Cooking Nerd

Skinny Jambalaya

Makes 4 Servings

• 1 smoked turkey drumstick (about 1/2 pound)
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 15-once can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Cajun spice
• 1 cup long-grain white rice

1. Pull off turkey meat from the bone, cut meat into 1/2 inch pieces.
2. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, cook the onion, bell pepper and celery, stirring frequently, until the onions begins to brown, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the turkey meat , tomatoes, water, salt, and Cajun spice and bring to boil, covered, over high heat.  Stir in the rice and bring to boil.  Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.  Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.  Fluff with a fork and serve, along with extra hot sauce.

Nutrition per serving:

Calories: 349, Total Fat: 8 g, Sodium: 890mg, Sugar: 8 g

Blueberry Pancakes

Makes 6 to 8 cakes:

• 1 1/4 cups sifted all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 beaten egg
• 1 cup 1% low fat milk
• 2 tablespoon melted butter
• 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

1. Sift flour with baking powder, sugar and salt.
2. Combine egg, milk, and melted butter, pour mixture into the above dry ingredients.
3. Stir just till flour is moistened, batter should be lumpy.
4. Pour 1/4 cup of batter onto a 9-inch frying pan on medium high heat.
5. When batter is bubbling , sprinkle several blueberries on top.
6. Turn and brown the pancake for 30 seconds.
7. Repeat steps 4 to 6 until batter is used up.

Serve with butter and maple syrup.

 

Old Fashioned Beef Stew

Makes 6 to 8 servings:

• 2 lbs beef chuck, cut in 1 inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 4 cups boiling water
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
• 1 medium white onion, sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of allspice
• 6 carrots, cut into big chunks

1. In a large pot or dutch oven, thoroughly brown beef chuck on all sides in hot canola oil.
2. Add water, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, sliced onion, bay leaves, and seasoning.
3. Cover and simmer for 2 hours; stir occasionally to keep from sticking.
4. Add carrots, cover and continue to cook for 30 minutes. (Note: If you want it to be thick, you can stir 2 tablespoon of flour into 2 tablespoon of the liquid from the pot in a separate bowl, then pour the mixture back into the pot to make it thick.)

Sweet and Sour Pork

 

Ingredients:

• 3/4 pound boneless pork
• 1 teaspoon seasame oil
• 2 teaspoon soysauce
• 1 teaspoon peanut oil
• 1 bag frozen pepper stir fry vegetables
• 1 tablespoon chicken broth
• 1/2 jar (14 ounces) sweet and sour sauces
• 1 can (8 ounces) pineapple chunks, drained

Cooking Method:

• Cut pork into small slices, marinate with seasame oil and 1 teaspoon soysauce for about 20 minutes.
• In large skillet, heat peanut oil over medium-high heat.
• Add pork; stir fry until pork is browned.
• Add vegetables and chicken broth; cover and cook over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender.
• Uncover; stir in sweet and sour sauce and pineapple. Cook until heated through. Drizzle with remaining 1 teaspoon soysauce.

Wilted Spinach Salad

Makes 4 servings:

• 6 cups torn fresh spinach
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 2 stalks thinly sliced green onions
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 slices bacon
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 hard cooked egg, chopped

1. In a large bowl combine the spinach, mushrooms, and green onions. Sprinkle with pepper; set aside.
2. In a 12-inch skillet cook bacon until crisp. remove bacon; reserving 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Or, substitute 2 tablespoons salad oil for bacon drippings. Drain bacon on paper towels. Crumble bacon; set aside. Stir vinegar, sugar, and dry mustard into drippings. Bring to boiling; remove from heat. Add the spinach mixtre from (1) above. Toss mixture in skillet for 30 to 60 seconds or until spinach wilts.
3. Transfer mixture to a serving dish. Toss with crumbled bacon and chopped egg and serve right away.

Single Serving Microwave Carrot Cake

 
Makes 1 serving:

• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 tablespoons carrot juice
• 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons intant vanilla pudding powder
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1. Grease the insdie of a 16 oz coffee mug lightly with cooking spray.
2. Mix together beaten eggs with all the liquid ingredients. Then add dry ingredients and mixed until smooth.
3. Pour the batter into the mug and smooth the top, thump mug several on kitchen counter to remove excess air.
4. Place mug on top of a small microwavable plate. Bake 4 minutes or until a toothpick inserted inthe middle of the cake comes out dry.
5. Run a knife along the inside of the mug and transfer the cake to the plate, consume immiately while hot and warm with frosting of your choice.

Simple Fried Rice

Makes 4 Servings:

• 2 cups Jasmine rice, cooked according to the package direction (easiest way is to use electric rice cooker)
• 8 strips of bacon, chopped into tiny pieces
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3 stalks of green onions, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 table spoons soysauce

1. Let the rice chill in the fridge until it's cold.
2. Heat the wok in medium high heat, put in chopped bacon in the wok, stir fry until plently of dripping comes out of bacon and just before bacon turn crispy, about 1.5 minutes.
3. Add eggs into the wok, stir the eggs with the bacon, cut into the egg mixture frequently with spatula while stir frying, about 1.5 mintues or until eggs are beginning to set.
4. Add cold rice and chopped green oninons, stir fry for 3 mintues or until the rice are well mixed with cooked egg and bacon pieces and you smell the fragrance of the green onions.
5. Turn off heat and add soysauce, toss the rice mixture so it's coated evenly with soysauce. Serve on individual bowls or plates.

No Bake Maple Praline Cheesecake

Makes 8 Servings:

1 package (11.1 oz) JELL-O Brand No Bake Real Cheesecake

2 tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons melted butter

1 tablespoon water

1 1/3 cups cold milk

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 cup pecan halves

1 cup brown sugar

1 beaten egg

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F
2. Stir crust mix, sugar, butter and water thoroughly in 9-inch square baking pan (lined with foil extending over edges to form handles) until crumbs are well moistened. Firmly press crumbs onto bottom of pan.
3. Pour milk into large bowl. Add filling mix and syrup. Beat with electric mixer on lowest speed until blended. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes until filling is thick. Spoon over crust.
4. Refrigerate cheesecake for 1 hour or until set.
5. Mix pecans, brown sugar and beaten egg, stirring until well combined. Pour into greased 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until browned and crunchy; cool. Loosen nut mixture from pan and chop into small pieces. Just before serving, sprinkle over cheesecake. Cut cheesecake into squares.

Pesto Mozzarella Cheese Cups

 

This tasty cheese cups appetizers bring out the flavors of a New Year cocktail party!

Makes 30 appetizers

1/4 lb mozzarella cheese cut into 30 pieces

2 boxes (15 shells each box) of Athens Brand phyllo shells

1/2 cup oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped

30 portions (1/4 teaspoon each) of pesto sauce with basil, garlic and pine nuts (store bought)

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lay phyllo shells on baking sheet. Put 1/4 teaspoon of the finely chopped sun dried tomatoes in the bottom of each shell. Place a mozzarella piece on top of tomatoes in each shell. Top each cheese up with 1/4 teaspoon pesto sauce.
2. Bake at 350F for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve warm.

Cornflakes Chocolate Chips Cookies

 
The cornflakes give the classic chocolate chip cookies a delightful crunch and a better flavor.

Makes 6 to 8 dozens:

2 sticks butter, melted (1/2 lb)

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 eggs, beaten

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups cornflakes, crushed

2 cups chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, stir sugar together with the melted butter. Add soda, salt, vanilla, and beaten eggs to mix well.
3. Stir in the flour, mix well, stir in crushed cornflakes and mix the mixture thoroughly.
4. Rest the cookie dough for 2 minutes. Form dough into walnut-sized balls and put them on greased cookie sheets. Put 12 balls on each cookie sheet and press them down just a little bit.
5. Bake at 350F for 12 minutes. Cool cookies on rack.