Recipe Review from 9/29/2019

An insane week. Absolutely insane. I admittedly crammed too much in, and in so rushing, some of my recipes didn't quite turn out as planned. I also hosted a small retirement luncheon during a work meeting, which at the time I proposed the plan, seemed like a good idea. In hindsight, not the best week with everything else.  It went well and was well received.

I feel like I'm missing one new recipe to review, but I don't have my grocery list handy so I may need to come back and ad.

And hopefully I'll have some adventures to write about next week!

The Meal Plan (such as it was)
Saturday - Chunky Vegetable Stew
Sunday - Skillet BBQ Pizza
Monday - leftover soup
Tuesday - leftovers soup
Wednesday - leftovers
Thursday - Oregon!

Retirement luncheon: Brats, Slow Cooked baked beans (Cooks Country), Broccoli and Apple Salad, Naniboujou Chocolate Tort Cake

Slow Cooker Vegetable Stew (Eating Well, September 2019) vegetarian/vegan options
This has the potential to be so much better.

Point one - if you are going to use whole plum tomatoes, use San Marzano for extra flavor. I used Hunts and felt that they didn't smoosh right, tasted basically like canned tomatoes

Point two - skip the plum tomatoes and used diced. I really didn't care for these large chunks of plum tomatoes with their little hard stem spots. Diced would have been so much better.

Point three - Where in the heck is Eating Well based, because I'm guessing most of the country is NOT going to be able to find Italian beans in their freezer section.

And this next bit was on me, I tried to be expedient and use some dried beans from our garden last year (properly stored in a glass container in the basement). I did brine/pre-soak my beans, but I didn't finish pre-cooking. I *thought* they were good enough to finish in the soup, but, no. I suspect with a straight tomato base it was too much acid. I got crunchy beans. I tried picking them out and cooking separately. Nope. Still crunchy. Beans were fed to chickens. I bought a can of cannellini and tossed in.

I also have come to realize my Instant Pot slow cooker just doesn't get up to temp like my regular slow cooker. The potatoes were not cooked after 8 hours, and they were small potatoes. I pulled those out and finished cooking on the stove, then quartered and added back into the soup.

So, recommended with some reservations and suggested modifications.

1 (28 ounce) can whole plum tomatoes

photo from eatingwell.com

1 (15 ounce) can whole plum tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed
1½ cups frozen cut Italian (Romano) beans (See Tip)&
(I used regular frozen green beans)

12 ounces baby yellow potatoes (wouldn't hurt to quarter)
1 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus more for serving
1 cup low-sodium no-chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
Shaved Parmesan cheese for garnish

Fresh Garlic Croutons (I skipped)
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
3 cups cubed (1-inch) crusty whole-grain bread


Place tomatoes and their juice in a 4- to 7-quart slow cooker and crush them with your hands or a potato masher. Add cannellini beans, frozen beans, potatoes, onion, oregano, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper. Stir in broth and cover. Cook on Low for 8 hours or High for 4 hours.

To prepare croutons: About 30 minutes before serving, preheat oven to 400°F. Mash chopped garlic into a paste with a fork or the side of a chef's knife. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons oil and Italian seasoning. Add bread and toss to coat. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden, 12 to 15 minutes.

Just before serving, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook, stirring, until just golden, about 1 minute. Stir the garlic and oil into the slow cooker. Divide the stew among 6 bowls and top with the croutons. Serve with more crushed red pepper and Parmesan, if desired.


Recipe Tip: Long, flat Italian (Romano) beans range in color from green to purple—or even speckled. Find them at farmers' markets from summer through fall. You can also pick them up in the frozen aisle. They're from the same family as garden-variety green beans and have a similar grassy flavor, but are more substantial and meaty.


Skillet BBQ Pizza (Eating Well, Jan/Feb 2019)
If you don't have a 12" or 14" cast iron skillet, make like a regular pizza.   I attempted this in a 10" skillet and, while not a colossal failure, it would have been soooo much better made in the traditional way.  And the frustrating part was, my gut was telling me to make like a traditional pizza.  But I was rushing and not thinking. 

However, the flavor was good, the crust released from the skillet, and I would make this again.  Just not in the cast iron skillet.   Recommended with reservations.

photo from eatingwell.com

12 ounces prepared whole-wheat pizza dough
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon white-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 medium clove garlic, grated
½ teaspoon prepared horseradish
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
¼ cup tomato sauce
6 ounces shredded cooked chicken breast
½ cup sliced red onion
⅓ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
¼ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
¼ cup thinly sliced scallions


Place a large cast-iron skillet in the oven; preheat to 500°F. Form dough into a tight ball; place on a lightly floured work surface and cover with a clean towel. Let come to room temperature, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, garlic, horseradish and pepper in a small bowl. Roll the dough into a 14-inch circle. Carefully fit into the hot pan, pressing a little up the sides. Bake until slightly crispy, about 5 minutes.

Spread tomato sauce over the crust and sprinkle with chicken, onion, mozzarella and Monterey Jack. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the crust is crispy on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Let the pizza cool for 3 minutes. Drizzle the reserved BBQ sauce on top and sprinkle with scallions. Cut into 4 slices and serve immediately.

Recipe Review from 9/16/2019

Not much to say other than I made a few new recipes!  All of them were a hit.  Enjoy!


The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) leftover pizza  (S) out
Sun (L) ??  I don't remember... (S) out
Mon (yoga) -leftovers
Tues - BBQ shrimp and Kale
Wed - Sheet pan chicken and potatoes
Thurs - leftover shrimp
Fri - leftover chicken

Lunches - Easy Greek Salad


BBQ Shrimp with Garlicky Kale and Couscous (Eating Well, Sept 2019) gluten free
Easy. Excellent. I subbed Israeli couscous for the regular. I used miso instead of poultry seasoning (something I just learned on the Milk Street podcast!). The rest was made as written. I would make this again in a heartbeat. Recommended!

Serves 4

photo from eatingwell.com

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
¼ teaspoon poultry seasoning (I used miso)
⅔ cup whole-wheat couscous (I used regular, Israeli couscous)
⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
8 cups chopped kale
¼ cup water
1 large clove garlic, smashed
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
1 pound peeled and deveined raw shrimp (26-30 per pound)
¼ cup barbecue sauce (see Tip)


Combine broth and poultry seasoning in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Stir in couscous. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then stir in Parmesan and butter. Cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add kale and cook, stirring, until bright green, 1 to 2 minutes. Add water, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is tender, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low.

Make a well in the center of the kale and add 1 tablespoon oil, garlic and crushed red pepper; cook, undisturbed, for 15 seconds, then stir the garlic oil into the kale and season with salt. Transfer to a bowl and cover to keep warm.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and shrimp to the pan. Cook, stirring, until the shrimp are pink and curled, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in barbecue sauce. Serve the shrimp with the kale and couscous.

Recipe Tip: The barbecue sauce aisle has expanded to include any flavor you can imagine—like sweet mustard and even Dr. Pepper—but classic or "original" variety pairs best with the Parmesan couscous. Look for one that doesn't list an added sweetener as the first ingredient.


Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks with Potatoes (Eating Well, Sept 2019) gluten free
My last attempt at a sheet pan supper was met with so-so success, so I was a bit leary about trying another. This one, was a success - with a couple of observations:

• I subbed bone in, skin on chicken thighs for the drummies. Not a fan of drumsticks.
• I grilled this, and then finished the thighs on the grill to crisp the skin. Delish!
• The russet potato didn't quite finish baking when the rest was done, even though everything was the same size.

This was super tasty, it was incredibly easy to pull together, I had time to clean up and sit while it cooked, and clean-up was a snap. Don't skip the "sauce". Very tasty! Recommended.

Serves 4-6 (I used thighs)

photo from eatingwell.com

2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium russet potato, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
¾ teaspoon ground pepper, divided
½ teaspoon salt plus a pinch, divided
2 pounds chicken drumsticks (I used 3 lbs of bone-in, skin on chicken thighs)
3 teaspoons dried herb seasoning blend, divided
6 tablespoons sour cream
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Position racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 450°F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Toss sweet potatoes, potato, onion, oil, rosemary, thyme, ½ teaspoon pepper and ¼ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Spread evenly on the prepared pan.

Add chicken to the bowl and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons herb seasoning, the remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper and ¼ teaspoon salt. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables. Roast the chicken and vegetables on the bottom rack, stirring once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a drumstick without touching bone registers 165°F and the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.

Move the pan to the upper rack and turn the broiler to high. Broil until the chicken starts to brown, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, stir sour cream and lemon juice with the remaining 1 teaspoon herb seasoning and pinch of salt in a small bowl. Serve the chicken and vegetables with the sauce.


Greek Salad with Edamame (Eating Well, Sept 2019) gluten free, vegetarian
I made this for lunches for the week and while it was super nice to be able to "grab-n-go", the lettuce didn't hold up so well by day four. Otherwise, I loved the addition of the edamame, I subbed zucchini for the cucumber (I don't like cucumber), and I had some flatbread to go with to sop up any leftover dressing at the bottom. I would make this again, but keep the dressing separate if making it for lunches. Recommended.

Serves 4

photo from eatingwell.com

¼ cup red-wine vinegar (I used white wine 'cause I was out of red)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
8 cups chopped romaine (about 2 romaine hearts)
16 ounces frozen shelled edamame (about 3 cups), thawed (see Tip)
1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
½ European cucumber, sliced (I used zucchini)
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
¼ cup slivered fresh basil (Whoops! I forgot this!)
¼ cup sliced Kalamata olives
¼ cup slivered red onion (Be nice to your co-workers...)

Whisk vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add romaine, edamame, tomatoes, cucumber, feta, basil, olives and onion; toss to coat.

Recipe Review from 9/9/2019

Summer left and Fall has arrived with blustery winds and rain. Our poor sunflowers had just bloomed and now they are all drenched and falling over. 

Uneventful week meal wise - coming off of camping in Winona, MN, a 2 1/2 hour YMCA staff meeting on Sunday evening right over dinner, and busy work week for both the Husband and I - I relied on leftovers, "brinner", take-n-bake pizza and more leftovers.

The Meal Plan
Sun (L) leftover BBQ chicken (S) leftover brats
Mon (yoga) leftover BBQ chicken
Tues - "brinner" (breakfast for dinner)
Wed - leftover chicken and wild rice
Thurs (yoga) take-n-bake pizza
Fri - Quinoa with Corn and Tomatoes
Sat (meditation workshop) leftover pizza/leftover quinoa

lunches - leftover Moroccan Stew, veggies, and wild rice casserole

Quinoa with Corn and Tomatoes (Cooking Light, May 2012) vegetarian, gluten free
Not my first time posting about this recipe. I reviewed it in 2014. My original plan was to make this for camping, but I changed my mind. Then I was going to make this for lunches, but I just couldn't seem to fit it in in the evenings until Friday when I got home early.

As I mentioned before, this IS an easy dish to assemble. I "roast" my corn on the stove top rather than heat up the oven, plus it takes a fraction of the time to cook. I assemble everything warm, because if you wait for quinoa to cool down, you'll be waiting a solid hour (you could spread it out in a sheet pan, but then you'd have another dish to wash).

This is good right off the stove, warm, and even cold. I used goat cheese (mmm...it melts so nicely in this warmed) and I doubled it so I'd have some leftovers.

RECOMMENDED

photo from CookingLight.com

Serves 4 as main dish

1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 ½ cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
½ cup crumbled queso fresco cheese
¼ cup chopped fresh basil

1. Prepare quinoa according to package directions. Cool to room temperature.

2. Preheat oven to 375°.

3. Combine corn and 1 tablespoon oil in a medium bowl; toss to coat. Spread corn in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Roast corn at 375° for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly.

4. Combine juice, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Add corn, quinoa, and tomatoes to bowl; toss to coat. Add cheese and basil; toss gently.

Recipe Review from 9/2/2019

Busy, busy week.  We had a holiday.  We went camping!  Details on that when I get my pics downloaded.  Speaking of pictures, none for this week.  You'll have to take my word for it that these look and taste great. 

The Meal Plan:
Sat (Wild Ricing)
Sun -  Harira (Moroccan) soup
Mon - leftover soup
Tues - more leftover soup
Wed (camping!)  (L) on the road   (S) Kebabs with wild rice casserole
Thurs (L) Broccoli and Apple Salad  (S) Brats and baked beans
Fri (L) Leftover broccoli salad  (S) out
Sat (L) on the road  (S) grilled chicken and baked beans

(Harira) Moroccan Lentil and Chickpea Soup (Cooks Illustrated)  vegetarian options
This was, simply, awesome.   This would be perfect for company, for making ahead and freezing (which I ended up doing because it made a lot), and the flavors are wonderful.   If you don't have smoked paprika, you could probably substitute regular, but it will definitely alter the overall flavor profile.

I also recommend having some naan or lavash or even some crusty artisanal bread to sop up extra sauce.  Too good to waste! 

Recommended! 

1 large onion, chopped fine
2 celery ribs, chopped fine (use Swiss Chard stalks)
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
3/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
4 cups water
1 (15oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup brown lentils, sorted and rinsed
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup orzo
4 oz Swiss Chard, stemmed and cut into small pieces (a must)
2 tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
lemon wedges for serving

1. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent and starting to brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and ginger, and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Stir in coriander, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, and pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute. Stir in ½ cup cilantro and ¼ cup parsley and cook for 1 minute.

2. Stir in broth, water, chickpeas, and lentils; increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and gently simmer until lentils are just tender, about 20 minutes.

3. Stir in tomatoes and pasta and simmer, partially covered, for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in chard and continue to cook, partially covered, until pasta is tender, about 5 minutes longer. Off heat, stir in lemon juice, remaining ¼ cup cilantro, and remaining ¼ cup parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing lemon wedges separately.

Recipe tip - serve with Harissa, a North African Chili paste for an extra punch.  Several recipes available on line if you can't find it in your local stores. 

BBQ Baked Beans (Cooks Illustrated) gluten free  (possible vegetarian option...)
"You either like bacon...or your wrong." Quote on one of the Husband's T-shirts.

This dish has got your bacon.  Don't skimp on the inexpensive stuff.  This is the time to splurge on some good locally smoked bacon. 

And don't be put off by the ingredient list.  This is a ridiculously simple recipe that comes together in almost no time at all and then simmers happily in your slow cooker.  End result is some of the best baked beans I've made yet (and I've made a few recipes).  

IF you are a vegetarian, this *could*, probably, be made without the bacon, but I would recommend adding a splash of liquid smoke flavoring to fill that flavor gap that bacon would have provided. 

RECOMMENDED.

1 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup ketchup
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses (regular)
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp hot sauce
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
6 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced fine
2 cans (15oz each) navy beans
2 cans (15oz each) pinto beans

1) Whisk broth, ketchup, sugar, molasses, mustard, vinegar, hot sauce, chili powder, salt, and cayenne in bowl until combined; set aside barbecue sauce.

Cook bacon, onion, and garlic in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium‑high heat until onion is softened and beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add barbecue sauce and bring to boil. Transfer sauce mixture and beans to slow cooker and stir to combine. Cook until flavors have married, about 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low. Serve, passing extra hot sauce separately.

Recipe Review from 8/26/2019

A good week all in all, a tich busy, but I was able to fit in some good recipes this week, including one dessert for a meeting. 

The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) leftover broccoli salad  (S) Skillet Chili Mac
Sun (L) chef salads (S) Out
Mon (Yoga/book group/legion)
Tues - leftover chili mac
Wed - Creamed corn and fish
Thurs (yoga) leftovers
Fri - leftovers

Lunches - cauliflower tikka masala


Cauliflower Tikka Masala (Eating Well, Sept 2019) vegetarian
This was my lunches for the week. This was also one of those rare occasions when a recipes says "20 minutes" and it actually took 20 minutes. Seriously easy! I'm usually not a fan of "jarred" or prepared products, and after careful scrutiny of the label, I decided this was worth a try. A winner in my book! A snap to assemble, tastes great, I served it over basmati rice and wah-la!I had lunches packed in grab-'n-go containers for the week!Recommended!

Serves 4 (5-6, if you add rice)

photo from eating well.com

1 tablespoon coconut or canola oil
4 cups cauliflower florets
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup water
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed
1½ cups tikka masala sauce (I used Patak's)
2 tablespoons butter
Fresh cilantro for garnish

Optional - basmati rice

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add cauliflower and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add water; cover and cook until the cauliflower is tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add chickpeas and sauce; cook, stirring occasionally, until hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Serve topped with cilantro, if desired. And basmati rice!

Recipe Tip: Keep Indian simmer sauces—such as tikka masala and Madras curry—in your pantry for a meal that's ready faster than you can order takeout. You can turn just about any vegetable or protein into a saucy dish like this one, or brush the sauce on chicken or steak before it hits the grill.


Skillet Chili Mac (Eating Well, Sept 2019)
Fairly easy to assemble, no broiling required, use a LARGE pan. Recipe said 35 minutes...it was an hour from opening the fridge to putting on the table. But I did have time to clean up during final simmer, which is always a bonus.

A couple of minor modifications: I used ground pork sausage, I cut back from 3 tbsp chili powder to 2 tbsp (I used Penzeys, which can be potent), I skipped the beef broth and used some of the pasta water and I used pinto beans instead of kidney beans (blech). This was tasty, it makes a lot, and don't skimp on the garnish! I loved the pickled jalapenos.

Oh, fyi - watch the 12 oz pasta.I didn't and yeah, 16 oz was way too much so I didn't add all of it.

Recommended! Serves 6+

photo from eating well.com

12 ounces whole-wheat elbow noodles, rotini or fusilli
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 medium poblano peppers and/or green bell peppers
1 medium stalk celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound lean ground beef
3 tablespoons chili powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 (15 ounce) can low-sodium kidney beans or chili beans, I used pinto, rinsed
½ cup sour cream
¾ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
Sliced scallions and/or pickled jalapeños for garnish


Cook pasta 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, peppers and celery and cook, stirring often, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add beef, chili powder and salt; cook, stirring and breaking up with a spoon, until the beef is no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juice and broth; bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 2 minutes.

> Add beans and the pasta, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Fold in sour cream. Serve topped with Cheddar and scallions and/or pickled jalapeños, if desired.


Pan-Seared Fish with Creamed Corn and Tomatoes (Eating Well, Sept 2019) gluten free option
Recipe noted this was ready in about 40 minutes.  I timed it at an hour from pulling stuff out of the fridge to plates on the table.

Recipe is well laid out until the fish.  You start the corn cobs and while the cobs are doing their thing, prep the tomatoes.  Tomatoes finished, it's time to assemble the creamed corn.  Where things didn't work so well, was the corn is done, everything is ready, and now you start the fish.

I had a couple of modifications - I used cod for halibut (a heck of a lot cheaper), and I grilled it.  Now cod tends to be very flaky, so I did grill it on a prepared pan.  I didn't stink up the house with fish and easier clean-up.

Couple observations - I had to add an extra 1/2 cup (approximate) of milk to my creamed corn mixture to make it creamy.  I lost about 1/4 cup during the soaking the cob process, and with 2 tbsp of flour - I had glumpy, not creamy.  Second observation - The Husband and I both thought this was better the second day.  The corn and tomatoes made a lot for two of us, and I had leftovers for a side on a third meal.

photo from eatingwell.com

I would make this again - recommended.

4 ears corn, husked
1½ cups whole milk
3 cloves garlic, divided
1 sprig fresh thyme
3 cups chopped [cherry] tomatoes
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
¾ teaspoon salt, divided
1 tablespoon butter
¼ cup chopped shallot
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour**
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon ground pepper, divided
1¼ pounds halibut, cut into 4 portions


Cut kernels from cobs and set aside. Cut or break the cobs in half and place in a large saucepan. Add milk, 2 garlic cloves and thyme. Cook over medium heat until starting to simmer around the edges. Remove from heat, cover and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain into a glass measuring cup or small bowl; discard the solids.

Meanwhile, grate the remaining garlic clove into a medium bowl. Stir in tomatoes, basil, 1 tablespoon oil and ¼ teaspoon salt. Set aside.

Melt butter in the pan over medium heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 1 minute. Add the reserved corn kernels and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and cook for 30 seconds. While stirring, slowly add the milk. Adjust heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in Parmesan and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cover and set aside.

Sprinkle halibut with the remaining ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the halibut and cook, turning once, until lightly browned and just cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes total.

Serve the halibut with the reserved creamed corn and tomatoes.


Classic Banana Bread (Cooking Light Sept 2003)
In a departure from my usual chocolate-oatmeal cake or chocolate chip cookies, I made a couple loaves of banana bread for a meeting.  According to my notes in my 2003 Cooking Light Annual, I made four variations on the Classic Bread recipe, but not the Classic version itself.  Wanting some leftovers for the Husband and I, I made the Classic and the Marble version noted below.   Apparently I did make the Marble version previously, and it's probably reviewed somewhere on this blog.

A couple of modifications to the recipe below.  I added 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp nutmag, 1/8 cloves and sprinkled broken walnuts on top.  I like my banana bread with some warm spices.   Mom's Banana bread by Cooking Light has been my go-to for a while now, but this might have just moved into first place.  . 

photo from cookinglight.com and myrecipes.com

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.

Place sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Spoon batter into an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Place sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Spoon batter into an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Recipe Tip:  Marble it. Stir 1 cup batter and 1/2 cup melted semisweet chocolate chips together in a small bowl. Spoon plain batter into pan, alternating with dollops of chocolate-chip batter. Drag a knife through batter to swirl. Bake as directed.