Simple Spinach Pie
Ingredients:
Canola cooking oil spray
3 packages (10 oz. each) frozen spinach
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 large egg whites at room temperature
1/4 cup (1 oz.) crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup reduced-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped dill (4 tsp. crumbled dried)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Coat an 8-inch spring-form pan with spray. Set aside.
3. Cook spinach according to package directions.
4. When cool enough to handle, squeeze spinach out to remove most of the water.
5. Coarsely chop spinach. Transfer to a bowl and toss with olive oil.
6. In medium bowl, whisk egg whites until foamy.
7. Mix in feta cheese, flour, salt and pepper to make a sticky dough.
8. Stir in chicken broth and dill.
9. Add spinach and mix well to combine.
10. Spread mixture in prepared pan into an even layer.
11. Bake 15 minutes, until set. Cool in pan.
12. Release spring-lock and carefully remove sides of pan.
13. Cut into 8 slices.
14. With wide metal spatula, transfer slices to serving plate, arranging them in a circular pattern,
pointed ends facing inward.
15. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Yield: 6 Servings
Per serving: 75 calories, 2 g. total fat (less than 1 g.
saturated fat), 10 g. carbohydrate, 7 g. protein, 4 g.
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This simple spinach pie is a great way to get in your veggies...pleasing the palate with the unexpected flavors of fresh dill and feta cheese.
This can really be stored up to 24 hours by covering with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerating but you'll want to bring to room temperature before serving, or reheat in oven or microwave.
For vegetarians, you will absolutely loves this recipe.
The Perfect Potato for Potato Salads
Don't overlook the most essential part of your potato salad:
The potatoes themselves! While Russets are still by far the most commonly used variety of potato, consider mixing it up a little.
There are several high-moisture varieties with a texture that many people refer to as 'waxy'. Among these varieties are Yellow Finns, Yukon Golds, and red potatoes.
Their high moisture means that they have a more pleasant texture when they are cold, and their waxier flesh holds up better to chopping and to tossing with dressing than that of the drier, more mealy Russets.
However, your salad will be outstanding no matter which variety you choose, as long as you cook the potatoes carefully.
If you wish to add a little extra color and texture to your salad, leave the skins on the potatoes. Just be sure to scrub them thoroughly before you begin; 'gritty' is one texture that nobody likes in their food!
Spicy Black Bean Potato Salad
Ingredients:
8 medium red potatoes
4 eggs
8 slices bacon
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 green onions, diced
3 fresh jalapeno peppers, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
2 1/2 cups mayonnaise
2 tablespoons brown mustard
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Place potatoes in a pot with enough water to cover.
2. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender. Drain, dice, and cool.
3. Place eggs in a pot with enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil and immediately remove from heat.
4. Cover saucepan, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes.
5. Drain, cool, peel and chop.
6. Place bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat, and cook until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
7. In a large bowl, mix chopped eggs, 1/2 the bacon, black beans, green onions, jalapeno peppers, bell pepper, mayonnaise, mustard, and Cajun seasoning.
8. Gently mix in diced, cooled potatoes. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with remaining bacon.
9. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Yield: 12 servings
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This zesty Black Bean Potato Salad has a nice, spicy blend of potatoes, black beans, green onions, bacon, and jalapenos. You can even sprinkle dried crushed red hot peppers over top for color and taste.
You won't find this a boring dish and your family members will love it for sure.
The Perfect Potato for Potato Salads
Don't overlook the most essential part of your potato salad:
The potatoes themselves! While Russets are still by far the most commonly used variety of potato, consider mixing it up a little.
There are several high-moisture varieties with a texture that many people refer to as 'waxy'. Among these varieties are Yellow Finns, Yukon Golds, and red potatoes.
Their high moisture means that they have a more pleasant texture when they are cold, and their waxier flesh holds up better to chopping and to tossing with dressing than that of the drier, more mealy Russets.
However, your salad will be outstanding no matter which variety you choose, as long as you cook the potatoes carefully.
If you wish to add a little extra color and texture to your salad, leave the skins on the potatoes. Just be sure to scrub them thoroughly before you begin; 'gritty' is one texture that nobody likes in their food!
Watermelon Tips
Here are some watermelon tips for you.
* Watermelon will not ripen after it's cut, so it's important to choose carefully. Look for firm watermelons with a dull outer skin. The bottom of the melon should be pale green to pale yellow or even beginning to turn white.
* When you thump the watermelon, it should give a hollow sign. This isn't always completely accurate since sometimes an overly ripe melon will also sound hollow.
* If you're buying sliced watermelon, look for a bright, deeply colored pink to red flesh and a lot of fibers or white streaks.
Red White and Blue Cake
You will need the cake ingredients, frosting ingredients, two pints of strawberries de-stemmed and cut into halves, and one pint of blueberries washed and drained on a paper towel.
Cake Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 egg whites (1/2 cup)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease and flour a 9x13 baking pan.
3. In a large bowl, measure flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, shortening, 2/3 cup of milk and the vanilla into a large mixing bowl.
4. Beat 2 minutes on high speed, scraping bowl occasionally.
5. Add remaining milk and the egg whites; beat 2 minutes high speed scraping bowl occasionally.
6. Pour batter into pan, Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
Frosting Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
confectioners' sugar, if required
Directions:
1. Combine sugar, water, corn syrup, and salt in a saucepan; stir until well blended.
2. Boil slowly without stirring until mixture will spin a long thread when a little is dropped from a spoon (hold the spoon high above saucepan).
3. In a large bowl, beat egg whites with a mixer until they are stiff, but still moist.
4. Pour hot syrup slowly over egg whites while beating.
5. Continue until mixture is very fluffy, and will hold its shape.
6. Add vanilla, and beat until blended.
7. If icing does not seem stiff enough, beat in 2 or 3 tablespoons confectioners sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until stiff enough to hold its shape.
8. Spread on cake.
Decorating:
1. Spread the icing generously over the completely cooled cake.
2. In the top left hand corner of the frosted cake, arrange the blueberries into an outline of a rectangle that is 5 inches wide and 4 inches tall.
3. Press the berries down into the frosting.
4. Fill the blueberry outline in with the remaining blueberries. The blueberries will look best if placed in rows, the icing between them will resemble stars.
5. Place strawberry halves cut side down in rows going across the cake horizontally.
6. The bottom stripe of the flag is red, so start the first row at the bottom.
7. Be sure to press the berries down into the frosting so the stripes will not be raised above the fluffy
frosting.
8. Serve any leftover berries with the sliced cake and ice cream.___________________________________________________________Here's a favorite for you for the summer in the dessert department....RED WHITE AND BLUE CAKE which is easiest when you just decorate it in the 9x13 inch pan you bake it in. I am sure this will get you lots of "oooooooo.....s" from your crowd!
Don't believe me, try it out!
