Cooking

Spicy Pumpkin Bread

Filed Under: Cooking

Spicy Pumpkin Bread

  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 1/3 cups packed brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup fat-free milk
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 15 ounces pumpkin
  • Cooking spray
  • 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and the next 7 ingredients (flour through cloves) in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine sugar and the next 5 ingredients (sugar through pumpkin) in a bowl, and stir well with a whisk until smooth. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.
  3. Spoon batter into 2 (8 x 4-inch) loaf
  4. pans coated with cooking spray, and sprinkle with walnuts. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool loaves in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool loaves completely; cut each loaf into 12 slices.

Spicy Orange Beef

Filed Under: Cooking

Spicy Orange Beef

  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/4 pounds beef steak — thinly sliced across the grain and cut into 2-by-1/3-inch strips
  • 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 clove garlic — minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger — optional
  • 7 small dried red chiles or
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons orange marmalade
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 4 cups cooked white rice — for serving
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together cornstarch and salt. Add beef; toss to coat. Shake off any excess.
  2. In a large skillet, heat 3 Tbsp. oil over medium-high heat. Add half of beef and fry until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beef to a colander. Wipe any browned bits from skillet, and repeat using remaining 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil and second batch of beef. Wipe out skillet.
  3. Add sesame oil, garlic and ginger (if using) to skillet and cook for 1 minute over medium heat. Stir in chiles, orange juice, marmalade, soy sauce and vinegar and cook over medium-high heat until slightly syrupy, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and stir in beef to coat with orange sauce. Heat through, 2 minutes.
  4. Serve beef and sauce over rice.

Spiced Pepper-Crusted Filet Mignon with Asparagus

Filed Under: Cooking

Spiced Pepper-Crusted Filet Mignon with Asparagus

  • 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt — divided
  • 12 ounces fresh asparagus — trimmed
  • 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons brandy
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 16 ounces beef tenderloin steaks — (about 1 inch thick)
  • Cooking spray
  1. Preheat broiler.
  2. Combine minced garlic, olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and asparagus in a large bowl, tossing gently to coat.
  3. Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper, brandy, and garlic powder; rub evenly over steaks. Place steaks on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; broil 6 minutes. Turn steaks over; add asparagus to pan. Broil 5 minutes or until desired degree of doneness.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Filed Under: Cooking

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Sauce:

  • Cooking spray
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • 3 garlic cloves — minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 14 ounces less-sodium beef broth
  • 56 ounces whole peeled tomatoes — undrained and chopped

Meatballs:

  • 1 ounce white bread
  • 8 ounces links sweet turkey Italian sausage — casings removed
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoons egg substitute
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 garlic cloves — minced
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 pound ground sirloin

Remaining Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 1 pound hot cooked spaghetti
  • 1/2 cup grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano — (2 ounces)
  • Fresh parsley sprigs — (optional)
  1. To prepare sauce, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 1 cup onion; sauté for 3 minutes. Add 3 garlic cloves, and sauté 1 minute. Add tomato paste; cook 1 minute. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and broth. Cook 4 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes. Reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Preheat broiler.
  3. To prepare meatballs, place bread in a food processor, and process until fine crumbs measure 1/2 cup. Combine the breadcrumbs, sausage, 1/2 cup onion, and next 8 ingredients (through sirloin) in a bowl. With wet hands, shape sirloin mixture into 32 meatballs. Place meatballs on a broiler pan. Broil 15 minutes or until done. Add meatballs to sauce; simmer 15 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup parsley and 1/3 cup basil. Serve over spaghetti. Sprinkle with cheese; garnish with parsley sprigs, if desired.
  4. Wine note: Spaghetti and Meatballs is terrific with red or white wine as long as the wine has good acidity to mirror that of the tomatoes and act as a counterpoint to the meatballs. Because our recipe has fresh herbs, I prefer white wine with the dish–in particular, an herbal dry white from southern Italy such as Feudi di San Gregorio Greco di Tufo 2004 ($22). -Karen MacNeil