Cooking

Reduced-fat Fettuccine Alfredo

Filed Under: Cooking

Reduced-fat Fettuccine Alfredo

  • 1/2 lb Fettucine
  • 2 Tbs Butter
  • 2 Tbs Flour (All-purpose)
  • 1 1/4 cups Nonfat Milk
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese (grated)
  • Salt (Freshly Ground Pepper)
  1. Heat large pot of water to boil, toss in a pinch of salt. Add fettccine to boiling water; cook until al dente.
  2. Meanwhile, melt butter in skillet of medium heat, stir in flour until smooth and fully incorporated. Slowly whisk in milk. Cook, stirring often until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/4 cup of the cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss sauce with drained pasta. Toss in the remaining cheese.

Red Skin Potato Salad (Serves 2)

Filed Under: Cooking

Red Skin Potato Salad (Serves 2)

  • 2 small red skin potatoes – cubed
  • 1 green onion – sliced
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil — (EVOO)
  • 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
  • salt and pepper — (to taste)
  1. Boil enough water to cover the potatoes. Once boiling add the potatoes and a pinch of salt. Boil until potatoes are fork tender 18-20 minutes.
  2. While the potatoes are cooking make the dressing by combining green onion, lemon juice, evoo, vinegar, and s&p to a small mixing bowl. Combine thoroughly, cover, and place in refrigerator until time to use.
  3. When the potatoes are cooked allow them to cool and then toss with dressing. Refrigerate at least one hour prior to serving if you can keep your fork out of it long enough.

Roasted Breast of Chicken with Pinot Noir Sauce

Filed Under: Cooking

Roasted Breast of Chicken with Pinot Noir Sauce

  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt — divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper — divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
  • 48 ounces skinless (boneless chicken breast halves)
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil — divided
  • Cooking spray
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
  • 2 cups pinot noir
  • 1 1/2 cups fat-free (lower-sodium chicken broth)
  • 3/4 teaspoon sugar
  • 3 tablespoons chilled butter — cut into small pieces
  1. Preheat oven to 425°.
  2. Sprinkle thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and rosemary evenly over chicken. Dredge chicken in flour; shake off excess flour. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 chicken breast halves to pan; cook 2 minutes or until browned. Turn chicken over; cook 1 minute. Remove chicken from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and remaining chicken. Arrange chicken in a single layer on the rack of a roasting pan coated with cooking spray; place rack in pan. Bake at 425° for 12 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 160°. Remove from oven. Cover and let stand 10 minutes.
  3. Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add shallots to saucepan; sauté 30 seconds, stirring frequently. Stir in wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Increase heat to high; bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes or until wine is reduced to 1 cup. Add broth; cook 16 minutes or until broth mixture is reduced to 1/3 cup. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and sugar. Gradually add butter, stirring constantly with a whisk until smooth. Serve sauce with chicken.

Raspberry Tart

Filed Under: Cooking

Raspberry Tart

Pastry:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour — (about 4 1/2 ounces)
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons chilled butter — cut into small pieces
  • 2 tablespoons chilled vegetable shortening
  • 3 tablespoons ice water

Pastry Cream:

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup 1% low-fat milk
  • 1 large egg yolk — lightly beaten
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Remaining Ingredients:

  • 18 ounces fresh raspberries
  • 3 tablespoons red currant jelly
  1. Preheat oven to 375°.
  2. To prepare pastry, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Cut in butter and shortening with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle surface with ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time; toss with a fork until moist and crumbly (do not form a ball).
  3. Gently press mixture into a 4-inch circle on plastic wrap, and cover. Chill 10 minutes. Slightly overlap 2 sheets of plastic wrap on a slightly damp surface. Unwrap and place chilled dough on plastic wrap. Cover dough with 2 additional sheets of overlapping plastic wrap. Roll dough, still covered, into an 11-inch circle. Place dough in freezer 5 minutes or until plastic wrap can be easily removed. Remove top sheets of plastic wrap; fit dough, plastic wrap side up, into a 9-inch round removable-bottom tart pan. Press dough against bottom and sides of pan. Remove remaining plastic wrap. Pierce bottom and sides of dough with a fork; bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
  4. To prepare pastry cream, combine 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk. Stir in egg yolk; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Scrape into a bowl. Press plastic wrap onto surface of pastry cream. Place bowl in a large ice-filled bowl. Cool completely, stirring occasionally.
  5. Spoon pastry cream into crust; spread evenly. Top with raspberries, starting from the center. Place jelly in a small bowl; microwave at high for 10 seconds at a time, stirring well, until jelly is warmed through and thinned. Apply jelly in an even layer over tart using a pastry brush. Chill tart 15 minutes or until jelly sets; cover loosely with plastic wrap, and chill at least 45 minutes before serving.