Spring Vegetable and Barley Risotto!

Today was my first day back to Weight Watchers.  I try to be careful what choices I make on a regular basis but sometimes you need a little more encouragement to help you along the way.

Weight Watchers meetings have helped me stay focused so in order to loose some of the extra pounds I have managed to add on during the last few months I decided to make some of their tasty recipes.

I am going to try to post twice a week a WW dish or meal. 

I will still be baking and cooking and sharing my regular menu but I will incorporate more vegetarian dishes as well and some WW dishes too!  As I have said  "ROSEBUD" (my KEY word) to remind myself to stay on track and make HEALTHY choices.

This dish was wonderful and they suggested using pearl barley(IT DOESN'T REQUIRE CONSTANT STIRRING)  instead of arborio rice which worked out wonderful. 

Note:  I didn't have any snap peas so I doubled the asparagus.

Happy Cooking!

1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup sliced leeks(green and light green parts only)
4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup uncooked pearl barley
1/2 lb. asparagus, trimmed, cut diagonally into 2 inch pieces
1/4 lb. sugar snap peas trimmed and cut in half diagonally
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan-Reggiano cheese..I used Pecorino Romano
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 tsp. unsalted butter
1/4 tsp. salt
fresh ground pepper
1 T. dill or dried parsley
1/8 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Heat oil in large nonstick sauce pan over medium heat.  Add leeks, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are light golden, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Stir in broth and barley, bring to boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until barley is almost tender, about 30 minutes. Mixture will thicken when covered. 

Stir in asparagus and sugar snap peas until vegetables are tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Remove saucepan from heat; stir in cheese, zest, butter, salt and pepper.  Stir in dill or parsley and season to taste with fresh lemon juice; serve immediately.

Yields about 1 cup per serving.  Serves 4  WW points 6 

Prep: 15 minutes, Cook time 45 minutes

Happy Cooking from my kitchen to yours,

4/19/13

Rigatoni with spicy tomato sauce

Here I go again trying another persons(chef )(Missy Robbins) pasta sauce. I found this recipe in People Magazine and very tasty.  Try it!  Note:  I did adapt this recipe to our liking. It doesn't take much time to create this wonderful meal.

My adapted version

Recipe:  

1 lb. rigatoni cooked 
1/2 cup olive oil
11 cloves garlic
1/4 can tomato paste*
2-28 oz. cans whole San Marzano tomatoes, drained and crushed reserving 1 cup juice
1 T fennel seed*
1 T chopped oregano, plus whole leaves for serving*
1 1/2 to 2T crushed red pepper*
Grated pecorino Romano cheese (someone else loves this cheese) THE BEST CHEESE

Cook pasta in a large stockpot of well -salted water for 2 to 3 minutes less than the directions call for.
Drain pasta...Reserve 1/4 cup liquid** I reserved 1/2 cup
Heat in a dutch oven over low 8 garlic cloves, and increase to medium-low stirring occasionally until soft and lightly caramelized, 5 to 8 minutes. thinly slice remaining garlic and add to oil.
Cook, stirring occasionally about one minute.  Add tomato paste and cook, stirring often until a deep color develops, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes, reserved tomato juice, fennel, oregano and crushed red pepper.  Cook stirring often for about 30 minutes.

Add reserved liquid to the sauce, stir to combine.  Add cooked pasta and cook until pasta is heated through.  Sprinkle with cheese and oregano leaves.

In 50 minutes you should have a great meal.

****My adaptation is as follows.

Less garlic about 4 cloves all minced
1 used 1 can of tomato paste
I used less fennel about 1/2 tsp.
I did not use oregano at all.  We don't care for it.
Also watch amount or red pepper...It is very hot so adjust to your taste.

Her Version

Happy Cooking from my kitchen to yours,

9/12/16

Jumbo Coconut Macaroons

I prefer large coconut macaroons because I love coconut. lol

I have several recipes for macaroons but this is my favorite.

I love jumbo macaroons and my idea to make them was when hubby and I were at the Pittsburgh Market district and I had one from one of the bakeries in the strip area.  They were huge, sweet and so tender I rushed home and tried and succeeded in making some great macaroons but~~~~somehow my recipe as well as the blog post went bye bye so today I'm trying to make these from memory hoping they'll be spot on Delicious. 


Note:  I found these coconut Macaroons to be delicious.  Mine were a bit lighter and not quite as sweet and I added 1/2 tsp. almond extract and 1 tsp. vanilla extract opting for a slight almond flavor. Also you might like to drizzle a little chocolate on top.  If so melt 1/2 bag semi sweet chocolate morsels and drizzle over the macaroons.  Yummy!

***I used an ice cream scooper to get the size I was looking for and they turned out perfect!

EASY PEASY COCONUT MACAROONS

5 1/4 cups coconut flakes
1 (14 ounce) sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract
melted chocolate (optional for dipping)


Preheat the oven to degrees (350F). Line a cookie sheet with non-stick baking paper or parchment paper.


Mix the flour and coconut together in a bowl with a large spoon. Add in the condensed milk,vanilla and almond extract and stir together until well blended.


Scoop by (I use an ice cream scooper) but you can make them any size you like. I moisten my hands, shape the macaroons into round balls or use the ice cream scooper if you want larger ones before dropping them onto the baking sheet. 


Bake for 12-15 minutes until top is golden brown.  Immediately remove from baking sheets. Cool completely before dipping in melted chocolate if desired. Enjoy!

Note:  If you are making larger macaroons you may have to leave them in the oven a little longer but be careful as not to burn them.  You should be able to see brown, golden but slightly firm on the outside appearance.

Enjoy!

12/6/14

3/9/16

2016 Christmas Appetizer

It's a Tradition that hubby and  I host Christmas Day Dinner.  It's been this way since forever and although I make too much in the way of the food and desserts I am happy to do it because for all the crazy days in-between it brings my family together. 

We moved to Pittsburgh about ten years ago and until then the children would pile up the grandchildren and make the trip to our house in Harrisburg or we'd drive to their house on Christmas Day.  Once we made the decision to move closer to them it took pressure off all of us.

It was a very hard decision because both hubby and I loved Harrisburg. It was convenient to visit our family in the Wilkes-Barre /Scranton area from Harrisburg easily but Pittsburgh is quite a drive.  From Harrisburg it is about 3 1/2 hours and from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area about 5 1/2 hours.  All and all we have been driving these drives since our son went to college in Pittsburgh which was 1987. Whew!

On to the main reason of this post.  I was completely off track....LOL  

This years Antipasto!

This is my attempt to do another unique antipasto which unfortunately isn't some of my best work.  It'll be fine but it was just a day my creatively was challenged and I just went with the flo. 

I started with Styrofoam balls (bought at craft store) that I covered in saran/ cling wrap.  Attached the base with double face tape and I used wooden skewers to hold them together and then placed in a nice size pretty glass dish.  Remember that your dish must fit in refrigerator to store overnight so be careful of size.

Lay out on a flat surface all the food you will be using along with a whole box of toothpicks. Colored are nice.

Lay out all your meat, cheese and olive items so they are handy for you to use.

Then on to adding your items.  I started at the top but suggest you start at the bottom.

Garnish with variegated lettuce on bottom to fill in empty spaces.

From my kitchen to yours,

Pre Christmas

Just a little sharing of my table and goodies for Christmas Day.

Our immediate family will be here as well. I baked and cooked preparing for this time that we manage to get us together at our house.  I feel blessed beyond words.

Our oldest grandchildren now twenty are home from college and that just adds to a great holiday. The youngest is almost fourteen and the two in the middle are seventeen and sixteen.

Hoping that you enjoy your holiday or special time of the year.

I'll be posting Christmas photos first chance.  I'd love hearing from you in my comment area.



Love, peace and kindness!

M.j.