Sandwiches With Flair

As I head home today, Dionne Warwick is warbling Make It Easy on Yourself ...cuz breaking up is so very hard to do. Well, Dionne, so is getting dinner on the table every night. That's why I will, without guilt, serve sandwiches tonight. It's Friday, after all. But because these have a little more going for them than the standard mustard/mayo/bologne, I am actually looking forward to them. And the potato chips, inspired by a batch tossed up by Food Network host Michael Chiarello, are a notch above the ordinary too.

Have a great weekend. See you back here on Monday!

Roast Beef sandwiches
8 ounces softened cream cheese
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1 large tomato, thinly sliced
1 baguette
1 pound sliced roast beef
1/2 pound sliced Havarti cheese
Combine first three ingredients. Spread the mixture on both sides of the baguette, sliced horizontally. Pile on roast beef and cheese, then top with tomato slices. Wrap the baguette in foil and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes.

Open a bag of plain potato chips and spread on a parchment-lined baking pan. Bake for about 5 minutes. Remove chips and sprinkle with seasoned salt or - my favorite - a spice mix such as garam masala you can find in the spice aisle. Bake for another five minutes. Suggestion: If using a seasoning that includes salt, consider buying low-salt chips. Slice the sandwiches and serve with chips.

Rice Revisited on Thursday

Remember that extra batch of rice I suggested you make on Tuesday? You didn't read my blog on Tuesday??? That's okay. I'm thinking ... Healthy! Vegetarian! Boring?

This refried rice recipe changed my mind about that. Fried traditionally is very simple, designed by Chinese peasants as a thrifty way to use leftovers. Most recipes call for cold rice mixed with green onions, a scrambled egg, some seasoning and bits of pork or chicken. Butfried rice's beauty is that it can accommodate almost any vegetable you want to use; consider those listed below a starting point only. I'm not partial to tofu and have never incuded it with the rice but I think it would blend into the mix just fine.And, if you feel you must be carnivorous, add a half pound of chopped meat - chicken, pork, ham - or shrimp and scallops.
You will needabout 6 cups of cooked rice, any kind, to serve 4. If it's
cold, so much the better.

Also:
peanut or vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 teaspon minced fresh ginger
1 cup chopped scallions
1 pound snow peas sliced into 1/2-inch strips
1 cup shredded carrots
1 teaspoon soy sauce or to taste
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 cup chopped peanuts or toasted sliced almonds

Film a large nonstick skillet with about 1 teaspoon of oil on medium-low heat. Lightly beat
eggs and pour into skillet. swirl into a thin layer. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
Cook until set. Lower heat if necessary to prevent browning. Slide the thin omelet onto a
plate. Allow it to set for a minute, then coarsely chop. Wipe pan and add about 4 teaspoons of
oil. Increase heat to medium-high. Add garlic and scallions, stir for a minute, then remaining
vegetables. Add a few drops of water to create some steam and stir for another minute or two.
(or more if you like your veggies softer.)  Add rice, breaking up clumps, and if you want, the
meat or seafood, then soy sauce. Toss for several minutes until rice is heated through. Toss
in the eggs. Divide among serving bowls and sprinkle with a little sesame oil and nuts.

Easy as Wednesday Morning

Let's do something a little funky for Rotisserie Chicken Wednesday, an homage to the late Lee Bailey, who wrote some of my favorite cookbooks. He was a bon vivant, houseware designer and all-around arbiter of the good life, known for his no-fuss entertaining and stylish, breezy approach to food. This recipe was adapted from "Entertaining for Friends." He served it with fresh creamed corn and peas. I have no idea if Bailey would approve of this short-cut version but I know he believed enjoying the company of those we love is more important than spending hours at the stove.

Potato-Chicken Pancakes, revised from a Lee Bailey recipe
1/2 package shredded (hash brown) potatoes, about 1 1/2 cups. Make it easy on yourself and get
the ones with green peppers and onions added if you can
1/2 of a rotisserie chicken, skin and bones removed, meat shredded
2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

Combine potatoes, flour and, if potatoes don't already have onions, 3 chopped scallions. Add salt and pepper to taste, eggs and chicken. Mix thoroughly. Film a large skillet with vegetable oil, heat on medium high and when hot, drop in rounded tablespoons of mixture. Cook for about a minute or until golden, turn and flatten a little and cook on other side until golden. Keep warm in oven while you make the rest. Makes about 18 pancakes.

Serve with salsa or ketchup. Here's Lee Bailey's peach salsa: Dice 2 peeled and pitted peaches. Combine with 1 tablespoon lime juice; 6 grape tomatoes, quartered; 6 chopped scallions; 1 diced jalepeno pepper.

You can't go wrong serving these with any fresh fruit in season.

A Tuesday trip to France

Make some easy surprise packages for dinner tonight, a fish dish with a provencale twist.

2 pounds firm white fish fillets such as grouper or bass for 4 people, 3 pounds for 6 (Make
sure the fillets are at least 1/2-inch thick)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, mint, dill or any combination)
2 tablespoons white wine
3 tablespoons olive oil
12 grape tomatoes, left whole
3 scallions sliced
1/4 cup pitted green or black olives
1 lemon
Spray or brush a foil-lined baking sheet with olive oil. Arrnge fish in a single layer, season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the wine and olive oil over the fish, then the remaining ingredients except for the lemon. Zest it over the mixture, then sqwuueze the juice. Cover with another sheet of foil, sealing the edges. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or
until the fish begins to flake.

To go with: green beans tossed with olive oil, wrapped in another foil packet and baked with the fish. Rice steamed then tossed with more fresh herbs and toasted pine nuts. Make an extra batch of rice for our Thursday meal.

Chili When It's Chilly

Happy Monday. Hope your weekend was as good as mine. You can tell I am not a real Floridian. I love it when the weather gets cold. One more cold snap, please?

I am sometimes a snob about prepared food but chili isn't on that list. I love to open a can of Hormel, heat it in the microwave and pile it with cheese, onions and sour cream, then eat it with a bowl of Fritos Scoops. It's one of my guilty indulgences. When I need a more formal, meal-type version, I make Chili Pie.

I use Bush's chili for this recipe because it's really good and it comes in large jars. You will need two big jars which you pour into a round baking dish. Mix a package of corn muffin with one egg, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1 small can of creamed corn and 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese. Pour over the chili. Bake the casserole at 375 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until a kmife inserted into the cornbread comes out clean. (You may need to reduce heat if the cornbread browns too quickly.) Serves 6.

It's fish Friday

Hey there. I am posting Friday's recipe a bit early but only because if I don't go to bed early tonight I'll be toast tomorrow. The candle is burning at both ends, if you know what I mean. I know some of you are rushing to your computers at 6 a.m. for the day's recipe. Not.

This is another recipe from my friend Linda's excellent dinner repertoire. She says she makes it like once a week!

Who knew a cod had a loin. Not me. You can buy bags of them frozen. I've found them at Sam's Club and Publix.

Monterey Cod and Rice

1 tablespoon garlic butter
2 10-ounce packages frozen cod loins, thawed
2 tablespoons bread-dip seasoning (Sicilian blend), divided
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, well-drained
Juice of 1 lemon
1 8.8-ounce pouch precooked long grain and wild rice
Preheat large saute pan on high 1-2 minutes; add butter. Sprinkle lightest side of fish with 1 tablespoon seasoning; place in pan with darkest side up. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon seasoning over fish; cook 2 minutes.
Arrange tomatoes in pan around fish. Cut (rinsed) lemon in half and squeeze juice (about 2 tablespoons) over fish. Cover and reduce heat to medium-high; cook 4-6 minutes or until internal temperature is 145 degrees. Remove fish from pan.
Reduce heat to medium and stir rice into tomato mixture. Cover and cook 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly heated. Serve.
Important note: Fish overcooks easily. Cook just until flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork. Use a meat thermometer to accurately ensure doneness.

You go grills!

In my book, there’s nothing like a good grilled hamburger. In fact, I could eat burgers everyday. Yeah, you can call me wimpy.

Buy patties already formed or make your own. Before you toss them on the grill, throw together this recipe for Oven Steak Fries. There’s not much to making them and they are so good.

Pile your burger with lots of fresh veggies and call it a salad. Cheese? Oh yeah. And use a kaiser roll or a lusty sourdough bun.

Oven Steak Fries

2 pounds Idaho or russet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch by 5-inch sticks
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
Nonstick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Spray a baking or cookie sheet with the nonstick cooking spray. Place potatoes in a large bowl. Add oil, parsley flakes, oregano and paprika, and toss potatoes until thoroughly coated.

Arrange potatoes in a single layer on the prepared baking / cookie sheet.

Bake for 30-40, turning the potatoes over once approximately halfway through baking time, until golden brown and thoroughly cooked. Serve hot.

Pillsbury Bake-Off Winner

Anna Ginsberg of Austin, Texas, is the winner of the $1-million grand prize in the Pillsbury Bake-Off. Her recipe for Baked Chicken and Spinach Stuffing must have swept the judges off their feet because it sounds so strange. It starts with Pillsbury Pillsbury Dunkables frozen homestyle waffle sticks and 3 syrup cups! She's got that salty-sweet thing going on. Lots of ingredients, too. So much for fast food.

None of the recipes I featured last week on Stir Crazy won any of the awards. I must start questioning my own taste.

Check out the complete list of winners and their recipes. Start plotting for the next competition, date TBA.

Is anybody out there?

Okay, this is like the fourth or fifth Rotisserie Chicken Wednesday and I have no idea if anyone is looking at this blog or thinks the recipes are helpful. C'mon guys, throw me a bone. Leave a comment so I know you're out there.

Yes, it's terribly needy of me to ask for feedback, sort of like those people who call you back on your cell phone after you've dialed the wrong number. "Did you call me?" Uh, if I meant to call I'd have left a message. Maybe I am not helping my case. I really, really want to hear from you. Hit the comment button! Please! Do it and no recipe will get hurt.

Could it be that NO ONE is cooking anymore?

Okay, I'm calm. Here's today's dinnertime offering from www.epicurious.com and Bon Appetit magazine.

CHICKEN AND JALAPENO QUESADILLAS
4 9-inch-diameter (burrito size) jalapeño- or other chili-flavored flour tortillas
Vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups (packed) shredded Mexican-blend cheeses
1 1/2 cups (packed) shredded Mexican-seasoned or other purchased roasted chicken
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush 2 tortillas with oil. Place tortillas, oil side down, on baking sheet. Sprinkle each with 1/4 of cheese, half of chicken, half of cilantro, and 1/4 of cheese, leaving 3/4-inch border. Top each with 1 tortilla, pressing to adhere; brush top with oil.
Bake quesadillas until filling is heated through and edges begin to crisp, about 10 minutes. Using large metal spatula, turn each over and bake until bottom is crisp, about 5 minutes.
Transfer quesadillas to plates. Cut into wedges and serve.
Serves 2; can be doubled.

Hurry up and eat ... it's American Idol night

  Long day? Here's something easy and a little bit different, comfort-type food with lots of flavor and texture.

You'll need:

1 package of precooked kielbasa, any kind
1 bag of presliced apples
   1 can each kidney beans and black-eyed peas
1 package of cooked, shelled edamame (soy beans usually found in the organic produce section)
1 red peper and 1 red onion. (The prechopped versions are brilliant.)

   Strain and rinse the beans, black-eyed peas and edamame. Toss in a bowl with 1/2 cup each onion and pepper. Mix with 2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar and 2 tablespoons of olive oil or to taste. Salt and pepper. Reserve.

   Spray a skillet with vegetable oil. Heat on medium high while you slice the kielbasa on the diagonal to make one-inch-thick discs. Add them to hot pan, brown and turn to brown other side. Remove to plate. Do not wipe pan but add a little more oil, then the apples. Lower heat to medium. Sprinkle apples with 2 teaspoons of sugar and a half-teaspoon each of nutmeg and cinnamon. Toss and turn in the pan until heated through and a little brown around the edges.

   Plate everything up and relax. Serves 4.

It's a Good-Tasting Thing

Sheesh, that weekend flew by. It was a busy one for me ... I feel like I need to get back to work to relax.

We're back to regular old recipes after a weeklong salute to the Pillsbury Bake-Off. Enough of refrigerated biscuits and Old El Paso whatever, don't you think? The competition is Tuesday and the $1-million winner will be announced Wednesday morning. I'll keep you posted.

This recipe comes from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine. She PROMISES it only takes 25 minutes. Serve with rice and broccoli steamed with razor-thin slices of garlic. (Or see the recipe for Roasted Broccoli below.)

Beef and Orange Stir-Fry
3 oranges  
2 garlic cloves, minced  
2 tablespoons soy sauce  
1 1/2 pounds trimmed boneless sirloin or rib eye, cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips
1 tablespoon cornstarch  
1 to 2 tablespoons canola oil  
6 scallions, green parts only, cut into 1-inch lengths  
Into a small bowl, finely grate zest and squeeze juice from 1 orange. Add garlic and soy sauce.

With a sharp paring knife, peel remaining 2 oranges. Slice oranges crosswise 1/2 inch thick, then halve slices; push out, and discard any seeds. Set aside.
 
In a medium bowl, toss meat with cornstarch until coated. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Working in batches (adding more oil if needed), brown beef on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes; transfer to a plate.
 
Pour juice mixture into skillet, and boil until syrupy, about 1 minute. Return beef to skillet; add orange slices and scallions. Toss until coated and heated through. Serve hot. Serves 4.

Roasted Broccoli
2 pound broccoli  
3 tablespoons olive oil  
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt  
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper  
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Trim 1 inch from stems of broccoli. Using a vegetable peeler, peel outer layer of stems; cut diagonally into 1/2-inch slices. Separate florets into bite-size pieces.
 
In a large bowl, toss florets and stems with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
 
Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet; roast, turning broccoli halfway through, until tender, about 15 minutes.
 

How about shrimp grits tonight?

We don't know what a gal from New York knows about grits, or one with the last name Jagendorf for that matter. Well, no never mind. Lillian's Smoky Shrimp with Creamy Grits sounds like a keeper. And maybe, mein schnookums, it may win $1-million next week at the Pillsbury Bake-off. If you want to see more of the recipes, go to www.pillsbury.com/bakeoff.

Thank goodness it's Friday, and for some of you, the end to Bake-Off week. Oh, I almost forgot, Linda is partial to Lisa Tucker but she was in the bottom three on American Idol this week. Has her streak of picking winners ended?

Cheers! Have a great weekend.

Smoky Shrimp with Creamy Grits
3 cups water
1 to 2 teaspoons salt
1 can (14.75 oz) Green Giant cream style sweet corn
3/4 cup quick-cooking grits
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions (8 medium)
2 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 lb uncooked deveined peeled large shrimp
1 teaspoon seafood seasoning (from 6-oz container)
1 teaspoon chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (from 7-oz can), finely chopped (see note)
1 can (14.5 oz) Muir Glen organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained
In 3-quart saucepan, heat water, salt and corn to boiling. With wire whisk, gradually beat in grits. Return to boiling, beating constantly. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in onions and cream cheese until well combined. Cover; keep warm.
Meanwhile, in 10-inch heavy skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook and stir about 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Add shrimp; cook and stir 4 to 6 minutes or just until shrimp are pink. Stir in seafood seasoning, chipotle chiles and tomatoes. Reduce heat to medium; simmer uncovered 2 to 3 minutes or until tomatoes are thoroughly heated.
Divide grits mixture evenly among individual large soup bowls; spoon shrimp mixture evenly over top.
Serves 4.
Note: Chipotle chiles are dried smoked jalapeño chiles. Their presence gives this dish the smoky and hot spicy flavor, which is nicely balanced by the creamy grits. Look for them in small cans in the aisle where you find Mexican ingredients.

Good-bye Melissa, Hello Robin

Now that Melissa McGhee is off Åmerican Idol, Tampa's hope for fame and fortune sits on the shoulders of Robin Spires. Her Tomato-Crab Bisque is one of the 100 dishes vying for $1-million next week at the Pillsbury Bake-Off. This recipe is so amazingly simple but still full of rich flavor. I'd serve it was sourdough bread and a green salad with lots of colorful veggies. The recipe serves 2 but it can be easily doubled.

Tomato-Crab Bisque
1 can (19 oz) Progresso Vegetable Classics tomato basil soup
1 can (7 oz) Old El Paso chopped green chiles
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup drained refrigerated pasteurized crabmeat (about 3 oz), flaked
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
In 2-quart saucepan, heat soup and green chiles over medium heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; beat in whipping cream with wire whisk until blended. Cook just until thoroughly heated (do not boil).
  Meanwhile, in small microwavable bowl, microwave crabmeat on High 30 to 45 seconds or until thoroughly heated.
  Ladle soup into individual soup bowls. Top each serving with 1/4 cup crabmeat and parsley. Makes 2 2-cup servings.

It's That Day Again!!!

Dude, the Wednesdays just keep on coming, don't they? Sorry, I just finished watching American Idol and am channeling Randy Jackson. It's nearly as difficult to contain my excitement for Rotisserie Chicken Wednesday as it is Ace Young. Too bad he doesn't have the pipes, but oh is he sweet. Still on the fence about who I'll support but I've gotta say Katherine McPhee was my favorite this week. And isn't it amazing, and a true blessing, that no one sang "Isn't She Lovely?"

My friend Linda at work almost always predicts the winner. (Oh, except for Clay.) I'll report back Thursday on her prediction.

Anyway, enough of Idol.

This week I am featuring recipes that are in the finals of the Pillsbury Bake-Off next week in Orlando. Did I tell you I was a judge for the last one? Lordy, can you believe I had a hand in making someone $1-million richer? That said, it's really hard to guess which recipes might rise to the top. I like this one from Karen Tedesco of Webster Groves, Mo., but if the judges don't like pesto it's toast. Go easy on the green stuff, even though the recipe calls for a third of a cup. Start with a few spoonfuls, then taste.

Her recipe calls for a 6-ounce package of refrigerated grilled chicken strips, but I say slices of breast meat off a rotisserie chicken will be fine. Maybe even better.

Tuscan Roasted Potato-Chicken Salad
1 bag (19 oz) Green Giant® frozen roasted potatoes with garlic & herb sauce
1 cup diced fresh mozzarella cheese(6 oz)
1/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained, cut into strips
2 to 3 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 can (15 oz) Progresso® cannellini (white kidney) beans, drained, rinsed
1 package (6 oz) refrigerated grilled chicken breast strips, heated in microwave as directed on package, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup basil pesto
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper, if desired
3 cups mixed baby salad greens
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted*
In 2-quart microwavable bowl or casserole, microwave frozen potatoes and sauce chips, covered, on High 9 to 13 minutes, stirring once halfway through microwaving, until potatoes are tender. Stir potatoes to mix with sauce. Pour potato mixture into large bowl.
Stir in cheese, tomatoes, rosemary, beans and warm chicken. Add pesto and lemon juice; gently toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Arrange salad greens on large serving platter. Spoon potato salad over lettuce; sprinkle with pine nuts. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Makes: 4 servings (1-1/2 cups each)

Pillsbury Bake-Off, Day 2

This recipe, from Laura Ware of Fort Worth, Texas, is a finalist for next week's Pillsbury Bake-Off in the Cooking for Two category. It can easily be doubled to feed four.

Come back tomorrow for Rotisserie Chicken Wednesday.

Stove-Top Chicken Enchilada Lasagna
1 tablespoon butter or vegetable oil
1/3 cup finely chopped onion (1 small)
1 can (10 oz) Old El Paso red enchilada sauce
1 to 3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 can (12.5 oz) chunk chicken breast in water, drained
4 Old El Paso flour tortillas for burritos, 8 inch (from 11.5-oz package)
1 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese (4 oz)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
1/3 cup sliced jalapeño chiles (from jar)
1 can (7 oz) Old El Paso® chopped green chiles
Sour cream
In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender. Reserve 1/4 cup enchilada sauce; add remaining sauce to onion. Stir in cumin and chicken. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered 5 minutes.
Lightly grease 10-inch skillet with butter or cooking spray; heat over low heat. Place 1 tortilla in skillet; top evenly with pepper Jack cheese and second tortilla. Spread chicken mixture over second tortilla; top with third tortilla. Sprinkle evenly with Cheddar cheese; top with jalapeño chiles and green chiles. Place fourth tortilla over chiles; spread reserved 1/4 cup enchilada sauce over top.
  Cover skillet; cook over low heat 18 to 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes before serving. Cut into 4 wedges; serve topped with sour cream and if desired, several additional jalapeño chile slices.

Salute to the Pillsbury Bake-Off!

In honor of next week's Pillsbury Bake-Off in Orlando, I'll be featuring recipes from some of the finalists on Stir Crazy this week. The winner will take home $1-million. Not bad for recipes that start with crescent rolls and the like.

This burger recipe from Lisa Huff of Birmingham, Ala, sounds interesting. Worth a million bucks? Make it and let me know. The recipe calls for Japanese-style bread crumbs called panko. They are widely available these days at most grocery stores. If you don't see them, ask. Happy Monday!

Teriyaki Veggie-Pork Burgers
1 box (9 oz) Green Giant frozen teriyaki vegetables
1 green onion, coarsely chopped (1 tablespoon)
1 lb lean ground pork
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce
1 container (6 oz) Yoplait Original 99% Fat Free orange crème or mandarin orange yogurt
4 whole wheat or multi-grain burger buns (4 to 5 inch), split, toasted
16 thin slices cucumber
In food processor, place frozen teriyaki vegetables and onion; process with on-and-off motions until finely chopped. Place in large bowl. Stir in ground pork, bread crumbs and ginger until well blended. Shape mixture into 4 patties, about 5 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch thick.
Spray 12-inch skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Add patties; cover and cook 10 to 12 minutes, turning once, until browned and meat thermometer inserted in center of patties reads 160 degrees.
Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix mayonnaise, teriyaki sauce and yogurt with wire whisk until well blended.
Spread mayonnaise mixture evenly on top and bottom halves of toasted buns. Top bottom halves with patties and cucumber slices. Cover with top halves of buns. Makes 4 sandwiches.

Forget the lines tonight; eat at home

Friday always seems like a good night to go out to eat. Celebrate the end of another week and all that jazz. But the waiting lines for Tampa Bay restaurants can be crazy this time of the year. The season may be good for the tourist industry, but it doesn't do anything for locals wanting a table at 7:30 on a Friday (or Saturday).

You can play like Outback at home tonight. Buy a couple of New York strip steaks to grill. If you want to get fancy, crumble Maytage clube cheese over the steaks when they are hot off the grill. Toss a couple of baked potatoes in the oven (or buy prepared mashed potatoes) and mix up a big Caesar salad. It's easy enough to rip up romaine, sprinkle on Parmesan and chunky croutons and pour on Cardini's dressing. I think fresh salad tastes better than the kits; sometimes the lettuce is limp and weird.

Still hungry?

How about a bowl of juicy strawberries topped with whipped cream? Or maybe ice cream. Or maybe a ride to Cold Stone Creamery. By the time you digest your dinner, there won't be any lines at all.

Have a great weekend!

Fajitas for four

Honestly, the most popular cooking magazines drive me nuts sometimes. I just spent 30 minutes looking through the latest Cooking Light magazine for a good recipe to share. Could I find one with less than 20 ingredients? No. I think these editors are a little out of touch.

For those of you keeping track, I am posting later than usual. My son played baseball until 9:30 p.m. and hit a three-run double if you want to know. Then we watched the finale of "Project Runway" and were surprised that Chole won. We were pulling for Daniel V. Enough of me. On to the recipe. How about fajitas tonight? Serve them with fresh fruit and make seasoned rice. This is a low-fat recipe with less than 3 grams saturated fat per serving.

The beef needs to be marinated. Can you sneak out on your lunch hour, buy the ingredients and stop at home to throw them in the marinade?

Beef Fajitas
3/4 pound boneless beef round, trimmed and cut into strips
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp canola oil
1 yellow pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1 red onion, thinly sliced
4 fat-free whole-wheat tortillas, warmed
1/2 cup salsa
4 tbsp fat-free sour cream
Chopped cilantro to garnish

Combine lime juice, cumin, chili powder and garlic in a glass dish. Add beef and toss to coat. Cover with wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Remove beef strips and discard marinade.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat tablespoon of oil. Add beef strips, bell peppers and red onion, stirring and tossing until beef is cooked,about 5 minutes. ivide fajita mixture among four tortillas. Garnish with salsa, fat free sour cream and cilantro, and roll them up.

Place your pie vote today!

Today, Florida legislators will be debating something very important. No, not insurance rates or FCAT relevance. It's the naming of the state pie.

Vying for this esteemed honor are the pecan pie and the key lime pie. Not surprisingly, loyalties are divided by geography. South Florida legislators want the tropical fave and North Florida types want the nutty pie. (But isn't pecan pie a Georgia thing?)

Anyway, cast your votes here on this vital issue.

It's Wednesday. Do you know where your Rotisserie Chicken is?

How times flies. It's Rotisserie Chicken Wednesday again. Today's dinner idea is not exactly diet food but it sure is tasty and quick. This is my quick version of Chicken-Asparagus Fettuccine which can feed up to six people depending on their appetites. It's rich and filling so you don't need a lot. Serve it with slices of ripe tomato and cool cucumber seasoned with salt and pepper.

Start by boiling water for the fettuccine. Use about half of a 1-pound box. (That'd be 8 ounces dry).

While the pasta cooks, pull the skin off your rotisserie chicken and then take off the meat. Cut in bite-size pieces and set aside.

Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large heated skillet and add a small, diced onion and 1 to 2 minced garlic cloves. Saute until soft, about 4 minutes. Add 2 cups, or so, of 1-inch pieces of fresh asparagus. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the chicken and heat through. Then, add two 10-ounce containers of Alfredo sauce. I used the light version which cuts calories and fat. Heat through.

Drain fettuccine and add to the skillet. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Show me your mussels

I love this recipe for mussels because of its great taste and ease of preparation. This truly is a meal in minutes. 15 minutes max.

In a deep pot with a lid, saute two large minced garlic cloves and a diced shallot in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil for about 3 minutes. Dump in a pound of washed mussels and stir. Add 1/2 cup of whatever white wine you've got open and a 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes; even the herbed ones will do. Put the lid on the pot and let the steam work its magic. In a matter of minutes, the mussels will open. Dump them in a big bowl and serve family-style at the table. Crusty French bread sops up the delicious broth. A green salad rounds out the meal.

This is also a good first-course.

Blue Monday, Post Oscar

There are only two things to do after watching the gorgeous stick-figure actresses walk the red carpet at the Academy Awards: bury your face in a pint (or two) of Ben & Jerry's Phish Food or try to eat more sensibly. Okay, let's fight the good fight tonight at dinner. This main dish Ginger-Beef Salad from www.about.com has red meat, but only 8 ounces split four ways. Load up on the greens and veggies. Maybe someday, when they thank the "little" people, that'll be us.

Ginger-Beef Salad
Dressing:
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
pepper, to taste
Salad:
8 ounces rare cooked steak or roast beef, thinly sliced
4 ounces vermicelli, broken into 3-inch pieces, cooked and cooled
1 cup pea pods, halved
1 cup shredded cabbage, red
1/2 cup very thinly sliced carrot
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 can (8oz) sliced water chestnuts, drained

Whisk together dressing ingredients or shake in a tightly covered container.

Combine all salad ingredients in a bowl; pour dressing over salad and toss lightly. Chill for at least an hour before serving.
Serves 4.

TGI Chicken

My food-writing colleague Jeanne Besser at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has a weekly column called the 5:30 Challenge. (She also has a book of the same name which is a collection of a bunch of the columns.) This recipe is from a recent column. It makes quick work of dinner by using roasted red peppers from a jar. Besser says you could also substitute the same amount of sun-dried tomoatoes. Serve with al dente fettuccine and green beans.

Happy Friday everybody! See you back Monday for some Stir Crazy dinner ideas.

Pan-fried Chicken With Red Pepper Pesto
2 jars roasted red peppers, drained well
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon garlic-flavored olive oil
4 (4- to 6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pounded to uniform thickness

In a food processor, combine red peppers, pine nuts and Parmesan cheese and process until pureed. With machine running, drizzle in olive oil. Set aside.

In a large well-oiled skillet over medium heat, add chicken and cook for 4 to 6 minutes per side, or until cooked through.
Transfer to serving plate and top chicken with pesto. Serves 4.

Per serving: 257 calories (percent of calories from fat, 51), 28 grams protein, 2 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 14 grams fat (3 saturated), 68 milligrams cholesterol, 121 milligrams sodium.

How about some shrimp tonight?

Here's a recipe from the Food Network that packs a lot of flavor without a ton of calories and fat. If you want to serve something with it, consider couscous which comes in a variety of flavors and cooks in less than 10 minutes.

Shrimp with Basil, Garlic and Tomatoes
1 cup quartered cherry or grape tomatoes (about 12)
5 large fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus extra for garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 pounds medium-large shrimp, shelled and deveined
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced

In a medium bowl, toss the tomatoes with the basil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside while you prepare the shrimp.

Divide the shrimp between 2 (8 or 9-inch) pie pans and pat them completely dry with a paper towel. Arrange the shrimp so they lay flat and are evenly spaced in the pans.

Heat 2 large skillets over medium heat, or do this in 2 batches if you only have 1 pan. Season 1 side of the shrimp with salt and pepper. Add enough oil to lightly film the bottom of the pan and turn the heat up to high. Invert the pan of shrimp so they all fall into the skillet(s) at once. Saute the shrimp, undisturbed, until they turn golden brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Add a bit more oil and 1/2 the garlic to each pan. Turn the heat off and turn the shrimp over with tongs. Cook the shrimp for 1 minute in the residual heat of the pans. Transfer the shrimp to the bowl with the tomato mixture and toss to combine. Divide the shrimp among 4 plates or a serving platter and serve hot or at room temperature.