Jerry's Thoughts, Musings, and Rants!

Curried Chicken with Couscous

The other night Paul was in a quandary about what to make for dinner. As he struggled to make us his mind I mentioned that some nice Indian food would go down just fine. He smiled and was on his way.

This curry chicken is unusual in that it is an Indian curry but it uses coconut milk which gave it an interesting taste; in fact I would say it is a Thai-Indian fusion. It is quick to toss together, making it a great choice for a week night dinner after a full day of work. My only complaint is that there isn't much sauce.  The next time we make this I think that I would double the sauce.

 


Curried Chicken with Couscous

1 cup water
1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk, divided
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 cup uncooked couscous
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 pound skinned, boned chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch strips
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 cup julienne-cut carrot
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Combine the water, 3/4 cup coconut milk, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; gradually stir in couscous. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Combine 1/2 teaspoon salt, flour, and curry powder. Add the chicken, and toss gently to coat. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and stir-fry for 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining coconut milk, carrot, and raisins; reduce heat, and simmer for 7 minutes or until the chicken is done, stirring occasionally. Serve over couscous. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup chicken mixture, 3/4 cup couscous, and 1 tablespoon cilantro)

CALORIES 396 (22% from fat); FAT 9.6g (sat 5.6g,mono 1.3g,poly 1.6g); PROTEIN 32g; CHOLESTEROL 66mg; CALCIUM 39mg; SODIUM 716mg; FIBER 3.4g; IRON 3.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 45.2g

Cooking Light, MARCH 2000

Chicken with Baked Eggplant and Tomato

This is my entry for this week's Weekend Herb Blogging round up. This blogging event was started by Kalyn from Kalyn's Kitchen. This week's host for Weekend Herb Blogging is the team of Jai and Bee at Jugalbandi- be sure to pop by to see what other bloggers have come up with.

I ate and drank so much over the weekend in Savannah that I have had to be very careful this week. For dinner the other night we had one of my favourite low-fat meals - chicken breasts wrapped in pancetta served with a baked veggie mixture that is similar to ratatouille. The recipe is from the low-fat cookbook by Helen Aitkin. This recipe has 4.5 g of fat.

The veggies bake in a hot oven for a lengthy time making this a better choice for a weekend dinner if you, like the rest of the world, are hard at work during the week.

We like to serve it with rice.

Chicken with Baked Eggplant and Tomato

1 red pepper
1 eggplant
200 g button mushrooms, cleaned and halved
3 tomatoes, cored and quartered
1 onion, cut into wedges
cooking spray
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 low-fat chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
4 pieces, thinly sliced pancetta
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 small sprigs of rosemary

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the red pepper and eggplant into bite sized pieces and combine in a large oven-proof baking dish. Mix in mushrooms and onion. Spray lightly with cooking spray. Bake for 1 hour, or until starting to brown and soften, stirring once.

Mix together the tomato paste, stock, and wine. Pour over the vegetable mixture. Stir and bake for 10 more minutes, or until thickened.

Meanwhile, wrap the pancetta around each chicken breast, securing with a toothpick. Poke a sprig of rosemary underneath the pancetta. Pan-fry in a lightly oiled frying pan, over medium heat,  until browned on both sides. Cover and cook for 10 - 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the toothpicks. Serve the chicken on the vegetables, surrounding with sauce.

The key ingredient in this dish is the eggplant - a vegetable I don't use very often. In fact, I think the last time I used it was after the infamous 'slowtravel Melanzane battle' when I had to whip up a batch of melanzane alla parmigiana to discover for myself what the fuss was all about.

Although originally from India and southeast asia, eggplant is a staple of mediterranean cooking (it was introduced by the Arabs) - you'll find it featured in greek, italian, spanish and southern French cooking.

The raw fruit can have a somewhat bitter taste, but becomes tender when cooked and develops a rich, complex flavor. Salting and then rinsing the sliced eggplant (known as "degorging") can soften and remove much of the bitterness. Some modern varieties do not need this treatment, as they are less bitter. The eggplant is capable of absorbing large amounts of cooking fats and sauces, allowing for very rich dishes, but the salting process will reduce the amount of oil absorbed. The fruit flesh is smooth; as in the related tomato, the numerous seeds are soft and edible along with the rest of the fruit. The thin skin is also edible, so that the eggplant need not be peeled.

The eggplant is used in cuisines from Japan to Spain. It is often stewed, as in the French ratatouille, the Italian melanzane alla parmigiana, the Greek moussaka, and Middle-Eastern and South Asian dishes. It may also be roasted in its skin until charred, so that the pulp can be removed and blended with other ingredients such as lemon, tahini, and garlic, as in the Middle Eastern dish baba ghanoush and the similar Greek dish melitzanosalata or the Indian dishes of Baigan Bhartha or Gojju.

It can be sliced, battered, and deep-fried, then served with various sauces which may be based on yoghurt, tahini, or tamarind. Grilled and mashed eggplant mixed with onions, tomatoes, and spices makes the Indian dish baingan ka bhartha. The eggplant can also be stuffed with meat, rice, or other fillings and then baked. In the Caucasus, for example, it is fried and stuffed with walnut paste to make nigvziani badrijani.

Eggplant is high in fibre, low in fat and contains an array of nutrients, such as vitamin A and C, niacin and folic acid and the minerals iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium. The skin of the eggplant is rich in flavonoids and other antioxidants, which can help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. It's also packed with compounds called terpenes, which can help to lower cholesterol.

Studies of the Institute of Biology of São Paulo State University, Brazil (Instituto de Biociências of the UNESP de Botucatu, São Paulo) showed that eggplant is effective in the treatment of high blood cholesterol hypercholesterolemia and in the control of cholesterol (about 30% reduction). One study in rabbits found that drinks of eggplant juice significantly reduced their blood cholesterol while improving blood flow. Chlorogenic acid, one anti-oxidant found in eggplants, is especially potent, with research suggesting it has anti-cancer, anti-microbial and anti-viral properties, as well as an ability to help reduce levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol

Jamie Oliver's Slow-cooked Duck Pasta

We have so many lasting memories of our 2006 trip to Italy. One of the things which always come to mind is the meal we enjoyed under the stars at the villa we rented in Tuscany. It was a mild October night. The stars were out, the the crickets chirped. You could smell the soft scents of the rosemary and olive trees in the wind.

Gabrielle and his family had outdone themselves. We sat at a long table.  Candles, protected from the soft winds in clear glass jars, hung from the olive trees, their flames flickering in the darkness. Laughter and wine flowed.  Soon Gabrielle and his girlfriend started to bring out the food that his family had spent all day preparing. Oh my!

It was to be one of the most amazing meals I ever remember! We ate, smiled, talked, and ate some more. Hours passed before we finished. It was a memory of italian life; the celebration of simple things - friendship, family, love, laughter, food, and wine, that I so adore about Italy.

I was clicking through blogs the other day and Sandi had a post about Festa Italiano.  Proud Italian Cook - Marie, and Maryann at Finding La Dolce Vita are hosting a Festa Italiana on March 22. As Sandi also declared, this is a party I didn't want to miss!

It is only going to be 52 days until we fly back to Italy (not that I am counting them down or anything . . .)

My contribution for Festa Italiano is this amazing pasta dish created by Jamie Oliver. I love sweet and sour dishes such as this one. It’s got orange, vinegar, raisins, and bacon, and it works together extremely well. The only downside was that I had to roast a whole duck and then pick the greasy meat off of its bones. I hate working with duck because it is so greasy. Oh well, given the amazing final results it was bloody worth it (as Jamie himself might declare)

Slow-cooked duck pasta

1 duck
olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
1 orange, quartered
1 lb pasta (rigatoni or occhi di lupo work well)
2 knobs of butter
1 large handful of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
a small bunch of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
zest and juice of 1 orange
red wine vinegar

For the sauce:

olive oil
6 slices of pancetta, finely diced
1 red onion, peeled and finely diced
2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
2 sticks of celery, trimmed and finely diced
6 springs of fresh rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped
1 stick of cinnamon
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
2x14 oz cans of good quality plum tomatoes
1/2 a 750 ml bottle of fruity red wine (Valpolicella of Barbera works well)
chicken stock
a handful of raisins
a large handful of pinenuts

Preheat the oven 350ºF.

Stuff a duck with a quartered orange; rub the outside with olive oil, salt, and pepper; and roast, breast-side down in a roasting pan, for two hours, turning every 30 minutes. Let it cool, and pull off all the meat.

Pour some olive oil into a large pot. Fry the diced pancetta until golden. Add red onion, carrots, celery, rosemary, cinnamon stick, and sliced garlic cloves. Cook slowly until it all softens up (about 10 minutes). Add the plum tomatoes and red wine. Let simmer for about an hour. Shred the duck meat and add it to the sauce. Cook for another half hour, adding water or chicken stock if it becomes dry. Remove the cinnamon stick, and add a handful each pine nuts and golden raisins. Continue to simmer while the pasta cooks.

Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling, salted water. Drain (preserving some of the cooking water).

Toss the pasta into the sauce. Stir in a knob of butter, a handful of grated Parmesan, the zest and juice of 1 orange, chopped parsley, and a splash of red wine vinegar.

Loosen the sauce with the reserved cooking water if necessary. Check seasonings. Served with a flurry of grated cheese and a sprinkle of parsley flakes.

Balsamic Chicken and Mushrooms

This is my entry for this week's Weekend Herb Blogging round up. This blogging event was started by Kalyn from Kalyn's Kitchen. This week's host is Anna from Morsels and Musings- be sure to pop by to see what other bloggers have come up with.

This recipe is from food network chef Emily Richard's cookbook Italian Express. I purchased the book from her during a cooking class in January. Many of the recipes aren't traditional Italian recipes but they are all quick and healthy.

Paul selected this recipe to make last week and we all agreed it was wonderful. Mom liked it so much that she snuck the leftovers home and copied the recipe out of the book for her to make herself. From her this is high praise.

This recipe combines sweet balsamic vinegar, chicken, and mushrooms in a great way. The vinegar is absorbed by the mushrooms and glazes the chicken while it roasts. It is quick enough to be something you could throw together after a day of work but special enough to serve to company.

As you can see from the poor pic below, we served it on a beed of rice. Next time, I'd serve it with some pasta or mashed potatoes to catch the sauce. Add a steamed vegetable and a salad on the side and you are done!

Balsamic Chicken with Mushrooms

4 skinless bone-in chicken breasts
4 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
8 oz button mushrooms, sliced
8 oz shitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1 cup grape tomatoes
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp chopped fresh basil

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Sprinkle chicken evenly with half each of the thyme, salt, and pepper. In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and brown both sides. Using tongs, remove the chicken to a large oven-proof casserole dish.

To the oil remaining in the skillet, add the garlic, mushrooms and the remaining thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring, for about 8 minutes or until the vegetables are softened and beginning to turn golden. Remove form heat and stir in tomatoes and vinegar.

Pour vegetable mixture over the chicken. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (an internal temperature of 170 degrees). Sprinkle with basil just before serving.

1 serving (1 breast, and 1/4 of the sauce, mushrooms, and tomato mixture) has 230 calories, 30 g of protein, 7 g of fat, 11 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber.

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

More comfort food.

Once the weather turns nice again my thoughts will turn to grilled fish and salads. Right now? Saucy, warm casseroles fit the bill! We whipped this up the other night and it was wonderful.

For crisper broccoli, remove it from the boiling water after three minutes. Serve with a simple green salad for a filling meal.

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

3 quarts water
1 (12-ounce) package broccoli florets
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated fat-free milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 ounce)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dash of nutmeg
1 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 (10.75-ounce) can condensed 30% reduced-sodium 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400°.

Bring water to a boil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add broccoli, and cook 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Transfer broccoli to a large bowl with a slotted spoon. Add chicken to boiling water; reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until done. Transfer chicken to a cutting board; cool slightly. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces, and add chicken to bowl with broccoli.

Combine evaporated milk, flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a saucepan, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add mayonnaise, next 4 ingredients (through soup), and 1/2 cup cheese, stirring until well combined. Add mayonnaise mixture to broccoli mixture; stir gently until combined.

Spoon mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake at 400° for 50 minutes or until mixture bubbles at the edges and cheese begins to brown. Remove from oven; let cool on a wire rack 5 minutes.

Yield

8 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 276(25% from fat); FAT 7.8g (sat 3.5g,mono 1.8g,poly 1.1g); PROTEIN 31.1g; CHOLESTEROL 66mg; CALCIUM 365mg; SODIUM 696mg; FIBER 2.1g; IRON 1.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 18.9g

Elizabeth Bacon , Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2005

Chicken-and-Brie Sandwich with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

 

This is my entry for this week's Weekend Herb Blogging round up. This blogging event was started by Kalyn from Kalyn's Kitchen.This week's host is Zorra from Kochtopf- be sure to pop by to see what other bloggers have come up with.

Over the Christmas 'madness' I convinced myself that there would be wine and cheese extravaganzas galore so when I made my dash through Costco I bought 2 huge wheels of Brie. Of course. I never used them because I had purchased close to 12 pounds of various cheeses in my various uncontrolled shopping sprees.

I don't associate Brie with low-fat so now that I'm trying to be careful with what I eat I thought I'd have to throw them out. Happily I asked a friend who convinced me that it was possible to eat Brie cheese and not fall off of the wagon. This recipe has only 440 calories and 12.3 g of fat. Coupled with a bowl of soup or a piece of fruit it is a filling dinner.

I'll admit that it is one of the more complex sandwiches that I have made but the flavour combinations are incredible! A good balsamic vinegar makes all the difference in the roasted tomatoes, whose heat will immediately melt the soft Brie. There's no need to cut the rind off the Brie, since it's edible.

Chicken-and-Brie Sandwich with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes (about 1 pound)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon whole-grain Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (16-ounce) loaf French bread, cut in half horizontally
3 ounces Brie cheese, sliced
3 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (about 1 pound)
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups fresh spinach

Preheat oven to 300°.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes; cook 4 minutes, stirring once. Remove from heat; stir in 2 tablespoons vinegar. Sprinkle tomatoes with thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Wrap handle of pan with foil; bake at 300° for 15 minutes. Keep warm.

Combine mayonnaise, mustard, and garlic in a small bowl. Spread mayonnaise mixture evenly over top half of bread loaf. Spoon tomatoes evenly over bottom half of loaf. Arrange Brie over tomatoes; top with chicken. Combine 2 teaspoons oil, 1 teaspoon vinegar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add spinach, tossing gently to coat. Top chicken with spinach mixture; replace top half of bread. Cut loaf into 6 pieces.

Yield:

6 servings

CALORIES 440 (25% from fat); FAT 12.3g (sat 4.2g,mono 4.9g,poly 1.9g); PROTEIN 34.3g; CHOLESTEROL 78mg; CALCIUM 119mg; SODIUM 826mg; FIBER 3.9g; IRON 3.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 46.7g

Cooking Light, JUNE 2001

Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup

There is no doubt that it is 'soup weather' right now.

What is soup weather? It is that bitter cold weather where you need something to warm you throughout.

This recipe fits the bill on a number of diifferent levels. It is quick to prepare, spicy, and hearty. . . . the perfect way to recover after shovelling the driveway and being so cold that you are convinced an appendage is about to crack off (shame excess blubber didn't follow suit, but that is another entry I suppose).

If you like spicy food, you'll love this. You can purchase corn muffins to round out the meal (or make your own - but that defeats the quick and easy part). We decided to have a sandwich and carrots sticks to round out the meal.

Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
3/4 pound chicken breast tenders, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 cup crushed baked tortilla chips
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and chicken; sauté 2 minutes. Add chile powder and cumin; stir well. Add water, salt, broth, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Top with tortilla chips and cilantro, and serve with lime wedges.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups soup, 1/4 cup chips, 1 tablespoon cilantro, and 1 lime wedge)

CALORIES 228 (21% from fat); FAT 5.4g (sat 0.6g,mono 2.5g,poly 1.7g); PROTEIN 22.9g; CHOLESTEROL 49mg; CALCIUM 62mg; SODIUM 873mg; FIBER 3.5g; IRON 1.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 21.8g 

Cooking Light, AUGUST 2005

Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts

The other day I was looking for a recipe that would allow me to use up the other half of a large tub of ricotta cheese I bought as a part of me pre-Christmas shop-a-thon. I don't know why I loose control buying everything in sight at Christmas time . . . anyway, true to form, I digress. I found this recipe on the Cooking Light website.

It seemed to fit the bill; it was low-fat and allowed me to use up that ricotta by the 'best before date'. I was a little taken aback by the reviews though, I guess the best way to describe them was 'mixed'. Subscribing the the old view that many folk out there in internet land are boobs who wouldn't know good food if it lodged in their throat (MOST readers of this blog set aside of course) I said 'to heck with them' and gave it a try.

It is our conclusion that those who rated it poorly are in fact food challenged or didn't follow the recipe properly. It was a great combination of flavours and we will make this one again.

We served the stuffed chicken breasts on a bed of brown rice with some green beans on the side.

Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Filling:
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/3 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1 large egg

Chicken:
6 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup dry white wine

To prepare filling, combine first 7 ingredients.

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare chicken, place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Divide and spread filling evenly over chicken breast halves. Roll up jelly-roll fashion. Tuck in sides; place chicken, seam side down, in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Pour wine over chicken. Cover dish with foil.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes, basting chicken with wine every 10 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Strain wine mixture through a sieve over a bowl; discard solids. Serve wine mixture over chicken.

6 servings (serving size: 1 stuffed breast and 3 tablespoons wine mixture)

CALORIES 265 (25% from fat); FAT 7.3g (sat 3.6g,mono 2.1g,poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 40.5g; CHOLESTEROL 131mg; CALCIUM 247mg; SODIUM 367mg; FIBER 1.5g; IRON 2.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 4.7g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2004

Chicken Pot Pies

Potpies are an excellent way to use up leftover roast chicken. This recipe was modified from one I found in the Williams Sonoma cookbook Chicken which I received for Christmas. Here, the potpies come together quickly because the recipe calls for store-bought pastry. Be sure to choose a good-quality brand.

With the crazy weather we have been having lately this was a well-deserved bit of comfort food!

4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 cup low-fat milk
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup corn
1/2 cup peeled and chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped white button mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped red-skinned potatoes
1 cup chopped cooked chicken
1/2 cup cooked fresh or frozen peas
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
prepared pie pastry
1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp. water

Preheat an oven to 375ºF.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture smells fragrant and nutty, 1 to 2 minutes.

Slowly add the stock, wine, and milk, whisking until smooth, and bring to a boil.

Add the thyme, bay leaf, onions, celery, carrots and mushrooms and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the potatoes, chicken, corn, peas, salt and pepper and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf and discard.

Divide the filling among 4 ovenproof bowls and place on a baking sheet.

Brush the rims of the bowls with water.

Place 1 pastry square on top of each bowl, pressing lightly on the edges.

Brush the pastry with the egg mixture. You moticed int eh picture above that I gently pressed a leaf of flat-leaf parsley onto the egg brushed pastry.

Bake until the pastry is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serves 4.

Chipotle Meat Loaf

a gratuitous self-promotion . . .

One of our photos from Italy has been entered in a photo contest.

Our photo is currently number 13 out of 464 photos.

You can vote by clicking here

Remember a 10 is good!

Feel free to e-mail the link to friends and loved ones!

*smile*

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This is my entry for this week's Weekend Herb Blogging round up.  The blogging event was started by Kalyn from Kalyn's Kitchen. This week's host will be Astrid from Paulchen's Food Blog.

With all of the sweetness in our lives recently we felt the need for somehting more savoury. This meat loaf, made with ground turkey, and infused with the smoky goodness of chipotle peppers,  seemed to fit the bill.

One of the key ingredients of this recipe are the chipolte peppers in the adobo sauce. Chipotles chilies[chee-POT-tleh] peppers are smoked jalapeno chili peppers and are also known as chili ahumado.  These chilies are usually a dull tan to coffee color and measure approximately 2 to 4 inches in length and about an inch wide.  As much as one fifth of the Mexican jalapeno crop is processed into chipotles. 

History

Chipotles date back to region that is now northern Mexico City,  prior to the Aztec civilization.  It is conjectured that the Aztecs smoked the chilies because the thick, fleshy,  jalapeno was difficult to dry and prone to rot.  The Aztecs used the same "smoke drying" process for the chilies as they used for drying meats.  This smoking allowed the chilies to be stored for a substantial period of time.

Today Chipotles are used widely throughout Mexico as well as in the United States.  Quite popular in the South Western U.S. and California;  Chipotles have found their way into the cuisine of many celebrity chefs from Hawaii to Manhattan.

The chillies called for in this recipe are canned in a flavourful sauce called adobo.  This sauce or marinade is most often used in Latin American- and Southwest U.S.-style cooking. It is made of finely chopped or pureed chiles, garlic, vinegar, and often onions and tomatoes. Food that has been prepared with adobo is sometimes called adobado.

Meat loaf:
1 (7-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup regular oats
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup tomato sauce
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 large egg whites
1 pound ground turkey
1 pound ground turkey breast
Cooking spray

Topping:
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare meat loaf, remove 1 chipotle chile and 1 teaspoon adobo sauce from can; reserve remaining chiles and sauce for another use. Chop chile. Combine chile, adobo sauce, onion, and next 14 ingredients (through ground turkey breast) in a large bowl, stirring to combine. Place turkey mixture in a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes.

To prepare topping, combine 1/4 cup tomato sauce, ketchup, and hot sauce in a small bowl; brush mixture evenly over meat loaf. Cover and bake an additional 30 minutes or until thermometer registers 160°. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

CALORIES 239 (24% from fat); FAT 7.1g (sat 1.9g,mono 2.5g,poly 1.9g); PROTEIN 36.3g; CHOLESTEROL 94mg; CALCIUM 55mg; SODIUM 753mg; FIBER 1.3g; IRON 2.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 8.4g

Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2005