Mini Beef Wellingtons

Ingredients:

• 6 (1.4 lb) fillet mignons, trimmed
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 3/4 lb. sliced fresh cremini mushrooms (about 3 cups)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
• 2/3 cup dry sherry
• 6 (12 x 17-inch) sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed

Makes 6 Servings

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick spray.
2. Sprinkle the filets with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the filets and cook until browned, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
3. Place 1 phyllo sheet on the work surface with a long side facing you. Cover the remaining phyllo with a damp paper towel and plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Spray the phyllo with nonstick spray. Top with another phyllo sheet; spray with nonstick spray, then cut the phyllo crosswise in half. Place 1 fillet in the center of the lower third on one of the phyllo stacks. Top with 1/4 cup of the mushroom mixture. Fold the short sides of the phyllo over the fillet and roll up, jelly-roll style. Transfer the Wellington, seam sides down, to the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining phyllo, fillets and mushrooms mixture to make 6 Wellingtons in all.
4. Spray the Wellingtons with nonstick spray. Bake until the phyllo golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the side of a Wellington registers 145 F for medium, 10-12 minutes.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the WW All-Time Favorites Cookbook. I got this book at the local library and I had to Xerox this recipe for myself. I love fillet mignon and have always wanted to try Beef Wellington. New Year, new recipes and I'm on a roll. This beef wellington recipe uses phyllo dough instead of the traditional puff pastry. My mom and I had this dish and it was the best Gourmet meal I have ever made. I was really nervous making this dish because the recipe calls for the filet mignon to be baked. I have NEVER cooked fillet mignon in the oven and I was really  nervous about the whole process. Even though the recipe says to cook the fillet mignons in a skillet, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Broiling your meat because it will taste much juicier. I am now officially a gourmet cook. Hey all you Iron Chefs in Kitchen Stadium, you are more than welcome to come to my kitchen and Kiss this cook!

Provolone Chicken Melts

Ingredients:

• 4 (6 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 4 slices multigrain bread
• 1 large garlic clove, cut in half or minced
• 1 whole roasted bell pepper (from a jar), cut into 4 pieces (preferably red)
• 4 (3/4 oz.) slices reduced-fat provolone or Monterey Jack cheese
• Salt 
• Freshly ground black pepper

Makes 4 Servings

1. Heat oven to broil.
2. Lightly pound each chicken breast to an even thickness and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sauté chicken until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
3. Lay bread slices on a baking sheet, drizzle with remaining oil, and rub with the cut sides of the garlic clove; discard garlic. Place under the broiler until toasted, about 1 minute.
4. Top each bread slice with 1 pepper piece, 1 chicken breast, and 1 cheese slice. Broil until cheese has melted, about 2 minutes. Serve hot.

WW POINTS VALUE: 8 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Quick and Easy Cookbook. This recipe is also available on the South Beach Diet online.  This dish was delicoius and can be served for lunch or dinner. I do suggest that you toast the bread before spreading it with olive oil and garlic. If you don't, the bread will get soggy. The aromas of olive oil and garlic is heavenly as always. The taste of chicken, pepper and cheese can be healthy and delicious. This meal is kind kind of like a Philly Steak and Cheese in a cosmopolitan way.

Greek-Inspired Three-Herbed Pesto

Ingredients:

• 10 tbsp parsley, leaves, packed (1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp)
• 1/2 cup dill, fronds, coarsely chopped, packed
• 3 tbsp sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup roasted red peppers, water-packed
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp fresh oregano
• 1 tbsp lemon zest, freshly grated
• 1 medium garlic clove(s), quartered
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Makes 4 Servings

Place all the ingredients in a food processor fitted with a chopping blade or in a mini chopper. Process until a coarse puree, stopping the machine occasionally to scrape down the inside of a canister. Makes about 1/4 cup per serving.

WW POINTS VALUE 1

Note: This recipe appears on http://www.weightwatchers.com/.  This is a nice treat for any meal even for a light snack. This pesto could be used on chicken, pork, fish, pasta or even in spanakopata. I used this pesto is my spanakoata and it was delicious.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Everyone!

 

I have been blogging about my culinary adventures for over a year now and I'm still having fun. I have now expanded my culinary adventures to new places such as the Calphalon Culinary Center and The New Legal Seafood Cookbook and  plan to seek new recipes wherever I can find them. I still intend to cook without borders and try new things. I've even learned a thing or 2 from my adventures like learning to gut a fish or having a newfound respect for pastry chefs. I still have the same culinary goals for my bucket list and they are:

 

• to cook side-by-side with Chef Emril Lagasse
• to cook breakfast/brunch for Paula Deen
• to cook on the Rachael Ray Show
• to have a throwdown with Bobby Flay at Boston College
• to compete on Iron Chef America: the Homecook Edition

And if I create a recipe or 2, I promise to share them with you. If anyone has access to the celebrities on the Food Network, please tell them I'm looking for them and I want to challenge them. Can you Hear me now, Iron Chefs? Happy New Year and Bon Appetite!

 

Goat Cheese and Herb Fritattas

Ingredients:

• 12 large egg white(s), or 16 oz refrigerated egg whites
• 1/4 cup(s) fat-free sour cream
•  2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup(s) parsley, fresh, chopped
• 2 Tbsp dill, fresh, chopped
• 4 oz semisoft goat cheese, crumbled

 Makes 4 Servings

1. Preheat broiler. Coat a large ovenproof skillet with cooking spray and warm over medium heat.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites, sour cream, mustard, salt and pepper; stir in parsley, dill and goat cheese.
3. Pour into skillet and cook until almost cooked through to the surface, about 5 to 6 minutes. Note: Frequently smooth the surface of the frittata with a spatula, and lift the mixture from the sides of the pan to allow any uncooked eggs to run to the bottom.
4. When approximately 1/2 inch of the surface is still uncooked, place frittata under broiler and broil until cooked through and golden on top, about 1 to 2 minutes. Cut into 4 slices and serve.

 WW POINTS VALUE 4PTS.

Note: This recipe appears in http://www.weightwatchers.com/. This is a perfect meal for breakfast lunch and dinner. You can also use egg substitute if you don't have egg white substitute. The goat cheese, dill and parsley give this fritatta an authentic Mediterranean flavor that will be enjoyed again and again.

Asian Grilled Tempeh Triangles

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. soy tempeh, cut into triangles
• 1 tbsp peanut oil
• 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp mince garlic
• 2 tbsp sliced scallions, for garnish

Makes 4 Servings

1. Place the tempeh in a glass pie plate or dish. In a small bowl, mix the peanut oil, sesame oil, ginger, soy sauce and garlic. Pour the mixture over the tempeh, turning the pieces to coat well. Place in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.
2. Heat the grill to medium high heat. Lay a large piece of foil on the grill. Place the tempeh triangles on the foil on the grill. Place the tempeh triangles on the foil and grill them for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown. Sprinkle the tempeh with scallions.

 

WW POINTS VALUE: 5pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Cookbook. This recipe looked very unique and it  was always screaming "Try Me! Try Me!" Tempeh is a soy-based protein that is enjoyed by vegetarians and vegans as a meat alternative. I had never tried tempeh before and I'm always excited when I try new food. I LOVED the Asian flavors but I didn't like the tempeh at all. I didn't like the texture of it; I thought it was uncomfortable to eat. I would never recommend eating tempeh as an appetizer AGAIN! I would use the Asian flavors again over pork, fish, beef, chicken or vegetables. As for tempeh, well, we'll see.

Buche de Noel

Ingredients:

CAKE:

• 3/4 cup cake flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup skim milk, at room temperature
• 3-4 tbsp confectioners' sugar
• 2 cups fat-free nondairy whipped topping

FROSTING:

• 8 oz. light tub cream cheese (Neufchatel)
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly

 Makes 18 Servings

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Spray a 15x10x1 jelly-roll pan with nonstick spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper; spray again with nonstick spray, them lightly flour.
2. To prepare the cake, in a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; mix well. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine th eggs, sugar and vanilla and beat on high speed until light and fluffy, 4-5 minutes. With the mixer on low, gradually beat in the flour mixture and milk in 2 alternating additions each until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 8-10 minutes. Spread a kitchen towel on a work surface and cover with a piece of wax paper. Sprinkle the wax paper with the confectioners' sugar. runa knife around the edge of the pan to loosen  the cake and invert the pan and warm cake onto the wax paper. Remove the parchment paper. Starting at the long side closest to you, using  the towel to help, carefully roll up the cake jelly-roll style. Allow to cool completely, about 45 minutes.
4. Meanwhile to prepare the frosting, in the bowl of the electric mixer, place the cream cheese, sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla. Beat on low speed until just combined, then increase speed to high and beat until smooth. With the mixer on low, add the melted chocolate; increase the speed to high and beat until smooth, 2-3 minutes.
5. Unroll the cooled cake and remove the wax paper. Spread the whipped topping over the cake and again roll up jelly-roll style. Place the cake seam side down on a derving platter. From one end of the cake, with a knife on a sharp angle, cut a wedge. Spread the cut side of the wedge with 3 tbsp of frosting and attach it, frosted side, near one end of the top of the cake and on top of the attached wedge. Run the tines along the length of the cake to make bark lines. Cover and chill 3 hours or overnight, then cut into 18 slices.

 

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 Pts. per slice

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. If you ever saw the picture of this dessert in the cookbook, you would want to make it too. It's the Christmas season and I wanted to make somehting sweet and festive and I've always wanted to make a Buche de Noel. A buche de noel is a traditional French holiday cake when translated means Yule log. This recipe looks complicated but it's not as bad as it looks; it just takes patience and practice. My first attempt at a buche de noel  was kind of messy because I added a little too much cool whip for the filling and I didn't roll the log up as tight as I should have. However, the cake and frosting were delicious. I also learned another thing: I have a newfound respect for pastry chefs. Whether it's making a jelly-roll cake, brownies or cookies, baking is an acquired skill that takes time and PATIENCE! If you want proof, here's a clip from Season 3 of The Next Iron Chef:

http://www.youtube.com/user/Somebody7100#p/c/3C812877999AFCC7/17/_JuOwFsvE0U

Chef Forgione, I hope you gave your pastry chef a raise like you promised!