Curry Pumpkin Soup February 20, 2007

This soup would make an excellent addition to any Thanksgiving dinner. It can even be enjoyed all winter long, as it is a hearty, warming soup. It is probably also one of the easiest soups I have ever made.

Ingredients
1 Tbsp margarine
½-cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
¾ tsp curry powder
¼ tsp ginger
¼ tsp cumin
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 ½-cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 15 oz can pumpkin
1 12 oz can evaporated milk

In a large pan over medium heat melt the margarine. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add in the curry, ginger, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir to coat the onion with the spices. Stir in the broth and pumpkin and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Add in the evaporated milk, stir to combine and puree the mixture. Makes 4-5 servings.

Mushroom Stroganoff February 20, 2007

This stroganoff is a lot thicker than the stroganoff I am used to. But it was really good and the thickness caused it to stick to the noodles and mushrooms instead of running off. I used button mushrooms in the recipes, but portabella would be good too.

Ingredients
2 Tbsp margarine
½ onion, chopped
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
¾-cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 ½ Tbsp white wine vinegar
¾-cup sour cream
1 ½ Tbsp flour
4 oz egg noodles, cooked according to package
ground peppercorns

Melt the margarine over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook until soft about 5 minutes, do not brown. Raise to medium heat and add in the mushrooms and garlic, cook until the mushrooms have softened and turned brown. Remove the mushroom mixture to a bowl and set aside. In the same skillet, stir in the broth and vinegar, bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil till reduced by 1/3. Reduce to low and add in the mushroom mixture. Stir together the flour and sour cream. Add the sour cream to the skillet and blend into the mushrooms. Cook until sauce thickens. Once thickened, stir in the noodles. Season with several turns of freshly ground peppercorns. Serves 2.

Mac n Cheese with Peas February 16, 2007

Macaroni and Cheese is one of those feel good meals that everyone likes. When I was a child I couldn’t have been happier if I got to eat Mac n Cheese out of the blue box everyday. As a grownup I feel the need for a healthier more sophisticated Mac n Cheese. Thus, Mac n Cheese with Peas, which takes me back to my childhood, I could eat this stuff every day.

Ingredients
4 oz uncooked elbow macaroni
4 oz low-fat sour cream
1 ½ Tbsp margarine
½-cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp black pepper
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
2 Tbsp breadcrumbs
1 tsp prated Parmesan cheese

Cook the macaroni according to directions. Drain. Meanwhile, melt the margarine in a saucepan. Transfer ½ tsp of the margarine to a separate bowl. Mix in the Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs with a fork until the mixture crumbs, set aside. In the saucepan add the Cheddar cheese, Dijon mustard, garlic, and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously. Once the cheese melts, add the sour cream and stir until combined. Add the macaroni and peas and cook until heated through. Transfer to individual plates and top with breadcrumb mixture. Serves 2.

Vegetable Stir Fry February 15, 2007

Ingredients
½ tsp sugar
1½ tsp ginger
4 tsp flour
1-cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/8-cup soy sauce
1/8-cup plum sauce
1 pkg sliced mushrooms
4 carrots, sliced into discs
1 small head of broccoli, florets cut off
1 green pepper, cut into large chunks
2 cups prepared rice

In a hot skillet or wok oiled with 2 Tbsp olive oil place the mushrooms, carrots, broccoli, and pepper, fry for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Whisk together the sugar, ginger, flour, chicken broth, soy sauce, and plum sauce. Pour over the vegetable and cook until the sauce thickens and coats the vegetables. Serve over rice. Makes 2 servings.

Seared Asian Tuna February 15, 2007

In hopes of surprising my husband with a nice Valentine’s Day dinner, I purchased tuna steaks, one of husband’s favorites that he doesn’t get often. Unfortunately, we got snowed in, neither one of us went to work, and close to dinner time husband wanted to make dinner, what he thought was supposed to be tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. So I had to leak the surprise dinner before he cracked open the soup. Oh well, he was still happy to be getting tuna. I based this recipe of a one of Tyler Florence’s recipes.

Ingredients
1 jalapeno, sliced
2 tsp ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 limes, juiced
¼-cup soy sauce
1/8- cup olive oil
1/8 tsp sugar
salt and pepper
2 tuna steaks

Mix together the jalapeno, ginger, garlic, lime, soy sauce, sugar, and olive oil in a bowl. Season the tuna steaks with salt and pepper. Add 2 Tbsp of olive oil to a hot skillet. Place the steaks in the skillet and cooked 1 minute on each side for rare, up the cooking time if you prefer you tuna more well done. Pour the soy mixture over the tuna, turn off the heat and allow to sit for two minutes. Serve with the soy mixture. Makes 2 servings.