Christmas Dinner! Creole Butter Roasted Turkey, Creamed Baby Peas and Pearl Onions, Wild Rice and Mushroom Stuffing, Seasoned Red Potatoes, Broccoli with Parmesan and Walnuts, Brussels Sprouts with Bacon-Horseradish Cream, and Pumpkin-Gingersnap Cheesecake!

*For some reason, I'm unable to upload pictures from my computer, the browse box isn't coming up. I will add the images when I can figure out what's wrong. In the meantime, all of these recipes, along with the corresponding photo, are being posted to my Beachbody coach "like" page: www.facebook.com/bondgrlfit. I apologize for any inconvenience.*

Yes, I know, Christmas was three weeks ago and I am just now posting our menu. It's a lot of food, so the time it would take to post has been a bit intimidating! :) I made quite the massive spread, because I was originally planning on having family in town, but they ended up unable to make the trip, and I like to have dishes from all types of traditional sides you see at a large holiday meal: Meat, stuffing/dressing, potatoes, green side (Broccoli stood in for green beans this year), and I always like to accomidate brussels sprouts, because I love them, and peas, which are my son's favorite! Of course, even a girl who really doesn't like sweet food has to have a dessert on a holiday! The pumpkin cheesecake was perfect, because it fit the dessert bill while still being a bit savory, so we all enjoyed it! My son ate his piece like a pizza. Silly boy!

PS, it is annoying me to no end that I can not get images up here. A food blog with no pictures is lame. I'm still trying to figre out how to fix it. If you have any ideas, please let me know!

Here is how the turkey was made:
2 turkey breasts, about 4 pounds each (You could use a whole turkey, but I wanted the leaner breasts)
3 onions
2 ribs celery
1 large green bell pepper
1/2 stick (2 oz) unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Let turkey sit at room temperature for 30 minutes (A cold turkey won't cook evenly). Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Meanwhile, finely chop enough of the onions, celery, and bell pepper to measure 3Tbsp each, reserve the rest. In a heavy pan, saute chopped veggies in 1 Tbsp butter, stirring occasionally until golden, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add the garlic, tomato paste, cayenne pepper and the remaining butter. Let cool slightly.

Place breasts on a rack in a roasting pan (If you don't have a rack, you can layer the bottom of the pan with carrots and celery to lay the breasts on. You don't want them on the bottom of the pan or the bottom of the bird will burn). Using your fingers, gently seperate the skin from the breasts. Gently spread the butter mixture evenly on the meat, and spread any extra on the outside of the skin.

Roast, uncovered, on the lowest rack in your oven for 20 minutes. Lower heat to 350 degrees and roast for another 1 to 1 1/2 hours until juices run clear and meat is no longer pink.

Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 15 minutes before carving. I like to carve the entire breast off the bird, then slice it. This way, it is sliced against the grain, resulting in more tender meat. I also like thick chunks of meat as opposed to thin slices, which I can do much easier with the meat off the bone!

This makes about 8-10 servings!

For the peas:
10oz frozen pearl onions, thawed
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups fat free half and half (Or evaporated skim milk, but that will make the sauce beige)
20 oz frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
salt and pepper

In a large skillet, cook onions in butter for one minute, add flour, and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add the milk and bring to a boil, simmer, and cook until thickened, 3-5 minutes. Add peas and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in chives and season to taste with salt and pepper, then get it in your belly!
This recipe serves 8!

How to make the wild rice stuffing:
2 large leeks, white and green parts seperated and well rinsed
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cups wild and whole grain rice mix (Or combine 1 1/2 cups brown with 1/2 cup wild rice)
olive oil cooking spray
salt and pepper
3/4 cup sliced almonds
1 lb mixed mushrooms, sliced (I used cremini and button)
1/2 cup dried currants
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
3/4 tsp allspice

In a large saucepan, combine leek greens, chicken broth, rice, and a little salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked, about 50 minutes. Discard leek greens and scrape the rice and wny remaining liquid into a large bowl.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Chop the leek whites. In a large skillet sprayed with oil, cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the rice. Spray the pan again and add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 12 minutes. Scrape into the bowl with the riceand add the currants, parsley, lemon zest, allspice, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and transfer to a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish, patting the stuffing down. top with a lid or greased foil, and bake until hot, about 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Enjoy!!
This recipe serves 8!

What I did to those potatoes:
12 to 14 baby red potatoes
1 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp freshly grated black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Quarter potatoes and place in a lightly greased baking dish (I like to add about 1/2 tsp oil, and wipe it around with a paper towel, this evenly distributes the oil and soaks up the excess) and toss with butter and seasonings. Bake, uncovered, for 30-45 minutes until tender and browned, stirring every 14 minutes. Shovel into your face!
This recipe serves 6-8!

To get the broccoli on your table:
1 large head broccoli, cut into florets
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 Tbsp lemon juice (1 lemon)
2 Tbsp freshly grated parmesan
1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts

In a large skillet sprayed with cooking spray, cook broccoli over medium-high heat until it begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until broccoli is crisp-tender and garlic begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Add red pepper glakes, salt and pepper to taste, and transfer to a serving bowl. Toss with lemon zest and juice and sprinkle with parmesan and walnuts. It's yummy, I promise!! :)
This recipe serves 4!

For zee brussels sprouts:
1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts, outer leaves discarded, stems trimmed, and sprouts halved
4 strips turkey bacon, cooked until crisp and diced
1/4 cup reduced fat cour cream
2 tsp prepared horseradish
salt and pepper to taste

Bring an inch of water to boil in a lauge saucepan fitted with a steamer basker. Add sprouts, cover, and steam until tender 6-8 minutes (I like mine still a bit firm, I went for 6).

In a medium bowl, mix together sour cream, bacon, horseradish, and salt and pepper. Toss in the brussels sprouts, spoon into a serving dish, and feed it to your friends and family!
This recipe serves 6!

To make the awesome cheesecake:
1 3/4 cups gingersnap crumbs
1 cup Splenda or Stevia
2 Tbsp apple jelly, melted
3, 8oz pkgs low fat cream cheese, room temp (Don't use fat free, they use chemicals to give it texture)
6 egg whites, room temperature
1 cup canned pure pumpkin puree
1/2 cup low fat sour cream
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp pumpking pie spice
1 1/2 Tbsp flour

Posiyion a rack in the canter of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch springform pan. In a medium bowl, combine cookie crumbs, jelly, and 1/4 cup Splenda. Press mixture evenly on the bottom and up the sides of the pan with your fingers. Bake until set, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely and increase oven to 425 degrees.

Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and remaining 3/4 cup Splenda on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl. Beat in the egg whites, a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the pumpkin, sour cream, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice, again beating until combined. Sprinkle the flour over and, you guessed it, beat until just combined.

Place the springform pan on a baking sheet and pour the filling into the shell. Bake for 15 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 250 degrees and bake for 1 hour longer. Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake cool in the oven with the door cracked for 2 1/2 hours (You don't want it to cool too quickly). Transfer back to the rack and let cool to room temperature. Refrigrate, uncovered, until completely cooled, at least 10 hours or up to 2 days (I made this two days ahead of time).

An hour before you're ready to serve, remove the side of the pan and let the cheesecake sit at room temperature. To serve, cut into wedges with a sharp knife that's been dipped in hot water and wiped after each cut (To ensure clean cuts). Serve slightly chilled or at room temperature.

This recipe serves 10!

Cuban Black Bean Wrap

*For some reason, I'm unable to upload pictures from my computer, the browse box isn't coming up. I will add the images when I can figure out what's wrong. In the meantime, all of these recipes, along with the corresponding photo, are being posted to my Beachbody coach "like" page: www.facebook.com/bondgrlfit. I apologize for any inconvenience.*
This is a recipe I used with some of the leftovers from last night's Cuban Black Beans and Rice. I had saved half of the beans for burgers I will make later in the week, but had some leftover from what was left of the portion I reserved for us to eat, and decided to make a wrap for lunch! This actually made far more filling than fit in my tortilla, so I served myself the extra in a small ramekin and just ate it with a spoon. It was delicious!! If you have rice leftover, you could add that, as well! You could make it vegan, of course, by omitting the sour cream and eggs.

What I used:
3 egg whites, beaten
salt and pepper
1/2 cup beans, drained from liquid
1/4 cup chunky salsa
a few dashes of hot sauce
1 tablespoon low fat sour cream
1 whole wheat tortilla (Mine was also low carb and low fat, only 60 cals per tortilla)
1 wedge lime
1/2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1/4 cup shredded green cabbage
1 roma tomato, diced

Beat egg whites with a little salt and pepper to taste and scramble over medium-low heat until cooked but not dry. Add beans and salsa, cover, and cook until warmed through. Remove from heat and stir in hot sauce and sour cream.

Meanwhile, toast tortilla over a gas burner or warm in a large skillet over medium heat. Line the middle with cabbage and tomato, squeeze a little lime juice over, and top with as much bean filling as you can. Squeeze more lime juice over and sprinkle with some hot sauce, cilantro, and more lime juice. fold up the bottom and then the sides. I needed to use a tooth pick through where the tortillas overlapped to hold it together!

Serve any extra beans in a small bowl, garnished with more cilanto and lime, if desired. If you have extra cabbage and tomato, you can make a little salad dressed with a little lime. You could garnish the beans with some of the extra cabbage and tomato, as I did, as well!

This recipe made enough for me, although there was enough extra filling that I could have made 2!

Make Your Own Wild Rice Blend!

Here's something that irks me (One of a laundry list of things I find irksome, I should say), I could not find a wild rice mix that wasn't seasoned anywhere, in any of the three stores I tried! It used to exist, I've seen it before! Every freaking box of wild rice mix was blended with white rice and herbs, seasonings, MSG (Which I'm mildly allergic to, and avoid at all costs.), food dyes, and other delicious chemicals I don't want to feed my family. Even if I didn't mind being mummified at 26, the problem still existed that I needed it for my wild rice stuffing for Christmas and wanted to season it myself, not have Uncle Ben do it for me. Where's the fun in that?

What I did find was a box of just wild rice, so I made my own mix! Wild rice really isn't that good on it's own, so you want to have it with another rice. For the one cup I need for the stuffing I'm making for Christmas, I used 3/4 cup brown rice and 1/4 cup wild! When I figured out the cost, it also came out to be cheaper than if I had bought a box of the stuff made with white rice and seasoned with MSG and a ton of salt! The finished product was awesome, by the way! I'll post that in a bit!

Thanksgiving Dinner 2012

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope your holiday was fabulous! We had an excellent day! I got up and got my workout in while the guys in my house slept, watched the parade with my little man, cooked our Indian inspired lunch, watched a nail biting Texans game with my family, and then enjoyed family lazy time! I know you just want to see the awesome spread, so here it is! All of the recipes I used as inspiration served 8 to 10, so I halved them all to serve 4 or 5.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Tandoori Spiced Grilled Turkey

*Naan Cashew Stuffing

 *Green Beans with Caramelized Onions

*Indian Stir Fried Peas with Coconut

*Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Cauliflower

*Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Salad

*Mango Cranberry Chutney

*Pumpkin Pie Cups with Bourbon Ice Cream

Looks fabulous, right? It tastes even more awesome!

 

 

How I made the turkey (I did this the day before to make my life easier):

1/2 stick of butter

2  tsp garam masala (an Indian spice blend, look for it in the spice aisle of larger grocery stores, I got mine at Target)

1 tsp finely minced fresh ginger

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp salt

1 turkey (Mine was about 8 pounds for the three of us with an abundance of leftovers!)

 

In a small saucepan, clarify the butter. Melt it over medium heat (Don't use salted butter, it will taste too salty), and skim off the white foram that rises to the top. Once the butter is melted and foam is skimmed (It takes about 10 minutes), the milk solids will be at the bottom of the pan. Carefully pour out the clarified butter, leaving the solids in the pan. Clean it out and return to stove. Return the butter to the cleaned out pan, and add in the garam masala, ginger, paprika, and salt. Let cool.

 

While the butter is cooling, break down the turkey as you would a chicken, remove legs and seperate thighs from drumsticks, remove wings, seperating the three pieces, and taking breasts off bone (Don't let the bones, neck, and wing tips go to waste, toss them in a stock pot, cover with water, add in some onion, celery, carrot, and pepercorns, and make a stock! Remove the bones and let cool while you srain the stock. I like to shred the additional meat off the bones and save to make a cassarole with, just to be extra economical! I like to freeze the stock in one tablespoon amounts in ice cube trays, pop the cubes out, put in bags, and repeat with remaining stock). I was unable to leave the skin attached to the breast meat, which my husband wasn't thrilled about. If you can do better at that than I did, leave it on! Slide your fingers between the skin and meat of your turkey pieces, and spread as much of the butter mixture as you can, then spread the remainder on the outside of the bird. I recommend doing this a day before, to save you time on the big day and to let the meat marinate. I had to use a 9x13 inch baking pan to store them in, covered with plastic wrap.

 

Bring the turkey out of the fridge an hour before time to cook, if you cut up and marinated it the day before. Preheat your grill to around 350 degrees (I have a charcoal grill, I filled the chimney as full as I could get it, lit it, let sit 30 minutes, then dumped them into the center of the grill. When I closed it, the thermometor read 375, close enough for me!). Make sure you scrape the grates clean and oil with a paper towel dipped or sprayed liberally with olive oil. Add the turkey parts skin side up, cover, and grill for 30 minutes (Put the wings on the outer edges of the coal heap, since they're smaller, they'll overcook while the legs and breasts cook, this way you don't have to worry about different cooking times, just put them in the cooler area and they'll be done at the same time as the rest of it, at least it worked that way for me!). Flip the pieces and grill for an additional 20 minutes, flip again and cook until done and juices run clear, 15-20 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, tend with foil, and let rest 15 minutes before slicing.

 

None of us really care for gravy, so I don't make it, but if you want to make a gravy while the turkey rests. Here's one that I think would work with this turkey: cook 1/4 cup of finely chopped shallot in 2 Tbsp butter over medium heat until softened. Stir in 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp garam masala and cook, stirring, an additional minute. Stir in 2 Tbsp flour and cook, still stirring, about 2 minutes. Whisk in 1/4 cup broth, whisking quickly to make a paste, then add another 2 1/4 cups, whisking constantly to keep it smooth. Increase heat and bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, stirring often, until thickened, about 5 minutes, test for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if desired, to taste.

 

For the Naan Cashew Stuffing (I also made this the day before, just put it in the oven the day of):

1 14 oz package naan bread, cut up, about 4 cups (If your store doesn't have naan, use flat bread.)

2 scallions, thinly sliced

salt and pepper

1 tsp butter

olive oil spray

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 cup whole cashews

1/4 cup turkey or chicken broth

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 Tbsp chopped mint

1/2 Tbsp lime juice

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, toss together naan, scallions, and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. In a large skillet sprayed with a little olive oil spray, add butter and cook onion over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the cashews and cook, stirring, until browned, another 5 minutes or so. Add cashew mixture to bread, stir in broth, cilantro, mint, and lime juice and toss well to coat. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Transfer the stuffing to a baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes, remove foil, and bake until browned on top, 15 minutes.

 

To make the green beans (I caramelized the onions the day before and warmed before serving):

 

1 tsp olive oil

1 large onion

salt and pepper

1 pound green beans, ends trimmed

2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil

 

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until softened and just beginning to brown, 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are deep golden brown and very soft, about 30 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook green beans until crisp-tender and bright green, about 5 minutes. Drain and toss with basil and a small spray of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, plate, and top with onions.

 

For the peas:

1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground coriander

1/8 tsp cayenne

1/8 tsp ground turmeric

salt

vegetable oil cooking spray

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1 16 oz package frozen peas, thawed

 

In a small bowl, mix together coconut, garlic, cumin, coriander, cayenne, turmeric, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 Tbsp water.

 

In a large skillet with a lid sprayed with cooking spray, cook mustard seeds over high, covered. When the seeds' popping slows down, add the peas and cook 1 minute. Stir in coconut mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the peas are just tender and still bright green, about 3 minutes.

 

How I did the potatoes (I roasted the garlic and cooked and pureed the cauliflower the day before):

1 clove garlic

1/2 tsp olive oil

1 Tbsp turkey or chicken broth

1/2 head cauliflower florets

2 large potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes, skin left on

1 tsp butter

evaporated skim milk

salt and pepper

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the garlic, root end down, in a small baking dish or ramekin. Drizzle oil and broth over top and wrap with foil. Pop in oven and bake for 20 minutes, remove foil, and bake 10 minutes longer, until very soft and golden. Let cool slightly, squeeze head to pop cloves out, and mash the cloves.

 

Meanwhile, bring a saucepan with a couple inches water to a boil, place a steamer basket in the pot, fill with cauliflower, and steam until tender, 5 or 6 minutes. Remove cauliflower and puree, adding cooking liquid as needed, until smooth, stir in the mashed garlic and puree again to incorporate, if desired.

 

Fill the saucepan back up with water and, before turning on the heat, add potatoes and bring to a boil. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 5 or 6 minutes, depending on just how small you diced them. Drain and return potatoes to hot pot to dry some. Add in some of the pureed cauliflower and, using a potato masher (Or, a ladel, like I did before I caved and bought the masher lol!), mash potato until smooth, adding more cauliflower a little at a time. If you need more liquid after the cauliflower has been fully incorporated, add in the evaporated skim milk until you've reached your desired consistancy. Stir in butter, and taste. Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy! I guarantee no one will know it is half cauliflower! I have made mashed potatoes like this for months, and my husband hasn't noticed the difference, or at least hasn't announced that he notices!

 

The brussels sprouts were made this way (I cooked the bacon and shredded the sprouts early):

1/4 pound turkey bacon

olive oil cooking spray

3/4 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and shredded (For best texture, shred with a knife)

1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

juice from 1/2 a lemon

salt and pepper

 

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat, turning occasionally, until crispy. Remove to paper towels and blot dry. When cool enough to handle, dice the bacon into small pieces and reserve. Add the brussels sprouts to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in rosemary and cook until fragrant, another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in bacon, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. This is great both warm and at room temperature. I made this when I put the turkey on the grill and served it at room temp.

 

How the chutney came to be (I made this two days ahead):

6 oz fresh cranberries (About a cup and a half)

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup Splenda

1/2 cup chopped dried mango

1/2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger

 

In a large saucepan, bring all ingredients to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 15 minutes. Refrigerate for at least a couple hours to cool and thicken and serve chilled or at room temp.

 

The pie cups were made like this (I decided to make a pie with no crust, since my husband doesn't eat pie crust and I don't like making it! lol! It also helps that I save a boatload of calories by foregoing the pastry!):

For the ice cream -
1 cup vanilla low fat ice cream
1/2 Tbsp bourbon

Set out ice cream to soften slightly and stir in bourbon. Return to freezer to set back up.

For the pie cups -
3/4c Splenda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
4 egg whites
1 (15 oz) can pure pumpkin
1 (12 oz) can evaporated skim milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

In a small bowl, mix together sugar, salt, and spices. In a lrge bowl, beat egg whites slightly and stir in pumpkin and sugar mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Ladle mixture into 6, 8oz ramekins.

Bake for 5 minutes, lower heat to 350 degreed and bake 15-20 minutes longer, until a toothpick inserted into the center of each pie comes out clean. Let cool for 2 hours. My husband likes pumpkin pie best refrigerated and eaten cold the next day, so I bake, cool, and pop them in the fridge the day before.

Serve topped with bourbon ice cream!

 

I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we did!

 



Chicken Ramen Noodle Soup

Yeah, yeah, yeah, not fancy, I know! This is the first thing I made after we got to California. I needed something fast and cheap to make for lunch, what could fit the bill better than this? I kept all of my spices and non perishables so I wouldn't have to buy more than absolutely necessary, so I only had to buy a couple of things, perfect!

In college, ramen was my perfect go to, so I played around

with it enough to enjoy doctoring it up!

Here is what I did;

This takes 30 minutes to prep and cook.

1 package Oriental flavored ramen noodles (Any flavor would work!)

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 medium carrot, diced

1/2 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice

pepper

1 large can Swanson chicken, drained

1 1/3 cup frozen peas

1 cilantro buillon cube (I had no cilantro, and Mom had sent me some a while ago, use 2T cilantro, if you want!)

juice of 1/2 a lime

Siracha

black sesame seeds

2 tablespoons salted peanuts, chopped

In a small pot, boil 4 cups of water and season with seasoning packet. Boil pasta 3 to 5 minutes, stirring to break up, until cooked. Drain pasta, reserving water.

Meanwhile, in a medium pot coated with cooking spray, saute onion, garlic, and carrot, seasoned with 5 spice and pepper, over medium heat until beginning to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add in pasta cooking water and simmer 10 minutes. Add chicken and peas and simmer another 10 minutes. Crumble in cilantro buillon (Or stir in fresh cilantro.) and stir in lime juice and siracha to taste. Ladel into bowls and garnish with sesame seeds and peanuts. Enjoy!!

If you're concerned about sodium, use only 1/2 of the seasoning packet and replace 2 cups, or all, of the water with chicken or vegetable broth, and increase 5 spice to taste.

This recipe serves 2.