Fifty-2

RECIPES: December 16, 2011
**See the following post for the shopping list for this week’s recipes**

Baja stir-fry pork

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (1 lb.) pork tenderloin cut into 1-inch pieces
3/4 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
2 TBS canola oil, divided
1/2 cup red onion, cut into wedges
1/2 cup each julienne-cut yellow, green and red bell peppers
1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves


Directions:
1. Combine first 4 ingredients.

2. Sprinkle pork with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper; toss. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 TBS canola oil; swirl. Add pork, and cook for 3 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove pork from pan and keep warm.


3. Heat pan over high heat, and add remaining 1 TBS canola oil; swirl to coat. Add onion and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the bell peppers and jalapenos; stir-fry for 1 minute. Return pork to pan and stir-fry for 1 minute. Stir in broth mixture, the remaining 1/2 tsp salt and remaining 1/2 tsp black pepper and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in tomatoes. Sprinkle with cilantro.


Recipe from Cooking Light magazine


Pressed Cubano sandwiches
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 package of mini Hawaiian rolls, sliced
2 TBS yellow mustard
4 ozs. sliced Swiss cheese
4 bacon slices, cooked and halved
12 dill pickle slices (sandwich slices)
2 tsp minced cilantro (optional)
6 ozs. thinly sliced deli ham
2 ozs. thinly sliced deli turkey breast


Directions:
1. Combine oil and garlic.


2. Spread cut sides of rolls evenly with mustard. Place a piece of cheese, bacon half, pickle slice and 1/2 tsp cilantro on bottom half of each roll. Divide ham and turkey evenly among bottom half of rolls; top each with another slice of cheese. Place top half on roll. Brush garlic oil evenly over outside of rolls.


3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 2 sandwiches to pan. Place a cast iron skillet, heavy skillet or food press on top of sandwiches and press to gently flatten. Cook 2-3 minutes on each side or until cheese melts and bread is toasted (leave skillet or press on sandwich while they cook). Repeat with remaining sandwiches.


Recipe from Cooking Light magazine.


Spinach and ricotta quiche
Serves: 4


Ingredients:
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1/4 cup olive oil
6 cups baby spinach
1/4 lb. Italian sausage, casings removed
4 eggs
8 oz. ricotta cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°. Press the puff pastry into a 9" glass or ceramic pie plate; trim the excess. Prick the bottom all over with a fork, line with parchment and fill with dried beans (or pie weights). Bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Remove parchment and beans; transfer the pan to a rack to cool. Leave the oven on, but lower the temperature to 350°.


2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 TBS olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and cook, tossing until wilted, about 1 minute. Season with salt, then drain in a colander. Add 1 TBS olive oil and the sausage to the skillet; cook over medium-high heat, breaking the meat up with a spoon, until golden-brown and cooked through, 3-4 minutes,


3. Spread the sausage and spinach in the pie shell. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, ricotta and cream; pour into the shell. Bake until the eggs are set and the crust is golden, about 35 minutes.

Recipe from Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine




(Beef and) Chicken fajitas with peppers and onions
Serves: 4 (8 with both beef and chicken)

Ingredients:
Marinade
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp grated lime rind
2-1/2 TBS fresh lime juice
2 TBS Worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.25 oz.) can beef broth


Fajitas
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast
(1 lb. flank steak)
2 red bell peppers, cut into thin slices
2 green bell peppers, cut into thin slices
1 large Vidalia or other sweet onion, sliced
Cooking spray
tortillas & toppings


Directions:
1. To prepare marinade, combine first 10 ingredients in a large bowl; set aside.


2. To prepare fajitas, trim meat of fat (score a diamond pattern into both sides of the flank steak). Cut chicken breasts into slices.Combine 1-1/2 cups marinade and meat in a large zip-top plastic bag. Seal and marinade in refrigerator 4 hours or overnight, turning occasionally. Combine remaining marinade, bell peppers and onion in a separate zip-top bag. Seal and marinate in refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.


3. Prepare grill or cast iron skillet (for chicken and veggies).


4. Remove meat from the bag, discard the marinade. Remove vegetables from bag, reserve marinade. Place reserved marinade in a small saucepan; set aside. Place meat on grill pan or grill coated with cooking spray. Place vegetables in a hot cast iron skillet. Cook meat 8 minutes on each side or until done. Cook vegetables until crisp tender.


5. Heat tortillas according to package directions. Bring reserved marinade to a boil. Cut steak against the grain into thin slices. Place all on a platter and serve with tortillas and toppings.


Recipe slightly adapted from Cooking Light magazine




Ham and cheese stombolis
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 (11 oz) can refrigerated French bread dough
4 slices of deli ham or prosciutto
1 cup trimmed arugula (optional)
1/2 cup Swiss cheese or shredded Gruyere
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425°.


2. Unroll dough onto a baking sheet, pat into a 14 x 11-inch rectangle. Cut dough into quarters to form 4 (7 x 5-1/2-inch) rectangles. Top each rectangle with a slice ham, 1/4 cup arugula, 2 TBS cheese and 1 TBS spoon parsley. Beginning at the short side of each rectangle, roll up the dough, jelly-roll fashion; pinch the seam to seal (do not seal ends of rolls). Arrange rolls 4" apart on baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 10 minutes or until rolls are lightly browned. Serve warm.


Recipe slightly adapted from Cooking Light magazine




Fusilli pasta with caramelized onions and white wine
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1/2 cup panko
3 TBS olive oil, divided
2 tsp minced garlic, divided
1/2 tsp kosher salt, divide
2 cups thinly sliced Vidalia onions (about 1 pound) or spring onions
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chicken broth
8 oz. uncooked fusilli or rotini
1 TBS kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375°


2. Combine panko, 1 TBS oil, 1 tsp garlic and a dash of salt in a small bowl. Spread panko mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 6 minutes or until golden brown, stirring after 3 minutes.


3. Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add remaining 2 TBS oil to pan, swirling to coat. Add onions to pan; cook 20 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add remaining 1 tsp garlic and wine. Increase heat to medium-high; cook 1 minute. Add broth; cook until liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup (about 4 minutes).


4. Cook pasta in boiling water with 1 TBS kosher salt according to package directions, omitting additional fat. Drain. Add pasta, remaining salt and pepper to onion mixture; toss gently. Divide among 4 bowls; sprinkle each serving with 2 TBS panko mixture.


Recipe from Cooking Light magazine