Friday Pastabilities

Every year Fran McCullough collects the best recipes from books, newspapers and magazines and put them together in a book called The 150 Best American Recipes. If you've not looked at one, check out the new version at one of those big-box bookstores.

This recipe is from the book and comes from Suzanne Dunaway's "Rome, At Home." I haven't tried it but promise to this weekend. It looks easy, yet elegant. And best of all, quick.

Mangia good people! See you back on Monday.

Rigatoni Alla Toto

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 pound sweet Italian sausages, with or without fennel, casings removed
1 cup dry white wine
A few fresh basil leaves
Pinch of ground fennel seeds, if using plain sausage (see note)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Salt
1 pound rigatoni
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiana-Regina cheese for serving

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sausage and brown on all sides. Add the wine and cook for 1 minute. Add the basil, ground fennel (if using), and cream and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes, or until the sausage is cooked through.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni in the boiling water until al dente. Drain well and toss with the sauce. Serve immediately with the Parmigiana-Reggiano sprinkled on top.

Note: Grind whole fennel seeds by crushing them with a mortar and pestle, or chop them on a cutting board with a large knife.

Burgers with a Twist

Kid friendly alert! This recipe is easy enough for the offspring to help with and tasty enough to put on the regular rotation.

Not all burgers have to be served on a bun and these are a good example of that. Serve them with corn (or corn muffins) and a green salad. Maybe even carrot and celery sticks with Ranch. I know that sounds sort of like lunch lady stuff but something familiar is always welcome when you're trying something new. That might be the spicy enchilada sauce for some kids.

The ground meat this recipe calls for is exceptionally lean so the prepared black bean dip and ketchup brings back some flavor and moisture. You could even use refried beans but look for the vegetarian variety that don't have saturated fat.

Beef and Black Bean Burgers with Enchilada Glaze
1 pound ground beef, preferably 85 percent lean
1/2 cup prepared bean dip
2 tablespoons ketchup
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
No-stick spray
1 can (about 10 ounces) enchilada sauce
1/2 cup (about 4 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese

Mix the beef, bean dip, ketchup and salt and pepper in a bowl until well-blended. Form into 4 burgers. Heat a large, heavy skillet over high heat for several minutes. Spray the burgers and brown on both sides.

Add the enchilada sauce, reduce the heat to a simmer, and simmer until the sauces reduces to a glaze, turning the burgers several times to glaze evenly and cook through. Top with the cheese; cover the pan and cook until he cheese melts, 1 to 2 minutes, before serving.

Source: "Homemade in a Hurry" by Andrew Schloss (Chronicle Books, 2006)

Rotisserie Chicken Wednesday!

If you're new to Stir Crazy, welcome. If you've been here before, welcome back!

On Monday through Friday, by 3 p.m, and often before noon, I post a recipe suitable for that night's dinner. Okay, maybe that's a little ambitious. I know you have to stop at the store. Maybe you'll make it tomorrow night.

On hump day - that's today - I post a recipe that takes a rotisserie chicken and turns it into enchiladas, a casserole, salad or some other tasty dish.

Today's recipe for Chicken A La King comes from the Web site Dianaskitchen.com. I like it because it doesn't use a can of condensed soup and saves some sodium. You can cut the fat grams by using fat-free evaporated milk and still get the lush sauce. I do that all the time. On their own, the fat-free stuff can taste pretty metallic but mixed with other ingredients they are a fine substitute. If you want to use olive oil instead of butter, you could do that too and cut saturated fat (but not actual grams).

Please come back tomorrow for a recipe that your kids will love ... and might even be willing to help with. And as always, feel free to leave a comment or request.

Chicken a la King

3 tablespoons butter
1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups evaporated milk or half-and-half
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
3 cups diced cooked chicken
1/4 cup chopped pimiento

Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add mushrooms and green pepper; cook for 5 minutes. Blend in flour, salt, and pepper. Continue stirring and cooking until smooth and bubbly. Gradually add milk and chicken broth, stirring constantly. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. If you'd like a thicker sauce, blend 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup cold water; add to sauce, a little at a time, until desired thickness is reached. Cook for a few more minutes. Add chicken and pimiento; heat through. Serve on toast points or pastry shells or rice. Chicken a la King Recipe serves 6 to 8.

Pork chops tonight

Maybe it's because it is officially fall and creeping closer to Thanksgiving, but stuffing is on my mind. Oh, all right, it's always on my mind. I love stuffing (or dressing if you're from the South). Stuffed pork chops are as good a reason as any to eat stuffing. This recipe is from www.cooking.com and I am going to make it tonight.

The directions crack me up when they instruct you to "mold the stuffing into an attractive shape." Like maybe the body of George Clooney? I think I'll just mimic the shape of the chop, don't you think? I'll also use a reduced sodium/fat cream of mushroom soup. I think I'll check for doneness at 45 minutes; 60 seems too long. Don't want the chops too dry; through the wine and soup will help.

Anyway, make these tonight too and let me know how you like them.

STUFFED BAKED PORK CHOPS
4 to 6 lean pork chops
4 to 6 cup stuffing mix, prepared according to package directions
3/4 c. chopped walnuts
1 diced apple
2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 c. white or red wine (or water)
Prepare stuffing mix. Saute pork chops in a tablespoon of olive oil and place in 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Mix walnuts and diced apple with prepared stuffing. Heap about 1 cup of prepared stuffing on top of each pork chop. Mold the stuffing lightly into an attractive shape (too funny!). Mix together soup and wine (or water). Pour carefully over pork chops and stuffing. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes.

Bake some fish

This recipe is good for cod, as it calls for, or another firm white fish such as halibut. The flavors are very Mediterranean, which means salty and tangy and, if you ask me, delicious.

I buy cod loins (loins? who knew a fish had a loin?) at Sam's Club. They are wrapped individually so you just take one or two out of a bag of 10 to thaw. I love that. Sometimes, I sub dried herbs for fresh, especially when the recipe calls for so little. In this one, I'd just use 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme.

Roasted Cod with Prosciutto, Cherry Tomatoes and Olives

12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
2 ounces pitted black olives
2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons chopped thyme
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cod fillets, about 6 ounces each
4 slices of prosciutto
Salt and pepper
Basil leaves, to garnish

Combine the tomatoes, olives, capers, lemon rind, thyme and oil in a roasting pan and season with salt and pepper. Fit the cod fillets into the pan, spooning some of the tomato mixture over the fish.

Scatter the ham over the top and roast in a preheated oven, 425 degrees, for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, drizzle over the lemon juice, cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes.

Garnish the cod with basil leaves and serve with new potatoes and a green salad.

Serves 4.

Source: www.ivillage.com

Fancy Fish Friday

I just finished lunch so should not be thinking about dinner. For those of you in St. Petersburg or can get here sometime on a Friday check out the fried fish sandwich at Mazzaro's Italian market on 22nd Ave. N. Friday is the only day they make it. For $4.50 you get this monstrous sandwich. The fish is so delicious and not greasy-fried like these sorts of things can be. It's so huge you can easily split it. Of course, I didn't.

Anyway, I am still thinking about fish for dinner. This recipe from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine is really simple but elegant enough if you wanted to entertain.

Have a good weekend. See u back here on Monday.

POACHED SALMON WITH CURRIED YOGURT SAUCE
1 ½ pounds skinless salmon fillet
Coarse salt, such as kosher
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 to 2 teaspoons curry powder
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Coarse salt and pepper
For serving: blanched carrots and green beans; see cook's notes

Cook's notes: To blanch vegetables, cut carrots into sticks that are similar in size to green beans. Submerge in boiling water and cook until vegetables are tender-crisp, 4 to 6 minutes.

Place salmon in large skillet. Add cold water to cover; season with salt. Bring water to boil over high heat; cover skillet and remove from heat. Set aside until salmon is opaque throughout, about 20 minutes. Remove from skillet and let cool. (Refrigerate airtight, if desired.)

In small bowl, combine yogurt, curry powder and cilantro; add salt and pepper to taste. Cut salmon into 4 pieces. Top with sauce and serve with vegetables on the side.

Serves 4.

Nutritional information (per serving): Calories 218 (65 percent from fat), protein 15 g, carbohydrates 2.1 g, fat g 17.6 (saturated 3.6 g), cholesterol 54 mg, calcium 189 mg, sodium 297 mg, fiber 0.5 g.

Something for kids

My friend Susan told me today at lunch that she wants me to supply more kid-friendly meals. You know, something that appeals to picky kids.

Problem is with kids is that you can have two or three in the house and they all want something different. Don't even get started about husbands. The goal is to NOT to become a short-order cook turning out three different meals.

To help Susan, and hopefully more of you out there, I am going to be providing some kid-friendly meals on Thursdays. Please feel free to leave a comment or some suggestions.

This recipe from Cooking Light is super easy, in fact, the kids can even help. It's probably better for young kids than teenagers. Use your favorite prepared spaghetti sauce. Salad (with Ranch of course) and bread will complete the meal. Yours won't eat anything green? How about fruit kabobs? Or even slices of watermelon for dessert.

Spaghetti and Meatballs with a Surprise 
1/4 cup grated onion
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 pounds ground round
1 garlic clove, minced
3 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, cut into 16 cubes
1 (26-ounce) bottle fat-free pasta sauce
5 1/2 cups hot cooked spaghetti (about 12 ounces uncooked pasta)

Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl; shape into 16 (1-inch) meatballs. Working with 1 meatball at a time, flatten meatball, and place 1 cheese cube in center of meatball. Gather meatball around cheese cube, sealing well.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs; cook 6 minutes, browning on all sides. Drain well. Wipe pan with a paper towel.

Return meatballs to pan. Add pasta sauce; bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and cook 10 minutes. Serve over pasta.

Yield: 8 servings.

Easy Chicken Dinner

Big wheel keep on turning, eh? It's Rotisserie Chicken Wednesday again.

If you like barbecue pork or beef sandwiches, you'll like this quick chicken version. I've used soft hamburger buns, which really soak up the sauce and make for good and sloppy eating, and more sturdy Kaiser rolls. I think the thicker rolls have too much bread sometimes so I just pull out some of the innards. Don't make them too thin or you'll really have a mess.

This recipe wold be good with barbecued rotisserie chicken for extra oomph. I've only made it with the regular roasters and it's good, too. I like Pat's Homemade Barbecue sauce. I get it a Publix.

Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches
3 to 3-1/2 pound rotisserie chicken, skin removed, meat removed and shredded
1-1/2 to 2 cups of your favorite bottled barbecue sauce
4 sandwich buns
1-1/3 cup coleslaw (homemade or store-bought)

Stir together shredded chicken and sauce in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, until mixture is hot and well combined. Add more sauce if mixture seems dry. Meanwhile, lightly toast sandwich buns.

Place a bun half of each of four plates. Divide chicken mixture evenly among buns, add some coleslaw and top with remaining bun halves.

Did you see Rachael Ray?

Just curious if anyone tuned into Rachael Ray's new chatfest. Wondering what you thought.

I reviewed the first show for our daily entertainment section and thought maybe she was just over excited and nervous. She seemed more amped than usual.

Tell me, is she just too much or just perfect?

I love olives

I adore olives, really, all kinds. And this recipe is one of my favorite ways to cook with them. It may sound like a lot of preparation and ingredients but it's really a breeze to put together. If you don't have time on a weekday save it for the weekend.

Lately, I've really fallen in love with the idea of cooked cherry or grape tomatoes. Just a bit of heat and they pop and give off juices as flavors intensified.

If you don't want to go to the trouble, or expense, of a fresh herb rub, buy a prepared herb marinade for beef. The olives and tomatoes will give plenty of flavor.

HERB-CRUSTED FLANK STEAK WITH CHERRY TOMATOES AND OLIVES
For Steak:
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 1 1/2-pound flank steaks
1 tablespoon olive oil
For Tomatoes
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pitted Kalamata olives or other brine-cured black olives
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pitted brine-cured green olives
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Sherry wine vinegar

For steak:
Mix first 6 ingredients in small bowl. Place steaks in large glass baking dish. Brush steaks with olive oil. Rub with herb mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.

For tomatoes:
Mix all ingredients in large bowl. Season tomatoes to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill steaks until cooked to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium. Transfer steaks to cutting board. Cover with foil. Let stand 5 minutes.

Cut steaks across grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange steak slices on large platter. Spoon tomatoes with juices over steaks and serve.

Makes 6 servings.
Source: Bon Appétit, June 2002

Fall for Apples

Happy Monday. I trust you had a good weekend. A friend of mine got married on Friday night and I helped make the food. It was a lot of fun.

I know it's not really fall here but the calendar says it is getting close up north. Apples are in season and it's a good time to cook with them. This recipe calls for spinach but you won't be able to use the bagged variety because of the e.coli scare but you can use fresh. If you are really nervous, use frozen ... you'll have to make sure the water is all squished out. This recipe comes for the Washington Apple Board.

Bistro Apple Pizza
2 tsp. garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 12-inch prepared pizza dough crust
2 cups fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, or Granny Smith apples cored, peeled and thinly sliced (or chopped)
1 cup shredded low-fat, part skim Mozzarella cheese
1 cup crumbled Blue, Gargonzola or Roquefort cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmasan cheese
1 tsp. dried leaf oregano
   
For each pizza: Heat oven to 450 degrees. Saute garlic in olive oil over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Brush olive oil blend onto pizza crust. Distribute spinach evenly onto crust.

Sprinkle on apples. Blend mozzarella cheese, blue cheese and parmesan cheese. Distribute evenly over apples.

Sprinkle on oregano. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until cheese boils and crust is brown.

It's a fish Thursday

Fried fish is delicious but you can't get similar results with oven-baking. Okay, not exactly the same but lots less fat/calories. This recipe says it feeds four but I think not ... unless you're feeding kids. Three is probably the max.

What a great, fast weeknight meal. Buy some coleslaw and bake some potato wedges.

Oven-Fried Fish
4 white fish fillets, totalling 4 pounds
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
4 lemon wedges
Preheat oven to temperature 500. Dip fish in buttermilk, then in breadcrumbs to coat well. Arrange fillets on a baking sheet, without crowding. Drizzle with butter. Bake in upper third of oven 10-12 minutes, until crusty and golden. Serve with lemon wedges.

Serves 4.

Get fancy with rotisserie

It's Rotisserie Chicken Wednesday! This is a delicious and easy weeknight meal, especially on hump day. I love the addition of apples to this salad. More fiber! More flavor!

Hey, do me a favor. If these recipes have been any use to you could you let me know? Also, is there something you're looking for? I know you all want nutritional information and I give it when I can, but don't have the time to break it all down myself. Drop me a post, would ya?

Warm Chicken Salad with Mustard-Thyme Vinaigrette
3 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard with seeds
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups coarsely shredded skinless rotisserie chicken meat (about 15 ounces)
1 Red Delicious, Gala, or Fuji apple, unpeeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1 bag (5 to 6 ounces) baby spinach

In nonstick 10-inch skillet, cook bacon over medium heat 5 to 6 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Add green onions and cook 1 minute, stirring. Remove skillet from heat. Stir in vinegar, oil, mustard, thyme, and salt.

Meanwhile, in large serving bowl, toss chicken with apple and spinach until combined.

Pour hot dressing over chicken mixture. Toss until salad is evenly coated. Serve immediately.

Source: ivillage.com

Make a meatloaf

I love this recipe for meatloaf. I developed it after an interview with the Food Network's Alton Brown a few years ago. He gave me his tips and I adapted it to my very own recipe. (Well, the recipe my mother taught me.) I think every cook needs to have a great meatloaf recipe.

I like to make it free form rather than cook in a loaf pan. That leaves more surface space to get crispy. Plus, if there is too much fat in the meat, the loaf tends to boil. Yuck.

Make it tonight!

Alton-Inspired Meatloaf
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup celery, finely diced
1 pound ground chuck
1/2 pound ground lamb
1/2 pound ground sirloin
2 eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Saute onion, garlic and celery in olive oil until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool.

Mix cooled sauteed vegetables with remaining ingredients. Using your hands, incorporate thoroughly. Form into a loaf shape and place in the middle of a 9- by 13-inch baking dish.

Bake for 20 minutes at 400, then reduce to 325 degrees for 45 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 160 degrees.

Times testing notes: This is a basic meatloaf recipe made using suggestions from Alton Brown, host of Food Network's Good Eats. Cooking it at a high temperature for 20 minutes gave the meat a crispier crust. The lamb provides a bolder flavor than mild veal.

Source: Janet K. Keeler, Times food editor

Make It Easy Monday

It's nice to have a meatless meal a few times a week. Our vegetarian friends would say more is better. This recipe, from www.ilovepasta.org, is lower-fat than some recipes laden with cheese. That's because it calls for low-fat cottage cheese rather than ricotta. Also, the spinach gives it an extra dose of nutrition.

Serves with a green salad chock-full of veggies and you've got yourself a meal to beat the Monday blues.

Stuffed Shells Marinara
24 Jumbo Shells, uncooked
2 10-oz. packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed
2 cups low-fat cottage cheese
1/4 cup grated onion
1 14-oz. jar spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Prepare pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, cook spinach according to package directions. Drain spinach thoroughly in colander by pressing out extra liquid with a large spoon; cool. In a medium bowl, combine spinach with cottage cheese and onion.

When pasta is done, drain. Rinse with cold water and drain again. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spoon cheese mixture into shells. Place shells in a lightly oiled 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking dish. Pour spaghetti sauce over shells. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until hot.

Serves 4.

Each serving has: 457 Calories, 29.6 g Protein, 66.6 g Carbohydrates, 9 g Fat, 1078 mg Sodium. Calories from Fat 17%

What happened to Thursday?

Where the heck did yesterday go? I looked up at the clock after keeping my face to the computer most the day and realized it was after 5 and I had given you no recipe! I went out for sushi; hope you did something equally nice. I figured I'd blog early today before I get too crazy busy.

I have a friend who makes pork tenderloins a lot. They are delicious and tender, providing you don't overcook them. The pork we eat today is much leaner than it was 30 years ago so if you are using old recipes be careful about the cooking time. Without the fat, the meat cooks quicker and can become dry and, worse, tasteless.

The best way to tell if the meat is done is to use a meat thermometer. Tenderloin is done at 145 to 150 degrees. Let the meat sit for five minutes so juices can settle in; it will also cook for a bit more.

This recipe is from a book that crossed my desk this week called "One-Pot Cookbook" by Jesse Ziff Cool (isn't that a cool name?) Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic Peaches and Goat Cheese makes use of late-season peaches. Keep it in your regular rotation, though, because you can use drained canned peaches in the winter. If you don't like goat cheese; try crumbled feta.

Have a great weekend!

Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic Peaches and Goat Cheese

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1-pound pork tenderloins
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons stone-ground mustard
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 cinnamon stick, broken into 3 or 4 pieces
2 firm, ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
4 to 6 ounces soft goat cheese
1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

In a large, heavy pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Season the pork with salt and pepper and cook, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a platter and loosely cover with aluminum foil.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the onions in the same pot for 5 minutes, of until softened. Add the broth, brown sugar, mustard, balsamic vinegar, and cinnamon pieces. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes to marry the flavors. Add the peaches and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Return the tenderloins to the pot, cover, and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, of until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the middle of the meat registers from 145 to 150 degrees.

Using tongs, transfer the tenderloins to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

To serve, spoon the peach mixture (without cinnamon stick pieces) onto a large platter or warmed plates and crumble the goat cheese over them. Arrange the pork slices on top of the peaches down the center of the plate and garnish with the parsley.

We Need Cookie Recipes!

We want your favorite Christmas cookie recipes.

Dig through your recipe boxes and scour your computer files. Call your mother and grandmother. We want them all: bars, drops or cutouts; iced, plain and sprinkled; gingerbread, peppermint and chocolate.

The St. Petersburg Times' Taste section’s fifth annual cookie issue, which publishes Nov. 29, will include two dozen of the most enticing reader recipes, all Times-tested.

Send as many recipes as you’d like by Sept. 17 to Christmas Cookies, Taste, St. Petersburg Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731. Recipes also may be e-mailed to features@sptimes.com. Please put COOKIES in the subject line.

Typed submissions are preferred, but all recipes will be considered. Please don’t send original recipe cards; because of the volume of submissions we can’t return them.

It’s never too early to think about Christmas cookies, is it?

Rotisserie Chicken to the Rescue

Welcome to Wednesday, the day on which we head to the grocery store, buy a rotisserie chicken and make something altogether different out of it.

This week, we give the quesadilla spin by adding barbecue sauce to the mix. Jeanne Besser, author of the column the 5:30 Challenge, is the finder of this keeper.

Serve it with a black bean and corn salad and sweet potatoes fries ... make your own or look for frozen varieties at the store. Check out the organics section.

Happy hump day, good people.

BBQ CHICKEN QUESADILLA
4 (8-inch) flour tortillas
1 cup Mexican blend shredded cheese
1 cup (about 6 ounces) chopped  precooked chicken
2 tablespoons chopped onion
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce

Coat a skillet with nonstick spray and place over medium heat. Place 1 tortilla in skillet and top with shredded cheese, chicken and onion. Drizzle with barbecue sauce and top with remaining tortilla. Cook until the bottom tortilla is golden and cheese begins to melt. Flip and cook until bottom is golden and the filling is heated through. Repeat with other tortillas; serve immediately.

Makes 2 to 3 servings.

Nutritional information per serving: 638 calories (36 percent from fat), 42g protein, 58g carbohydrates, 3g fiber, 25g fat (12g saturated), 180mg cholesterol, 954mg sodium.

It's Thyme for Tuesday

Happy new week. Did you labor over the long weekend or lounge by the pool drinking pina coladas? I spent part of the weekend looking for a new purse. Man, is that frustrating. Can never find the right one; even the most promising ones have something wrong with them. Strange pockets, bad zippers, too narrow, too big, too deep, too shallow. Argh.

I think these Thyme Pepper Burgers, from allrecipes.com, might make a frustrated shopper feel, oh, so much better. I wouldn't serve them on a bun but with some rice or buttered noodles and a steamed fresh veggie.

See you back here tomorrow for a little rotisserie chicken ...

Thyme Pepper Burgers
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons milk
3/4 cup soft bread crumbs
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into strips

In a large bowl, mix together the egg, milk, bread crumbs, salt and nutmeg. Add ground beef, and mix by hand until well blended. Shape into 4 patties. Place a skillet over medium heat. Add patties, and brown for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove from the skillet.

Add onion to the skillet, and cook until tender but not browned. Drain off excess fat. Whisk together beef broth and flour. Pour into the skillet, and stir in Worcestershire sauce and thyme. Cook over medium heat, stirring until thickened. Return patties to the skillet, and add green peppers. Cover, and simmer until burgers are cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Serves 4.

Healthy on a stick

Jill Silva at the Kansas City Star writes a column about healthy eating every week and always comes up with flavorful, low-fat dishes.

This dish sounds very promising. Lots of flavor comes from low-fat sources - juice, fruit and veggies. You'll have to marinate overnight so maybe make this tomorrow night and have takeout tonight!

Happy weekend!

PORK AND PINEAPPLE KEBABS
Makes 6 servings
1 pound pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
¼ cup pineapple juice
2 tablespoons sodium-reduced soy sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
½ fresh pineapple, cut into 1½-inch cubes (about 1 ¼ cups)
½ red onion, cut into wedges about ¾ inch thick
1 papaya, peeled, seeded and sliced into strips about 1½ inches wide
½ large red pepper, seeded and cut into 1½-inch pieces

Place pork cubes in zipper-top plastic bag. Combine pineapple juice, soy sauce, lime juice, honey, ginger, garlic and jalapeno pepper; stir to combine. Pour 3 tablespoons juice mixture over pork; seal bag and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Cover and refrigerate remaining juice mixture.

When ready to cook, preheat grill to medium-high or allow coals to burn down to white ash. Drain meat and discard marinade. Stir oil into reserved juice mixture. Place sweet potato cubes in small glass or microwave-safe bowl. Add 2 teaspoons water. Cover and microwave on high 2 to 2 ½ minutes or until crisp-tender. Uncover and allow to cool slightly. Alternately thread pork cubes, sweet potato cubes, pineapple, red onion wedges, papaya pieces and red pepper onto 6 skewers. Place kebabs in shallow baking dish or tray. Brush generously with juice mixture.

Grill 15 to 18 minutes or until pork is just slightly pink when cut, for medium doneness, turning so they brown evenly and brushing with remaining juice mixture midway through cooking.

Per serving: 199 calories (16 percent from fat), 4 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), 49 milligrams cholesterol, 25 grams carbohydrates, 18 grams protein, 244 milligrams sodium, 3 grams dietary fiber.