Onion Pan Bread.

Here's another recipe for you onion lovers out there. This bread is impeccably moist, somewhere in texture between a very light biscuit and a somewhat heavier pancake. The onions are deceptively sweet, especially if you find yourself using all vidalia onions.  I'd actually recommend reducing the brown sugar that mixes with the onions and carmelizes them if you do use vidalias; too much sweet can, in fact, be too much of a very good thing.(Or so I'm told...) Regardless, this is delicious served warm to accompany a lighter meal, such as grilled chicken or a quick salad. It is best served warm.

Onion Pan Bread, from How to Cook Everything, by Mark Bittman

Ingredients: 

3 Tbsp Butter, or olive oil
2 large Onion, sliced ¼ in. thick
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar, use less if using vidalia onions
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Sugar
1 Egg
1 cup Milk
¼ cup Corn Oil, or any neutral oil

Directions:

Heat the oven to 350℉. Put 2 Tbsp of butter or olive oil in a med-large skillet over medium heat. When the butter is melted or the oil is hot, add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.
Use the remaining butter or olive oil to grease a 9 in. round baking dish, pie plate, or ovenproof skillet (I used the same skillet as above and just greased the edges a bit). Sprinkle with brown sugar and spread the onions around the bottom.
Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Beat together the egg, milk, and neutral oil, add to the dry ingredients, and stir together quickly.
Spread the batter over the onions and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting into wedges. (You can invert onto a plate first if you like. Serve warm.

Scones.

I love making scones. I used to buy this bag of 'just add water' scones mix, which was decent, but after having one expire on me, let's just say, never again. 

It was then I decided I needed to learn how to make my own scones from scratch. I've tried a few different recipes, most of which amounted in a large triangular brick. This recipe, however, only makes a small batch of round, not-quite-light scones. They are a bit denser than biscuits, but just barely. I make mine with currants in them, but the original recipe doesn't have anything added. If you like chocolate chips, raisins, craisins, or whatever else in your scones, feel free to add that. Just be sure to add a small bit of extra cream to hold the scones together if you add something.

Cream Scones, from The Winnie the Pooh Cookbook, by Virginia H. Ellison

Ingredients:

1 1/4 c. all purpose flour

2 1/2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

3 T. butter

1/2 t. honey

1 lg. egg

1/4 c. light cream (I regularly use half and half, though I've used milk before as well.)

a handful of currants, chocolate chips, raisins, or nuts, if you like. (Add a bit extra cream if you do.)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt.

Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry blender or two knives until it looks like coarse meal. (The butter is smaller than peas.)

Stir the honey, egg, and cream together. Add to flour mixture and beat well, but do not overwork. If using, add any dried fruit, chocolate, or nuts and splash of extra cream now.

Pat the dough on a floured board or between sheets of wax paper until about 1/2 in. thick. Cut into rounds, squares, triangles, or whatever you like. (Or, simply skip the large rolling out and pull off chunks and shape into balls, as when shaping cookies, and slightly flatten.)

Bake on a cookie sheet for 10 minutes. Serve hot with butter and honey.

Enjoy!

Steak Chimichurri.

This is my new favorite steak recipe for the summer.  Actually, the first time we made it was in January! We had to relight the grill a few times, and it took three times as long as it should have to make, but it was delicious even then! I love it because it's quick, easy, (especially if you have a food processor, but even if you don't), and oh so tasty. I'm not a great fan of cilantro, but, even though its a major player in this dish, it doesn't bother me here. Serve with grilled tomatoes and grilled garlic bread for a complete meal.

 

Steak Chimichurri from So Easy, by Ellie Krieger

Ingredients:

For the chimichurri sauce:

1/3 c. packed fresh cilantro

1/3 c. packed fresh Italian (flat leaf) parsley

3 T. olive oil

1 lg. clove garlic

1 T. red wine vinegar

1 T. water

1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 t. salt

To continue:

cooking spray (optional, only for indoor grills really)

1 1/4 lb. shoulder center steak (ranch steak) or top sirloin steak, about 1 1/4 in. thick

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. fresh ground black pepper

1 recipe Grilled Garlic Bread (see below)

1 recipe Grilled Tomatoes (see below)

Directions:

Puree all the ingredients for the chimichurri sauce in the small bowl of a food processor until it reaches the consistency of a sauce. Transfer to a bowl. Chimichurri will keep in an airtight container in the refridgerator for up to 3 days.

To continue, spray a grill or grill pan with cooking spray and preheat over medium high heat. Season the steak with the salt and pepper. cook the steak, turning once, for 5 minutes per side for medium rare, or to your desired degree of doneness. (We always do medium, which takes just a minute or two more.) Allow the steak to sitfor 5 minutes before slicing thinly.

Serve the steak with the chimichurri sauce, grilled garlic bread, and grilled tomatoes.

Grilled Garlic Bread

Ingredients:

4 large slices crusty whole grain country bread

1 T. olive oil

1/4 t. salt

-

1 clove garlic, cut in half

-or-

1 t. garlic bread or garlic salt seasoning (if using garlic salt, omit regular salt)

-

cheese (opt.)

Directions:

Preheat grill or grill pan over medium high heat. Brush both sides of each slice of bread with oil. Grill until toasted and grill marks are formed, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Rub both sides of the toasted bread vigorously with the garlic. Sprinkle with salt and serve. (I find this to be to strong for me, with raw garlic. Instead of rubbing the garlic clove on, we simply sprinkle garlic bread seasoning and sometimes cheese on top and serve.)

Grilled Tomatoes

Ingredients:

4 large ripe but firm tomatoes (We use romas, since they're meatier, but use your favorite type of tomato)

1 T. olive oil

1/4 t. salt

Directions:

Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise and squeeze them gently to remove the seeds. Brush the cut side of each tomato with olive oil and season with salt. Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium high heat. Place the tomatoes into the pan cut side down and grill until warm, softened, and browned on the cut side, but still retaining their shape, about 10 minutes.

*Note: I'm not fond of tomatoes. I admit it. I don't like their seeds or their juice, which is why I cook almost exclusively with romas, which have less of both, and more meat. Despite this dislike, I do very much enjoy these grilled tomatoes. They turn out delicious, trust me. Enjoy!

Mediterranean Pepper Salad.

For those of you who protest that it's 'weight loss season', and I've just posted a chocolatey dessert, allow me to share with you my favorite summer salad, with not a lettuce leaf in sight!

I cannot claim to have come up with this recipe, or even own a cookbook which it comes out of. Let me simply say it is delicious, refreshing, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/06/mediterranean-pepper-salad/

(I leave out the tomatoes and the olives, and use reduced fat feta.)

Light Corn Chowder.

This recipe was delicious, light as promised, and dead simple to make. I love having soup for its filling yet light quality, especially when it's just packed with flavor. I topped this bowl with paprika, mainly for color, but it did add a nice depth of flavor to the bowl. 

Light Corn Chowder, from Family Favorites Made Lighter

Makes 4 side-dish servings (I count them as main dish servings, this is filling!)

Ingredients:

4 medium fresh ears of corn

-or-

10 oz. pkg. frozen whole kernel corn (I used Birdseye frozen corn (most Birdseye stuff is unsalted, which is lovely!))

1/2 c. cubed, peeled potato (1/2 med, I used 1 whole. It's soup! The ingredient amounts can be adjusted a bit.)

1/2 c. chopped onion (1 sm/med)

1/3 c. water

1 t. instant chicken bouillon granules

1/8 t. white or black pepper

1 1/2 c. skim milk (I used 1%)

2 T. nonfat dry milk powder

2 T. all-purpose flour

1/4 c. skim milk

1 T. cooked bacon pieces (not a fan of bacon, left these out, lower cal, balanced my use of 1% milk.)

paprika (optional)

Directions:

If using fresh corn, use a sharp knife to cut off just the kernel tips from the ears of corn, then scrape the cobs with the dull edge of the knife. ( You should have 2 cups of corn.)

In a large saucepan combine fresh/frozen corn, potato, onion, water, bouillon granules, and pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 10 minutes or till corn and potatoes are just tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in the 1 1/2 cups milk.

In a small mixing bowl stir together the dry milk powder and flour. Gradually stir in the remaining 1/4 cup milk till smooth. Stir the milk-flour mixture into the corn mixture. Cook and stir till mixture is thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with bacon pieces or paprika (or nothing.) Enjoy!