Fig, Caramalized Onion, Proscuitto and Goat Cheese Pizza

Everyone seems to be asking me about figs-either someone is picking them or getting them fresh from a friend-so must be fig time.  Figs are high in fiber and potassium.  I love this pizza featuring figs as you savor sweet and salty in every bite with this wonderful ingredient combination. 

Fig, Caramelized Onion, Prosciutto & Goat Cheese Pizza from Too Hot in the Kitchen:  Secrets To Sizzle At Any Age

FROM:  TOO HOT IN THE KITCHEN: SECRETS TO SIZZLE AT ANY AGE from Food For The Mood Chapter

Figs, high in fiber and potassium, combined with sweet caramelized onion, salty prosciutto and creamy goat cheese turn pizza into a palate pleasing masterpiece.

Makes 8 servings

1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 small onion, thinly sliced
Pinch of sugar
1 (12-ounce) thin pizza crust
2 tablespoons orange marmalade
4 ounces figs, sliced in thirds
2 ounces prosciutto, cut into pieces
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, optional

1.  In small nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil and sauté onion, stirring
occasionally, about 10 minutes until start to turn golden. Add sugar and continue
cooking until caramel color. Set aside to cool.
2.  Preheat oven 450°F. On pizza crust, spread remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil
and cover with orange marmalade. Arrange cooled onions, figs, prosciutto, goat
cheese and mozzarella on crust.
3.  Sprinkle with rosemary, if desired. Bake 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted
and crust crisp.

Nutritional information per serving:
Calories 281
Calories from fat 34%
Fat 10g
Saturated Fat 4g
Cholesterol 16mg
Sodium 279mg
Carbohydrate 38g
Dietary Fiber 4g
Sugars 12g
Protein 6g
Dietary Exchanges:
2 starch, 1/2 fruit,
1/2 lean meat, 1 1/2 fat

Figs and Pizza: Fig, Caramelized Onion, Proscuitto & Goat Cheese Pizza

Not often do I talk about another cookbook, especially since I have my Freezer Friendly cookbook, however, Complete Idiot’s Guide Easy Freezer Meals, is one I want to mention for several reasons.  First, Cheri Sicard (the author) is the person that started fabulousfoods.com a great website that she later sold…so I know she knows about food, recipes, and freezing.  This book is packed with invaluable information about freezing making it a wonderful resource guide in any kitchen.  With our busy lifestyle, freezing has become a way of life, and it is important to understand what recipes freeze and the best way to freeze. So, check out the book for a super freezing guide plus it contains some great recipes.  The book includes:

SAVE TIME BY FREEZING MEALS:

• Save time by planning menus and cooking multiple meals in a single session
• Save money by buying in bulk
• Eat healthier by preparing good meals, with wholesome ingredients, instead of store-bought frozen foods
• Take control of portions to help with dieting
• Prepare special foods for dietary concerns ahead of time
• Spend more time doing the things they love outside the daily kitchen routine

The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Easy Freezer Meals

Speedy Spinach Dip

If you’re having company or just need a quick dip–this fantastic Spinach Dip is made with only five pantry-friendly ingredients.  Full of fiber, nutrients, and antioxidants, keep green foods such as spinach and broccoli on hand as they are easy to pump up the nutrition in meals. Spinach is a great addition to enchiladas, lasagna, or even for a salad; while broccoli can be thrown in stir-fry’s and casseroles.  Speedy Spinach Dip is delicious, super easy and fast to throw together and only five ingredients.  And, who doesn’t like Spinach Dip?

Speedy Spinach Dip from Holly Clegg’s Gulf Coast Favorites Cookbook
Dip lovers of all ages will want to dig into this five ingredient trouble-free spinach dip. With reduced-fat cream cheese and Swiss cheese, you won’t have to feel guilty about going back for more.

Makes 16 (1/4-cup) servings

2 (10-ounce) packages frozen, chopped spinach
1 cup salsa
4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
1 (5-ounce) can evaporated skim milk
1 cup shredded, reduced-fat, Swiss or Alpine Lace cheese

1. Cook spinach according to package directions. Drain well.
2.  In medium nonstick pot, combine spinach and remaining ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring until cheese is melted

Nutritional information per serving:
Calories 62, Calories from fat (%) 43, Fat (g) 3, Saturated Fat (g) 2, Cholesterol (mg) 9, Sodium (mg) 135, Carbohydrate (g) 4, Dietary Fiber (g) 1, Sugars (g) 2, Protein (g) 5, Diabetic Exchanges: 1 lean meat

Five Ingredient Speedy Spinach Dip

Click here to view the embedded video.

         

1 (18.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix

1 (4-serving) box instant white chocolate pudding and pie filling

1 cup fat-free sour cream

1/4 cup canola oil

2/3 cup fat-free milk

1 egg

3 egg whites

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/4 cup skim milk

1 tablespoon almond extract

1. Preheat oven 350° F. Coat 10-inch nonstick Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In mixing bowl, combine cake mix, pudding, sour cream, oil, milk, egg, egg whites, mixing until well mixed. Stir in white chocolate chips and pecans.

3. Pour in Bundt pan and bake 40-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

4. In small bowl, mix confectioners’ sugar, milk almond extract; set aside.

5. Cool cake on rack 10 minutes before inverting on serving plate. Drizzle glaze over warm cake.

To Prepare and Eat Now: Slice and serve.

To Freeze: Cool to room temperature, wrap, label and freeze. Recommended freezing time: up to 4-6 months.

To Serve: Defrost, slice and serve.

Note: Different shaped Bundt pans allow for fun types of cakes.

Nutritional information per serving: Calories 318, Protein 4 g, Total Carbohydrate 51 g, Total Fat 11 g, Calories from Fat 31%, Saturated Fat 3 g, Dietary Fiber 0 g, Cholesterol 18 mg, Sodium 338 mg, Diabetic Exchanges: 3.5 other carbohydrate, 2 fat

Easy White Chocolate Bundt-Need Quick Easy Cake?

Shrimp Cheese Grits Casserole

This post was from awhile ago…but making for Christmas gang also!  I am exhausted! I had 30 wonderful kids with me all weekend as we all went to Mardi Gras in New Orleans.  My daughter, Haley, invited 30 of her friends from Wash U in St. Louis to come experience Mardi Gras for the first time.  Many had never even been to the South so of course I had to have lots of food!! We had 5 king cakes and I cooked our classic Louisiana dishes that feed a crowd. I made Shrimp and Cheese Grits from Freezer Friendly Meals, ahead of time and froze so I didn’t have to spend hours in the kitchen when everyone got there.  I also had to make our favorite appetizers kids love to dig into – Hamburger Dip and Super Salsa…both with only a few ingredients and so easy. Of course they were gobbled up! It was a whirl-wind weekend full of fun but good to be back in my routine too!

Shrimp and Cheese Grits for a House Full

When you think of Louisiana cuisine, gumbo comes to mind.  My kids live in Dallas and New York but rely on my easy recipe for this Louisiana favorite.  If you are not in a region where seafood is plentiful, this version is the answer. The secret to a good gumbo is the roux, and my secret is I use browned flour for the roux.  Not only is this a time saver, but you get that rich nutty flavor with out all the fat.  Not only does it taste great, it is so easy as you bake the roux in the oven. So, no matter where you live, you can enjoy my Chicken and Sausage Gumbo.  Remember, gumbo freezes well and so does extra rice!

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo from Holly Clegg’s trim&TERRIFIC  Gulf Coast Favorites Cookbook

Chicken and sausage gumbo, a Louisiana favorite, may be prepared easily and conveniently with chicken, sausage, and seasonings. Gumbo is served over rice.

Makes 14 (1-cup) servings

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 pound reduced-fat sausage, sliced in 1/4-inch pieces
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in pieces
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 green bell pepper, cored and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
8 cups fat-free chicken broth
1 (16-ounce) package frozen cut okra or fresh cut okra
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch green onions, chopped

1.  Preheat oven 400ºF.
2.  Place flour on baking sheet, bake 20 minutes, stirring every 7–10 minutes until a dark nutty brown color. Set aside.
3.  In large nonstick pot coated with nonstick cooking spray, stir-fry sausage over medium heat until crispy brown, set aside.  Remove any excess grease, recoat skillet with nonstick cooking spray.
4.  Add chicken and cook, stirring until starting to brown. Add onion, garlic, green pepper, and celery, cooking until tender. Add browned flour, stir continuously.
5.  Gradually add chicken broth, okra, thyme, cayenne, and salt and pepper. Bring to boil, lower heat and simmer 30 minutes or until chicken is tender. Add sausage and green onions cooking 5 more minutes. Serve over rice.

Nutritional information per serving: Calories 160, Calories from fat (%) 11, Fat (g) 2, Saturated Fat (g) 1, Cholesterol (mg) 49, Sodium (mg) 550, Carbohydrate (g) 12, Dietary Fiber (g) 2, Sugars (g) 4, Protein (g) 22, Diabetic Exchanges: 1 carbohydrate, 3 very lean meat

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo-Secret to a Simple Healthy Roux

Crawfish Goes Southwestern:  Freezer friendly recipe  Also, Southwestern Guacamole

Click here to view the embedded video.

From Holly Clegg’s trim& TERRIFIC Gulf Coast Favorites Cookbook-all Louisiana and southern recipes for everyday cooking.

My Favorite Crawfish Enchiladas Cooking Video

Crawfish Etouffee

After adjusting back into school after winter break, I realized how much I missed my southern foods!  Within one week I made Crawfish Etouffee and Chicken and Sausage Gumbo both from my mom’s Gulf Coast Favorites book.  All of my friends at school love southern cooking and hover around my kitchen when I am cooking.  I always love to share southern recipes, because my friends always rave about how tasty the recipes are.  Both recipes took very little time and were full of flavor.  The only downside is that seafood is extremely expensive in St. Louis.  After a few grocery bills, my parents cut my southern craving down to only a few seafood recipes per month!

Crawfish Etouffee recipe from Holly Clegg’s trim&TERRIFIC Gulf Coast Favorites Cookbook

The key ingredients in this popular Louisiana staple are tender crawfish simmered with onion, green pepper, and garlic stared with a light roux.   This easy to follow recipe will quickly become part of your Cajun recipe repertoire.

Makes 4 (1-cup) servings

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 cup fat-free chicken broth

1 tablespoon paprika

1 pound crawfish tails, rinsed and drained

Salt and pepper to taste

1 bunch green onion tops only, finely chopped

1.  In large nonstick skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, melt butter, stir in flour.
2.  Cook over medium heat until light brown, 5–8 minutes, stirring constantly. Add onion, green pepper, and garlic, sauté until tender, 5 minutes.
3.  Gradually add chicken broth, stir until thickened. Add paprika and crawfish. Bring to boil.

4.  Reduce heat, cover, cook 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Salt and pepper to taste.
5.  Stir in green onions, cook another few minutes.

Nutritional information per serving: Calories 210, Calories from fat (%) 31, Fat (g) 8, Saturated Fat (g) 4, Cholesterol (mg) 170, Sodium (mg) 257, Carbohydrate (g) 13, Dietary Fiber (g) 4, Sugars (g) 4, Protein (g) 22, Diabetic Exchanges: 1 carbohydrate, 3 lean meat

Terrific Tidbit: The browned flour and oil creates a roux that gives the etouffee that deep rich flavor.

Missing the South – Crawfish Etouffee

Chicken and Dumplings

My husband loves to pitch in and help in the kitchen, but after he had knee surgery last week he has been faithfully recovering on the couch. My mom came in to help out last week, and by helping out, I mean testing loads of her new recipes on us – which of course were delicious! This week I jumped at the chance to feed him home-cooked comfort food to help him heal! After flipping through my mom’s cookbooks I remembered the classic Chicken and Dumplings – my all time favorite growing up!

Chicken and Dumplings from The New Holly Clegg trim&TERRIFIC Cookbook

This Southern comfort dish is great in the winter months and popular in my home. If you prefer a thicker soup, mix a little soup and flour together; then return the mixture to the pot. If you like lots of dumplings, double the recipe and add them all to the soup.

Makes 6 – 8 servings

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into small serving pieces

3 quarts water

Salt and pepper to taste

2 (103/4-ounce) cans 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup

6 chicken bouillon cubes

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 celery stalk, cut into pieces

1 onion, quartered

4 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 cups self-rising flour

2 tablespoons canola oil

3/4 cup skim milk

1. Place chicken in large pot with water, salt, pepper, mushroom soup, bouillon cubes, all-purpose flour mixed with little water to make smooth paste, celery, onion, and carrot slices. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cook 30 minutes, or until chicken is tender.
2. Meanwhile, make dumplings. In small bowl, combine with fork self-rising flour, oil, and milk. Turn onto floured surface, roll dough 1/8-inch thick. Cut into thin strips. Remove celery and onion, bring broth to boil, drop in dumplings. Cook on medium heat, covered, 10 minutes or until dumplings are done. Serve in big bowls.

Nutritional information per serving

Calories 368, Protein (g) 32, Carbohydrate (g) 40, Fat (g) 7, Calories from Fat (%) 18, Saturated Fat (g) 1, Dietary Fiber (g) 2, Cholesterol (mg) 70, Sodium (mg) 1,869 Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 2.5 starch, 1 vegetable

Quick Tip: If you’re watching your sodium intake, use a smaller amount of the bouillon cubes, or cut them out of the recipe entirely.

Chicken and Dumplings

Crispy Southwesetern Lasagna

What’s great about freezing is you can cook on your own time frame.  When I was on the NBC Weekend Today show preparing a recipe for Crispy Southwestern Lasagna from my first trim& Terrific cookbook, the book soared to #4 on Amazon!!!  My kids were finally impressed, but, I knew what was impressing everyone:  freezing!  So, in all my cookbooks, I have a snowflake symbol to indicate  freezer friendly recipes.  I then wrote a cookbook that focuses on freezing, Holly Clegg trim&TERRIFIC Freezer Friendly Meals, for all those that like to cook on their own time frame.  I also included in the book everything you wanted to know about freezing but didn’t know where to look.  Here is the recipe for the Crispy Southwestern Lasagna that started off my understanding of freezing. I always make lasagna and freeze ahead whenever I have a group coming to my house.

Crispy Southwestern Lasagna  from The New Holly Clegg trim&TERRIFIC Cookbook with over 500 recipes        

Makes 8-10 servings

1 pound ground sirloin
1 (14 ½-oz) can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 (4-oz) can diced green chilies, drained
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
2 egg whites
2 cups reduced-fat or fat- free cottage cheese
14 (6-inch) corn or flour tortillas, cut into quarters
1 (15 1/4-ounce) can corn, drained
1 (8-oz) package  shredded reduced-fat Mexican blend cheese

1. Preheat oven 350˚F.
2. In large nonstick skillet, cook meat over medium heat until done.  Add tomatoes and juice, green chilies, chili powder, cumin, garlic, salt, and pepper; set aside.
3. In small bowl, blend egg whites and cottage cheese well; set aside.
4. Coat a 13x9x2-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Cover bottom of baking dish with six quartered tortillas.
5. Layer all the corn, half meat mixture, half cheese, four quartered tortillas, then all the cottage cheese mixture, remaining half meat mixture, and remaining four quartered tortillas, and top with remaining cheese.
6. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes. Serve.

Nutritional information per serving

Calories 239, Protein (g) 25, Carbohydrate (g) 20, Fat (g) 7, Calories from Fat (%) 26, Saturated Fat (g) 3, Dietary Fiber (g) 3, Cholesterol (mg) 40, Sodium (mg) 537
Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1 starch, 1 vegetable

Crispy Southwestern Lasagna: Make Ahead Recipes: Freeze and Please