Five : Four

Real Potato Hash!

2006-10-13T10:27:00.000-07:00

I decided to use real potatoes in the not because I dislike sweet potatoes but because I thought these little yellow potatoes were perfect! This was very simple, relatively quick, and so comforting to eat!

Hash P2-3

8 tiny yellow potatoes, scrubbed and chopped
1 quart home-canned tomatoes with their juice
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 cup cooked soybeans
1 1/2 cups cooked ground beef
1 TBSP beef boullion granules
1 TBSP chopped garlic
3/4 cup water
1/2 TBSP olive oil
1 small onion, chopped

Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat, add the oil and potatoes. Cover and cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the onions and cook another 5 minutes, adding some of the water as neccessary. Sprinkle with beef granules and add the beans and tomatoes with more water if needed. Cook covered for about 10 minutes until potatoes are cooked. Toss in the peas and garlic, and cook uncovered for 3-5 minutes to heat thru and slightly cook the garlic (I like the bite of raw garlic!).

That's it! Simple and delicious!

Chimichanga

2006-10-08T00:37:00.000-07:00

Well this is the latest 5:4 challenge. This time around it was much easier for me than the last one that was extremely hard, in my opinion! We were to create a dish with: Peas, tomatoes, beef of our choice, potatoes of our choice and legumes.
Even though this has beans and sweet potatoes in it my daughter ACTUALLY ATE IT!!!! She is extremely anti beans and has become a bit of a veggie picky eater. She asked what I was making as it smelled good and when I told her she made a face of exasperation and said "Yuck beans, Never mind!" After I dished up my hubbies and my plate I suggested she at least give it a taste test. she took a bite and walked into the kitchen to look for more. she came out and asked were it was and I told her I'd only fixed one for her dad and i as she didn't want any. she batted her eyes at me and asked if I'd go ahead and make one for her too. Her friend came over in the meantime and i guess asked what I was making (Cathy always loves to eat what I make, bless her little heart!) and so I fixed one for her too. both enjoyed it and ate all of it!

Beef & Veggie Chimichanga (p2)
By Nau-Dee
Roast Beef (cooked however you like)
frozen peas
1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies (what ever temperature you prefer)
1 can black beans
1 sweet potato, diced
Cheddar cheese, shredded
ww tortillas
cumin to taste
salt to taste
Olive oil

Cook up the Roast Beef however you prefer. I fixed up the roast early this week by cooking it in a pkg of Lipton's Onion soup mix (dry) with extra sliced raw onions and water to cover. I boiled this down til the meat was extremely tender (add more water if needed) I cooked this on top of the stove, in my dutch oven, and with the lid particularly covering.

Grate outer skin of one sweet potato, slice and dice it up. Fry this up til tender in a skillet with some olive oil and salt. When this is finished drain if needed and set aside. In the same skillet toss in pea's, tomatoes, beans, cumin, salt and shredded beef. Add a little water if needed but cook til the peas are tender and cooked. Season more if needed. Add the sweet potatoes and mix well.

Place a little of this mixture in a whole wheat tortilla, top with some shredded cheese and wrap up burrito style. In a heated skillet with some oil place this wrapped tortilla, wrapped side down, in the heated oil. when golden brown roll over and cook the other side. place on paper towels and let drain well and serve.

NOTE: A serving suggestion would be: to place on a bed of shredded lettuce, top with some more cheese, sour cream, salsa and chopped cilantro.

tomato beef stew

2006-10-07T17:46:00.000-07:00

tomato beef stew

2 c. frozen or fresh vegetables
3 tomatoes, chopped
2 c. stewing beef 1 potato, cut in chunks
1/3 c. dry legumes 1 c. water or broth
2/3 c. V8 juice or tomato juice
2 bay leafs
garlic powder
Italian seasoning
fresh ground pepper, salt

put all ingredients in crockpot and cook on high for 6 hours (approximately) until beans are soft

wrapped out of wrap ups!

2006-10-07T17:43:00.000-07:00

time constraints haven't allowed me to wrap - up... but you see the recipes... so make them!

A note from Nau-Dee:
Ha ha, love the wrap up on this one....well put Laurie!! I just wanted to add that the 5:4 ingredients this time around was: Shrimp, Pineapple, Apple, Bread and Snow Pea's.

mini-shrimp sandwiches

2006-10-07T17:38:00.000-07:00

mini-shrimp sandwiches

2 slices of gluten-free bread (i used my flax loaf)
6 shrimp, thawed and shelled
1/2 an apple (i used a mac), cut in slices
1/2 c. snowpeasabout
1/4 c. pineapple juice
sesame oilcilantro

in a saucepan, heat oil. saute snowpeas with oil and cilantro, then add about half of the pineapple juce. meanwhile, baste bread with a bit of pineapple/oil mixture, and toast. when snowpeas are a little softer, quickly saute (to warm) the shrimp and apple chunks in the same mixture, adding more juice and cilantro. cut each slice of bread into six pieces. thread pattern onto toothpick: bread, snowpeas, shrimp, apple, bread.

Sweet Shrimp N Pasta

2006-10-04T18:27:00.000-07:00

This five four, in my opinion, has been the hardest one yet. At first my thought was a salad. I planned and tried grilling the fruit (apples don't grill very well by the way!) as well as the shrimp and bread. I chose sour dough bread and was going to grill to toast it and then use it as croutons. The grilled pineapple rings and shrimp were going to be placed on a bed of lettuce along with the snow peas and then drizzled with Kraft raspberry vinaigrette for dressing. My shrimp was already precooked and rather tiny so grilling it even the slightest bit was still too much for it. The pineapple and bread turned out great but the apples and shrimp didn't. So I chopped up some apples and pecans and tossed those on top of the salad. My hubby liked it but I was just not wild about it. In theory it was good but I think a lot of it was the fact that the shrimp was over done and dry (even thought I marinated it in the dressing and pineapple juice). I found out a few things by making this dish...1) apples don't grill well at all!, 2) I really don't care for snow peas (they have a tart after taste and 3) I really don't like raspberry dressing. So here I am with what I'm still convinced is a good idea, with some tweaking of course, and yet I cant bring myself to try it again due to how I dislike the flavors of some important ingredients......... So, I tried my second idea and it worked out much much better!

Sweet Shrimp N Pasta P2 - 3
by Nau- Dee
(I really didn't measure so I'm gonna do my best at guesstimating it for you now)

1 to 1 1/2 c shrimp (or enough for 2 people)

! bag of frozen snow peas

3 to 4 slices whole wheat bread crumbs

small can pineapple rings, sliced into chunks with juice divided and reserved

1/2 to 1 c sugar free applesauce

Old Bay Seasoning

salt

Olive oil

whole wheat penne pasta, cooked al dente

1/3 to 1/2 c fresh basil leaves, chopped

De-shell the shrimp, rinse,drain well and set aside.
In a food processor make bread crumbs, pulsating til you get a fine crumble texture (I used some I had on hand). Place crumbs on a plate and add some Old Bay seasoning (a few dashes) and mix well.
In a small bowl add some applesauce and pineapple juice. you want a thick mixture but not as thick as the applesauce on its own. I think I ended up using 2 : 1 of apple sauce to pineapple juice (give or take). Season this mixture with Old Bay seasoning. I didn't measure (sorry) but i think it was 1 to 2 tsp...I added to taste.
In a skillet heat up a 1 TAB Olive oil (you really don't want much oil if you are using a nonstick skillet).Dip the shrimp into the apple pineapple mixture and coat with bread crumbs. Fry shrimp til golden brown and allow to drain on a paper towel as you finish the rest.
Place snow peas in a microwavable dish with 2 TAB water and microwave 2 mins. Break up any clumps and microwave another 1 min.
Boil water for pasta. when its hot add some salt and a little olive oil. When pasta is cooked, drain and place in bowl. Add the snow peas, salt to taste and a drizzle or two of olive oil.
In the same skillet as the shrimp was cooked (do not clean or wipe out!) Add a drizzle of olive oil if needed and add the pineapple chunks, remaining juice, a dash of salt, some more old bays seasoning - 2 to 3 dashes and a handful of bread crumbs. Saute this til its thickened and heated through.

To assemble: place some pasta and snow peas on a serving plate. Top with the pasta with the pineapple breadcrumb saute, then the shrimp and then garnish with basil and ENJOY!

Note: even with this new dish i was not wild about the snow peas...i think I just don't care for them. So when I make this again I think instead of them I'll saute up some sliced bell pepper. It will still give the dish a great color and look nice with the penne pasta as well as go nicely with the shrimp and pineapple.

Gretchen's 5:4 Take 8- Thai Night!

2006-10-02T07:06:00.000-07:00

This one was different. The breadcrumbs threw me a bit, but added a nice crunch as a garnish. I'm anxious to see what my two cohorts created!

Thai Pineapple Shrimp with Bean Threads P2

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup frozen pineapple chunks
1 tsp oil
½ can lite coconut milk
½ tsp basil
1 tsp salt
½ a package of bean thread noodles
½ cup toasted WW breadcrumbs

For the bean threads- Heat a saucepan of water until boiling, remove from heat. Place the nests of noodles in the water, and let them soak for 10 minutes. Drain, and toss with oil if desired. (I just placed them on the plate right out of the water)
In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the pineapple chunks and sauté until nicely browned (about 10 minutes), stirring occasionally. Add the coconut milk, basil, and salt, and bring to a boil. Toss in the shrimp, and “poach” them in the milk. The milk will thicken and reduce creating a creamy sauce for the shrimp. Cook about 5 minutes or until the shrimp is all pink.
Spoon the shrimp, pineapple, and sauce over the noodles. Top with the toasted breadcrumbs for crunch!

Apple Snow Peas P2

2 cups snow peas, trimmed
8 oz apple juice (no sugar added)

In a sauté pan, heat the apple juice over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce the juice to a scant tablespoon (this takes about 5-7 minutes, watch it carefully!). Throw in the peas, and toss to coat. Cook over medium heat about 3 minutes, just to barely soften the peas. Serve!

grilled chicken soup with dumplings

2006-09-12T12:34:00.000-07:00

grilled chicken soup with dumplings

2 chicken breasts, cut in slices
about 3 cups total of cauliflower, broccoli, green beans (or any combination of veggies), cut in bite sizes pieces
lots of fresh flat-leaf parsley
salt, fresh ground pepper
enough vegetable broth for soup

dumplings:
2/3 c. flour (I used Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose)
about 1/4 tsp. xanthan gum
1 egg or enough whites for 1 egg
parsley, finely chopped
salt, fresh ground pepper
water (depending what flour you use, the amount will vary)

salt and pepper chicken, and grill. combine broth, veggies and chicken in a pot. this can be done before hand.
about 20 minutes before you're ready to eat, bring soup to a boil.
while waiting it to boil, prepare dumplings.
whisk together egg and herbs/spices. mix xanthan gum and flour, then add; adding water to create a dough consistency.

using a spoon, scoop small balls of dough, and place in boiling water. boil for about 8 minutes (all dumplings should be at the top of the pot.

*note: i used a pot that was a little small, so I scooped out the veggies/chicken and did the dumplings in the broth, then added them back in once the dumplings were created.

Chicken Fried "Rice" and Sesame Green Beans

2006-09-12T10:25:00.000-07:00

This one was very hard! Every dish I came up with seemed so "main-stream" and boring. That is, until THIS one! Even the picky child liked it! FYI- just like regular fried rice, this tastes better the next day!

Chicken Fried "Rice" P1
1 large head cauliflower, cored
1 pound broccoli florets
2 pounds chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, cut into small cubes
2 eggs, beaten with 3 TBSP water
2 TBSP mushroom-flavored soy sauce
2 TBSP oyster sauce
3 TBSP oil
Using a large-holed grater, shred the cauliflower. Set this aside.
Heat a large wok over high heat. Swirl in 1 tbsp oil. Add half the chicken, stir-frying until it is browned and cooked thru. Remove it and finish with remaining chicken. Then quickly stirfry the broccoli for a few minutes to barely cook it. Remove and wipe the wok clean.
Reheat the wok and add 1 tbsp oil. Cook eggs stirring occasionally until done, remove. Wipe the wok clean.
Heat it again and add another tbsp oil. Cook the cauliflower 5 minutes until it begins to soften. Then stir in the oyster sauce, chicken, and soy sauce. Toss together. Top with the broccoli and serve.

Sesame Green Beans P1

1 pound frozen or fresh green beans
2 TBSP mushroom-flavored soy sauce
1 TBSp oil
1 TBSP sesame seeds
Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a saute pan. Add beans and saute covered 5-7 minutes or until desired doneness. Stir in soy sauce, let caramelize. Remove to platter and top with sesame seeds.

Stir Fried Oriental Scramble Brunch

2006-09-12T02:40:00.000-07:00

Well I really got a challenge with this one! I could only come up with one dish idea, which was a Pot pie. I finally made it and did two variations of it (both on my blog) but afterwords I came up with more ideas. This is one of them and really the better choice. I've been into eating brunch lately and usually its more on the breakfast side so I wanted something that was a bit more of a blend. With the eggs in this dish as well as the sweet oriental flavor I think I got it. My daughter even enjoyed it and has asked me to make more. This is pretty impressive as she usually snubs her nose at most Sb items I make these days as she doesn't like beans, and she doesn't like many of the veggies or complicated flavors.
Stir Fried Oriental Scramble Brunch P1
by Nau-Dee

16 oz bags of frozen broccoli, cauliflower and french cut green beans
3 to 4 large chicken breasts, (skinless, boneless and diced)
4 to 5 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 TAB oyster sauce
2 pkt splenda
oil

Thaw the bags of veggies in the microwave for a few moments and drain off excess water (mine was not completely thawed but mostly). Dice up chicken and heat a Tab spoon of oil in a Large skillet.

When the skillet and oil are hot add broccoli, cauliflower and the green beans separately as their cooking times will vary. Stir fry (adding more oil as needed) each group of veggies til tender yet still having its crisp texture (basically don't over cook it to mush). When the veggies are all done do the same with the diced chicken. While the chicken is cooking blend the soy and oyster sauce with the splenda and set aside. When the chicken is all finished cooking add all the veggies back into the skillet and pour in the sauce and mix. Cook this a few mins to warm everything back up and get the sauce well covering the meat and veggies. In the same dish as the sauce was mixed in add 4 to 5 eggs and blend. Push the meat and veggies over to one side of the skillet and slowly pour in the eggs. Let them scramble up and then blend them into the meat and veggie mixture - Then serve This is a lightly sweet oriental brunch dish. Enjoy!

challenge six - wrap up

2006-08-27T17:58:00.000-07:00

challenge six - wrap up

this time around, we've a 5:3, as catherine is mid-move to law school! irreplaceable, however. :)

*quinoa stuffed spaghetti squash
*ro-vegged walnut crusted pork
*pork scaloppini w/ spaghetti squash primavera

pork scaloppini with spaghetti squash primavera

2006-08-27T17:57:00.000-07:00

This installment of 5:4 was quite a challenge for me! My family does not like squash, and I have only had spaghetti squash once before- with mixed feelings. This dish is not terribly "inspired", but it was wonderful nonetheless! I can't wait to see what the other two chefs came up with! Check 5:4 for their dishes. Catherine- We wish you tons of luck in law school, and miss you already! 5:4 will be one short until your return!

Pork Scaloppini With Spaghetti Squash Primavera P1

1 pork tenderloin, thinly sliced
½ spaghetti squash, cooked and separated into strands
1 eggplant, peeled and cubed
1 quart tomatoes with Italian seasoning (home-canned)
6 large button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, pressed
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
Salt & Pepper
Olive oil

In a colander in the sink toss the eggplant with 1 tsp salt, let sit 15 minutes. Rinse well and squeeze the eggplant cubes to extract any extra water.
In a large sauté pan, heat 1 TBSP oil over medium heat until hot. Add in the eggplant, mushrooms, and onions and sauté for 10 minutes until everything has released its moisture. Add in garlic and cook another 3-5 minutes, stirring often. Pour tomatoes into pan, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes until sauce has thickened slightly. Toss with the squash strands.
Toss the pork with salt and pepper and sauté over medium-high heat in a nonstick pan. Cook about 10 minutes until no longer pink.
I plated this with the pork on the bottom, then the vegetable mixture, then topped it with the toasted pine nuts. Would also be good with a nice dusting of fresh grated Parmesan cheese!

Ro-vegged Walnut crusted Pork

2006-08-27T17:55:00.000-07:00

Wanted to put out a warm "Thank you" to those who provided suggestions for this 5:4! And say to CB (our fellow 5:4er) we miss you but wish you a very SUCCESSFUL year at school!
Ro-vegged Walnut crusted Pork P2
by Nau-Dee

Pork tenderloin
1 med and 1 small Eggplant
2 cans diced tomatoes, drained and rinsed
Walnuts, ground/chopped to make 1.5 cups
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups of parm cheese
2 to 3 TAB chopped garlic from a jar
3 tsp Italian herbs for the veggies
2 to 3 TAB Italian herbs for the meat
2 eggs and 3 to 4 TAB water
Olive oil
1 large spaghetti squash
(this makes a bunch so cut back if you aren't feeding many or don't want left overs)

To make:
Cut the spaghetti squash in half, and scrap out the seeds (be careful not to over scrap or you'll pull out the good strands). Stab it a few times with a fork or knife and place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour (til its really tender!)

Peel and dice the eggplant into small cubes. In a skillet add Olive oil, a few TAB of chopped garlic and add the eggplant (The eggplant will soak up the oil but keep stirring it around so it doesn't get too brown to fast. As it cooks it will release some of the oil back out). Add salt and a few TAB spoons of Italian herbs. Saute til reduced a bit and nice and tender. Add more salt to taste, if needed.Drain and rinse the tomatoes. When eggplant is finished do the same with the tomatoes (garlic, salt and Italian seasoning).

Saute tomatoes a few minutes to marinate the flavors a bit. Remove from heat and mix the tomatoes in with the eggplant. Set aside.

Chop/grind nuts til its slightly chunky but with a bit of a powder too. Add a cup of parm cheese, salt, pepper and 3 TAB Italian seasoning. Blend and spread out on a plate.

Beat egg and water together in a bowl that allows the loin to be dipped into.

After cleaning the meat and scraping off any casing or clear skin (see photo above) cut the loin in half (NOT lengthwise). Dip in beaten egg and water mixture and roll into the nut mixture. In the same skillet the veggies were in add a few TAB of oil, heat and add the coated pork. Cook on med heat (slow cook it to keep it juicy). When its really golden brown and cooked til no longer pink in the middle. Drain on paper towel and allow meat to rest for a few moments and then slice.
When squash is done take and scrap a fork across it and dump into a skillet with some olive oil, 1/2 cup parm cheese and salt. Place on a plate.
Top with sauteed veggies and then top that with the walnut pork rounds. ENJOY!

quinoa stuffed spaghetti squash

2006-08-27T17:52:00.000-07:00

quinoa stuffed spaghetti squash

what a difficult 5:4 this was - i just wasn't hacking it, until an ephiphany hit me and i came up with this. the required ingredients were spaghetti squash, pork, tomatoes, eggplant, and nuts.

1 medium spaghetti squash
1/2 c. quinoa
1 c. water or broth
1/4 of a large eggplant, diced
3 large mushrooms, sliced
1/8 c. oven-dried tomatoes, chopped (see recipe below)
3 slices of bacon, chopped into bits
1/4 c. almonds, coarsely chopped
salt, fresh ground pepper

cut squash in half lengthwise, remove innards. season with salt and fresh ground pepper, and put in microwave safe dish with about 1/2 c. water. cover with saran wrap and microwave on high for approximately 20 minutes, until soft.
meanwhile, bring quinoa and broth to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.
also meanwhile, toast almonds. remove, then fry bacon. mid-way, add mushrooms and eggplant. continue until near cooked through.
once the quinoa has absorbed all or most of the broth, add bacon, almonds, tomatoes, mushrooms, eggplant, and mix together. adjust seasonings.
remove squash, and stuff each side with quinoa mixture. serve.

(note: i apologize for the dark photo, even my photo enhancer still wouldn't make it much lighter.)

challenge five - wrap up

2006-08-27T17:50:00.000-07:00

challenge five - wrap up

chosen ingredients: sausage, peppers, legumes, tomatoes, parsley

featuring:
* flat out pizza
* sausage and peppers with lentils and couscous
* mex-brunch skillet
* sausage chili with amaranth topping

Flat Out Pizza

2006-08-18T18:05:00.000-07:00

Recently, another South Beach-er mentioned using Flat Out bread for pizza and I thought it was great idea. Thus, when the 5:4 challenge ingredients were tomato sauce, a legume, peppers, sausage, and parsley, I figured it was a good time to try it. My additional ingredients were the cheese and the Flat Out bread, (which is also great for wraps). I threw the bread into the oven while it preheated, just so it had a chance to get a little crispy before I put the ingredients on. Once the oven reached 350, I covered it in marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, chopped yellow bell pepper, chopped parsley, and meatless "veggie sausage". I chose the veggie sausage just because I was kind of burnt out on turkey sausage and thought it would be nice to try something new. I was very pleasantly surprised by the outcome. The veggie sausage, which was made with soy protein and wheat gluten, was delicious, and only 60 calories a serving. I will definitely use it again. To get back to the recipe, though: once the cheese has melted, I pulled it out and then topped with bean sprouts. That's it!

Sausage and Peppers with Lentils and CousCous

2006-08-18T17:40:00.000-07:00

This time the ingredients were:
sausage
peppers
legumes
parsley
tomato sauce
This was something I had thought about since the ingredients were first chosen, and luckily it was as good as I thought it would be! I am curious to see what my fellow chefs came up with for their own dishes! This was so simple and took maybe 20 from start to finish!

Sausage and Peppers with Lentils and CousCous P2

One each green and orange bell peppers, sliced into strips
One onion, cut into wedges and separated
One package Benetino's Cabernet and Asiago Sausages, sliced
One small can Roasted Garlic Seasoned Tomato Sauce
Eight large button mushrooms, sliced
One package Roasted Garlic CousCous, prepared with water and olive oil
One can lentils, drained and rinsed or 1 cup prepared lentils
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Fresh chopped parsley

Heat oil in a large saute pan until hot, then add the veggies. Saute over medium-high heat for about 7 minutes or until they begin to soften slightly. Toss in the sausage and cook another 5 minutes to warm it. Add in the lentils and sauce, cook for another couple minutes to warm. Salt and pepper if desired.
Plate with a scoop of couscous, and sprinkle the top liberally with chopped parsley.

Mex-Brunch skillet

2006-08-18T15:35:00.000-07:00

Mex-Brunch skillet P1

submitted by Nau-Dee

Ingredents:
Rope sausage (ground will do too)
8 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 to 2 can's black beans, rinsed and drained
2 to 3 TAB olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 TAB and 1 tsp cumin
1 (12 to 15oz can) green enchilada sauce with green chilies (mild, medium or hot...what ever you like)
6 oz can of tomato sauce with Italian herbs
1 1/2 bell pepper (any color will do), medium diced
Mixed cheese, shredded
1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley (cilantro would do well too)

Directions:
In a cast iron skillet cook diced sausage and bell pepper with 1 to 2 TAB Olive oil. Cook til bell pepper is tender but not overly soft. Add black beans, 1 TAB cumin, salt and pepper and another 1 TAB Oil. In a separate bowl beat eggs and add enchilada and tomato sauce, 1 tsp cumin, a dash of salt and pepper and the chopped parsley. Blend this and pour into skillet and blend with meat mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 mins or until set. Add shredded cheese and bake another 5 mins or til light golden and bubbly.
Garnish with a drizzle of green chili and tomato sauce and ENJOY!

Now, I wont lie - I think this dish would be even better if it were to also have cilantro, sauteed onions, mild green chilies and some garlic in it....but its pretty good as is. There are definitely possibilities! Now don't be fooled to think this is another frittata or scrambled egg dish...the eggs are needed but it takes on a more meaty thickness that causes this dish to be hearty and stick to your ribs! My hubby LOVES this and asked for me to play around with it more and see the other variations I can come up with as he likes it that much. If you try it, I hope you enjoy it too!

sausage chili with amaranth topping

2006-08-15T17:25:00.000-07:00

sausage chili with amaranth topping

newest 5:4 twisting up an old favourite. obligatory ingredients were tomato sauce, sasauge, peppers, legumes and parsley. tuning in late? what's 5:4? check on the site on the right on the page.

2 1/2 c. homemade tomato sauce [i pureed four garden tomatoes, adding v8, garlic powder, parsley, fresh ground pepper to make 2 1/2 c.]
3 c. bell peppers, diced [i used red, orange and green]
2 turkey sausages, sliced in medallions [i use pillar's] without topping
2 1/3 c. legumes of choice [i used a little bit of everything!]
4 mushrooms, sliced
1 c. preseasoned puffed amaranth, seasoned to taste with any spices*

combine sauce, vegetables and sausage. boil and simmer until desired consistency is reached. this can be made before hand, like any chili or stew recipe.

preheat oven to 375F, and pour into baking dish.

top with amaranth. bake for about 25 minutes, or until heated through. let cool slightly to thicken and serve.
*i always keep some amaranth seasoned in a ziploc and in the pantry for quick, seasoned breadcrumbs. this batch was seasoned with: salt, paprika, garlic powder.

challenge four - wrap up

2006-08-11T16:17:00.000-07:00

challenge four - wrap up

chosen ingredients: chicken, asparagus, peppers, mustard, spinach

featuring:

* garden fresh spinach linguine with chicken in honey-mustard sauce
* chicken yumbo's
* chicken asaparagus salad
* chicken asparagus sandwich with spinach and tomato

garden fresh spinach linguine with chicken in honey-mustard sauce

2006-08-11T16:16:00.000-07:00

garden fresh spinach linguine with chicken in honey-mustard sauce

another 5:4 - with great success. ooh's and ahh's were well-received and made my chef-in-progress heart smile.

2 chicken breasts
2 servings of tinkyada spinach linguine
1 yellow tomato, sliced
1 orange tomato, sliced
1 red tomato, sliced
4-6 large mushrooms, sliced
10-12 spears of green asparagus, chopped into bite sized pieces
10-12 spears of yellow asparagus, chopped into bite sized pieces
1/8 c. honey (approximately; just use equal parts mustard and honey, and make sauce to desired quantity)
1/8 c. good, stone ground mustard
garlic powder, salt, fresh ground pepper

slice chicken and marinate in mixture of equal parts honey and mustard (if making for dinner, start marinade in morning).

bring salted water in saucepan to a boil. boil noodles for 1-2 minutes, cover, and remove from heat. let sit for 20 minutes. (energy saving method).
meanwhile, lightly oil a fry pan, and saute asparagus and mushrooms mid-way with garlic, salt and pepper. remove from pan, and fry chicken.
once chicken is browned, return veggies to the pan, adding tomatoes until cooked through to desired consistency.

drain pasta and toss with equal amounts of honey and mustard. if desired, add more sauce to veggies, then toss together.

veganise with agave nectar and nixing the chicken.
shortcut: pre-cook chicken, toss veggies sauce and chicken together in fry pan whilst boiling noodles.

Chicken Yumbo's

2006-08-08T18:38:00.000-07:00

I've never been that wild about asparagus or swiss cheese, but I REALLY liked this dish! It surprized me how flavorful it was and how all the flavors worked so well together. I will definatly make this one again!
Chicken Yumbo's P1
by Nau-DeeIngredients:
Skinless, boneless chicken breasts (4 large or 5 to 6 small)
Pesto sauce (I like Gilroy Farms pesto sauce)
1 jar of sun dried tomatoes, marinated (again I like Gilroy Farms brand)
Swiss cheese slices
Canadian bacon
Asparagus spears (I used precooked frozen)
One frozen box of cut spinach, thawed and well drained (I squeeze out The excess water by hand)
Salt to taste
Olive oil
1 packet of McCormick brand Chicken Dijon Sauce blend
1.5 cups of water

Pound chicken breasts between some parchment paper till thin and basically even all over. Place oil from jar tomatoes in a skillet and a little extra olive oil if necessary - cook the chicken on both sides, til it just starts to brown lightly - but not cooked completely.(this sears in the juices but it will cook the rest of the way in the oven)
Drain frozen spinach and squeeze out all the excess water. Place in a bowl with 3 to 4 TAB pesto. Dice or cut all the sun dried tomatoes into small bits and add to the spinach pesto mixture. Mix well.
Place semi cooked chicken on foil lined baking sheets, lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Top each chicken breast with the spinach, tomato and pesto mixture. Place one to two canadian bacon rounds on each chicken (depending on the size of the chicken breast) and top with 4 or 5 asparagus spears (alternating the tips back and forth)
Sprinkle with a little salt and spray each chicken with a little cooking spray.
Bake in the oven at 350 for 35 mins or til chicken is cooked through.

For the sauce:
in a sauce pan take the McCormick Chicken Dijon sauce blend and place in a sauce pan and slowly add 1.5 cups of water ( 1/8 to 1/4 cups at a time til to insure there are no clumps and than add remaining water). Add a drizzle of olive oil (approximately 1tsp), salt and 1TAB pesto sauce. Bring to a boil til it reduces a bit and thickens. Remove from heat and continue with chicken.

When the chicken is finished take out of the over, top with 1 to 2 slices of Swiss cheese and pop back into the oven for another 3 to 5 mins, or until its melted and lightly bubbly. Using a standard turner place each chicken creation on a server plate, drizzle with sauce and enjoy!

Chicken Asparagus Salad

2006-08-08T18:02:00.000-07:00

OK, I can't lie....I got this recipe from the internet, though I omitted a couple of things.

Ingredients
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 slice (1/4 inch thick) fresh ginger
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound)
Mustard Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
1/2 pound asparagus spears, cut in half, cooked until crisp-tender
Spinach or lettuce leaves
3 small tomatoes, chopped

Vinaigrette Ingredients
2 tablespoons country-style Dijon mustard
1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
Dash black pepper

1. Combine broth, bay leaf and ginger in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add chicken; reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer 8 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center. Remove chicken from broth; cool slightly. (Reserve broth for another use, if desired.)

2. Meanwhile, prepare Mustard Vinaigrette.

3. Cut chicken diagonally into narrow strips; place in medium bowl with asparagus. Add Mustard Vinaigrette; toss lightly. Marinate at room temperature 15 minutes. Drain, reserving vinaigrette.

4. Arrange chicken and asparagus on individual spinach-lined salad plates. Top with tomatoes. Serve with reserved vinaigrette.

Chicken and Asparagus Sandwich with Spinach and Tomato

2006-08-06T17:09:00.000-07:00

This is my redo for the most recent 5:4 challenge. This turned out very delicious, I highly recommend it! I must tell you, this recipe was entirely my hubby Joe's idea! He hates to cook, but "makes" a killer sandwich!

Chicken and Asparagus Sandwich with Spinach and Tomato P2

1 boneless, skinless chicken thigh
2 tbsp Newman's Own Olive Oil and Vinegar Dressing
asparagus spears
baby spinach leaves
2 slices multigrain bread
dijon mustard
garlic clove
sliced tomato

Marinate the chicken in the dressing for about 6 hours. Drain chicken and place on broiler pan. Broil 2 inches from heat for 5 minutes, then flip. Add the asparagus to the broiler pan and continue broiling 10 minutes more, turning the asparagus every few minutes.
Toast the bread and rub a cut garlic clove over the warm slices. Spread with dijon mustard.
Slice the chicken into thin slices and layer on the bread with the asparagus, spinach, and tomato slices. Top with the other slice and EAT!!!

challenge three - wrap up

2006-08-02T16:14:00.000-07:00

challenge three - wrap up

chosen ingredients: pork, milk/cream, eggs, legumes (any kind), cauliflower

featuring:

*pasta salad
*huevos rancheros with cumin-roasted cauliflower
*pork patties with black bean and cauliflower sauce
*bacon-wrapped lentil loaf with cauliflower garlic cream sauce

another delicious variety!

Pasta Salad

2006-08-02T13:26:00.000-07:00

WARNING: This is not a very South Beach-friendly recipe. Now, I did cheat and use turkey bacon instead of real bacon for my "pork", but hopefully the other girls won't mind. My other two ingredients were Marzetti's Original Slaw Mix (thus the South Beach-unfriendliness...but it really makes the salad) and whole wheat pasta. It's a variation on a pasta salad I used to make all the time during summers before I started the diet.

2 cups whole wheat pasta
4 slices bacon or turkey bacon
1 or 2 harboiled egg whites
Cauliflower
1/2 can of dark red kidney beans
Green peas
T. Marzetti's Original Slaw Mix
Milk
(I didn't measure the peas, milk or cauliflower.)

Hard boil the eggs, cook the pasta as directed, and prepare the turkey bacon. While these are cooking, chop up cauliflower. Now, while it would seem self explanatory from here, I decided not to combine ALL the ingredients. I left off the the slaw mix and kept the salad in the fridge dry, only using slaw mix as needed when I ate the salad. I've found that I use much less this way. (The original recipe called for pouring half the jar on after preparing and the other half before serving.) Also, you might be asking where the milk came in? I used it to contribute to the creaminess of the salad while simultaneously diluting the slaw mix, again, in order to cut down on calories.

Huevos Rancheros with Cumin-Roasted Cauliflower

2006-08-02T12:55:00.000-07:00

Huevos Rancheros with Cumin Roasted Cauliflower P1

1 can refried beans (I made homemade ones- boiled the pintos 2 hours, then mashed with some of the cooking liquid and cumin), heated
1 pork tenderloin, very thinly sliced
Cumin
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
1 head cauliflower, separated into florets
2 eggs per person
Salsa
Sour cream

In a large zipper bag, combine the sliced pork with 1 tsp oil, a good amount of salt and pepper, and cumin to taste. Toss well and marinate in the fridge several hours.
In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower florets with 2 tbsp oil, lots of salt and pepper, and about 2 tsp cumin (more if you want it spicy). Pour out into a large baking pan and roast at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until well browned and cooked.
Heat a nonstick pan over medium-high heat, adding 1 tsp oil. Stir-fry the pork until done and nicely browned, about 10 minutes.
Fry the eggs as desired- I prefer over-medium.
On the plate, place a large dollop of beans on one side and top with some pork. On the pork, place the eggs and top them with salsa and sour cream. On the other side of the plate, put a good amount of cauliflower.

2006-08-02T12:16:00.000-07:00

Pork patties with black bean and cauliflower sauce P1
submitted by Nau-Dee

Pork patties: 1 small or 1/2 large Pork tenderloin (fat trimmed and sliced)
1 small onion
dried cilantro (approximately 1 to 2 tsp) optional 1 to 2 eggs, beaten
oil
salt and pepper to taste

Trim the pork tenderloin to remove most of the fat. I used frozen tenderloin (2 to a pkg) and only used 1/2. After trimming the fat I sliced the tenderloin a bit so it would fit well into the grinder. I ground the tenderloin into large bits. Added a 1 egg, salt, pepper and dried cilantro if desired and mix. Let rest for about 5 to 10 mins and make into little patties. In a none-stick skillet add some oil and heat. Add the patties and cook til golden brown on both sides and meat is cooked thoroughly.

Cauliflower Sauce:
1 large or 2 small pkg cauliflower
sour cream (approximately 1/2 cup)
salt and pepper to taste

Boil cauliflower in water til every tender. drain and add salt, peeper and sour cream. Pure in a food processor to desired consistency.

Bean Sauce:
one can of black beans
garlic salt

Put beans and garlic salt with some pepper in a food processor and blend til smooth. Pour into a sauce pan and heat and serve. (I sprinkled the plate with dried Parsley for presentation)

bacon-wrapped lentil loaf with cauliflower garlic cream sauce

2006-08-02T11:13:00.000-07:00

bacon-wrapped lentil loaf with cauliflower garlic cream sauce
the newest 5:4 installment (see 5:4 link for the other variations!). this loaf can easily be adapted vegan using egg replacer and leaving off the bacon. it makes good patties, too.

2 1/4 c. brown lentils (if canned, rinsed and drained), cooked
1/2 c. breadcrumbs (about three pieces of gluten-free bread)
1 egg
5 strips of bacon
1 tbsp. good stone ground mustard

1 c. of cooked cauliflower florets
soymilk

garlic powder
salt, fresh ground pepper.

preheat oven to 350F.
in a food processor, combine letils, breadcrumbs, egg, mustard, and seasonings to taste.

align bacon together, and spoon mixture into middle (like a burrito). fold up sides of bacon and secure with toothpicks.
bake in oven for 45 minutes.

meanwhile, puree cauliflower, thinning with soymilk as desired. add garlic powder, salt, pepper to taste.

challenge two- wrap up

2006-07-25T18:14:00.001-07:00

challenge two - wrap up

chosen ingredients: tuna, celery, mushrooms, pepper (any kind), lime

featuring:

*tuna avocado
*portabella tuna melt
*greekish tuna packets
*zesty tuna skewers with sweet and sour celery and brown rice

Tuna Avocado Salad

2006-07-25T17:53:00.000-07:00

I dig tuna salad because it's simple. The two ingredients I added to the five previously chosen were avocado and the whole wheat pita. Basically, I just dumped the avocado, tuna, chopped celery, chopped mushroom, one chopped chili pepper, and the juice from one lime in a bowl and mixed it all together. It was a variation on the tuna/avocado salad I made in March. I gotta say, I think the chili pepper and the lime juice improved it, though it needed salt (which I did add, as this is allowed in the challenge) and probably could have been improved by Worcestershire sauce, which I wasn't allowed to add. But it was stilll VERY yummy.

Zesty Tuna Skewers with Sweet and Sour Celery and Brown Rice

2006-07-25T17:47:00.000-07:00

I was really scared I wouldn't be able to incorporate the celery into this dish, but it really worked out! It may sound strange, but really the celery was delicious!

Zesty Tuna Skewers With Sweet and Sour Celery P1

1 pound tuna steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
Bell peppers (any color) cut into large cubes
Mushrooms
2 Limes
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
Celery (about 4 large stalks)
2 tbsp Splenda

Preheat your grill over very high heat.
Mix together the juice of one lime, salt and pepper, and 3 tbsp oil.
Thread the tuna onto a skewer, and thread the veggies on another one or two. Sprinkle the tuna well with pepper.
Place the veggie skewers on the grill. Baste them with the lime mixture. Grill over high heat for 5 minutes, and then turn them. Cook another 5 minutes.
Now put the tuna skewers on, and baste them with the lime mixture. Grill over high heat for 3 minutes, turn and cook another 3 minutes. Remove to platter.
Serve on a bed of brown rice and Sweet & Sour Celery!

For the celery:
Slice the celery on the bias into ½ inch thick slices. Sauté them in 1 tbsp olive oil for 3 minutes, stirring almost constantly. Add the juice of the other and Splenda, and stir well to mix. Cook another couple minutes to begin to caramelize the celery.

portabella tuna melt

2006-07-25T17:43:00.000-07:00

portabella tuna melt

second 5:4 challenge, done and done!

4 portabella mushrooms lids
1 can of unsalted tuna (i use Whole Foods 365)
1/2 stalk celery, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 1/2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
2 tbsp. soy mayonaisse (i use Nayonaisse)
half of a lime, room temperature
salt, fresh ground pepper

Preheat broiler.
Broil mushrooms until half-way cooked.
Meanwhile, combine tuna, celery, green pepper, nutritional yeast, Nayo.
Spoon mixture into each top, and broil until lightly browned and mushrooms are cooked through.
Top with salt and fresh ground pepper to taste, sprinkling each with lime juice.

Greekish Tuna Packets P1

2006-07-25T16:36:00.000-07:00

4 tuna steaks, rinsed and patted dry.

Marinade:
2 to 3 TAB fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tsp celery salt
salt and pepper to taste
5 to 6 TAB olive oil
2 TAB lime juice
salt and pepper, to taste

Filling:
one small can of chopped portabella mushrooms (drained)
1TAB fresh cilantro, chopped
3 TAB roasted red bell pepper, diced (from jar)
approximately 1.5 to 2 TAB feta cheese, crumbled
1 to 1.5 tsp minced garlic
a drizzle of olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions: rinse and pat dry 4 Tuna steaks. Mix marinade in small bowl and set aside. In another bowl, mix filing ingredients with fork or hand mixer until blended but still chunky in texture.

Make a little slit in each raw tuna steak to create a little pocket. Fill the pickets with the filling mixture and place on a heavy duty sheet of foil.If you have left over filling or you don't want to make pockets topping the tuna with the filling mixture would be fine. After all four steaks are stuffed or topped with cheese mixture, drizzle marinade over each steak, equally (using all of it). Roll up foil and create little foil pockets/ pouches. I placed these on the grill but I'm sure you could cook them in a grill pan or oven (350 degrees). Cook approximately 25 to 30 mins til tuna is easy to flake and desired doneness. let cool a tiny bit as the foil will be hot - unwrap and serve!
submitted by Nau-Dee

challenge one - wrap up

2006-07-23T18:17:00.000-07:00

challenge one is complete!

chosen ingredients: chicken, breadcrumbs, bell pepper, eggplant, milk.

featuring:

*smothered chicken parmesan "sandwich"
*fried chicken with pepper eggplant saute
*chicken smothered in roasted red pepper and eggplant sauce
*eggplant and chicken with pepper cream sauce

Smothered Chicken Parmesan "Sandwich"

2006-07-20T10:48:00.000-07:00

Chicken breasts
Whole wheat bread crumbs
Milk
Eggplant
Olive oil
Mozzarella cheese
Red pepper
Tomato/marinara/pizza sauce

Preheat oven to 350. Use milk to coat chicken breasts in whole wheat bread crumbs. Bake chicken in the oven for about an hour. While chicken is cooking, saute some red pepper (or roast it if you're really awesome). Skin and slice eggplant and then dip slices in olive oil. Also, warm tomato sauce of choice up in pan. Once chicken is finished, cover with some aluminum foil to keep warm while you broil the eggplant slices until golden brown. Then, place each chicken breast between two slices of eggplant. Top with tomato sauce and cheese.

2006-07-19T14:51:00.000-07:00

Fried Chicken with Pepper Eggplant Saute P2
Submitted by: Nau-Dee

Chicken breasts, boneless & skinless
Whole grain bread
Parmesan cheese, shredded (ground should work well too)
Fresh oregano leaves chopped
Olive oil
Milk
Salt and pepper (to taste)

1.) With scissors or knife cut or chop fresh oregano leaves into bits.

2.) Take approx 3 to 4 slices of whole grain bread and pulsate it in food processor til crumbly. (I left the bread softened and this still worked well).

3.) Put bread crumbs in dish and add salt, pepper, approx 1/2 to 1 cup of parmesan, and about 1/2 to 1 cup fresh chopped oregano... This is where I taste it and added more or less of any thing.

4.) Heat non stick skillet with a few TAB olive oil.

5.) Mix approximately 1 cup of milk and a few table spoons of olive oil in a dish for dipping the chicken in.

6.) Dip chicken in milk/oil mixture (egg mixture is always good but I didn't have that in my ingredient list to use) and then into the bread mixture. Make sure you get a good coating of the bread mixture on the chicken and place in the heated skillet. Cook til chicken is cooked through and golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towel and then place on a serving dish.

7.) While your chicken is frying, clean and chop red bell peppers. Skin the egg plant and dice into small chunks and place in non stick sauce pan or skillet. Cook on med heat with a few table spoons of olive oil. Add some salt, pepper and a few table spoons of fresh chopped oregano. When veggies are tendar place in food processor or blender (I reserved about 1/4 cup for garnish but this is optional). Puree or blend for a few seconds desired consistency. Pour over cooked chicken, top with reserved pepper and eggplant chunks and sprinkle with a little bread crumb and serve.

chicken smothered in roasted red pepper and eggplant sauce

2006-07-16T15:04:00.000-07:00

chicken smothered in roasted red pepper and eggplant sauce

the first installment of 5:4 (see link at right for variations), this recipe combines a clever array of ingredients to make one fantastic dish. for vegan variation, the sauce can be served on tofu, pasta... anything.

4 chicken breasts
1 medium eggplant, chopped in approximate 1 inch. cubes
1 medium red pepper, cut lengthwise in four equal pieces
soymilk (amount will vary)
thyme, garlic powder, salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
olive oil
four slices of gluten free bread

preheat broiler.
arrange on a broiling pan the eggplant and red peppers. sprinkle with seasonings, brush with olive oil, and broil until well roasted.
remove from heat, and toast bread (if, like most gluten-free bread, it is frozen)

change oven temperature to 350F.

in a food processer, combine eggplant, peppers, and seasonings. add soymilk whilst mixing to create desired sauce consistency.

pour small amount of sauce in bottom of baking dish, then arrange chicken on top. pour remaining sauce over top.

in food processor, grind bread to bread crumbs, adding spices if desired.
top the chicken with breadcrumbs.

bake at 350, with lid on, for approximately one hour.

Eggplant and Chicken with Pepper Cream Sauce

2006-07-12T17:32:00.000-07:00

My installment in this first challenge was a difficult one to conceive. I love Eggplant Parmesan and Chicken Parmesan, but wanted to do something different. The milk ingredient suggestion was merely questioning if it was allowed, however my fellow chefs-in-house embraced it! Therein came the major obstacle- how to incorporate such an antagonistic, yet simple item into this meal. I hope I have risen to this experiment!

Eggplant and Chicken with Pepper Cream Sauce

1 Japanese or other small eggplant, sliced ¼ inch thick lengthwise
2 small bell peppers, I used one purple and one green, seeded and chopped
2 ¼ cups milk (it must have some fat, I used whole)
½ cup Parmesan cheese
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1-cup WW breadcrumbs
2 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper
¼ cup olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a saucepan, bring the 2 cups milk, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, pepper, and the chopped peppers to a simmer, then lower the heat and cover to steep.
In two dishes, place the ¼ cup milk in one and the breadcrumbs in the other. Sprinkle remaining garlic powder into the breadcrumbs, along with some salt and pepper; mix thoroughly. Dip the eggplant into the milk, then the crumbs pushing to coat. Set them aside and repeat with the chicken.
In a heavy sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat until hot. Fry the eggplant slices for 3 minutes on the first side, then flip and fry 2 more minutes. Remove them to paper towels to drain. Place the slices on a baking sheet and sprinkle with 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese. Place the baking sheet in the oven while you finish.
Wipe out the sauté pan and add remaining oil. Fry the chicken in the same manner, 6 minutes on the first side then flip and cook 5 minutes on the second side. Strain the milk/peppers over the chicken, sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Cover and simmer for 7-10 minutes or until the chicken is done and the sauce thickens.
Serve over the eggplant slices.

I would recommend peeling the eggplant. I didn’t and it was a bit crispy!

welcome

2006-07-12T11:08:00.000-07:00

bringing delicious meals from our minds to your kitchen, we are fourchefs who have conspired together on a project dubbed as 5:4.

five ingredients, four chefs.

rules.
1. we choose five random ingredients.
2. leavening, oil, salt, and pepper are freebies.
3. two additional ingredients are chosen per individual, and a third optional herb or spice.
4. foods involved must be easily accessible and relatively economical.

providing four different recipes for everyday fare, it's here to encourage a venture in new foods and tastes using the simplest of ingredients.

photos, recipes and comments will be posted per recipe by each chef.

welcome.