Recipes

 

Gillian’s Goat Cheese and Spinach Pita Bake

 

Serves 6

 

1 (6-ounce) tub sun-dried tomato pesto

6 (6-inch) whole wheat pita breads

2 Roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped

1 bunch spinach, rinsed and chopped

4 fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons olive oil

Ground black pepper to taste

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread tomato pesto onto one side of each pita bread and place them pesto-side up on a baking sheet. Top pitas with tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, goat cheese, and Parmesan cheese; drizzle with olive oil and season with pepper. Bake in the preheated oven until pita breads are crisp, about 12 minutes. Cut pitas into quarters.

 

 

 

James’s (Store-Bought) Greek Style Salad with Chicken

 

Serves 4

 

2 cups shredded chicken

1/2 cup bottled reduced-calorie Greek vinaigrette salad dressing, divided

Lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed

6 cups torn romaine lettuce

1-1/3 cups chopped cucumber (1 medium)

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

3/4 cup chopped yellow sweet pepper (1 medium)

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion, rings separated

1/2 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese (2 ounces)

1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved

Lemon wedges for garnish (optional)

 

In a medium bowl, combine chicken, 1/4 cup vinaigrette, lemon zest, and oregano; set aside.

 

In a large salad bowl, toss lettuce with the remaining 1/4 cup vinaigrette. Spoon 1-1/2 cups lettuce into each of four shallow bowls. Top each with about 1/3 cup cucumber, 1/4 cup tomatoes, 3 tablespoons sweet pepper, and 2 tablespoons onion. Add chicken mixture to the center of each. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons feta and 1 tablespoon olives. If desired, serve with lemon wedges.

 

 

 

Mamma Mia’s Light Chicken Marsala

 

Serves 4

 

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper

1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon salted butter

2 teaspoons olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup finely chopped shallots

1 pound mushrooms

1/3 cup Marsala wine

1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

 

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

 

Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally to make 4 cutlets. Put each cutlet between two sheets of waxed paper and lightly pound them until they are about 1/4 inch thick. Season with salt and pepper.

 

Place an 18-inch-long length of wax paper on the counter. Put the flour in a shallow dish and lightly dredge the chicken pieces in the flour, shaking off any excess. Put the chicken on the wax paper; reserve the 1 teaspoon remaining flour to use later.

 

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 tablespoon of the butter and 1 teaspoon of the olive oil to the pan and swirl the pan until the butter has melted. Add the chicken and cook until slightly golden on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a baking dish and place in the oven to keep warm.

 

Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter and 1 teaspoon olive oil to the skillet. Add the garlic and shallots and cook until soft and golden, about 2 minutes.

 

Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes.

 

Sprinkle in the reserved 1 teaspoon of flour and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds.

 

Add the Marsala wine, chicken broth, and parsley. Cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, until thickened, about 2 minutes.

 

Return the chicken to the skillet with the mushrooms, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer in the sauce to let the flavors blend, about 4 to 5 minutes.

 

To serve, put a piece of chicken on each of 4 serving plates. Spoon the mushrooms and sauce evenly over the top, and serve hot.

 

 

 

The Red Bird’s Cranberry Kisses Mocktail

 

Serves 25

 

25 orange wedges

75 ounces cranberry juice cocktail

12.5 ounces fresh orange juice

Club soda or Sprite

 

Add juices to punch bowl. Fill with ice and club soda or Sprite. Pour into individual glasses and garnish with an orange slice.

 

 

 

Milla’s Black Bean Soup

 

Serves 2–3

 

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon minced jalapeños

1 tablespoon tomato paste

Freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

3 (15-ounce) cans black beans, with liquid

1 quart low-sodium vegetable broth

1 bay leaf

Sour cream, for garnish

Sliced avocado, for garnish

Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

 

In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeños and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomato paste, stir to coat vegetables, and cook about a minute more.

 

Season with pepper, chili powder, and cumin and stir to coat.

 

Add black beans with their liquid and vegetable broth. Stir soup, add bay leaf, and bring to a boil.

Immediately reduce to a simmer and let simmer until slightly reduced, about 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf.

 

Using a food processor, blend the soup to desired consistency.

 

Serve with a dollop of sour cream, sliced avocado, and cilantro.

 

 

 

Lindy’s Tuna Garden Pasta Salad

 

Serves 6

 

2 cups whole-wheat rotini (6 ounces)

1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise

1/3 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

1/8 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 cans tuna packed in water, drained

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1 cup diced yellow or red bell pepper

1 cup grated carrots

1/2 cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

 

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes, or according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold running water.

 

Whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl until smooth. Add the pasta and tuna, and then toss to coat. Add tomatoes, bell pepper, carrots, olives, green onions, and basil; toss to coat well.

 

Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

 

 

 

Dolly’s Buttermilk Pie

 

3 eggs

2/3 cup buttermilk

2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 cup melted butter

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Pinch of salt

2 unbaked pie shells

 

Preheat over to 275 degrees F. Beat eggs and combine with buttermilk. Sir in the rest of the ingredients. Pour into 2 unbaked pie shells.

 

Bake for 10 minutes then increase the temperature to 300 and bake for 50 minutes.

 

Makes two because Dolly has a lot of customers who love this pie.

 

 

 

Mrs. Anderson’s Lentil and Vegetable Stew with Moroccan Spices

 

Serves 6

 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/8 teaspoon curry powder

1 tablespoon butter

1 sweet onion, chopped

2 cups finely shredded kale

4 (14-ounce) cans vegetable broth

1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

3 large potatoes, peeled and diced

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

4 large carrots, chopped

1 cup dried lentils, rinsed

1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon ground black pepper, to taste

 

Combine cinnamon, cumin, salt, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, turmeric, and curry powder in a large bowl.

 

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion in the butter until soft and just beginning to brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in kale and spice mixture; cook until kale begins to wilt and spices are fragrant, about 2 minutes.

 

Pour the vegetable broth into the pot. Stir garbanzo beans, tomatoes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, lentils, apricots, and honey into the broth; bring to boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until vegetables and lentils are cooked and tender, about 30 minutes.

 

Season stew with black pepper.

 

If you want to thicken the stew, dissolve 1 tablespoon of flour or cornstarch into 1 tablespoon of water; stir into stew and simmer thickened, about 5 minutes.