without guilt! Today I bring you Ellie's healthy recipe for Broccoli Cheddar Soup. Here in the northeast, we are experiencing a winter storm named Hercules with lots of snow and temperatures hovering at or below zero. I don't know how Herculean this storm is -- just seems like typical winter snow and cold so far -- but a warm bowl of steaming, cheesy soup would really take the chill off! And since we're so new into 2014, trimming that rich, indulgent dish of some of its calories and fat (without even noticing!) is a very good idea! Broccoli Cheddar Soup 2 cups 1% low-fat milk 2 tablespoons all purpose flour 1 cup lightly packed, shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese (4 ounces) 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 1 clove garlic, minced ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 large head broccoli, florets and tender part of stems, chopped (6 cups) 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper In a small saucepan whisk the milk and flour together until the flour is dissolved. Bring to a boil over a medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Then the reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, until the mixture has thickened. Stir in the cheese and cook until melted, another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm. Heat the oil in a soup pot over a medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and nutmeg cook an additional 30 seconds. Add the broccoli and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the broccoli is tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Working with about 1 cup at a time, puree the broccoli mixture in a blender until it is mostly smooth but still has some chunks, and then transfer it to another pot. (Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender). Stir the cheese mixture into the broccoli puree, season with salt and pepper and cook over a medium-low heat for an additional 3-5 minutes, until warmed through. Makes 4 servings Serving size: 1 ½ cups Per Serving: Calories 290; Total Fat 15 g; (Sat Fat 8 g, Mono Fat 5.2 g, Poly Fat 0.85 g) ; Protein 19 g; Carb 23 g; Fiber 4 g; Cholesterol 35 mg; Sodium 620 mg Excellent source of: Calcium, Folate, Iodine, Phosphorus, Potassium, Protein, Riboflavin, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K Good source of: Copper, Fiber, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Molybdenum, Pantothenic Acid, Selenium, Niacin, Thiamin, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Zinc Copyright 2011 Ellie Krieger All rights reserved  Ellie's Web site: http://www.elliekrieger.com/broccoli-cheddar-soup

Food On My Mind

Because I'm weight-watching and exercising alot, all I can think about (when I'm not obsessing about my job or other of life's demands) is food.  I read cookbooks for fun, and when shopping my head is turned by tantalizing (food, mind you)  magazine covers at every check out.  I look forward to every meal and snack, and I want each bite of everything to be not just good, but incredibly delicious.  Of course, that isn't always possible.  Still, I don't want to waste my "points budget" on food that isn't worthy!  This is why I love Ellie Krieger's recipes.  I've written before about her book The Food You Crave, a great offering of transformed comfort foods that will have you asking yourself just what you're missing.  Pretty much nothing.  It's all there -- flavor, texture, substance -- only infused, ever so subtly, with really good nutrition that keeps itself quiet in the background but whose presence takes comfort to a healthier level.  My favorites are Ellie's Sloppy Joes and her Pumpkin Walnut Muffins.   If you don't tell your family that you've healthified their favorites, they may just never know!  Not that you should keep your efforts at improving their lives a secret...it's just that some people don't want anyone messing with comfort foods.  They are comfort foods for a reason, foods that we can indulge in with a devil-may-care attitude, because we want it, we deserve it, and tomorrow is another day.  So let them think they've been indulged if you sense pull-back at the notion of a healthier rendition of a favorite meal.

Here's Ellie's recipe for one quintessential comfort food:  meatloaf.  She uses ground turkey breast (all white meat) and traditional seasonings to create a meatloaf that has only 3.5 grams of fat/1" slice.  Ellie calls it "Mom's Turkey Meatloaf" and writes: "First, it's made with lean ground turkey.  Second, instead of bread crumbs, I use a secret ingredient that binds everything together and keeps the meatloaf wonderfully most: quick cooking oats, a  healthy whole grain that blends in undetected.  All that meaty goodness is covered in tomato sauce and crowned in onion rings that turn golden brown, making for a beautiful presentation."  In addition to making a great meal, I love meatloaf sandwiches, as I went on and on about a few posts ago when writing about ketchup! 

Forgive me for this minor interruption: just had to fit in today's photo of my grandsons, for no recipe-related reason (though Henry is checking out one of my cookbooks on cake design)!

Peter (l) and Henry (r) hanging out at Grandmas!

OK, back to business...Ellie's meatloaf recipe gets four stars on The Food Network Web site, and that is good enough for me, and I bet for you, too.  Here's the recipe:

MOM'S TURKEY MEATLOAF

3/4 c. quick-cookingoats
1/2 c. nonfat milk
1 medium onion, peeled
2 lbs. ground turkey breast
1/2 c. seeded and chopped red bell pepper (1/2 medium pepper)
2 large eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 c. ketchup
1/2 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper
One 8-ounce can no-salt-added tomato sauce

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F


In a small bowl, stir together the oats and mil and allow to soak while you get the rest of the ingredients together, at least 3 minutes.

Thinly slice one-quarter of the onion into rings and set aside.  Finely chop the rest of the onion.  In a large bowl, combine the turkey, oatmeal mixture, c hopped onion, bell pepper, eggs, Worcestershire, ketchup, salt and a few grinds of pepper.  Mix just until combined.

Transfer the mixture to a 9x13 baking dish and shape into a loaf about 5 inches wide and 2 inches high.  Pour the tomato sauce over the meatloaf and sprinkle with the sliced onions.  Bake until an instant-read meat thermomenter inserted into the thickets part registers 160 degrees F, about 1 hour.

Remove from oven and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

Photo credit:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/moms-turkey-meatloaf-recipe/index.html

Triple Chocolate Cookies - more good stuff from Ellie Krieger!

This recipe comes from my favorite food guru, Ellie Krieger.  She's the one to count on when you want something that seems decadent but carries a (sometimes undetectable) nutritional punch.  Here we have a basic drop cookie that incorporates cocoa powder as well as dark and milk chocolates. This recipe's use of quality nutritional ingredients gives you a cookie packed with antioxidants, fiber, and nutrition.  If you don't tell anyone how good they are for you, they'll never know!  If you want to keep some in your cookie jar for a while, tell them they're "healthy" cookies and you just might be able to stowe some away for yourself!

Triple Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch processed)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, optional
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped dark chocolate (2 ounces)
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped milk chocolate (2 ounces)
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mash together the butter and sugars with a fork until well combined. Add the oil and egg and beat until creamy. Mix in the vanilla.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, cocoa powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well. Stir in the dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and the pecans and mix well. Using a tablespoon, scoop the batter onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool. 

Photo credit and Web site: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/triple-chocolate-cookies-recipe/index.html

More from Food Network Health Star Ellie Krieger - Pork Piccata

Pork Piccata with Spinach and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ellie Krieger, So Easy

I've heard great things about this recipe for pork piccata from my friend Jody Shepson, so I'm passing it along to you.  Both Jody and our friend Diane Loviza are big fans of Ellie Krieger's recipes (as am I) and of her cookbooks. (My favorite EK cookbook so far is The Food You Crave.)  So here's a recipe they both recommend with enthusiasm. 

Also from So Easy are Ellie's recipes for spinach and garlic mashed potatoes.  Combined, it's a killer menu, loaded with nutrition and flavor but low on all the bad stuff!

 

Photo Credit: The Food Network, Ellie Krieger, Healthy Living

Ellie's Pork Piccata with Spinach and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/4 lbs. pork tenderloin, sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch thick medallions

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons drained capers

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Directions:

Combine the flour and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a sealable plastic bag. Place the pork medallions in the bag and shake until well-coated.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillt (not nonstick) over medium-high heat. Working in two batches, cook the pork until it is browned on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer the meat to a plate.

Add the garlic to the same skillet, then immediately add the wine and cook over medium-high heat. As the wine reduces, stir to dissolve the small bits and juices remaining in the pan from the meat. Cook until the wine is reduced by about half, 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, capers, and remaining salt and pepper and cook until the mixture has reduced slightly, an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Return the medallions to the skillet along with the remaining tablespoon of oil and heat until the sauce thickens and the meat is cooked to medium doneness, about 3 minutes.

Serve over the Express "Steamed" Spinach and Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and top with the parsley.

Express "Steamed" Spinach

Ingredients:

5 ounces pre-washed baby spinach leaves

Directions:

Place the spinach in a large microwave-safe bowl and cover tightly. Microwave on high for 90 seconds.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 1/4 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, left unpeeled, and cut into 1 inch pieces

4 large cloves of garlic, peeled and quartered

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Place the potatoes and garlic in a steamer basket fitted over a large pot of boiling water. Cover and steam until the potatoes are knife tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Warm the chicken broth in a small saucepan on the stove or in a glass container in the microwave. Remove the steamer basket and drain the water from the large pot. Transfer the potatoes and garlic to the pot, add the oil, salt, and broth, and mash until smooth.

Photo Credit:  The Food Network, Healthy Living, Ellie Krieger, So Easy

Banana Cream Pie

This morning I was thinking about what we need, dessert-wise, this time of year. The holiday gorging is behind us (thankfully) but that doesn't mean we don't want a slice of comfort every now and then. Something cool and creamy that hits the spot but won't do too much damage would be perfect. This recipe is adapted from The Food Network's Ellie Krieger's highly-rated banana cream pie. Reviewers loved it but there were consistent suggestions for a few changes to make it spectacular, which I've incorporated here*. Ellie's recipes are always terrific and the bonus is that they are the result of a make-over. As a nutritionist who loves food, she has found a way to duplicate the taste and texture of our favorite recipes using less fat and sugar, and overall healthier ingredients. I'll be writing a lot about my favorite EK recipes which is a good thing as we try to incorporate healthier eating in 2010.

Banana Cream Pie

• Cooking spray
• 14 graham cracker squares (7 full sheets)*original recipe called for 6 full sheets
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
• 3 tablespoons boiling water
• 1/2 cup, plus 1 tbsp. sugar *origindal recipe called for 1/3 cup sugarplus 1 tsp.
  
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 cups 1 percent lowfat milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract*original recipe called for 1 tsp. vanilla
  
• 2 cups sliced banana (3 medium bananas)
• 1/4 cup whipping cream *use more, according to reviewers, up to 3x more
  
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray. In a food processor, process graham crackers until finely ground. Add butter and 1 tablespoon of water, and process until the crumb clumps together. Press crumb mixture into bottom of pie plate and about 1/2-inch up the sides. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, then let cool.

In the meantime, make the filling. Put the gelatin in a small bowl; add 3 tablespoons of boiling water and stir until gelatin is dissolved. In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1/2 cup of sugar and the flour. In a medium bowl lightly beat the milk and eggs together. Add the egg and milk mixture to the saucepan and whisk so the flour and sugar dissolve. Cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly, for 10 minutes, until mixture comes to a boil and has thickened. Stir in the vanilla extract and gelatin. Set aside to cool slightly.

Arrange the sliced bananas on the graham cracker crust and pour the pudding on top. Place in the refrigerator until the pudding has set, about 3 hours.

Whip the cream with an electric beater. When it is about halfway done, add 1 tbsp. of sugar, then continue whipping until fully whipped. Put the whipped cream in a plastic bag, concentrating it in 1 corner of the bag. Snip that corner off the bag and squeeze the whipped cream out of the bag in a decorative pattern around the pie.

Photo credit: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/banana-cream-pie-recipe/index.html

Individual Chicken Pot Pies

There's nothing quite like a chicken pot pie when it comes to warm comfort on a cold night. This recipe from the Food Network and Ellie Krieger might just chase the January chill away. It's Ellie's "You and Me Chicken Pot Pies" and is much healthier (as are all of Ellie's recipes) than the standard version. This pot pie has many positive reviews though I've suggested some changes, prompted by FN readers: reduce the thyme by half and feel free to use onions rather than leeks if more convenient. Other reviewers suggested replacing the phyllo dough with pie crust. Some insist on fresh veggies, though frozen peas work well. The nice thing about a pot pie is its versatility. Use what you have.

The general premise is that a concoction of meat and vegetables cooked under a blanket of dough is good stuff. Go ahead and switch things up to suit yourself. Then dig in to a warm and bubbly pot of steamy goodness.

You and Me Chicken Pot Pies from Ellie Krieger (4 servings)

Ingredients

• Cooking spray


• 1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch chunks


• 1 teaspoon salt


• Freshly ground black pepper


• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided


• 2 leeks, bottom 4 inches only, washed well and chopped (suggestion: or 1/2 cup chopped onion)


• 2 celery stalks, chopped


• 2 medium potatoes cut into 1/2-inch pieces


• 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces


• 2 cloves garlic, minced


• 1 1/2 cups low-fat milk


• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour


• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth


• 1 cup frozen peas


• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves


• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (suggestion*use half tablespoon fresh, or half teaspoon dried)


• 3 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed


• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 4 individual-sized baking dishes with cooking spray.
Season the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few turns of pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil over a medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, turning once. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

Add 2 more teaspoons of the oil, the leeks, and the celery to the pan and cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the potatoes, green beans, garlic, and remaining salt and pepper and cook for 2 more minutes.

Add the milk to the pan. Stir the flour into the chicken broth until dissolved and add to the pan. Cook, stirring, until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in the reserved chicken, peas, parsley, and thyme. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dishes.

Put the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil into a small bowl. Unroll the phyllo dough and cut it into quarters. Place a quarter sheet on top of each baking dish and brush with olive oil. Repeat with remaining 3 baking dishes. Tuck the edges of the phyllo into the dish rim. Top each pie with Parmesan.

Place on a baking sheet and bake until the filling is bubbling, about 30 minutes.

Photo Credit: Food Network http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cda/recipe_print/0,1946,FOOD_9936_35872_RECIPE-PRINT-FULL-PAGE-FORMATTER,00.html

Happy New Year!

I'm a little slow out of the starting gate wishing you all a Happy New Year! I've been deliberately away from blogging since December 23, though I have been very busy otherwise. With Christmas and everything that goes with it, Meghan moving to California, my nephew Adam's wedding on New Year's Eve, and spending time with family and friends, I chose to leave blogging to the New Year.

But I'm back!

Like many people, I've been bouncing around resolutions in my head -- the standards -- and I could benefit from taking a few seriously. I must say that I HATE being bombarded by diet commercials. There's nothing worse than sitting with my zero-percent-body-fat-boyfriend and a Victoria's Secret commercial comes on followed by Marie Osmond touting her Jenny Craig success. When YOU need to go on a diet, or start exercising to be healthier, no one needs to tell you. You know better than anyone that it's time to get those chubby ducks in a row before they sink to the bottom of the pond. It takes a perfect storm of awareness, discomfort, self-deprication, embarrassment, fed-up-ness and motivation, all converging in unison, to be ready. It doesn't just happen. Finally, I'm there. I woke up in the middle of the night last night wondering if any of the few channels on my digital TV might have a 6 a.m. exercise program I could start following. Then I went back to sleep until 8 a.m. I have to be at work at 8:30 and live 20 minutes away. (By the way, Marie Osmond should get rid of the extensions and cut her hair, don't you think?) Rather than succumbing to the advertisements and catapulting myself into an impossible regimen of restrictive dieting and overly ambitious exercise, I'm going to my favorite Food Network chef/nutritionist Ellie Krieger for sensible, steady guidance. I already love her cookbook and my friend Diane is following her on-line program. We're buddying up to provide each other support.

This morning on NPR I heard a discussion about happiness. It was basically about the power of positive thinking, something that's been reshaped and packaged in many forms over the years. The bottom line is, if you're unhappy, start incorportating more positive thinking and soon the unhappiness will give way to a less-burdened you. Of course, there are life situations that we wish could be overcome just by switching our thought patterns, and that's not always possible, say in the case of a severe illness or a natural disaster. But maybe we can adjust the way we process the difficult information and learn to go forward with better-case-scenarios in mind. As an eternal optimist, I used to be disappointed, alot, when the world didn't go my way. Now, at age 55 and 3/4, I've learned to envision a plan B, C, D and maybe all the way to Z in order to realize a good outcome.

All this musing about resolutions and better selves and coping with life seems timely - it's everywhere around us as a new year begins. As this new year grows older and resolutions inevitably fade, optimism wanes, and coping becomes challenging, I'll try to remember the purpose of such proclomations: to get more out of this one life we're given, to enjoy it more, to realize some abundance, to have better relationships. It's not just about losing weight and having more money. It's about the quality of our lives.

Here's hoping 2010 is a wonderful year for you, in every way.

Photo image: http://thejudopodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/new-year.jpg

Friday Nights and Chili

My sister Anne never cooked for her family on Friday nights. They always ordered pizza or went out or did something other than cooking, as if Friday was secular holy day, and cooking was forbidden. I admired that and adopted the practice for a while, harkening back in a clearly non-religous way to my early Catholic beginnings, like not eating meat. Fridays were special again. Though I loved that idea and adopted the practice for a while, I acquiesced to the impulse of offering something warm and hearty as a great way to kick off the weekend.

Friday nights, high school football, falling leaves and a nip in the air all scream “bring on the chili!” and here’s a great recipe from the delicious offerings of Food Network’s healthy goddess Ellie Krieger. You’ll find a link to her website at the bottom of this post.

CHILI

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, diced (1 cup)
• 1 red bell pepper, diced (1 cup)
• 2 carrots, diced (1/2 cup)
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 pound extra-lean ground beef (90 percent lean)
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups water
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, seeded and minced
• 2 teaspoons adobo sauce from the can of chipotles
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15.5-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15.5-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Directions

Heat the oil in large pot or Dutch oven over moderate heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and carrots, cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the cumin and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the ground beef; raise the heat to high and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until the meat is no longer pink. Stir in the tomatoes, water, chipotle and adobo sauce, oregano and salt and pepper. Cook, partially covered, stirring from time to time, for 30 minutes. Stir in the beans and continue cooking, partially covered, 20 minutes longer. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Ellie Krieger’s recipe website and chili photo: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cda/recipe_print/0,1946,FOOD_9936_33901_RECIPE-PRINT-FULL-PAGE-FORMATTER,00.html

Sloppy Joes

There's something incredibly satisfying about a good Sloppy Joe. It elicits memories of the high school cafeteria, right up there with grilled-cheese-and-tomato-soup day.

This recipe comes from one of my favorites, the Food Network's Ellie Krieger. She has a talent for taking traditional comfort foods and making them healthy. She sneaks in fiber in undetectable ways. She's stingy on fat but adds a punch of flavor with peppers and barely-noticeable beans. She captures the savory-sweet balance we all remember so well from our lunch-room days, and serves it all up on whole-wheat burger buns. You can't help but enjoy this recipe. Try to dislike it, you can't!

I LOVE Sloppy Joes, and the first time I made this, I knew it was a keeper.

Ellie Krieger's Sloppy Joes

1 lb. extra-lean ground beef

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno, minced

1 red pepper, diced

1 can small red beans or pinto beans, preferably low sodium, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 cups no-salt-added tomato paste

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon molasses (use 2 tbsp. packed brown sugar if you don't have this)

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon mustard powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

8 Whole-wheat burger buns

Directions

Brown the meat and the onion in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, breaking up the meat into crumbles as it cooks. Pour the drippings out of the pan and discard. Add the garlic, jalapeno, and red pepper and cook 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Stir in the rest of the ingredients, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 5 more minutes.

Place a half-cup scoop of the mixture onto each bun and serve.

Photo credit: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://img.foodnetwork.com/FOOD/2008/07/21/EK0505_Pulled-BBQ-Chicken-Sandwich_lg.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/pulled-bbq-chicken-sandwiches-recipe/index.html&usg=__i0wpVlSX0MUjrTxFZ7ky268W0zM=&h=462&w=616&sz=135&hl=en&start=5&tbnid=y0Qza4O0Z20d9M:&tbnh=102&tbnw=136&prev=/images%3Fq%3DSloppy%2BJoes%2BEllie%2BKrieger%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

Five-Star Peaches with Balsamic Cherries

Are you looking for a fast and fabulous summer dessert? Here's one that has earned five stars!

As I've stated in previous posts, I'm a HUGE Ellie Krieger fan. Her book, The Food You Crave, is my all-time favorite cookbook. This recipe gets a five-star rating from reviewers on the Food Network website. Like all the recipes Ellie Krieger publishes, it's delicious and incredibly healthy. To read the recipe and reviews on-line (and to check out other fabulous healthy recipes) go directly to the source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/peaches-with-balsamic-cherries-recipe/index.html

Ellie Krieger's Peaches with Balsamic Cherries

1/2 pound cherries, halved and pitted
2 tablespoons sugar, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 pound peaches, sliced

Directions

In a small saucepan, stir together the cherries, sugar and balsamic vinegar, and place over a medium heat. Bring to a boil and continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a medium bowl toss the warm cherries and syrup with the sliced peaches, add more sugar to taste and serve.

Tomorrow's blog: More cherries! I'm posting a recipe for the French classic dessert ~ Claufutis! Be sure to check back!

Photo credit: http://www.1st-art-gallery.com/thumbnail/121241/1/A-Still-Life-With-Peaches,-Plums-And-Cherries.jpg

Ellie Krieger's Pumpkin Muffins

If you haven't met Ellie Krieger yet, you're missing out. She's one of the highlights of the Food Network, and the title of her show, Healthy Appetite, is deceptive. It should be entitled, "Beautiful Delicious Food (and healhty too)." Ellie is a nutrtionist, but not one of those too-skinny calorie counters resented for an impossibly disciplined lifestyle. She educates her audience on the benefits of good ingredients. She doesn't just say "Do this." She tells you what the ingredient has to offer that will enhance your meals and your life. She uses these ingredients in ways that transform our favorite foods into better incarnations of themselves. I love her cookbook "The Food You Crave" and have made many of her recipes. Her version of sloppy joes are incredibly good. In addition to her work as a nutrtionist, Ellie is a fantastic cook who loves food. The combination of these two parts of her personality result in great food for us. Yea.

Today I'm sharing Ellie's recipe for Pumpkin Muffins. There's nothing to say except that they're some of the best muffins you'll ever have. The fact that they are truly good for you is just a bonus.

Pumpkin Muffins

· Cooking spray
· 1 cup all-purpose flour
· 1 cup whole-grain pastry flour
· 1 teaspoon baking soda
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
· 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
· 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
· 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
· 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
· 3 tablespoons unsulphered molasses
· 1/4 cup canola oil
· 2 large eggs
· 1 cup canned pumpkin
· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
· 3/4 cup lowfat buttermilk
· 1/4 cup raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and whole-wheat flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.
In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, molasses, oil and 1 egg until combined. Add the other egg and whisk well. Whisk in the pumpkin and vanilla. Whisk in the flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the buttermilk. Whisk just until combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pan and sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of 1 of the muffins comes out clean.
Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the muffins to loosen them and unmold. Cool completely on the rack.


These are great any time of year, but especially good on cold autumn mornings (many months away). I just couldn't resist bringing Ellie to you now.

Next blog: Notes from the Roving Baker, or "Baking when you don't have a kitchen!"

Photo credit: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.metroactive.com/metro/01.16.08/gifs/EVENTS_MT0803.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.metroactive.com/metro/01.16.08/events-0803.html&usg=__e0WVcyngOFrTQ5weHm3W4Dw11-0=&h=501&w=500&sz=232&hl=en&start=2&sig2=XjEhnIg4ETW4UMBzuSksFA&tbnid=xTCzt45CgCN55M:&tbnh=130&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3DEllie%2BKrieger%2Bphoto%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4DKUS_enUS282US282%26sa%3DG&ei=A18pSvgcj4WYB4PZ3IQL

Ode to the Barefoot Contessa!

I REALLY love the Food Network. Sometimes I wonder if a twelve-step program is necessary to deal with the addiction. Turns out the FN has been my gateway "drug" to craving more reality programming. Recently I’ve been exposed to HGTV (interest due to construction of the new digs – love Property Virgins) and now I’m hopelessly caught up in TLC’s Jon and Kate plus Eight – a guilty pleasure. Despite all the doom-and-gloom press, there’s hope that they work things out and stay married. I am always so sad for divorcing couples and just love those kids. They’re so damn cute. Let’s face it, life is not easy and this show highlights just how hard it can be for young couples (they’re in their early thirties) facing challenges in their marriages, no matter the stressors. In my retrospective mid-50s mind, I wonder if they can get through this and be fine. (In my own life, I wouldn’t have known it might have been fine, but then, it might not have.) I watch it more than sometimes. It’s whenever I can catch that show. I can stop anytime, though. (Can you spell r-e-h-a-b?) Note: I do have a real life and it’s busy.

When I'm in TV world, I worship the Food Network’s Ina Garten, a.k.a. The Barefoot Contessa. She’s one of the best cooks I’ve ever watched on television. Her joyful manner and calm demeanor add to her charm. I’ve been told I “look like that lady on the Food Network” and while I don’t think so, I can see where people might make a comparison. We both have dark hair, are about the same age, and neither of us are a size six. She sees her husband Jeffrey, a professor, on weekends. I see Russ, also a professor, every third weekend or so. We both have important relationships with wonderful gay men in our lives. That’s where the similarities end. She lives in the Hamptons. I could only dream of living in the Hamptons (though my cousin Billy does!). She used to work in the White House as some sort of engineering, mathematical wizard. The last white house I lived in was a raised ranch on Salem Drive in Saratoga Springs. I took algebra three times before I finally moved on to geometry.

My admiration for the Contessa is great and I use her recipes all the time. She has a terrific approach to creating and serving wonderful meals. There’s no pretension as the food, rather than the cook, takes center stage. She presents a personalized, welcoming table geared toward her guests’ interests. My favorite of her recipes is for raisin scones, which I’ve changed up a bit. Ina calls for heavy or whipping cream and I use buttermilk. She kneads and shapes hers differently than I do. Still, it’s basically the same thing and it gets rave reviews. Rather than claim my scones as an old Irish family recipe (I’ve inherited no old Irish family recipes), I always give Ina credit. If I'm asked, I refer to the Food Network website (http://foodnetwork.com), my source for many favorite dishes.

If you're one of those who turns down scones because you find them too dry, do what our friends across the pond do - serve them with jam and/or clotted cream (found in specialty stores like Putnam Market in Saratoga Springs). No clotted cream? Just beat up a very firm batch of sweetened heavy cream, almost to the butter stage.

Next time I bake these I’ll take photos and add them to this post, but for now, here’s the recipe. (Though I swore I’d never use it after high school, algebra ultimately came in handy when I started baking and had to figure quantities! – and wasn’t there something about pie squared?!)

Raisin Scones - makes 24! (double batch – use your algebra and reduce by half if you prefer)

4 cups flour
½ cup sugar
2 tbsp. baking powder
2 tsp. kosher salt
3 bars ice cold butter, finely diced or grated (watch those knuckles)
scant cup of buttermilk – about a tablespoon short of a cup, or heavy cream
4 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ - ¾ cup raisins, tossed in a little bit of flour
2 tbsp. brown sugar tossed with 1 tsp. cinnamon
egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp. water)

In large mixing bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter until it mixes in enough and is the size of small peas.
In separate bowl, whisk together four eggs. Add buttermilk and vanilla and pour all at once into flour mixture. Mix until all dry ingredients are incorporated.

On floured surface, separate batter into fourths. Flatten each fourth into a disk about six inches round and one inch thick. For each disk, press one fourth of the raisins into the surface and sprinkle with 1/4th of the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture. Roll up jelly-roll style and then shape into a ball, seam side down. Flatten the ball into a new six-inch round circle with more height in the center and tapered a bit at the sides (1/2 inch at sides, inch in the center). Cut each circle into sixths and separate scones. Place ½ inch apart on parchment-lined cookie sheet and brush with egg wash. If you don’t have a pastry brush, just dab the egg on with a scrunched-up paper towel. Sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.

Bake in preheated 400 degree F oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Cool for 10 minutes and remove to wire rack to cool completely, or not.

You will be adored for these.


Next blog: The Food Network’s Ellie Krieger. Her incredible and healthy recipes are the perfect antidote for all the butter in this recipe, and for my future tribute to Paula Deen!

(photo of Ina Garten from Google Images: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.cardiogirl.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/ina-garten.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.cardiogirl.net/%3Fp%3D711&usg=__h-uAL2qHsN4pGx_ZQlEmK0-JdCk=&h=460&w=360&sz=40&hl=en&start=2&tbnid=rZYh1KzNXHl99M:&tbnh=128&tbnw=100&prev=/images%3Fq%3DIna%2BGarten%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG)