That being said thought I share some of the low-fat recipes we’ve been enjoying.

Pork Tender Loin with Italian Herbs

• Pork tender loin sliced into single serving portions (about 1″ thick)
• Olive Oil
• Garlic power
• Onion Powder
• Italian Seasoning
• Thyme
• Salt
• Pepper

1. In a heavy skillet, heat enough olive oil to very thinly cover the bottom.
2.  Place the tenderloin slices into the pre-heated skillet and then sprinkle them with the spices. You can pretty much season to taste – no set amount or spice . . . and, if you don’t like something …. like garlic – don’t use it.
3. Allow the portions to brown and then turn over.
4. Continue cooking until browned on other side; they’re ready to serve or refrigerate for later.

Fettuccine Alfredo – low fat

A really tasty side dish for the pork tenderloin above is Fettuccine Alfredo – low fat.  This is one of my favorite recipes from the Healthy Homestyle Cookbook  … available from Amazon for under $10.00.   This recipe cuts the calories per serving by about 50% and cuts the fat content from 44g (traditional) to 13g (healthy style).

And, if you’re watching your cholesterol, an original recipe would typically have around 139mg of cholesterol,  while this recipe only has 35mg. Best part, it tastes just as good as the ‘richer ingredient’ version.

You’ll need:

• 12 Ounces fettuccine
• 1 Cup evaporated skim milk
• 1/2 Cup half-and-half
• 2 Tablespoons butter (cut these into small pieces)
• 1-1/2 Cups grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 2 Tablespoons snipped fresh chives (green onions work well if you don’t have chives)

1. Cook pasta according to directions.
2. In the meantime, in a medium sized saucepan heat the milk, half-and-half and butter over medium heat until the butter is melted and the liquid is hot (not boiling).
3. Gradually stir in 1-1/4 cups of the Parmesan cheese. Continue to cook (and continue stirring) until the cheese has melted.
4. To this mixture add the cooked and drained pasta. Toss until well coated.
5. Serve by sprinkling some of the remaining Parmesan cheese over the top along with some chives to garnish. (Serves 6)

Leftovers

If you have any leftovers, both of these can be used for other meals. I like to use the leftover meat sliced and stir-fried with broccoli, onions and a little soy sauce. It’s extra good if you have a packet of  Chinese stir-fry seasoning to add in – just adds a little more flavor.

The Fettuccini noodles are really good re-heated and served with shrimp that have been sauteed in butter and garlic.

If you like more ‘sauce’ with your shrimp, give this a try. 

Once you’ve cooked the shrimp,  remove them to plate and to the same pan with the garlic/butter, add a little chicken broth (about 1/2 cup)  along with enough corn starch (1-2 teaspoons) to get the thickness you like.   Cook this sauce over medium-low heat, stirring continuously until thickened. 

You can adjust the sauce recipe to make more sauce if you like, but  be careful – if you add in too much chicken broth and corn starch, you’ll loose that nice buttery-garlic flavor. 

This recipe also works well with sliced chicken breast if you don’t like shrimp.

Update. . . . After a week of light scattered rain showers and some un-cooperative equipment, they got the hay baled. Got a good cut this time – and thought you’d like to see how big the rolls are.

And, don’t forget you can calculate the value of your gold jewelry before you sell it using the free online tools at Gold Coins-Silver Bullion.   Don’t do like a lady we heard about and take your jewelry to the pawn shop and get $7.00 for your 14K gold ring!!  That’s criminal.

For example, we enjoy eating the Hillshire Farms Deli-slice meats. They come in a nifty little container that looks just like some of the ones you’d buy at the store for a couple of bucks or so. I’ve found unlimited uses for these little jewels – as has David.   There great for freezing, storing left-overs, stashing craft supplies, holding nails and screws, and just about anything else. They stack really well and the clear bottom lets me see whats in side.

This weekend David laid piping for well water to the other side of the yard while I weeded and trimmed around the flower beds. The beds in the back are edged with borders David made out of the tops of boards.

When we were building the deck we had a stack of wood cuts about 6-8 inches long that were too good to throw out – but what do you do with them????

David came up with the idea of ‘dog earring’ one end and then stapling heavy plastic line on the back so as to hold about 5 or 6 of them together in a section. He then stained them with a Cape Cod Gray color to help preserve them. Once they had dried, I could use them for a flower bed border.   The line kept them from falling over and the stain gave them a quaint, country look.

One of my favorite things to recycle is food – if you can call it that. I like to take the little portions that are leftover and make something new out of them. The Penne Pasta Casserole is a favorite make from leftover spaghetti sauce; another is to take left over chicken and dumplin’s (sans dumplings) and add shrimp, a little white wine, couple of chopped garlic cloves and serve over fettuccine. Really good.

One meal where we never have any leftovers is Orange Chicken. It’s a quick dish to make and if you have company it makes a nice colorful presentation.

Orange Chicken Ingredients

• 1 large chicken breast cut in strips
• 2 tablespoons of butter (use the real stuff)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup water*
• 1 teaspoon chicken bullion base*
• 1/3 – 1/2 cup orange marmalade
• 1 teaspoon corn starch
• 1 green onion chopped

* Water and chicken bullion base can be replaced with canned chicken broth

Directions:

1. In a large skillet place the olive oil and butter. When the butter is melted put in the chicken strips and cook over medium heat until lightly browned.
2. Remove chicken to a plate. Pour the water into the buttery-oil and add in the bullion base (or broth). Add in the corn starch and use a whisk to stir. (Using a whisk will eliminate any lumps.)
3. Add in the orange marmalade and stir until well mixed and lightly boiling.
4. (Taste the sauce, if you want it sweeter add in a little more orange marmalade)
5. Add chicken to the sauce.
6. Reduce the heat and continue to cook for about another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Serve with a side dish of wild rice mix and a green vegetable. Sprinkle the chopped green onions over the chicken before serving. Enjoy. (This recipe serves 2-3)

It was too cold and windy to do anything outside Sunday afternoon – like I had planned – so all the bulbs I bought Friday will have to wait . . . probably until this coming weekend. I usually wait to the last minute to buy bulbs and as such there’s usually not a good selection left – but not this time! I bought several bags of iris, daylilies and star gazer lillies – they’re the ones that have that deliciously sweet smell. Now I just have to devise a way to plant them so that the moles (and gophers) don’t gobble them up before they have a chance to grow. I do have a game plan. Bought about 15 wire baskets at the Dollar Store last year – my plan is to sink the baskets in the ground and then plant the bulbs inside the ‘wire cages’ filling them with dirt. I’m hoping this will work. I’ve tried everything else suggested to me over the years to keep the bulbs from being eaten up – including placing Juicy Fruit gum around them, broken glass in the hole (sounded dangerous to me – figured I’d forget where the glass was and end up slicing up my fingers), cayenne pepper in the hole, those solar spike beepers you put around about (the noise is supposed to keep them away) and traditional mole traps. None of these have worked. I have high hopes for my basket theory.

Forgot to mention also bought several packages of seeds – flowers, herbs and veggies. Typically I don’t have too much luck with seeds but for twenty-cents a package – thought I’d give ‘em a try – they all looked so inviting. One in particular – Canterbury Bells – I’ve not seen and it looks like it would be pretty. And, it’s also time to feed the fruit trees. We use the spikes that you pound into the ground. Put some around the peach and plum trees. Ground was still soft from all the rain so that was an easy chore. Did have to take time to fence in the raspberry plants. It looks like the deer got to the few little leaves they had. So David put up a wire fence about 6 foot tall around the bed to keep them from eating what’ left down to the ground. I’ll keep my fingers crossed they survive.

Overall was pretty lazy this weekend. Did not do much cooking – ate out a lot which is not the norm around here. I have to say I did enjoy it though – thanks, David! It’s nice not to have dishes or a kitchen to clean up once in a while. I’m back to full speed today, cooking, laundry and computer work .   (Check out today’s blog Power to Earn Money  for some ideas on how to generate income from home.  If it isn’t there – it’s coming.) 

Had the ‘Cat Lady’ Mexican casserole  for lunch. It was one I had frozen a while back and it heated up really well. Since my stash is getting low think I’ll have to find time this weekend to prepare some freezer foods – Penne casserole, ‘Cat Lady’ casserole and a batch of salmon croquettes.

My croquettes are pretty easy to make and since I bake them, they’re low in fat and of course high in Omega 3.

Ingredients:

• 1 can of salmon (remove bones but retain liquid)
• 1 egg
• Black pepper (dash)
• 10-12 Club crackers (or Saltines) crushed

Mix this all together…you may need to add a little water if the mixture seems too dry. You want it moist enough to hold together but not so moist it falls apart. Wet your hands and form the mixture into patties (you should have about 6 medium sized patties).

Place patties on a lightly greased cookie sheet. I sprinkle the tops with about 1 teaspoon (more or less) of Panko bread crumbs and then spritz with no-calorie ‘butter’ spray – and a dash of Old Bay Spice. This gives them a little more flavor and a nice crunch.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve or cool and freeze to enjoy later.

I like to keep my mixes and crumbs in screw-top jars with the label on the front.  For me – especially out here in the country –  it helps keep things fresher, keeps the buggies out and I can still see the original box label taped on for easy recognition.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of lean ground hamburger (more if you like lots of meat)
• 1 small onion chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons dry Taco Seasoning (your favorite brand)
• 5 corn tortillas (they work best)
• 1 small can chopped green chilies (I used only half the can)
• 1 can of enchilada sauce (red kind)
• 1 tablespoon oil (Olive, of course)
• 4 ounces coarsely grated Cheddar or Mexican cheese
• 2 ounces Pepper Jack cheese grated (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease the bottom of a 2-quart casserole.

In a medium sized sauce pan (over medium heat) heat the oil and then add in the chopped onions and garlic. Saute for about 1-2 minutes. Add in the ground hamburger meat and cook until crumbly. Pour off any excess oil if present before adding in the taco seasoning, green chilies, and about 2/3′s of the can of enchilada sauce. Stir until well mixed, remove from heat.

Pour the remaining enchilada sauce into a separate bowl. Cut the tortillas into quarters and have the grated cheddar cheese handy. You now want to layer the ingredients in the casserole dish. Start with about 1/3 of the meat mixture, next dip the corn tortilla quarters in the enchilada sauce and place them on top of the meat covering it completely (use about 6 quarters per layer). Next  put about 1/3 of the grated Cheddar or Mexican cheese on top of the tortillas. Repeat the process until all the meat, tortillas and cheese have been used. If there is any enchilada sauce remaining  in the bowl you dipped the tortilla pieces in – pour it over the top of the finished casserole. If you are using Pepper Jack,  spread it around on top of the final layer of  Cheddar/Mexican cheese for the last layer.

Bake in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly then serve. 

Hope you enjoy this as much as we did and ‘thanks’ Jerry for sharing this recipe with me.

Deep-Dish Turkey Pot Pie  (this one cuts down on calories and fat by using a phyllo dough crust)

Turkey Mixture:

• 2-1/4 cups chicken broth (no fat)
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/4 cup chopped onions
• 2 medium carrots coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons corn starch
• 1-3/4 cups evaporated skim milk
• 3 cups chopped turkey (recipe calls for breast)
• 1 cup frozen peas (thawed)
• 1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage

Pastry Crust:    3 sheets phyllo dough

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a sauce pan combine 2 cups of the broth, celery, onions and carrots. Bring to a boil then reduce heat. Cover and simmer until veggies are tender (about 5 mins.) In small cup stir together remaining 1/4 cup broth and the cornstarch until smooth. Slowly mix into the veggie broth, then add in milk. Cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 1 minute more. Then add in turkey, peas, parsley and sage. Transfer to a shallow casserole dish. To make the crust layer each sheet of phyllo dough individually spraying in between with no-stick spray. Fold or crumple the edges and bake for approximately 35-40 minutes or until the crust is a golden brown.

This recipe reduces the calories from 671 of a traditional pot pie to 251; fat goes from 32 grams to 3 grams.

Turkey Tetrazzini . . . this all time favorite goes lean

• 8 ounces spaghetti
• 14 ounces of chicken broth (no fat)
• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup evaporated skim milk
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons dry sherry (or white wine…alcoholic or non)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2-1/2 cups chopped turkey (recipe calls for breast)
• 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to directions, drain and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring broth to a boil and add mushrooms. Simmer, uncovered for 4 minutes or until tender. Add milk to mushroom mixture. In small cup stir together the wine and the cornstarch until smooth then add to the mushroom mixture. Bring to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly. Cook and stir 1 more minute. Remove the sauce from the heat and add salt/pepper. Stir in turkey. Add cooked pasta and toss. Transfer mixture to a casserole baking dish. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and bake for 20-30 minutes.

This recipe reduces the calories of regular Tetrazzini from 524 to 315; fat goes from 30grams to 4 grams.

Now that I’ve got that off my chest – let me give you my recipe which is a take on the Queso dish I remember being served at Ninfa’s a long time ago.  I served that today for lunch with shrimp but you can use sliced, cooked chicken, beef or pork.  A side dish of rice and guacamole makes it complete.

You will need:  Meat of choice, 6-8 oz of Pepper Jack Cheese, 1/2 onion, 1/2 small bell pepper, 1 can (4oz) of mushrooms, 1/4 cup white wine, 1-2 tablespoons oil, garlic powder (optional).

In a non-stick skillet heat the oil and add in the onions and bell pepper (chopped bite size).  Cook these over medium heat until they are just beginning to get soft.  Add in the mushrooms and wine – continue to cook for another 2-4 minutes.  You want most of the wine to evaporate.  Add a dash of garlic powder – this is optional.  Slice the cheese and lay it on top of the veggies, cover and continue cooking over a low heat stirring occasionally so that the cheese melts and  everything gets mixed up together.    

Once you have the cheese melted you can spoon into warmed tortillas along with warmed meat, roll and eat . . .  or you can put the whole cheese thing into a casserole dish and bake or broil on high to get a bubbly, crusty top to serve on the table.

If you have any of this delicious cheese concoction left over – don’t throw it out!  It makes an awesom omelet.

All you need is a bag of your favorite tortilla chips, 1 pound of lean ground beef, package of taco seasoning, half cup of chili con queso, and some chopped lettuce and tomatoes for topping.

Cook the ground beef until done. Add in the taco seasoning and continue to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Now here’s my secret ingredient…… corn meal. I add in a scant 1/4 cup of corn meal per pound of meat along with an extra 1/2 cup water to give the ground meat a nice smooth texture. I don’t like grainy hamburger meat and the corn meal – while some might say makes it look mushy – gives it a nice smooth texture so you don’t have all those little tiny balls of meat going everywhere and falling off the chip when you pick it up to eat it.

Spread the chips around on a plate (warming them up makes it even better) and then evenly sprinkle about 3 heaping Tablespoons of meat over them. Garnish with the lettuce, tomatoes and then drizzle the warm queso cheese over everything!

If you like taco sauce, serve some on the side. For even more flavor add in a little cilantro. I love cilantro – David HATES it. I had always kept  it in the crisper – but it would go ‘south’ in less than a week. Now when I buy cilantro it will last me 1-2 weeks because I found out how to keep it fresh longer. When you get it home from the store, cut off the bottoms of the stems about 1/2 inch up,  place the whole bunch into a glass half full of water and then put  it on a shelf in the fridge. The cilantro I used today was bought 2 weeks ago and it was still just as fresh as the day I put it into the water.

If you want to give it a try, you’ll need 20-24 shrimp peeled and de-veined;  4-5 cloves of garlic finely chopped;  1 medium size lemon; 2 Tablespoons of olive oil;  1-2 Tablespoons of butter, 3/4 cup chicken broth (fat free) – retain 1/4 cup for later; 1 teaspoon corn starch; and 1/2 cup spinach (if  using frozen – defrost but do not cook) – if you are using fresh you’ll need about 1 cup;  spaghetti or angel hair for two;  1/4 cup pine nuts (optional). 

Before  starting on the shrimp bring water to a boil.  Put the pasta (spaghetti, linguine, or angel hair)  on to cook about 6-8 minutes before the shrimp is completed.  If  the pasta gets finished before you have the shrimp ready – put 1 Tablespoon olive oil into it and gently stir.  This will keep it from sticking together. 

To prepare lemony shrimp – saute the garlic in the olive oil until tender.  Add in butter,  shrimp and juice from 1/2 of the lemon.    Cook until the shrimp are pink.  Add 1/c cup chicken broth and spinach.  Continue to cook over low heat. 

If you want to add pine nuts to the recipe; very lightly brown (careful not to burn them) –  1/4 cup  in a separate non-stick skillet with a scant 1 tablespoon olive oil and add them in right after the spinach.

In a separate small bowl mix the 1/4 cup chicken broth with the 1 teaspoon corn starch and add to the shrimp, spinach mixture on the stove.  This will thicken the sauce.  Continue to cook over low heat for another 2-3 minutes stirring occasionally. Salt to taste.

Serve over cooked pasta - along  with toasty garlic bread and a crisp salad.    On a personal note – you can decrease the spinach if you don’t want quite so much.  David loves shrimp but does not love green veggies - and as this is one way I can get him to eat the green stuff   I tend to load it up just a little.

If you have any interest in what else we’re eating (can’t you tell I love cooking) – I’m putting up a new page called Today’s Menu - it will give you an idea of what we’re eating – at least for lunch.   Also, still working on my website – I Can’t Believe It’s Sugar Free.  It seems to be taking  a little longer than I hoped.

Today though we had a visit from a dear friend – and that was fun.  Seeing someone you haven’t seen in a while  is always a special treat.  Fixed steaks for lunch.  She seemed to enjoy them so I’ll pass along the recipe.  It’s quick and easy.

I prepared Chuck Eye Steaks.  We find them to be less expensive than the Rib Eye cuts and just as tasty.  First take a meat tenderizer or fork and jab the steak on both sides all over.  Place the steaks in a glass dish and cover with your favorite marinade.  We like the Grill Mates – Mesquite in particular.  Let the steaks marinade per instructions.  Bring them to room temperature before cooking.

To cook – oil the bottom of a heavy oven-proof  skillet (I like cast iron) and bring it to a medium-high temperature on top of the stove.  Sear each side of the steak for 3 minutes.  Then place the skillet with the steaks into a pre-heated 500 degree oven for 15 minutes.  When done, remove the steaks and let them sit for 5 minutes before serving.    The will result in a well done steak.  I can’t speak to preparing a medium or rare steak  using this method as we like ours well done.  I can say I’ve served these steaks to people I know usually order medium or rare and  not ever had anyone complain.    A baked potato, salad, and dessert round out this tasty meal. 

Note:  If you have any left over steak, saute some onions in a little oil and add in the thinly sliced steak - add in a splash of Teriyaki Sauce and cook for a few minutes until heated.  Makes a great wrap-up.

 Since my washing machine is totally electronic we installed a surge protector on it that day.  We’ve also put surge protectors on the fridge, coffee maker, TV, and any other device that basically plugs into the wall.   David bought the kind of surge protectors that are flat against the wall unlike the ones we use for the computers that look like a giant multi-plugs. They just wouldn’t look good hanging on my wall.

Now about the Mongolian beef. I fixed a roast for Sunday dinner and we have enjoyed it all week. Had stew on Tuesday, Mongolian Beef w/rice on Wednesday and left-over Mongolian Beef w/Shrimp today. I don’t like throwing food away – but I also don’t like eating the same thing 2 days in a row. Another ‘me’ thing. So when we had just a smidgen of the Mongolian Beef on Wednesday leftover, I cooked a few shrimp up in a little olive oil and garlic and added this to the leftovers. Served it up on a nest of spaghetti with a sprinkle of chopped garlic chives on top. A cool salad and some watermelon rounded out the meal. I served the melon since this dish is a little hot and the melon is a nice cool-down after eating something spicy. I’m currently  working on a website where all of these recipes will be available.   Hope to have it up and running in a couple of weeks.   I’ll let you know.