Thanksgiving - Sweet Potato Casserole

I'm lucky to have wonderful friends here in Dubai that we're able to celebrate holidays with. We have several circles that we hang out with and were able to spend Thanksgiving with two of them. I was asked to bring a side dish to both and thought it would be a good idea to try making my mom's sweet potato casserole, even though I'm not a huge fan of sweet potatoes. She sent me her recipe and said I could halve it or just split it into two dishes, one for each Thanksgiving dinner. I decided not to do this (and thankfully I didn't!) because it was all eaten up at the first dinner. Made the full recipe for the second dinner and all of it was gone again! I was proud to report this back to mom. :)

Sweet Potato Casserole

• 3 cups mashed yams (sweet potatoes) – 1 really large can or two of the 1#-12oz cans. If using 3 large sweet potatoes instead of cans, bake for about 40 minutes until soft.
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup evaporated skim milk
• 1/2 stick margarine
• 1 cup mini marshmallows
• Dash of vanilla

Topping

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• Pecans or walnuts
• 1/2 cup butter

Mix together casserole ingredients. Try to keep the sweet potatoes a bit chunky.

Mix together the topping until crumbly and sprinkle on top of casserole.

Bake at 325 for about an hour.

--------------------------

 

I will admit that I didn't have very much of this.. a bite at most. It was alright, but sweet potatoes aren't my thing. I did however have someone say they hate their own mother's sweet potatoes but loved this. Other people described it as "custard-like" "sweet and creamy" and "completely heaven." So for those of you who are sweet potato lovers, give this one a shot.

Pasta with Asparagus

I love love love Gina at www.skinnytaste.com. I've made several of her recipes before, which were really yummy. I also really enjoy using her recipes to prove to Kevin that "diet" foods can taste good. But last night I was craving an actual cooked meal, and even though Kevin was gone, there was some asparagus I needed to use up and I remembered one of her dishes that I have been wanting to make.

Pasta with Asparagus (my changes are in italics)

• 1 lb thin asparagus, cut into 2" pieces, tough ends trimmed
• 6 oz uncooked pasta
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed (used 5 cloves)
• salt and fresh cracked pepper (used 1/4 tsp each of salt and white pepper)
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (used Romano)

In a large pot boil 4 cups water with salt. When boiling, add asparagus and cook 3-5 minutes, until tender crisp. Drain asparagus in colander reserving 1 cup liquid before draining.

Fill pot with salted water, cover and boil for pasta. When water boils cook pasta according to package directions for al dente.

Meanwhile, in a sauté pan heat olive oil. Add garlic and cook until golden, add asparagus, salt and pepper and sauté about 1-2 minutes, tossing with oil and garlic.

In a small bowl combine egg yolk, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, 1/4 cup reserved asparagus liquid, salt and pepper. Mix well. After pasta is drained return to pot and mix with egg mixture. Cook on medium-low about 2 minutes, until sauce thickens and sticks to pasta. Toss in asparagus and mix well. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. If pasta seems too dry add more reserved liquid a tablespoon at a time.

Serve with additional grated cheese. 

Serves 4.

--------------------------

This was a nice light pasta, yet very filling. The original recipe didn't specify an amount of salt and pepper so I tossed in a little then added a little bit more to my serving. I didn't want to ruin the whole thing by making it too salty, which I have done before. :-/ I'll definitely make this dish again when Kevin is home... it was delicious and so quick and simple! The leftovers were pretty good too, which I find is rare for non red sauce pasta dishes.

Quick and Easy Vegetable Fried Rice

With the possibility that I could be leaving on Sunday to join Kevin in both Paris and Rome for two weeks, I've been trying to eat up everything in my refrigerator without having to go grocery shopping. I had some cooked brown rice leftover so I decided to whip up some fried rice. Kevin's makes some amazing fried rice and so I tried to make it without really knowing what he puts into it and it ended up pretty good.

Easy Vegetable Fried Rice

• 3 cups of cooked brown rice
• 1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 red onion
• 1 cup broccoli chopped, cooked
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1 egg, whisked
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 2 tsp light soy sauce

In a frying pan, heat olive oil. Saute onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes. Add rice and continue to cook until a little sticky.

Move rice to one side of frying pan then center empty side over burned. Scramble egg while chopping into tiny bits. Mix together.

Add salt, pepper, broccoli, and carrots. Mix thoroughly and cook for another 5-7 minutes. Add soy and continue to mix. Turn off heat and serve hot.

--------------------------

A Lighter Alfredo Type Dish

I had every intention of making me some yummy Murgh Makhani (butter chicken) for dinner this evening. Thank goodness I tried the sauce before adding the chicken because it was HORRIBLE. And into the trash can it went. So I went though my bookmarks to find something I could make with already cooked cubed chicken and found a lighter chicken alfredo from Weight Watchers. I took it step lighter due to what I already had in the kitchen and came out with a not quite alfredo, but pretty yummy dish. And let it be known that I halved everything in this recipe except the cheese because I wasn't paying attention. :P

A Lighter Alfredo (my changes are in italics)

• 6 medium garlic clove(s), peeled and smashed with a knife
• 1 pound(s) uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, washed, patted dry, four 4 oz pieces (mine were cubed)
• 1 tsp table salt
• 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 spray(s) cooking spray
• 1/2 cup(s) canned chicken broth (had to make some from a bouillon cube)
• 1/4 cup(s) heavy whipping cream (used extra light 3%)
• 1/4 cup(s) whole milk plain yogurt, Greek-variety (used regular lowfat)
• 1/8 tsp table salt, for cooking pasta
• 8 oz uncooked whole-wheat pasta, fettuccini (used elbow macaroni)
• 1/2 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano suggested (used romano)
• 1/4 cup(s) parsley, fresh, flat-leaf, finely chopped, divided (omitted)

Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat.

Rub garlic over chicken; reserve garlic. Season chicken with salt and pepper and rub in seasonings with your hands; set aside.

Off heat, coat skillet with cooking spray and then set over medium-low heat. Sauté garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chicken and cook until golden, flipping once, about 5 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine broth, heavy cream and yogurt; pour over chicken and scrape bottom of skillet with a wooden spoon to incorporate seasonings. Simmer chicken gently, turning once, about 30 minutes.

While chicken is cooking, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.

Remove chicken from cream sauce and set aside. Add Parmesan cheese to cream sauce and mix until well-combined. Add cooked pasta and 3 tablespoons of parsley; toss well. Serve pasta topped which chicken and rest of parsley. Yields about 3 ounces of chicken and 2/3 cup of pasta/sauce per serving.

--------------------------

 

I'd like to say that the picture is after it set out for 30 minutes or so. I was so hungry I forgot to take one before I dug in. It's definitely not the creamy alfredo that I love, but it was pretty good and definitely satisfied any alfredo craving I had. I'm sure it would have been creamier had I halved the cheese like I did the rest of the recipe. And I'll leave you at that because I really need another bowl. :)

Jambalaya!

Kevin and I were craving something with a little spice but wanted to make something other than the normal Indian food we usually eat when we're wanting something spicy. I remembered seeing a recipe at Weight Watchers which unfortunately is unlinkable because they don't like to tell non-subscribers how many points something is. We ended up changing quite a bit of the recipe due to what we already had and a few mistakes on my part. Oopsies.

Chicken Jambalaya (my changes are in italics)

• 2 1/2 oz raw turkey sausage, chopped (used pre-cooked)
• 1 large onion(s), chopped
• 1 medium celery, stalk, chopped (omitted because it's expensive here right now)
• 1 small green pepper(s), chopped
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp table salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, ground
• 2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
• 2 medium chicken breast, cooked, skinless, cubed (about 2 cups)
• 28 oz canned tomatoes, whole, plum, peeled with juice (used 5 fresh tomatoes, peeled)
• 2 cup(s) fat-free chicken broth
• 1 cup(s) uncooked white rice, long-grain (used brown basmati rice)

Coat a large, nonstick saucepan with cooking spray. Over high heat, sauté sausage until crispy on edges. Add onion, celery and green pepper; sauté until tender.

 Reduce heat and stir in cayenne, thyme, salt, pepper and garlic; sauté until garlic is fragrant.

Stir in chicken, tomatoes, broth and rice. (I cooked rice separately because brown rice cooks longer.) Bring to a simmer, cover and let cook until rice is tender, about 20 minutes. (I wasn't paying attention and added all the broth even though I was cooking rice separately, so I let it simmer/boil uncovered for about 45 minutes.) Serves 4.

--------------------------

 

This was a joint effort between Kevin and I, so I can't take all the credit. It was my first time blanching, peeling, and coring tomatoes so now I can add that to the experience. I should also say that our jambalaya had paprika in it as well because I mistook it for the cayenne. But it was sooo good and I'm glad I have some leftover so I can eat it again. A nice change from the Indian we usually eat!

Oh, Crockpot! How I Love Thee!

Yesterday we became the proud owners of a brand new slow cooker. They are not very common here unlike their counterpart, the rice cooker. But we found one at a decent price and brought that baby home. Before bed, we threw in a beef bottom round with some fat free chicken broth, water, onions, carrots, garlic, beef seasoning, salt, and pepper. It cooked all night, then this morning when we woke up, threw in some potatoes and let it continue to cook all day. By 5:30pm (when we couldn't wait any longer) we dug in. The meat just fell apart... so tender and juicy. So right now, I'm in pot roast heaven. So full, yet still contemplating what my next meal with the crock pot will be. I think it may be one of the best kitchen appliances ever.

A Lighter Enchilada

It's hard to find good Mexican food here in Dubai, and it's almost impossible to find "healthy" Mexican food anywhere. When I came across this recipe for chicken enchiladas at skinnytaste.com, I figured it would be worth a try.

Chicken Enchiladas (my changes are in italics)

For the sauce:

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-2 tbsp chipotle chilis in adobo sauce
• 1-1/2 cups tomato sauce
• 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder (used cayenne)
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 3/4 cup fat free chicken broth
• kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste

For the chicken:

• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 8.5 oz (2 breast halves) cooked shredded chicken breast
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 large clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• kosher salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp chipotle chili powder (used cayenne)
• 1/3 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 8 (6-inch) reduced carb whole wheat flour tortillas (used 8 inch tortillas)
• 1 cup shredded low fat Mexican cheese (used full fat Mexican cheese)
• Nonstick cooking spray

In a medium saucepan, spray oil and sauté garlic. Add chipotle chiles, chili powder, cumin, chicken broth, tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onions and garlic on low until soft, about 2 minutes. Add chicken, salt, cilantro, cumin, oregano, chili powder, tomato sauce, chicken broth, and cook 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Spray a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with non-stick spray. Put 1/3 cup chicken mixture into each tortilla and roll it. Place on baking dish seam side down. Top with sauce and cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes. Top with low fat sour cream or scallions if you wish. (Extra points) Makes 8 enchiladas.

--------------------------

In this recipe, I had to sub some ingredients for what I already had in the kitchen. I failed to notice that 6-inch tortillas were required and I had bought 8-inch ones instead so this recipe barely eked out seven enchiladas, and they were very scanty ones at that. So because of the extra carbs and the full fat cheese, it made these 4 points each instead of 3 points like the original recipe states. Still, not too shabby!

As for flavor, these were pretty good, although a bit too much cilantro for my taste (though Kevin liked it). When I make these again, I'll use a little bit more chicken, a low fat cheese so I can make them cheesier without sacrificing points, less cilantro, and of course, the smaller tortillas.

I should probably also mention that while cooking this, I had a beer can fall out of the fridge and explode everywhere, I dropped several sauce covered utensils on the floor, and had a lecture from my husband about not using a steel spoon to stir ingredients in a Teflon skillet.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken Strips

I haven't eaten any meat in almost two weeks and so I decided to grab some chicken breasts when I was shopping. Like I've mentioned before, I have a hard time cooking for one so I wanted something that wasn't very elaborate. I tried googling "chicken recipes for one" to no avail because I didn't want just grilled chicken breast. Boring. Then I remembered a recipe Kevin and I tried not too long ago and I adapted it to make chicken strips instead. And I'm so proud of myself for kind of guessing from memory... not like this recipe was hard to begin with. :P

Parmesan Crusted Chicken Strips

• 2 chicken breasts, cut into strips or chunks
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3/4 cup of panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup of grated parmesan or romano cheese
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly spray casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Set up two bowls, one containing the beaten egg, the other containing all dry ingredients mixed.

Dip strips into egg, then the breadcrumb/cheese mixture. Lay in dish.

Bake for 10 minutes, flip, then continue to bake for another 7-10 minutes.

--------------------------

Ahhh. Little nuggets of heaven. I never thought I'd say that in reference to anything other than chocolate but these are pretty damn good.

Low Fat Mac and Cheese

Kevin leaves for Munich for two weeks tomorrow, so for dinner I wanted to make something that would yield a lot of leftovers that I could eat while he's gone. Cooking for one is such a pain. I've made this recipe from RecipeZaar once before (yes, I do realize it's sacrilegious to make low fat macaroni) and we ate it for leftovers for two or three days afterward. So if you make this, be warned... it makes a lot of macaroni.

Low Fat Mac and Cheese (my changes are in italics)

• 1 tbsp unsalted butter 
• 3 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour (used whole wheat)
• 1 tsp dry mustard (used regular mustard.. Kevin says it's close enough)
• 1/2 tsp paprika 
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt 
• 1 1/2 cups nonfat milk 
• 1 cup nonfat sour cream 
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 cups shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
• 4 cups cooked elbow macaroni, from about 2 cups dried (used whole wheat penne)
• 1/4 cup corn flake crumbs or dried breadcrumbs (used FiberOne last time, omitted this time)

Coat 2 quart casserole with nonstick spray. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Melt butter in medium saucepan. stir in flour, mustard, paprika, and salt. slowly pour in milk, whisking continuously until there are no lumps in the flour. continue to stir with whisk, raise the heat, and cook until milk bubbles and thickens.


Remove from stovetop and stir in sour cream, egg, and cheese.

Toss macaroni and the cheese mixture together in a bowl and then pour it into the casserole. Top with the cornflake crumbs. Set in the oven and bake for 20 minutes (I did almost 40), or until bubbling around edges.

---------------------------

So yummy! Not Stouffer's, but I don't think anything will match that. :) We're pepper fans so we eat this with a bit of black pepper on top, which I think makes it even better.