Matzoh Ball Soup

Ingredients:

Chicken Stock:

• 3 lbs. chicken breasts, skin removed
• 1 lb. carrots, halved
• 3 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 large onion, unpeeled, cut into quarters
• 5 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger
• 10 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 tsp. salt
• 10 cups water

Matzoh Balls:

• 1 cup whole-wheat matzoh meal
• 1 tbsp. canola oil
• 1/2 cup seltzer water
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Garnish:

• 2 carrot halves, reserved from chicken broth, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill

Makes 8 Servings

1. For the chicken stock: Place chicken, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, ginger, thyme, salt, and water in a large stockpot: bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, skimming foam as needed, until stock is rich and flavorful, 2-2 1/2 hours. Strain stock; reserve 2 carrot halves for garnish and the chicken meat for another use. Discard rest of solids. Return stock to stockpot. Skim off any visible fat.
2. For the matzoh balls: while chicken is simmering, combine the matzoh meal, oil, and seltzer in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk eggs, salt and pepper until foamy. Stir egg mixture into matzoh mixture until well combined; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
3. To cook matzoh balls: Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Meanwhile, with wet hands to prevent sticking, form 16 walnut-size balls of chilled dough. Reduce water to a simmer, then gently lower matzoh balls into the simmering water using a slotted spoon. Cook until all the matzoh balls have floated to the top and are cooked through, about 25 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, bring chicken stock to a simmer. Divide stock and matzoh balls among 8 serving bowls, add a little chopped carrot and dill to each bowl, and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts. with 1 matzoh ball, 3 pts. with 2 matzoh balls

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Parties & Holidays Cookbook. Matzoh ball soup is the official soup that is traditionally eaten during the first 2 days of Passover. Passover is a Jewish holiday that is celebrated over an 8-day period commemorating the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. Because they fled so quickly, they were only able to take unleavened bread with them. Leavened bread is not eaten during Passover and matzoh is used in many traditional Passover dishes. Matzoh ball soup is a soup that is rich in flavor and essential during Seder. This was my first time making matzoh ball soup and it was a success. I was really nervous about making the matzoh balls and cooking them in the broth. The balls were nice in texture and blended very well in the soup. You can make the matzoh meal by processing 3-4 whole matzoh sheets in a food processor until it is finely ground to make 1 cup. The homemade chicken stock is also delicious too. You can use this homemade chicken stock in any chicken soup recipe and it will be yummy.

 

South American Hanger Steak

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. beef hanger steak
• 1 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 4 tsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 1/2 -2 tsp. canned chipotle in adobo sauce, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Makes 4 Servings

1. Trim fat from steak. Score both sides in a diamond pattern by making shallow cuts at 1-inch intervals. Place steak in a self-sealing plastic bag set in a hallow dish.
2. In a blender combine cilantro, orange juice, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, cumin, coriander, chipotle, salt, and pepper. Cover and blend until smooth. Pour orange juice mixture over steak. Seal bag; turn to coat steak. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2-24 hours, turning bag occasionally.
3. Drain steak, discarding marinade. For a charcoal grill, place steak on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill for 17-21 minutes or until medium doneness (160 F), turning steak once halfway through grilling. For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place steak on grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.
4. To serve, thinly slice steak across the grain.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the New Sonoma Cookbook. Forget going to the steakhouse; bring this upscale and exotic steakhouse dinner to your table. If you can't get to South America, bring South America to your table. South America is rich in history and culture. Spanish and Portuguese flavors blended with the culinary traditions or American Indians and African slaves include chipotles in adobo sauce, sweet citrus flavors, cilantro and spices such as cumin and coriander. This is a great steak to serve family and friends because it's packed with so much flavor. Serve this with potatoes and vegetables and you got yourself a dinner that's a winner. You can any kind of steak in this recipe as well as pork or chicken and your meal will still be delicious. Don't forget to wear gloves when working with chiles because chiles contain oils that can burn your skin and eyes.  

Jicama Hash Browns

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 medium jicama, (12 oz.)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Makes 4 (1/2-cup) Servings

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes.
2.  Meanwhile, peel the jicama, then shred on the large holes of a box grater.
3. Add the jicama to the pan with the vegetables and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup water, the salt, and the black pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the jicama begins to brown and is crisp-tender, about 7 minutes. Serve warm.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Super Quick Cookbook. Don't be afraid of this side dish. It's really yummy and it's a great alternative to your typical hash browns. If you're starting your healthy lifestyle, this is a nice side dish that you can enjoy for breakfast, lunch, dinner or even as a snack. Jicama is a nonstarchy vegetable that can be found in Latin supermarkets or with the potatoes or the onions. Don't forget to peel the jicama to remove the skin. These hash browns are full of flavor and nice and crunchy too. I highly recommend adding 1-2 garlic cloves along with the onions and peppers because garlic always makes everything better. You can also use any color bell pepper is this dish and it will still be delicious. These hash browns go well with steak, chicken or eggs.

Five-Spice Grilled Chicken with Asian Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 4 (6 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 4 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp. reduce-sodium soy sauce
• 2 (2-inch) pieces fresh ginger, grated (no need to peel)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

Makes 4 Servings

1.  In a large shallow bowl, stir together the five-spice powder and salt. Add the chicken breasts and rub the mixture into them. Add the oil and toss to coat.
2. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Place the chicken on the pan and grill until cooked through and still juicy, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, cover with foil, and let stand for 5 minutes.
3. while chicken is cooking, in a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar and soy sauce. with your hands, squeeze the grated ginger over the bowl, extracting as much juice as possible into the vinegar mixture, Add the garlic to the sauce and stir to combine.
4. Slice the chicken on the diagonal. Transfer to 4 plates and serve with small bowls of the sauce (about 2 tablespoons each) for dipping.

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Super Quick Cookbook. Here is another great way to kick-start your healthy lifestyle. You can have your Chinese and eat it too; plus, it's better than takeout. The time that it takes to make this dish is the same amount of time you would call to place and order and have it delivered to you or for you to pick it up yourself. You'll be amazed at how quick and simple tasty Chinese food can be without being fried. If you don't have five-spice powder on hand, don't worry. You can make it at home using equal amounts of cinnamon, ground cloves, star anise, and Szechuan peppercorns, putting them in a coffee grinder or spice grinder and you'll have the best homemade five-spice powder in your Chinese cooking. This was a delicious dinner because the chicken was packed with flavor and the dipping sauce gives the chicken a nice kick too it. Cook this meal and you'll never order takeout again. 

Broiled Salmon with Creamy Lemon Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. capers
• 1 tsp. lemon-pepper seasoning
• 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
• 1 1/2 lbs. salmon filet

Makes 4 Servings

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the lemon juice, capers, and lemon-pepper seasoning and cook for 5 minutes. Add the sour cream and cook for 5 minutes, or until heated through.
3. Meanwhile, place the salmon and the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the fish is just opaque. Serve with the sauce.

WW POINTS VALUE: 9 pts

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Cookbook. This meal is a great way to kick-start your healthy lifestyle. The combination of lemon and sour cream mixed in with capers that's topped on top of salmon is so deliciously simple. It's very quick and simple and you can fix this dinner any night of the week.  

Homestyle Turkey Meatloaf with Mushrooms and White Beans

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried  thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon finely ground black peppercorns
• 3/4 pounds mushrooms, trimmed and chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can  Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/4 lbs. lean ground turkey
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, divided
• 2 teaspoon Dijon  mustard, divided

Makes 6 Servings   

1. Heat the oven to 375ºF. Lightly coat an 8" by 4" by 2 1⁄2" metal or glass loaf pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, thyme, cayenne, paprika, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. 
3. Add mushrooms and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and mushrooms are incorporated, about 5 minutes longer. Add beans and stir to combine. Transfer mixture to a bowl and let cool, about 5 minutes.     
4. In a large bowl, combine cooled bean mixture, turkey, eggs, parsley, and 2 teaspoons of the Worcestershire sauce. Mix well with wet hands to combine. Form into a loaf and place into the prepared pan.      
5. Stir together mustard and remaining 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce and set aside.    
6. Bake meatloaf on the middle rack of the oven for 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush with the reserved Worcestershire mixture. Return to the oven and continue baking 10 to 15 minutes longer, or until a thermometer inserted into meatloaf registers 165°F. Let meatloaf stand 5 minutes before serving. Serve with additional Dijon mustard.



WW POINTS VALUE 5pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in The South Beach Diet Supercharged book. This is a delicious way to kick-start your healthy lifestyle. This meatloaf will quickly fill you up and leave you happy. The cannellini beans add fiber to the meatloaf. You do get your share of vegetables in this meatloaf. Turkey meatloaf filled with vegetables, herbs, spices and topped off with Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard is really delicious and will quickly become a favorite at your dinner table.

 

 



Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

How is everyone doing? I'm still cooking away at any recipe I can get my hands on. I know I haven't been up to snuff  but I'm still cooking and exploring new things. I hope to have  more Twitter followers and maybe have a video or 2. But I still want to do the following things on my culinary bucket list:

• Cook side-by-side with Ina Garten and Emeril Lagasse
• Cook on the Rachael Ray or The Chew
• To have a celebrity chef or 2 over for dinner
• go to the South Beach, NYC or any Food & Wine Festival
• Have an Iron Chef Throwdown with Bobby Flay @ Boston College
• eat at another restaurant whose executive chef appeared on Iron Chef America

You can follow me on my blog, on Twitter @bcpostergirl, on Pinterest and follow the board Once Upon a Stovetop as well as Facebook. Bon Appettite!