Low-Fat Broccoli Cheddar Soup: Of Cheese and Rock

Wednesday night, The Boyfriend and I jaunted off to Queens to play Rock Band with our friends A and A. I’m not a big video game fan, preferring to read, socialize, or hit myself in the head with a mallet. That said, Rock Band was the most incredibly fun game in the history of America, time, and space. Seriously, playing skee ball on a roller coaster in Oz wouldn’t even compare. I got to strum bass to a Pixies song, bang drums to an R.E.M. classic, and discovered that my vocal range most resembles that of ‘70s-era Ozzy Osbourne. Which, frankly, is a tad uncomfortable, but good to know for future karaoke parties/Black Sabbath auditions.

Our impromptu evening of RAWK curbed my cooking plans, so I was forced to make Cook’s Country Low-Fat Broccoli Cheddar Soup late last night instead. (And lemme tell you - nothing endears you to a roommate faster than running a blender at 11pm.) The soup is part of my self-imposed Use More Cheese mandate, as one of the drawbacks of writing a healthy cooking blog is the general absence of face-loving, soul-warming, high-in-fat foods like bacon, chocolate, cheese, and bacony chocolate cheese. Cooking Light’s Fresh Tomato Lasagna, Cheesy Eggplant Bake, and Light Mac and Cheese have also been also part of the effort.

Which brings us back to the soup. I liked it! It made a healthy, gloriously green side or main course, with enough frommage-y goodness to keep me from feeling like I was drinking a salad. There are, as always, a few notes:

1) Leeks are dirty, dirty birds, so they have to be cleaned pretty thoroughly before adding to a recipe. I use Lidia Bastianich’s method, which can be found here.

2) I didn’t puree the soup well enough at first, which resulted in something not unlike leaf-strewn rainwater. It took a few minutes on ICE CRUSH to finally get a smooth consistency, but the extra choppage was worth it in the end.

3) Both leeks and broccoli were pretty pricey in my ‘hood this week, and I’m betting that better shoppers could make this schlamiel for about two bucks cheaper.

Cook’s Country kindly provided the nutritional information, so only the price calculations are listed below. Happy weekend, everybody! (And go play Rock Band. Seriously. Now. Run.)

Low-Fat Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Makes 6 (large) servings
Adapted from Cook's Country.
Note: I know this picture is terrible. Please, please make it anyway. You won't be sorry.

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise and sliced thin
1-1/2 pounds broccoli, florets chopped, stems peeled and sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or veggie)
1 cup water
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
¾ cup fat-free evaporated milk
4 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
salt and pepper

1) In a large pot over medium heat, warm butter until melted. Add leeks and broccoli stems. Cook around 8 minutes, or until both are a tiny bit soft. Add garlic. Cook about 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant. It will look like this:

Add broth and water. Jack up heat until everything starts to boil. When that happens, drop heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer around 8 minutes, or until broccoli stalks are pretty soft. Then, add broccoli florets. Cover again and cook another 5 minutes, until those are tender, too.

2) Kill heat. Add soup to blender. Blend/puree the heck out of it, until there are no broccoli bits left. I can't emphasize this enough: it should be totally, completely smooth. Add mustard, milk, and cheese to blender. "Puree until cheese is melted." Salt and pepper to taste. (You can do this in two batches. Whatever you do CC says, "make sure to fill your blender no more than halfway with hot soup.")

Very special note: this soup will last a few days in the fridge, but be careful reheating. Boiling it will cause the cheese to do weird things, so cook leftovers over medium-low.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
210 calories, 11 g fat, $1.34

Calculations
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter: $0.05
2 leeks, white and light green parts only: $2.00
1-1/2 pounds broccoli: $2.97
2 garlic cloves: $0.06
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth: $1.00
1 cup water: FREE
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard: $0.18
¾ cup fat-free evaporated milk: $0.37
4 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup): $1.25
salt and pepper: $0.03
TOTAL: $8.01
PER SERVING: $1.34

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Mission: Light Macaroni and Cheese

I’m sitting on our futon watching Diary of a Mad Black Woman because I’m not only a gigantic sucker for Tyler Perry melodramas (you GO Madea), but I’m also too dang full to move. Our friends F and H were just here with their giggly, grabby nine-month-old, and we feasted together for the first time since the little guy started teething. (Which? Looks like it hurts. I’m kind of glad I don’t remember it.) The vittles, which were plentiful, included biscuits, Barefoot Contessa’s Roasted Carrots, and my lightened version of Alton Brown’s Stove Top Mac-and-Cheese.

Now, I know mac and cheese is NOT exactly health chow. But I love it more than any other food, including sushi, M&Ms, and even sweet potatoes, for which I would gladly give up my first-born. (“My beautiful child? The joy of my life? For a barbecued yam? … Deal.”) In fact, my passion for the dish is surpassed only by my adoration for Alton, so I was highly, HIGHLY hesitant to mess with the man’s recipe. But 37 grams of fat per serving seemed excessive, especially for H, who’s trying to drop some baby weight now that her boobs are finally returning to semi-normal. (a.k.a. Leaving the Land of the Nursing.)

This was my third shot at lightening this dish, and this time around, I think I got it. At least, it’s the best lower-fat mac and cheese I’ve ever had, and it stands up pretty well to full-fat versions. A few notes on the process:

1) To cut the caloric load, I reduced the butter by half, used egg whites instead of whole eggs, subbed in fat-free for whole evaporated milk, and grated six ounces of reduced fat cheddar cheese instead of eight ounces of full-fat. If my calculations are correct, these steps slashed about one-third of the calories, and 58% of the fat off Alton’s recipe. If my calculations are incorrect … hey! Look over there! A shiny thing! (*runs away*)

2) At first, I tried this with pre-shredded cheese. No good. It made the sauce floury and bland. The next batch contained cheddar grated from a block of Cracker Barrel ten minutes before it was added to the sauce mixture. This was MUCH better-tasting and made for a smoother consistency as well. Aces.

3) I paid a ridiculous amount for the cheese because I A) wanted a better-quality frommage, and B) was so eager to try the dish that I didn’t bother to wait for a sale. Thusly, I have broken the Rules of Frugality, and am available for flogging on Wednesday nights after Idol.

4) If I had to make one change at all, I’d add a little more salt. A half-teaspoon might be too much, but a quarter couldn’t hurt.

And that's it. If anybody out there has another stellar, inexpensive recipe for light mac and cheese, I’d LOVE to see (and try!). I entreaty you to please, please pass it on in the comment section - because the search for a good mac and cheese is the noblest search of all.

Stove Top Mac-n-Cheese
3 main servings or 6 side servings
Adapted from Alton Brown.

8 oz elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 egg whites
½ cup fat free evaporated milk
A few dashes cayenne pepper (a little hot sauce will also work.)
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
½ tablespoon dijon mustard
6 ounces reduced fat block sharp cheddar, grated by hand (Cracker Barrel 2% rules here.)

1) Boil elbows in salted water until al dente. Drain. Turn heat to low and add pasta back to pot. Add butter and melt, stirring constantly to coat macaroni.

2) In a small bowl, combine eggs, milk, cayenne, salt, pepper, and mustard with a whisk. Pour into pasta. Stir. Add cheese. Stir until sauce is creamy and cheese is totally incorporated, about 3 or 4 minutes. Serve.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
Main: 570 calories, 20.1 g fat, $1.50
Side: 285 calories, 10.5 g fat, $0.75

Calculations
8 oz elbow macaroni: 811 calories,4.1 g fat, $0.50
2 tablespoons unsalted butter: 204 calories, 23 g fat, $0.11
2 egg whites: 34 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.30
½ cup fat free evaporated milk: 113 calories, 0 g fat, $0.25
¼ - ½ teaspoon hot sauce: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
¾ teaspoon kosher salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
Fresh black pepper: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
½ tablespoon dijon mustard: 7 calories, 0 g fat, $0.09
6 ounces reduced fat block sharp cheddar: 540 calories, 36 g fat, $3.22
TOTAL: 1709 calories, 63.2 g fat, $4.51
PER SERVING MAIN (TOTAL/3): 570 calories, 20.1 g fat, $1.50
PER SERVING SIDE (TOTAL/6): 285 calories, 10.5 g fat, $0.75

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Cheesy Eggplant Bake: The Power OF WORDS

Last night was full of good things: warm(ish) weather, the return of The Office and 30 Rock, a solid $4.99 Shiraz from Trader Joe’s, and most of all, the regrettably-named Cheesy Eggplant Bake.

As an ex-English teacher, I’m somewhat aware of the power of language. Only, I don’t think I knew how much it could affect food until Cheesy Eggplant Bake. (P.S. I will be repeating the phrase “Cheesy Eggplant Bake” as many times as possible in the following paragraphs. Because I can!) Cheesy Eggplant Bake is a simple, delicious five-star vegetarian dish from AllRecipes. It should have hundreds of reviews, but alas – only 10 decorate its lonely page. Why, I ask. Why?

Is it the picture? Nope. Stunningly (for AllRecipes, anyway), the accompanying photo makes Cheesy Eggplant Bake look alluringly tasty.

What about the ingredients? Nope. Cheap, plentiful, and way healthy, especially if you have a garden.

Could the similarly-monikered Cheesy Baked Eggplant be hogging all the glory? Er … nuh unh.

It’s gotta be the name. There’s no other explanation for it. Who the crap wants to eat anything named Cheesy Eggplant Bake? You might as well call it Vegetables in a Dish with Stuff on Top, because it would elicit about the same level of temptation. Y’know – let’s put it this way: if Cheesy Eggplant Bake was listed on Epicurious as Deconstructed Ratatouille with Mushrooms and Mozzarella, people would get wind burns in the rush to the kitchen.

But hear this, my lovelies: ignore the name. You gotta try this thing. It’s a winnah, and the servings are HUGE so there's no need to pair them with another food (though pasta could be a good side if needed). And while the AllRecipes version would be totally fine, you can lessen the caloric impact by cutting one tablespoon of olive oil, substituting two egg whites for two whole eggs, and using part-skim shredded mozzarella instead of full-fat slices. (Those directions are below.)

Readers – how ‘bout you? Have you ever had a really great meal with a wildly awful name? Or vice versa? Do tell. (And try the Cheesy Eggplant Bake!)

Cheesy Eggplant Bake
6 servings
Adapted from All Recipes.

1 medium eggplant, peeled
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 egg + 2 egg whites
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
6 ounces part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

1) Slice eggplant crosswise into 1/4-inch rounds. Arrange rounds in a colander in your sink and sprinkle salt all over them. Walk away for half an hour. When finished, "rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towels."

2) While eggplant is sitting, combine bread crumbs, garlic salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl or on a plate. In a separate shallow bowl, whisk eggs. When eggplant is done, douse each slice in the egg mixture. Then dip in the bread crumb mixture to coat. Shake off any excess and/or drippy-ness.

3) In a large skillet, heat 1/2 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Cook a few rounds until browned, about 2 minutes per side. When finished, arrange in 13x9-inch baking dish. Repeat for second batch.

4) Preheat oven to 350°F.

5) Heat last 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add green pepper, onion, and mushrooms. Cook until onion is softening and pepper is crisp/tender, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Top eggplant with mixture. Add tomatoes on top of that, spreading evenly.

6) Cover with tin foil and bake 25 minutes. Remove from oven and take off tin foil. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake another 25 or 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and a little brown. Serve to applause.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
260 calories, 11.2 g fat, $1.41

Calculations
1 medium eggplant: 110 calories, 0.9 g fat, $1.41
2 teaspoons salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs: 330 calories, 4.5 g fat, $0.45
1 tablespoon garlic salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.06
1/2 teaspoon pepper: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
1 eggs + 2 egg whites: 108 calories, 5.1 g fat, $0.45
2 tablespoons olive oil: 237 calories, 26.8 g fat, $0.20
1 large green pepper: 33 calories, 0.3 g fat, $0.74
1 medium onion: 46 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.20
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms: 50 calories, 0.8 g fat, $1.50
2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes: 214 calories, 1.6 g fat, $1.58
6 ounces part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded: 432 calories, 27.1 g fat, $1.83
TOTAL: 1560 calories, 67.2 g fat, $8.45
PER SERVING (TOTAL/6): 260 calories, 11.2 g fat, $1.41

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Light Fresh Tomato Lasagna: We’ve Got the Means to Make Amends

While Sundays in Casa de CHG are usually peaceful, relaxing affairs, last night was particularly sweet. Laid up by a slight illness, The Boyfriend and I had a little wine, worked quietly in our living room/Giant Teal Box of Tealness, and listened to old Pearl Jam B-Sides (found here, at I am Fuel, You are Friends). PJ was one of my favorite bands growing up, and hearing Ten at any time, in any form, transforms me to that dorky, flannel-clad 15-year-old who thought Eddie Vedder held all the secrets to life. (Note: he does.)

I’m 30 now (Eddie’s 43!?!), and while they still holds box seats in my heart, I don’t run out and buy Pearl Jam albums on the first day anymore. In fact, I don’t buy ANY albums on release day, and haven’t for a few years. I don’t know why that is. Am I too busy? Do Pearl Jam and Radiohead and U2 mean less to me now than they did in 11th grade? Is this what happens when you’re 30?

I don’t have a great segue here. Just know that last night, as I was pondering these Questions of Great Importance, I was also chowing down on a mean slice of Cooking Light’s Fresh Tomato Lasagna, minus that tricky “fresh” part. On the suggestion of my friend M last year, I baked the dish with canned, whole peeled tomatoes (instead of off-the-vine), which has since made it cheaper, easier to prepare, and not at all lacking in taste. (Thanks, M!)

A few points if you decide to make one of your own:

1) Reducing the sauce to a chunky (not watery) consistency is incredibly important here, as it will make or break the lasagna. (I speak from traumatic experience.)

2) It’s worth splurging for a slightly nicer-quality brand of tomatoes, since it’s the highlight of the dish.

3) As always, Cooking Light is pushing it calling this an eight-portion meal. If I had company coming, I’d make sure I had a salad and some garlic bread waiting in the wings. Oh – and since CL calculated the nutritional numbers, only the price is added up below.

Now, I'm off to stew for awhile over aging, music, passion, and how a few scruffy-looking, Doc Marten-sporting dudes from Seattle can simultaneously define and upheave a willing listener's life. Tonight, while you're making this lasagna (hee), try it yourself: go home and listen to your favorite band when you were in high school. How did they make you feel, and when did it change? What does that answer mean to you now?

P.S. No Code is PJ's best album. I’m not kidding.

Fresh Tomato Sauce Lasagna
8 servings
Adapted from Cooking Light.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 28-oz cans whole peeled tomatoes
2/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Cooking spray
8 cooked lasagna noodles
1/2 cup (2 ounces) finely shredded fresh Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh basil

1) In a small pot or Dutch oven, heatl oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook until tender, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. While this is happening, crush the tomatoes with a food mill or by hand and add them to the pot. (You could probably just buy crushed tomatoes, too, but I haven’t tried it.) Bring pot to a boil. Drop heat to a simmer. Cook 80 minutes, until sauce is a little thickened. Kill heat. Add "2/3 cup basil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper." Stir. Set aside.

2) Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 13x9 Pyrex/baking dish with cooking spray.

3) In a medium saucepan, heat ricotta over medium heat. When hot, add mozzarella. Stir until mozz is all melted, and fully incorporated with the ricotta. Kill heat. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Stir.

4) Pour 2 cups tomato sauce in baking dish. Spread to cover bottom. Place 4 noodles over the sauce. Add all the ricotta/mozzarella and spread out on noodles. Place 4 remaining noodles on top of cheese. Spread last 2 cups tomato mixture on noodles. Sprinkle with the parmesan. Bake for 15 minutes, "or until cheese melts and filling is bubbly." Take out of oven. Garnish with basil. Give lasagna a few minutes to cool and set. Serve.

Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
290 calories, 11.8 g fat, $1.28

Calculations
1 tablespoon olive oil: $0.10
1 cup finely chopped onion: $0.18
4 garlic cloves, minced: $0.12
2 28-oz cans whole peeled or crushed tomatoes: $2.98
2/3 cup + 1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh basil: $1.69
1 teaspoon salt, divided: $0.02
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided: $0.02
2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese: $1.99
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese: $1.49
Cooking spray: $0.03
8 cooked lasagna noodles: $0.50
1/2 cup (2 ounces) finely shredded fresh Parmesan cheese: $1.13
TOTAL: $10.23
PER SERVING (TOTAL/8): $1.28

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Chicken with Shallot-Apricot Sauce: Sweet Victory

Hey everybody! Remember yesterday, when I was all like, “Buy a cantaloupe! They’re delicious, and nothing could ever possibly be wrong with them?” Uh … not so much. Astute reader Joel pointed out that there was a cantaloupe recall on March 22nd, as a Honduran company called Agropecuaria Montelibano has shipped quite a few salmonella-tainted melons. The offending paragraph has been removed, and please feel free to send me the bill if you went out and bought a dozen. As always, I’m dumb.

(Edited to add: this looks like it might be a bigger deal now. See here.)

For further proof of my dumbinity, it finally occurred to me (after nine months) that I should mention more of my failures on this blog. (Note: it didn’t actually occur to me. It occurred to my friend F, who said, “You know, you should mention more of your failures on the blog. That way, people would feel better about the dishes you DO post on.” He’s usually right about these things – and about New Zealand novelty folk duos – so I’m going with it.)

Anyway, of the three or four new dishes I make per week, usually only one or two work out. I can generally chalk this up to my own inexperience or sketchy recipes, because as it turns out, you can’t eat everything you read. To illustrate, here are a few examples of recent bombs:

Weight Watchers Macaroni and Cheese: I whipped this up last year, but used fat-free instead of low-fat cheese, turning the meal into an abomination on par with Soylent Green. This time around, I followed the directions to the letter. And you know what? It still sucked.

Strawberry Mousse from Enchanted Broccoli Forest: Dude. I’m not sure why they didn’t just call this “Two-Hour Strawberry Yogurt,” because that’s exactly what it is.

Mashed Yucca with Garlic: This one was more my fault than lovely, wonderful Sara Moulton. I dumped waaaaaay too much milk into the mixture, creating a soupy, lumpy catastrophe instead of velvety, creamy comfort food. As my roommate C noted, “So, the yucca was yucka.” She’s clever, that one.

Ellie Krieger’s Pasta Puttanesca: Ellie is wonderful, and quickly becoming one of my favorite Food Network cooks. And while this dish was far from a disaster, it was nothing special either. (Incidentally, “nothing special” meals are almost worse than flat-out disasters, because they had so much potential. It’s like when a parent says, “I’m disappointed in you,” and it’s ten times more traumatic than if they just yelled.)

Roasted Butternut Squash, Rosemary, and Garlic Lasagna: An unmitigated disaster. It took a year to cook, made me nauseous, and nobody ate the leftovers. It’s LASAGNA for pete’s sake. Leftovers are THE POINT. Cooking Light, I expected better.

While the letdowns have been plentiful and painful, I’m proud to say that today’s recipe, Chicken with Shallot Apricot Sauce, is a winner. It got raves from The Kitchn, as well as CHG reader Gretchen, who tried it and gave an enthusiastic thumbs up. My own version was fruity and sweet and fancy looking, to boot. The chicken was a tad dry, but I think that was more a result of my overcooking than the instructions.

I should mention that The Kitchn recipe serves four, but I made a half-batch and reduced the olive oil a bit. Those calculations are reflected below.

Chicken with Shallot-Apricot Sauce
Serves 2
Adapted from The Kitchn.

For the chicken:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (Mine were 6oz each – Kris)
salt and pepper
1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/8 cup chicken broth

For the sauce:
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2-1/2 medium shallots, peeled and sliced thin
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
1 heaping tablespoons apricot jam or preserves
salt and pepper

1) Sprinkle salt and pepper all over the chicken. In a large skillet, heat 1/2 tablespoon oil over high heat. Place chicken in skillet and brown, about 3 or 4 minutes per side. Cover pan. Drop heat to low. Cook chicken fully, another 4 or 5 minutes. When done, use tongs to put chicken on a plate. Tent with tin foil and set aside.

2) Jack heat up to high. Add 1/8th cup broth to chicken pan, scraping up browned bits with your spoon as broth heats. Remove from heat and set aside when bits are fully scraped.

3) While this is all going on/as chicken breast browns, heat the other 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add shallots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until shallots soften, around 5 minutes.

4) Add 1/4 cup broth to shallot pan, scraping up browned bits with your spoon as broth heats. Add vinegar. Drop heat to medium-low. Cook another 5 minutes or so. Add jam. Stir thoroughly to mix. "The sauce will thicken but should still be easily stirred."

5) Slice chicken. Place on platter. Pour contents of pan #1 (the juices) on top. Pour apricot-shallot sauce on top of that. Serve.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
305 calories, 9 g fat, $1.52

Calculations
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6oz ea): 375 calories, 4.2 g fat, $1.49
1 tablespoons olive oil: 119 calories, 13.5 g fat, $0.10
6 tablespoons chicken broth: 5 calories, 0.2 g fat, $0.10
2-1/2 medium shallots, peeled and sliced thin: 36 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.98
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar: 20 calories, 0 g fat, $0.15
1 heaping tablespoons apricot jam or preserves: 55 calories, 0 g fat, $0.18
salt and pepper: negligible calories and fat, $0.03
TOTAL: 610 calories, 18 g fat, $3.03
PER SERVING (TOTAL/2): 305 calories, 9 g fat, $1.52

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Asparagus, Mushroom and Parmesan Frittata: Basements and Breakfast

Up until recently, our 109-year-old basement (a.k.a. the Ninth Circle of Hell) was the scariest place in all of Brooklyn. It was the kind of dusty, brick-lined dungeon where stairs threatened to splinter at every step and light bulbs blew for no reason at all. Only dirt, mold, and ghosts would have dared to call it Home, and in retrospect, I’m pretty sure it inspired The Blair Witch Project.

Yesterday, as part of the Most Productive Weekend in History, The Boyfriend, our two roommates and I decided to take a whack at it. We had already turned our backyard from Depression-era scrap heap into brick-lined paradise, and were dusty and daring (and dumb?) enough to keep the ball rolling. Four dust masks and a pack of contractor-caliber garbage bags later, we were hauling up armfuls of the former tenant’s decades-old detritus, which included, but was not limited to:

• Eight plastic boomerangs
• 300 pounds of free weights
• Two-dozen tiles of rock-hard linoleum
• Two car jacks
• Two broken fans
• Two broken chairs
• A hand-operated drill
• A rusty hatchet
• Four open bags of kitty litter
• Eight human heads

(Just kidding about that last one … maybe.)

All told, it took two or three hours to clean, organize, and attempt to sweep. Nobody died, and any spectre who sets up house down there will now be much more comfortable. Plus, everything we put outside on our stoop was snatched up by this morning, 300 pounds of free weights included. I love this neighborhood.

This was all a very roundabout way of saying this: to psyche ourselves up for Cellarfest ’08, we made a large, semi-opulent brunch of bacon, strawberries, Bloody Marys, toast, and Asparagus, Mushroom and Parmesan Frittatas. I wrote up another frittata recipe on the blog a few weeks ago, which was delicious but contained canned instead of cooked produce. This one uses fresh vegetables and a few more eggs to adequately hold the bulk. It is also delicious, and will most definitely tide you over for and terrible, terrible tasks that may lie ahead.

Oo – and I should mention: the asparagus is so inexpensive because I bought a bunch for $0.50 on the street in Chinatown. It was one of those, “La-di-da, I’m walking … I’m walking … have to get somewhere … oo, look a vegetable stand … enh, I’m late … still walking … wait, did that say asparagus for $0.50/bunch? … still walking, only backwards now … yes, they are $0.50/bunch … uh, ma’am, can I have 12 of these?” purchases. Thank you, Canal Street!

Asparagus, Mushroom, and Parmesan Frittata
Serves 4

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
8 small stalks asparagus (4 or 5 medium), cut into 1” pieces
1/3 lb white button mushrooms, cut into sixths
2 tablespoons chicken stock
1 cup minced onion
6 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

1) In a large oven-proof skillet, heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add asparagus. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add stock. Add mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms have released their liquid, and then that evaporates. Put mixture in a bowl to the side.

2) Whisk eggs, parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste together in a small bowl.

3) Preheat broiler.

4) In the same skillet, heat remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook about 3 minutes, until translucent. While this is happening, pat down the asparagus and mushrooms to remove some of the moisture.

5) Turn heat down to medium and add eggs. Without stirring, let eggs set for about 3 or 4 minutes.

6) When sides of frittata start to set (they’ll begin pulling away from the pan), sprinkle asparagus and mushrooms evenly on top. Cook for about 3 minutes more, until the top just starts to set.

7) Transfer pan to broiler and cook until top becomes light golden brown. This should take about 3 minutes, but check after 2 since broilers are different the world over. (Mine only took 2.)

8) Using a potholder, remove pan from broiler and set on top of stove. Loosen frittata with plastic spatula immediately (otherwise it will continue to cook), being careful not to tear the eggs. Plate and eat.

Approximate Calories, Fat and Price per Serving
212 calories, 13.7 g fat, $0.85

Calculations
½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil: 60 calories, 7 g fat, $0.05
8 small stalks asparagus (4 or 5 medium), cut into 1” pieces: 16 calories, 0.2 g fat, $0.15
1/3 lb white button mushrooms, cut into sixths: 33 calories, 0.5 g fat, $1.00
2 tablespoons chicken stock: 11 calories, 0.4 g fat, $0.03
6 large eggs: 441 calories, 29.8 g fat, $0.90
2 large egg whites: 34 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.30
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese: 144 calories, 9.5 g fat, $0.75
salt and pepper: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil: 60 calories, 7 g fat, $0.05
1 cup minced onion: 48 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.15
TOTAL: 847 calories, 54.6 g fat, $3.40
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): 212 calories, 13.7 g fat, $0.85

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Roasted Asparagus with Poached Egg & Parmesan: It's Springtime for Vegetables (and Germany)

Two quick things before today’s recipe:

1) Last December, I posted a recipe for Wacky Cake, a vegan chocolate delight guaranteed to caress your taste buds like a gentle, fudgy lover. As I’m dumb, there was a typo in the calculations and I listed a single teaspoon of vinegar at $0.93. It should have been $0.03, which makes the final per-piece total a staggering $0.09 (instead of $0.17). Just another reason to go home and bake 12 of the dang thing.

2) I’m reading A Cook’s Tour by Anthony Bourdain right now. I loved Kitchen Confidential SO HARD, and I think I’m liking this even more. The guy can flat-out write, and his cultural observations are as riveting and funny as his culinary insights. I want to make out with his brain. Has anyone read his fiction stuff? Is it as good? Do tell.

Anyway, business. We’re edging slowly into Spring up here in NYC, which means between the tri-weekly monsoons, it’s possible to steal out and gaze in anticipatory wonder at the first green vegetables of the season. Salad greens are making an appearance, as are artichokes and baby garlic. But even better are the asparagus. They’re going at local supermarkets for under $2, and in Chinatown for $0.50 a bunch. ('Round here, this is the grocery equivalent of buying a Lexus for a twenty you found on the street.)

Inspired by this inexpensive onslaught of emerald stalky things and this post from The Kitchn, I decided to try Roasted Asparagus with Poached Eggs and Parmesan.

AND I LOVED IT.

Loved it loved it loved it loved it loved it loved it.

The Boyfriend did, too. I’ll be serving it to his parents when they come to visit in May, because I want them to think nothing but wonderful things about me. (I’m an excellent housekeeper, Nobel Laureate, fart rainbows, etc.) The parmesan and breadcrumbs give it a light, crunchy crust, while the egg, poached to perfection via the whirlpool method, drowns everything in a yolky, creamy pool of magic. Gah. I want more right now, but alas, am stuck at work. Thanks a lot JOB, a.k.a. You Which Allows Me to Survive but Deprives Me of Time I Could be Making Asparagussy Wonderment.

Oh, and hey - a tip, should you try it yourself: if there’s a Trader Joe’s nearby, get thee hence. Their large eggs are only $1.79/dozen, and that beats any of BK’s local competition by at least 60 cents. (“BK” is Brooklyn, not Burger King in this case.) I think it might be comparable ‘round the country.

Roasted Asparagus with Poached Egg & Parmesan
Serves 4
Adapted from The Kitchn.

1 Tbsp. olive oil
20 asparagus spears, trimmed (or tough ends snapped off)
2 Tbsp. breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon unflavored vinegar
4 large eggs
2 ounces grated parmesan
 (optional: 4 strips thinly sliced prosciutto)

1) Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

2) In a small bowl, toss asparagus with oil to coat. Salt and pepper to taste. Place on baking sheet. Roast around 10 or 11 minutes, until asparagus is tender. Sprinkle veggies with bread crumbs and then stick it back in the oven for 5 more minutes. Remove from oven, split among 4 plates, and keep warm.

3) While asparagus is roasting, "bring 2 quarts of water to a boil with vinegar and salt." Drop heat to low. When it becomes a simmer, make a brisk, gentle whirlpool in the water with your spoon. "Crack an egg into a cup." Slowly add egg to whirlpool. (It should migrate towards the middle.) Do the same thing for egg #2, stirring every so often to keep the whirlpool going.

4) Cook between 3 1/2 and 4 minutes. When finished, with a slotted spoon, lightly place one on each plate of asparagus. Sprinkle parm on top, and prosciutto if using. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

5) Starting from Step 2, repeat process for eggs #3 and #4.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
201.5 calories, 13 g fat, $0.94

Calculations
1 Tbsp. olive oil: 119 calories, 13.5 g fat, $0.08
20 asparagus spears: 90 calories, 0.5 g fat, $1.99
2 Tbsp. breadcrumbs: 55 calories, 0.8 g fat, $0.03
1 tablespoon salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
1 teaspoon unflavored vinegar: 3 calories, 0 g fat, $0.03
4 large very fresh eggs: 294 calories, 19.9 g fat, $0.60
1 2-ounce piece Parmesan cheese: 245 calories, 16.3 g fat, $1.00
TOTAL: 806 calories, 51 g fat, $3.75
PER SERVING: 201.5 calories, 13 g fat, $0.94

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Light Chicken and Mushroom Marsala: It's Moist

One of my least favorite words in the English language is “moist.” I don’t like the way it slides off the tongue, stabbing it at the end with a sinister, pointy “t.” The sound squicks me out, like the feel of cheap velvet or foam rubbing against itself. What's more, “moist” makes even the most harmless utterances seem a little dirty. Lewd, even. I actively refrain from using it on a casual basis, especially when describing people. Because, let's face it: there's nothing creepier than, “Hey Bob, you look moist today."

This aversion is unfortunate, partly because it’s a pretty common word, but mostly due to the food blogging thing. “Moist” depicts almost every kind of well-made meal, and there are few-to-no substitutes for it. “Wet" connotes a soaking, “soggy” is too negative, and “humid," well ... let's not even discuss. It’s got to be “moist.” “Moist” means a cake is well made. “Moist” means cookies are chewy, but firm. “Moist” means you might be eating Alex’s Slightly Altered Light Chicken and Mushroom Marsala.

I got this recipe from Smitten Kitchen, who got it from the June 1995 issue of Gourmet. And man oh man, is it ever moist. It’s moist-esque. It’s the hostess with the moistest. The chicken is basically braised in broth and marsala wine, which not only imparts a marvelous flavor to the mushrooms, but y’know … the moist thing.

The original recipe called for skin-on chicken breasts and more butter than I was comfortable with. So, to cut the fat, I:

• Used boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
• Only used oil to sauté the mushrooms and onions, instead of a butter/oil combination.
• Reduced the olive oil by a third.

It came out beautifully and went really well with egg noodles. All told, it's a classy, earthy meal-for-four under eight bucks. Not too shabby. And most definitely moist. (*cringe*)

Chicken and Mushroom Marsala
Serves 4
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen.

2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 28 oz), halved
2 teaspoons olive oil
1-1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 onion, sliced thin
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced thin
1/3 cup Marsala
2/3 cup chicken broth
1-1/2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

1) Gently pat chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and brown in two separate batches. When finished with each, transfer them to a plate so juices may redistribute throughout meat.

2) Add onion and mushrooms to skillet. Cook a few minutes, until "liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated," stirring occasionally. Add Marsala. Stir. Cook until Marsala is nearly gone. Add broth, chicken, and any chicken juices pooling on plate. Simmer until chicken is fully cooked, around 15 minutes, turning once halfway through. (I had very thick cuts, and this still timed out perfectly.) Move chicken back to plate.

3) Keep the sauce simmering until it reduces to around 1/3 cup. Kill heat. Salt and pepper the sauce to taste. Add butter. Stir sauce until butter is just melted. Serve chicken with sauce. Garnish with parsley.

Approximate Calories, Fat and Price Per Serving
352 calories, 9.75 g fat, $1.63

Calculations
2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 28 oz): 875 calories, 9.9 g fat, $3.48
2 teaspoons olive oil: 79 calories, 8.9 g fat, $0.06
1-1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter: 153 calories, 17.3 g fat, $0.15
2/3 onion, sliced thin: 42 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.32
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced thin: 50 calories, 0.8 g fat, $1.50
1/3 cup Marsala: 142 calories, 0 g fat, $0.61
2/3 cup chicken broth: 64 calories, 2 g fat, $0.16
1-1/2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves: 2 calories, 0 g fat, $0.25
TOTAL: 1407 calories, 39 g fat, $6.53
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): 352 calories, 9.75 g fat, $1.63

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Pork Loin with Warm Roasted Red Pepper Relish: Beyond Chicken

When it comes to cheap, healthy meat, there’s no easier fallback than good ol’ chicken breast. It’s tasty, accessible, and universally beloved - the U2 of the culinary world. Alas, while I dig the chix, I also have a great tendency to rely on it too much. There are weeks where chicken appears on our menu so often, I wonder if it’s following me around and sneaking into our fridge, like a poultry private eye on some kind of bizarre suicide mission.

Two weeks ago, in an effort to free ourselves (a.k.a. The Boyfriend and I) from the oppressive shackles of constant breast-based dinners, I bought four pounds of $1.99/lb center cut pork loin and chopped it into four 1-lb mini-roasts. “What the heck,” I figured, “This can’t be TOO hard.”

ENNNNNNNHH. Wrong.

Pork, it turns out, is incredibly easy to drain of any and all moisture. In fact, the FDA asks us to cook the meat to a bacteria-slaying internal temperature of 160°F, which has the unfortunate side effect of mummification. At that point, you may as well snack on a sock, since it’s just as flavorful.

Happily, after a little research and a few trial-and-error sessions in the kitchen, I think I hit on a formula that nearly ensures a moist roast. (P.S. Try saying “moist roast” ten times fast. It’s hard.) Instead of roasting the meat longer at 325°F or 350°F, you brown it on a stovetop first, then shove it in a 450°F oven briefly, until its inner temperature hits 145°F-150°F. Then, you let it sit on an aluminum foil-tented pan for 15 minutes. During this time, the pork's temperature should rise 10 degrees and the juices get a chance to redistribute. The whole shebang locks in the moisture, gives the meat a nice color, and comes in handy when there’s no time to brine.

I used this method last night, and paired it with a Cook’s Illustrated recipe for Warm Roasted Red Pepper Relish. Which? Yum. It’s a little pricier than most CHG dishes, but it’s a tad classier, too. Like Katharine Hepburn, but edible.

Ooo - but, before we get to the dish, a quick reiteration/warning about pork's internal temperature: opinion varies widely on the boundaries of a safe one. I've read that 145°F - 150°F is acceptable, since the roast's temperature will rise as it sits, but I CAN NOT guarantee this. If you're unsure or concerned about Trichinella, please cook the pork longer. Food-borne diseases are bad.

Pork Loin with Warm Roasted Red Pepper Relish
Serves 2
Adapted from and Cook's Illustrated Best 30-Minute Recipes.

1 1-lb pork loin center, trimmed of all visible fat and patted dry
½ Tablespoon vegetable oil
salt and pepper

½ shallot, minced
salt and pepper
½ garlic clove, minced
6-oz (1/2 jar) roasted red peppers, rinsed, patted dry, and chopped fine
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon butter, cut into 2 pieces and chilled
½ tablespoon freshly minced basil

1) Preheat oven to 450°F.

2) In a medium pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork generously with salt and pepper. Place pork in pan and brown on every side. (This should take about 6 minutes or so.) When finished, transfer pork to a roasting pan and roast about 20 minutes, or until pork temperature is between 145°F and 150°F. When finished, remove from oven, tent pork with aluminum foil and let sit for 10-15 minutes.

3) While pork is in oven, add shallot and 1/8 teaspoon salt to the oil left in pan. Cook over medium-high heat until shallot is soft, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring a few times.

4) Add peppers and vinegar to pan and cook until warm, about 2 minutes, scraping up browned bits as you go along.

5) Drop heat to low. Stir in butter chunks one at a time. Remove from heat. Add basil and any pork juices. Stir. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve over sliced pork.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
330 calories, 17.2 g fat, $1.81
(Note: I think my fat calc is a bit high here, since a lot of the fat is trimmed.)

Calculations
1 1-lb pork loin center (about 10-12 oz after trim): 440 calories, 16.5 g fat, $1.99
½ Tablespoon vegetable oil: 66 calories, 7.5 g fat, $0.03
salt and pepper: negligible fat and calories, $0.05
½ shallot, minced: 14 calories, 0 g fat, $0.26
½ garlic clove, minced: 2 calories, 0 g fat, $0.02
6-oz (1/2 jar) roasted red peppers: 36 calories, 0 g fat, $0.99
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar: negligible calories and fat, $0.08
1 tablespoon butter: 102 calories, 11.5 g fat, $0.10
½ tablespoon freshly minced basil: negligible fat and calories, $0.11
TOTAL: 660 calories, 35.5 g fat, $3.63
PER SERVING (TOTAL/2): 330 calories, 17.2 g fat, $1.81

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Potato Gnocchi: A Primer

(Number of times the word "gnocchi" appears in this post, including the title and this sentence: 24.)

(Rejected suggestions for post title: "Gnocchi Dokey," "Gnocchi Country for Old Men, " and "Point of Gnocchi Return.")

I love gnocchi. For lunch, for dinner, for breakfast - doesn't matter. In fact, if a survey was administered, and four out of five dentists preferred gnocchi to other Italian foods, I would pummel that fifth dentist until he acquiesced to gnocchi's inherent goodness. (Or, maybe I'd just feed him more gnocchi. That "pummel" thing is pretty violent.)

For those unfamiliar with gnocchi, they're little pillows of potatoes and magic, held together with flour and egg, and ever-so-slightly flavored with salt and pepper. While their vitamins and minerals are somewhat lacking, they're virtually fat-free, and a nifty twist on plain ol' pasta. Even better, gnocchi is inexpensive and can be paired with just about any sauce on earth, except maybe those of the barbecue variety. (Which, on second thought, might not actually be so bad.)

Before last year, I tried making gnocchi a few times on my own, and they came out okay. A little gummy maybe, but edible. (Gumminess, by the way, is brought on by too much moisture and is the mortal enemy of gnocchi.) Then, in March 2007, I took a gnocchi class at a local cooking school, and - oooooo. My gnocchi are much better now, due in large part to Chef Gerri, who taught us to roast the potatoes instead of boil them. It reduces the amount of moisture to which the potato is exposed, giving the gnocchi a better chance of surviving the tumultuous boiling process.

The dumplings improved even more when I caught a gnocchi-centric episode of Lidia's Italy. In her awesomely competent way, Ms. Bastianich demonstrated another ace method of reducing moisture: after the hot potatoes were put through her food mill, she spread the results out as much as possible. That way, the steam escaped and the possibility of gnocchi-destroying gumminess was severely reduced.

With that in mind, attached below is my recipe for gnocchi, replete with poorly-lit step-by-step photos. You might notice I skip the beautifying forkmark process. This is for two reasons:

A) I'm lazy. There are almost 200 of those suckers.
B) I'm really, really bad at it. Like, almost as bad as I am at driving, which is pretty bad.

I plan on trying butternut squash and/or spinach gnocchi at some point, so look for that in the future. (The NEAR future, I'm not sure.) In the meantime, enjoy.

Potato Gnocchi
Makes about 150 gnocchi, which serves 4 generously and 5 very well

2 ½ lbs starchy white potatoes (Russets)
2 cups flour
1 large egg
salt and pepper

1) Preheat oven to 400F.

2) Scrub and dry potatoes, then pierce each one several times with a fork. Place them on a cookie sheet and roast until tender/easily pierced through with a knife. (Probably 45 minutes to an hour.) Remove from oven.

3) While potatoes cool slightly, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

4) Once potatoes are cool enough to handle (but still hot/very warm), peel the skins off with your hands. The earlier this happens, the better. A pair of rubber gloves (or sandwich bags slung over your hands) should help you handle the spuds.

5) When the potatoes are peeled, put each one through a ricer or food mill (medium grate). Make sure you spread the riced potatoes out as much as possible, as this will help moisture evaporate.

6) Once the tubers have cooled, place them on a clean, dry surface. Then, sprinkle salt, pepper, and 1-1/2 cups of flour over the top.

7) Form the potatoes and flour into a small mound with a well dug out in the center.

8) Whisk the egg in a bowl and pour it into the well.

9) Using either a pastry scraper or your bare hands, gently knead the entire mound together into a big ol' ball. This shouldn't take longer than ten minutes, but will probably take far less. If the dough still feels sticky or tacky as you go along, add more flour.

10) Once you have your dough ball, break off about an eighth of it. Using your hands, carefully roll this piece into a long, thin log, about 1/2 - 3/4 inch in diameter.

11) This is the most important part: using a knife or a pastry scraper, cut off a 3/4-inch piece (not the end piece) of the roll. It should look like a tiny pillow. Drop the piece into your pot of boiling water. When it rises to the top, it's finished.

12) Eat the piece. If you like it, go ahead to step 13. If it's gummy or falls apart in the water, that means there's too much moisture in the dough. Add more flour (1/8 - 1/4 cup) to your dough ball, knead it in, and try again until you get the result you desire.

13) Chunk by chunk, roll the remaining dough into logs. After each log is made, cut them into 3/4-inch pieces. Each piece should be about the size of the top of your index finger, from knuckle to nail.


14) Place each piece of gnocchi on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. This will give you an idea of their numbers AND set them up for freezing later.

15) Drop a full serving (between 20 and 30 gnocchi) into the pot of boiling water. When the gnocchi rise to the surface, remove them with a slotted spoon (or other hole-y implement) and place them into a serving bowl. This should take between 3 and 5 minutes per serving. You may have to drain extra liquid from each bowl at the end.


16) Add sauce, parmesan and dig in.

NOTE: To preserve uncooked gnocchi, simply chill the pan from step #14 in your freezer. When gnocchi is frozen through, dump 'em in a plastic bag, squeeze the air out, and seal. Voila.

Approximate Calories, Fat and Price per Serving
387 calories, 1.7 g fat, $0.53

Calculations:
2 ½ lbs starchy white potatoes (reduced to 2 ¼ after peeling): 950 calories, 1 g fat, $2.37
2 cups flour: 910 calories, 2.5 g fat, $0.10
1 large egg: 74 calories, 5 g fat, $0.15
salt and pepper: negligible calories and fat, $0.04
TOTAL: 1934 calories, 8.5 g fat, $2.66
PER SERVING (TOTAL/5): 387 calories, 1.7 g fat, $0.53

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Turkey Chili with Beans: Comfort Me with Chili

Edited 3/26/10 to add: Hi there, folks from CNN! Hope you dig this chili. If you find it a bit complicated, this Easy Bean Chili recipe from Cook's Illustrated may be a good option.

When you hit your 30s, you begin to find that your generation’s grandparents aren’t around so much anymore. Most have passed on, many are incapacitated, some are squeaking by, and a lucky few are still spry teenagers concealed behind nonagenarian wrinkles and Christmas sweatshirts. Age has to happen to everyone, I guess. The certainty of passing time is hard to comprehend, and I assume, even tougher to confront with anything resembling grace. But somehow, folks manage.

My remaining grandma passed away last year. The Boyfriend’s moved on early Wednesday morning. They were lovely ladies whose lives couldn’t have been more unalike. The Midwesterner was by all accounts a good cook and talented artist. The New Yorker - well, not so much with the cooking. But she loved us pretty hard. And I loved her for it.

What any of this has to do with food is minor or momentous, depending on your point of view. Home-cooked meals can be a bittersweet reminder of gatherings and kitchen sessions gone by, or a warming, filling comfort in times of emptiness. Good dishes won’t replace people by any means, but for ten seconds, it might make their absence sting a bit less.

With that, here’s today’s recipe. It’s a Turkey Chili with Beans based on the February 1997 issue of Bon Appetit. I made it Wednesday night for The Boyfriend, and included a long list of reader review alterations that I won’t regale you with. Just know the end product was a metric ton of the best turkey chili I’ve ever had. If you make it, try to create your own chili powder (recipe included below) or use a salt-free mix. A lot of the store-bought mixes have extra NaCl in them, which could throw off the taste a bit.

Hope you enjoy the food, and in the meantime - here’s to you, R and H.

Turkey Chili with Beans
Serves 8 generously
Adapted from Bon Appetit/Epicurious.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey
1/4 cup chili powder (Recipe below. – Kris)
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, undrained
1 2/3 cups beef stock or canned beef broth
1 1/3 cups amber beer (I used Dos Equis XX Ambar. – Kris)
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 15-ounce can small white beans, rinsed, drained
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed, drained
1 15-ounce can pink kidney beans, rinsed, drained

Serving suggestions: Chopped red onion, chopped fresh cilantro, plain low-fat yogurt or light sour cream

1) In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions. Cook about 9 minutes, until soft and slightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add oregano and cumin. Cook another minute, stirring all the way.

2) Jack heat up to medium-high. Move veggies to perimeter of pan. Add turkey. Cook until slightly browned, breaking up the meat as you go along. Add chili powder, bay leaves, cocoa powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir everything together. Add undrained tomatoes and juices. Break tomatoes up with your spoon. Add stock, beer, and tomato sauce and bring to boil. Cut the heat back to medium-low and simmer about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3) Add beans. Cook until warmed through, about 10 minutes. Fish out bay leaves and throw them in the garbage. Serve with topping suggestions.

Homemade Chili Powder
Makes a little more than ¼ cup
Adapted from Recipe Zaar.

2 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoons oregano
1 1/4 teaspoons cumin
1 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon onion powder

1) Mix'em up.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price per Serving
362.6 calories, 9.5 g fat, $1.03

Calculations
1 tablespoon vegetable oil: 124 calories, 14 g fat, $0.06
2 medium onions, chopped: 92 calories, 0.2 g fat, $0.38
2 large cloves garlic, minced: 9 calories, 0 g fat, $0.03
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano: 5 calories, 0.2 g fat, $0.03
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin: negligible calories and fat, $0.03
1 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey: 974 calories, 48.7 g fat, $2.49
1/4 cup chili powder (Self-made mix. – Kris): 71 calories, 2.4 g fat, $0.18
2 bay leaves: negligible calories and fat, $0.06
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder: 12 calories, 0.7 g fat, $0.08
1 1/2 teaspoons salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon: negligible calories and fat, $0.10
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes: 151 calories, 1 g fat, $0.79
1 2/3 cups beef stock or canned beef broth: 28 calories, 0.9 g fat, $0.41
1 1/3 cups amber beer: 136 calories, 0 g fat, $1.75
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce: 86 calories, 0.5 g fat, $0.34
1 15-ounce can small white beans, rinsed, drained: 498 calories, 1.2 g fat, $0.50
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed, drained: 366 calories, 3.5 g fat, $0.50
1 15-ounce can pink kidney beans, rinsed, drained: 349 calories, 2.6 g fat, $0.50
TOTAL: 2901 calories, 75.9 g fat, $8.25
PER SERVING (TOTAL/8): 362.6 calories, 9.5 g fat, $1.03

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Spiced Chicken Skewers with Grapes: The Chicken Recipe OF CHAMPIONS

Before our regularly scheduled Monday recipe, I’d like to get a few quick things out of the way.

1) Apologies to reader Megan. Dude. I shouldn’t have doubted.

2) EEEEEEEEEEEE!

3) Seriously? DID YOU SEE THAT? Especially that part at the end when Manning evaded like, 15 guys who were trying to bring him down and then threw a 32-yard pass to Tyree, who had to jump, like, 150 FEET in the air to catch the ball ON HIS HEAD and then still managed to stay alive after landing on his back where it looked like the defender had SNAPPED HIM IN TWO but he still kept possession and put the Giants in a good position for the touchdown? Yeah, that was neat.

4) Preview of the Manning house at Thanksgiving:
PEYTON MANNING: I’m thankful for winning the Super Bowl last year.
ELI MANNING: I’m thankful for winning the Super Bowl this year.
COOPER MANNING: I have not won the Super Bowl, but I’m thankful for having brothers who did. I am also thankful for potatoes.
MRS. MANNING: I am thankful our DNA is made of fairy dust. High five, dear.
MR. MANNING: Yeah, our family is awesome. High five, honey.

5) As is his ritual, my dad wore his 21-year-old Giants boxers (purchased for the 1987 Super Bowl) on the outside of his pants for the game. My family is firmly convinced this was, and will continue to be, the key to sweet Blue victory.

So ... oh yeah. Food. This is a food blog. Must … write about … food (GIANTS).

Okay. Here goes. Since Saturday was a bit jammed by Super Bowl preparations, I had to cook something fast, easy, and light. Fortunately, Ellie Krieger was shining her pearly whites at exactly the same time I was making up the grocery list. While I didn’t have a grill handy, I figured her Spiced Chicken Skewers would work just fine with my broiler.

By rule, food on a stick automatically tastes four times better than its non-impaled counterparts. But even with this in mind, The Boyfriend and I were pleasantly surprised by Ellie’s dish. It was simple, inexpensive, and wonderfully moist, with enough hint of lemon to keep it from being blah. Warmed and split by the heat, the grapes were a nice touch, too.

Food Network kindly provided fat and calorie computations, so only the price is figured out below. It’s also worth noting that this would be a great meal for someone on Weight Watchers. I think it comes out to four (maybe five?) points. Bonus.

That's all for now, I think. My parents are still delirious, so if anyone needs me, I’ll be trying to convince Dad that boxers-outside-of-pants might not be a good look for work. (But why burst the man’s bubble?)

GO BLUE!

Spiced Chicken Skewers with Grapes

Serves 4 – 2 skewers each
Adapted from Ellie Krieger.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
8 (10-inch) skewers (Metal or wood will work. – Kris)
1 1/2 cups seedless green grapes
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves (I skipped this. – Kris)
1 lemon, cut into wedges (I skipped this, too. – Kris)

1) Combine oil, zest, juice, garlic, cumin, coriander, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together. Add chicken and mix so every piece is coated with marinade. Let sit for 20 minutes. During this time, soak wooden skewers if you're using them. (Or they'll burn. Metal skewers don't need soaking.)

2)  Skewer the chicken and grapes like so: chicken, grape, chicken, grape, chicken, grape, chicken, grape. Spray a grate or broiler pan with cooking spray. Broil or grill skewers for 3 minutes. Turn over and cook another 3 or 4 minutes, until some grapes split and chicken is done. If desired, serve topped with mint and next to lemon slices.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price per Serving
220 calories, 6 g fat, $0.71

Calculations
2 tablespoons olive oil: $0.16
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest: $0.05
1 tablespoon lemon juice: $0.20
2 cloves garlic, minced: $0.10
1 teaspoon ground cumin: $0.02
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander: $0.02
1/2 teaspoon salt: $0.01
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 3/4-inch cubes: $1.79
1 1/2 cups seedless green grapes: $0.48
Cooking spray: $0.02
TOTAL: $2.85
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): $0.71

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Cheap Healthy Party Food

With the big Giants/Pats showdown only four days away, it’s time to start thinking about food. What should you bring to a get-together? What will you serve at your own shindig? How can you keep from gaining 14 pounds in a single afternoon?

That’s where Cheap Healthy Party Food comes in. Gathered from five prominent websites, the following 60 recipes are less expensive, healthier alternatives to the chips/dips/wings combo typical of Super Bowl Sunday. Plus, as it’s a football game (THE football game), all the dishes are party-friendly. There is no spa food, and nary a spinach salad or fat-free flaxseed muffin to be found. Instead, the list is chock full of chicken, chili, pizza, and pie, just in lower-calorie incarnations.

To everything, there is a process, and my first step in compiling this list was narrowing down my source websites. (It’s a big internet out there, man.) I decided each one had to have A) lots of health-minded options, B) an easy search function, and C) reliable recipe reviews. After some consideration, I settled on All Recipes, Cooking Light, Eating Well, Epicurious and Food Network. (Oh, and Cheap Healthy Good. Hooray for self-promotion!)

Still, I was left with a ton of possibilities. So next, I had to come up with food criteria. It wasn’t easy, and unlike the Beef/Pork/Fish posts, my methods weren’t exactly scientific. But I eventually settled on the following:

• Each dish had to contain at least four servings.
• Recipes could not incorporate more than one semi-pricy ingredient. (A frequent issue with Epicurious.)
• Fat and calorie content had to be healthy relative to serving size. An 800-calorie stuffed mushroom recipe looks great until you realize is it only makes six mushrooms. (A frequent issue with Cooking Light.)
• The food couldn’t look repulsive in pictures. (A frequent issue with All Recipe.)
• Recipes had to have at least an 87% review rating (3.5 forks on Eating Well, 5 stars on Food Network, etc).
• Dishes had to be appropriate for parties where huge, hairy fathers of three paint their bare chests with Tedy Bruschi’s jersey number.

With all that in mind, I commenced searching. And the results? Are pretty sweet. John Madden would approve.

(As always, read the reviews for cooking and serving suggestions.)

APPETIZERS
All Recipes: Chicken Satay
All Recipes: Pita Chips
All Recipes: Garden Veggie Pizza Squares
All Recipes: Savory Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
CHG: Lightened Seven Layer Taco Dip
Cooking Light: Adobo Chips with Warm Goat Cheese and Cilantro Salsa
Cooking Light: Cheddar with Sauteed Apples and Brown Bread
Cooking Light: Goat Cheese Crostini
Cooking Light: Pinto Bean Nachos
Cooking Light: Starry Snack Mix
Eating Well: Boneless Buffalo Wings
Food Network: Chili Chips
Food Network: Parmesan Pita Toast Strips

DIPS, SALSAS, DRESSINGS and SPREADS
All Recipes: Avocado Mango Salsa (use gloves when working with habaneros)
All Recipes: Black Bean Hummus
All Recipes: Fresh Salsa 1
All Recipes: Spicy Bean Salsa (use low-fat dressing)
All Recipes: Sweet and Sour Sauce
All Recipes: Tequila Cocktail Sauce
CHG: Lemony Light Hummus
Cooking Light: Creamy Artichoke Dip
Cooking Light: Spicy Roasted Red Pepper and Bean Dip
Eating Well: Hot Artichoke Dip
Epicurious: Habanero Chile Salsa (use gloves when working with habaneros)
Food Network: Ranch Dressing
Food Network: White Bean Dip

MEAT MAINS
All Recipes: Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs
All Recipes: Pineapple Chicken Tenders
All Recipes: Yummy Honey Chicken Kebabs
Cooking Light: Ancho, Beef, and Kidney Bean Chili
Cooking Light: Mexican Black Bean Chili
Cooking Light: Real Texas Chili
Eating Well: Chicken Chili with Hominy
Eating Well: Pulled Pork
Eating Well: Thai Chicken Pizza
Food Network: Buffalo Chicken Salad
Food Network: Chicken Chili
Food Network: Chili on Rice
Food Network: Mambo Chicken with Mango Salsa
Food Network: Middle Eastern Chicken Burgers
Food Network: Oven Fried Chicken
Food Network: Sloppy Joes
Food Network: Stuffed Turkey Burgers
Food Network: Three Bean and Beef Chili

SIDES
Cooking Light: Apple Slaw
Cooking Light: Beer Battered Onion Rings
Cooking Light: Cheese Fries
Cooking Light: Classic Potato Salad
Eating Well: Wholesome Corn Bread
Epicurious: Roasted Sweet Potato Slices
Food Network: Grilled Red Onions
Food Network: Black Bean Salad
Food Network: Baked Smoked Chili Fries

DESSERTS
Cooking Light: Frozen Butterfinger Pie
Cooking Light: Fudgy Sheet Cake
Cooking Light: Oatmeal Spice Cookies
Epicurious: Apple Pie
Epicurious: Mini Chocolate Cupcakes
Food Network: Chocolate Vanilla Swirl Pound Cake
Food Network: Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Food Network: Coffee Angel Food Cake

CHG’s Super Bowl Week isn’t over yet, so tune in tomorrow for Favorites of the Week, and then again on Friday for A Tale of Two Salsas. (Mmm … Dickensian.)

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Light(er) Maque Choux with Chicken and Turkey Kielbasa: Cook's Illustrated is My Hero

After today, I'm expecting either a cease-and-desist or full-on restraining order from Cook’s Illustrated. But really … I can’t help it. Their 30-Minute Recipe collection has produced four winners in a row, and it’s already dangerously close to taking Ina’s place in my heart. If I was back in junior high, I’d have a butterfly notebook with “Kris luvs Cook’s 4-eva” scrawled on every available inch.

I’d never tried or even heard of Maque Choux (pronounced “mock shoe,” not “mack shooks”) before cooking it on Tuesday. According to my sources (a guy named Pierre), it’s a traditional Louisianan side dish made with corn, onions, peppers, and a combination of Cajun-esque spices. The CI version adds a bunch of meat, which morphs it into heartier main course material.

To up the health ante, I switched the kielbasa to turkey kielbasa and cut the vegetable oil to a third of what the original recipe called for. Those two steps alone slashed 40% of the fat and about 13% of the calories without sacrificing much in taste. In fact, I’m finding that turkey-for-real kielbasa is one of the best and easiest nutritional substitutions out there. For poultry, the flavor’s pretty dang close to the real thing.

When all was said and braised, the Boyfriend and I both dug Maque Choux, especially as leftovers the next day. (And the day after that. Like CI’s Chicken Provencal and Polenta, the recipe makes a lot of food.) It does take a tad longer than 30 minutes to prepare, but that's a minor quibble. A more experienced chicken-puller probably could have shredded the breasts faster. (Alas, my tiny dinosaur hands weren’t up to the task.)

So, yeah. Another victory for Kimball & Co. I’m going to try to move on to other recipe volumes for the time being, but … if you should see him or any of the Test Kitchen folks on the street, tell ‘em I said, “Hi!”

(Or, “Oh Cook’s Illustrated employee, I love your food so hard. Please be my personal chef/prisoner for all eternity.” Then run.)

Light(er) Cook’s Illustrated Maque Choux with Chicken and Turkey Kielbasa
Serves 4 to 6
Adapted (again) from Cook's Illustrated Best 30-Minute Recipe.

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and ground black pepper
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
6 ounces turkey kielbasa
1 onion, minced
1 red bell pepper, cored and chopped medium
1 pound frozen corn, thawed
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

CI HINT: "Chop the kielbasa, onion, and pepper while the chicken browns. Blend the corn while the vegetables cook."

1) Pat chicken dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat "until just smoking." Cook chicken about 2 or 3 minutes per side, until browned. Place on a plate and set aside for juices to redistribute

2) In the same pot, add remaining oil and heat over medium-high. Add kielbasa, onion, bell pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook around 8 minutes, or until kielbasa is fairly browned.

3) While kielbasa browns, combine half the corn and all of the broth in a blender. Puree until smooth.

4) Add garlic and thyme into pot. Cook about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Pour in corn mixture. Add chicken and any juices on plate. "Cover and cook until thickest part of chicken registers 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 10 minutes."

5) After chicken is done, remove it with tongs and place on a plate. Add other half of corn to pot. Jack heat up to medium-high and cook another 2 or 3 minutes, until corn is warmed.

6) While corn is warming, use two forks to shred chicken as best you can. Kill the heat on the stovetop. Add shredded chicken and parsley to pot. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with rice and lots of sauce

Approximate Calories, Fat and Price per Serving
6 1-cup servings: 290 calories, 8 g fat, $0.90
4 1-1/2 cup servings: 435 calories, 12 g fat, $1.35

Calculations
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts: 750 calories, 16.2 g fat, $1.79
salt and ground black pepper: negligible fat and calories, $0.02
2 teaspoons vegetable oil: 88 calories, 10 g fat, $0.04
6 ounces turkey kielbasa: 274 calories, 15.2 g fat, $0.75
1 onion, minced: 46 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.17
1 red bell pepper, cored and chopped medium: 31 calories, 0.4 g fat, $0.63
1 pound frozen corn, thawed: 368 calories, 0.3 g fat, $0.99
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth: 172 calories, 6 g fat, $0.48
2 garlic cloves, minced: 9 calories, 0 g fat, $0.10
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried: negligible fat and calories, $0.10
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley: 3 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.33
TOTAL: 1741 calories, 48.3 g fat, $5.40
PER SERVING (TOTAL/6): 290 calories, 8 g fat, $0.90
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): 435 calories, 12 g fat, $1.35

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