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.)

Bourbon Brownies.

These brownies are great, with or without the bourbon. Gooey, chocolatey, and not cakey, as so many brownies are. Personally, I prefer a lighter dose of the alcohol than what is recommended, or none at all, but feel free to adjust to your own tastes. Be warned though, the alcohol DOES NOT cook out.

Best-Ever Bourbon Brownies, from Better Homes and Gardens Easy Everyday Cooking

 

Ingredients:

1/2 c. sugar

1/3 c. butter (5 1/3 T.)

2 T. water

1 c. semisweet chocolate pieces

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

3/4 c. all-purpose flour

1/4 t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt

1/2 c. chopped pecans

2 to 3 T. bourbon

1 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted (or mini chocolate chips, not melted)

1 recipe Butter Frosting (see below)

Directions:

Grease an 8x8x2-in. baking pan; set aside. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium saucepan combine sugar, butter and water. Cook and stir over medium heat just until mixture boils. Remove from heat. Add chocolate pieces, stirring until melted. Add eggs and vanilla, beating with a wooden spoon just until combined.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir flour mixture and pecans into chocolate mixture. Spread batter in the prepared pan.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until the edges are set and begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.

Using a fork, prick the warm brownies several times. Drizzle bourbon evenly over brownies. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

Spread butter frosting over brownies; drizzle with melted chocolate. (We used mini chocolate chips here.) Cut into bars. Makes 16 to 20 brownies. Enjoy!

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!

Banana Cookies.

I love these cookies. I remember coming home from school and my mom pulling these out of the oven.  I'd always sneak one before they were completely cool, but they were so delicious I couldn't wait! 

When I introduced my family to these, along with a few friends, they were gone so quickly I forgot to take pictures! These bake up nice and fluffy, with a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar on top, which makes them completely irresistable. They remind me of extremely light banana muffin tops. Yum.

Banana Cookies

Ingredients:

1 c. sugar

2/3 c. butter (original recipe calls for crisco, but they turned out great using butter)

2 eggs

1 c. mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium)

1 t. vanilla

2 1/2 c. flour

2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. soda

1/4 t. salt

Topping:

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 c. sugar

Directions:

Mix together well the sugar, crisco/butter, eggs, bananas, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, soda and salt, and sift it. Slowly add to the banana mixture, beating in a little at a time until all is incorporated. When all is mixed, drop in small spoonfuls onto cookie sheets and sprinkle with a bit of the topping. Bake at 350° until done. (About 10 minutes in my oven, just be sure to watch your first batch and gauge from that how long you want them cooked.) Enjoy!

Smashed Potato Chowder.

I love this recipe in the winter. Every time I make it, it goes a bit quicker, and this is no longer a 'labor all afternoon' recipe, so I'm inclined to make it more often. (I used to peel the potatoes while watching tv, a movie, whatever...not the fastest method!) In any case, when there's a blizzard outside, I don't immediately think of having meatloaf, casseroles, etc. I think of soups, and this is one of my favorites.

Smashed Potato Chowder from Better Homes and Gardens, Anyone Can Cook 

Ingredients:

3 1/2 lbs. potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 in. cubes (I like using yukon golds, but any kind will do)

3/4 c. chopped red or yellow sweet pepper (1 med.)

1 1/2 t. bottled roasted minced garlic (We mince fresh garlic and throw that in.)

1/2 t. ground black pepper

5 c. chicken broth

8 slices bacon, crisp-cooked, drained, and coarsely chopped (We omit this. Our family is simply not into bacon, and I figure it saves on calories too.)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided (We used 1 1/2 c. co-jack, and then monterey jack for garnish)

1/2 c. whipping cream, half-and-half, or light cream

1/2 c. thinly sliced green onion (about 4, we used a whole bunch)

1/2 c. dairy sour cream (Again, we left this off, not fans)

Directions:

In a 4-quart dutch oven combine potato, sweet pepper, garlic and black pepper. Stir in broth. Bring to boiling, reduce heat. Simmer covered for 20 to 25 inutes or until potato is tender.

Use a potato masher to mash potato mixture slightly. Stir in bacon, 1 1/2 cups of the cheese, the whipping cream, and green onion; heat through. To serve, ladle soup into bowls. Top each serving with sour cream and remaining cheese. Makes 8 main dish servings. Enjoy!