Healthy Eggplant Parmesan

I have made a variety of Eggplant Parmesan meals, over the years, each time seeking to find one healthier than the last.  I found the one, I just made, at readytoeat.com.  I had no real desire to make this one other than it looked healthy.  It also looked bland.  With a bit of seasoning, this was not bland, at all.  I did replace the diced tomatoes and the can of sauce with bottled Marinara, keeping this as an easy recipe, as well.

To make it gluten-free, I subbed in crumbs from potato chips instead of the Italian style bread crumbs.  If you are on a regular diet, I suggest using the bread crumbs because of the seasoning, built right into it.  I added Italian seasoning to my "chip crumbs" and they had plenty of flavor. I did so with a heavy hand.

Healthy Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
• 2  eggplant, peeled
• Olive oil cooking spray
• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese 
• 2 cups Marinara sauce 
• 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

 Method:  

 

Preheat oven to 425°F. 

Add Italian seasoning to Chip Crumbs and place  crumbs in shallow dish; set aside. 

Cut each eggplant into 12 slices, about 1/2-inch thick.

Spray each side of slices with cooking spray. Coat with crumbs on both sides and place on baking sheet. 

Bake 10 minutes or until tender, turning once. 

 Remove from oven and pour sauce over eggplant slices, only.

Top with cheese. Bake 5 minutes more until cheese has softened.

Baked these on Parchment Paper

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Baking Gals

"Baking GALS (GALS stands for Give A Little Support) is a group of volunteer bakers from around the country who bake and ship homemade goodies to our heroic military men and women who are currently deployed in a war zone. Our goal is to show our support and send a little bit of home to remind them that we appreciate all that they do for our freedom."

It is another month and I am baking once again through the group, Baking Gals.  This is not a big deal to do, but I can only  hope, it makes a difference to those receiving my cookies.  In selecting cookies, I look for quick, easy and delicious recipes.  QED means, I can bake more quickly and since I do this in a limited time frame, that is important. 

The recipes, we send should be good to eat but those that are not going to melt if they end up in a hot area.  As a result, I leave out frosting or decorations.  I do include chips in the cookies as well as nuts and dried fruit, depending on the recipe.  This recipe is an easy sugar cookie which turned out to be a chewy delight.  It surprised me.

I usually make new recipes when I bake for the military.  It gives me the opportunity to add recipes for the future, particularly for my grandchildren and my students. Since, I do not know their preferences, I attempt to put in a variety although one time, when I looked at the box, I was sending, I saw more than half were chocolate and another time, I was heavy on the Snickerdoodles.

For anyone who wants to literally throw something together quickly, this is the recipe.  You can ice these or add sprinkles on top.

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup margarine, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

            Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.   I used my teaspoon cookie scoop.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.               

My cookies took eight minutes.

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Apple Nut Cake without apples

I got my ingredients out, was creaming the sugar and oil (instead of butter) and my husband said, he did not want apples.  OK, I am flexible but this cake called for 3 cups of diced apples.  I did some scurrying.  I added a cup of ground walnuts and upped the chopped nuts to a cup.  I added another tablespoon  of oil and then I hoped for the best.

I am sure the results are no thing like the apple cake, Taste of Home aimed for but I have to tell you, it is delicious.  It is like toffee, nice and chewy in the inside.

I am sharing with you the correct recipe for this apple-nut cake.

Apple Nut Cake

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 cups diced peeled apples
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts
• Whipped cream or ice cream

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat
• in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon
• and nutmeg; add to creamed mixture (batter will be very thick). Stir
• in the apples, nuts.
• 
  
• Spread into a greased 8-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350° for
• 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes
• out with just a few crumbs. Serve warm or cold with whipped cream or
• ice cream. Yield: 9 servings.

Linked to Cookin Up North  
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Cure All Chicken Rice Soup - Paula Deen

We eat lots of chicken soup.  After all, isn't chicken soup good for all that ails you?  We love it.  I have made soup by great chefs and they are always good.  I guess that has something to do with the chicken and all those veggies.  This week, I tried Paula Deen's recipe from  her new cookbook, Southern Cooking Bible.


I want to write a review after I make some more recipes but just looking through it shows how much promise there is.  This recipe is extra special.  It has no butter in it.  I cut back on most of her recipes on her liberal use of butter.  I, most likely lose out on some of the taste but I won't eat sticks of butter.


SERVES 6 TO 8


Ingredients:


1 whole chicken (31/2 pounds), rinsed, patted dry, and cut into 8 pieces
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 large carrots, halved crosswise
1 large yellow onion, halved through the root end
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 cup long-grain white rice
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

Method:
1. In a large stockpot, combine the chicken, 12 cups water, celery, carrots, onion, garlic, bay leaves, salt, black pepper, and tarragon. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 45 minutes.
2. Remove the chicken and carrots from the pot and set aside. Strain the remaining liquid and discard the solids. Return the strained broth to the pot, stir in the rice, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook until the rice is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, once the chicken is cool enough to handle, pick the meat off the bones, discarding the bones and skin. Cut the meat into bite-size pieces and thinly slice the carrots. Return the chicken and carrots to the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning and stir in the parsley just before serving.

You feel terrific, immediately.

Linked to $5 Dinners

Bake with Bizzy October 27, 2011

Now that so many of you add your savory bakes to the sweet bakes, I love Bake with Bizzy, even more. The only requirement for a recipe is that is a baked dish. I have not added requirements for this linky but I would appreciate it, if you would link your dish back to the post so more people will discover us and we will have more of a variety of baked goods. I am late posting this and I lost everything. I am not sure, I will remember who was to be featured.

Thirty minutes later - my computer keeps shutting down so I am hopefully going to add the linky and see if later, I can add the photos.  My apologies.

Special Days

What a special day!  I received two awards.  I am going to share them one at a time, to give them full credit for their generosity of spirit.

Liebster Blog Award

I received the Liebster Blog Award from A Work-In Progress and was surprised and pleased.    The Liebster Blog Award spotlights up and coming bloggers (those who have 200 or less Followers).

My thanks to Julie who thought of me and presented this award.  Drop by her blog and see what she has to offer.  I think, you will enjoy what you see.

Now I am more than happy to pass this award on to spotlight 5 great up and coming blogs:

1. Cook With Sara
2. Catz in the Kitchen
3. Candy Girl
4. Hezzi-d's Books and Cooks
5. Of Muses and Meringues

Upon reciept of the Liebster Award, there are a few very simple rules:

1. Copy and paste the award on your blog
2. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you
3. Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog
4. Hope that your followers will spread the love to other bloggers

Mashed Potato Stuffed Peppers

When, I was planning meals for the Jewish holidays, I knew I wanted stuffed peppers.  When, I looked at my list of main dishes, I could not fit in a meat filled pepper so I went for a vegetarian pepper.  I thought of filling it with couscous, quinoa, rice, even kasha but in the end, mashed potatoes appealed to me, the most.   This is a nice change for a stuffed pepper, especially with our cutting back on meat.


Mashed Potato-Stuffed Bell Peppers   adapted from Food.com

• Ingredients:
  4 large bell peppers
• 1/2 cup red onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup red peppers, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped finely
• 2 cups mashed potatoes
• 1 cup mushroom soup
  

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Split bell peppers in half.
3. Seed them,& remove the spines.
4. Gently parboil peppers for about 5 minutes, remove& drain upside down.
5. Saute onion& red pepper in oil until onions are soft.
6. Add salt& pepper, chives,& mix into the mashed potatoes.
7. Stuff the peppers.
8. Stand peppers in a deep-sided casserole dish & pour the mushroom soup into the bottom.
9. Bake at 350 degrees, covered, about 20 minutes.
10. Uncover & bake 5 minutes longer.
11. Serve hot.

                              Pennywise Platter

Organized Chaos

Mini Corn Dogs Using Ellie Krieger Corn Bread

One of my favorite sites is Mother Rimmy's Cooking Light Done Right.  This is a place to get low calorie and healthy recipes which are delicious, yummy and scrumptious.  If you have not visited there, I suggest you check it out and I am betting, you will return.

Mini Corn Dogs (adapted from Cooking Light, Done Right)

Ingredients:

1 cup cornbread mix (I used an Ellie Krieger recipe which I will include beneath this recipe.)
2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 large egg white
½ cup Rice milk
2 hot dogs, cut into 12 pieces

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine cornbread mix, 2 tablespoons onion, chili powder, egg white and Rice milk in a bowl. Mix until smooth.
Spray a mini muffin tin with cooking spray and spoon cornbread mix into the muffin cups. Press one piece of hot dog into the middle of each cup. Bake for 10 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
I served this as a side dish.
I made these particularly for my grandchildren. This is my idea of a fun food.

Ellie Krieger Corn Bread

 Ellie's recipe is called Corn Bread with Sweet Corn Kernels.  My family does not like corn in their muffins so I left them out of the recipe.  My preference is to add that corn.

Ingredients:

nonstick cooking spray

1 cup gluten-free flour mix

1 cup yellow corn meal

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 egg white

1 1/4 cups low fat buttermilk or Rice milk with 1 1/4 teaspoons vinegar

3 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons canola oil

Method:

Move the oven rack to the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

Lightly spray a 9x5 loaf pan (Of course, I did not do this.  I kept the batter for the mini muffin tins)

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt.

In another large bowl, whisk egg, egg white, buttermilk, honey and oil.

Add liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients,  Mix to combine.

Pour in prepared pan (in this case - the mini muffin pans)  (Follow recipe above.)

If you use this recipe for corn bread, bake for 45 minutes, first adding 1 cup of corn kernels.  Cool for 15 minutes and remove from pan.  Cook and then slice.

Tuesday Tasty Tidbits

Made by You Mondays

Makin you Crave Mondays

Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays
Pin Inspirational Thursdays

Haute Stuff Thursdays

Delightfully Inspiring Thursdays

Frugal Food Thursdays

Creative Juice

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Tuesday Confessional

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Caramel Apple Cookies -

  How would you like the first challenge of a new group to be baking or cooking with apples and caramel?  Yep, sounds pretty good.  In fact, it is absolutely delicious.  I made a cookie that truly surprised me.  I thought it would be rather bland and plain but it turned out to be chewy and delicious.

 Caramel Apple Cookies  Adapted from Granny's Mountain


Ingredients:

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup margarine, at room temperature

1 egg

1-1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup dried apple pieces, chopped

1/2 cup caramel chips 

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In medium bowl mix flour, baking soda and salt.

In separate bowl, mix sugars and butter. Add egg, mixing just until blended.

Add flour mixture and combine well.

Mix in caramel chips and apple.

Using a teaspoon size cookie scoop, drop batter about 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet, lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 12-14 minutes or until edges begin to brown.

Let cool completely on wire rack.

Would you like to join us for the next challenge?  Contact the Lady Behind the Curtain and I am sure, she will welcome you with open arms.

Bake with Bizzy

I appreciate that many of you added  your savory recipes as well as your sweet baked goods.  I love to cook in the oven rather than on top of the stove.  For me, clean-up is easier and I tend to use less fat in my recipes.  A win-win situation.  Please come through again with both sweet and savory recipes.  Let's look at some of our savory dishes today.


Ms. enPlace has this unbelievably delicious looking Sweet Potato bread with Praline Butter.

Just look at this spinach and sausage quiche from The Traveling Spoon.

Permanent Posies has this wonderful crock pot recipe, Glazed and Spicy Carrots. Yum.

This is it, for now.  Please do link up with both your savory and sweet baked goods.

Menu Plan Mondays

This is another week of Jewish holidays and I will try to give you a clear picture of what I am cooking.  There are so many meals, I may find, at the end, I can't keep up with my plans and do some subbing.  It is a challenge to make 7 complete meals for 3 days and keep it festive.

I just got Ellie Krieger's new cookbook which I plan to use for CEiMB, Craving Ellie in My Belly.  The group has changed to your choice any time, any where.  If you have made recipes from Ellie Krieger, go on over and link up.  There are no requirements other than the recipe by Ellie's.

Most of the recipes below, for Wednesday through Saturday are from the new book and I am excited about diving in and making them.  I will do a review of the book, after I cook some recipes but looking at it, is pure inspiration.  EK stands for Ellie Krieger and I put this after the recipes from her book.

Sunday - leftovers ---- sweet and sour meatballs, squash rounds, creamy potatoes

Monday - eggplant Parmesan

Tuesday - Omelet with corn bread with sweet corn  (EK)
  
Wednesday - Beef and Corn Bread Pie (EK) with Scalloped Potatoes (EK) and Chopped Fixins Salad (EK)
  
Thursday - Meal 1----- Corned Beef with Creamed Corn (EK)
Meal 2 - Chicken with Sweet Potato Casserole (EK)
  
Friday - Meal 1 ----- Sweet and Sour Meatballs with Rice Pilaf
Meal 2 ------ Honey Crisp Oven Fried Chicken (EL) with Roasted Vegetables
 
Saturday -  Deli Roll, Franks in Blanket, Chulent with Carrot Raisin Salad, (EK) Colorful Cole Slaw (EK) and Creamy Potato Salad (EK)
  

   
Desserts - Dorie Greenspan Double Apple Cake
Ellie Krieger - Kitchen Sink Cookies, Peach Cobbler and Apple Crisp
I have been asked to make something all chocolate but I have not decided yet, what that will be.
  

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