Fave Salad, Ever

So you can add whatever (and omit whatever) you'd like from this salad. That's the beauty of this "recipe"! Well, the naturally non-fat dressing doesn't hurt either! 

Mixed Greens (I love the giant Earthbound Farm Organic Mixed Greens, it lasts all week and doesn't get all soggy and gross)
Dried cranberries or blueberries
Balsamic Vinegar
Chopped Walnuts
Chevre (fresh goat cheese)

1) The night before, mix  the dried cranberries (or blueberries, anti-oxidants!) with 2/3 parts balsamic vinegar to 1/3 part water. Just eyeball enough liquid to submerge the dried fruit. The next day, the fruit plumps up and the vinegar gets syrupy and there's your dressing!

2) Top the greens with the rest, and shovel into face. 

Note that this salad isn't totally non-fat (nuts, and cheese) but it's delicious and definitely tastes more decadent than your typical non-fat dressing salad.

Grilled/Roasted Veggies

2 zucchini
2 yellow squash
4 bell peppers (2 red/2 yellow)
1 vidalia onion
1 red onion
2 Chinese eggplants (they're long and thin)
1 basket of cherry tomatoes
1/4 bottle of Newman's Own Sesame and Ginger Marinade
1/2 cup of olive oil
3 tbsp oregano
Kosher salt
Fresh Ground Pepper

Fire up the grill to medium high.  If indoors and planning to use the oven, preheat to 450F with the roasting pan in oven (we want to get that sucker hot)

Quarter the veggies except the tomatoes (make sure you stem and seed the peppers), and toss them in bowl with the olive oil.  Season them with salt and pepper.

Grill/roast veggies for 4 minutes, turn, then 4 minutes more.  Remove tomatoes into a bowl, then grill/roast the remaining veggies for 4 minutes more.

Place veggies in bowl with tomatoes, add marinade, and toss.  Add oregano, and toss.  Season with salt/pepper to taste.

Best served warm

This  recipe is dedicated to Meghan! 
Chicken Tikka Masala:

Ingredients

    * 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
    * 1 medium onion, diced
    * 1/2 teaspoon crushed ginger
    * 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
    * 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    * 1 teaspoon turmeric
    * 1 teaspoon dried coriander
    * 2 teaspoons paprika
    * 1/2 teaspoon cumin
    * 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
    * 2 teaspoons chicken stock powder
    * 4 tablespoons no-added-salt tomato paste
    * 1 tablespoon cornstarch
    * 12 ounces evaporated skim milk

Directions

Cut chicken into bite sized pieces.
Coat a large non-stick frying pan or wok with cooking spray and saute chicken, garlic, onion, ginger until the pieces are nearly cooked.
 Add all the spices and stock powder.
 Combine with chicken for one minute.
 Add tomato paste and fold through chicken.

Very yummy. Very easy!

Spicy Roasted Pork and Apple Sauce

2 lb Pork Tenderloin
1/4 cup Maple Syrup
1/4 cup of your favorite BBQ Sauce
1/2 to 2 Tbsp Chipotles in Adobo Sauce, pureed (sold in 8oz cans)
1 Tbsp Cider Vinegar
Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
1 Tsp ground Cumin
1 Tsp coarse mustard
6 Granny Smith Apples

Dutch or French Oven is best (I have a Stubb, a Le Creuset is more popular), or a roasting bag & pan will do in a pinch

Pat dry pork tenderloin, season with salt & pepper.  Place in large mixing bowl.  Wash and set aside apples.

Mix remaining ingredients together, and add to bowl, covering pork well.  Cover bowl, and marinate meat for 30 min to overnight.

Preheat oven on 425

Core, and slice apples in half (don't skin em), and place in bottom of French oven or bag, skin side down.

Place pork on top of apples, using any reserve marinade to cover top of pork.  Cover pan or close bag.

Cook for 1 1/2 hours, then monitor with meat thermometer until 160 degrees.  Remove pork from oven/bag and let rest on cutting board.

Take apples and drippings from bottom of oven/bag and mix with food processor until smooth.

Slice pork into thick slices, top with apple sauce, and serve with favorite sides (I like roasted veggies).

Cheers!
Eddie

I got this recipe from NYTimes: The Recipes for Health Section. I love it and I cooked it for my dad with chorizo and he loved it, too. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/21/health/nutrition/21recipehealth.html?scp=1&sq=pisto%20manchego&st=cse

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 pounds zucchini, or a combination of green and yellow summer squash, diced

2 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, or 1 (28-ounce) can, drained and chopped (see note below)

1/4 teaspoon sugar

Salt to taste (a generous amount, at least 1 teaspoon)

Lots of freshly ground black pepper

6 eggs

Note: When you seed the tomatoes, set a strainer over a bowl. Squeeze the seeds into the strainer, then press the pulp and juice through the strainer into the bowl. Discard the seeds and use the juice as described below.

1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy, nonstick skillet over medium heat, then add the onion. Stir often, until just about tender — about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for another minute or two until fragrant. Stir in the squash and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and toss together for five minutes, until the squash is coated with oil and beginning to soften. Add the tomatoes and sugar, then salt to taste (3/4 to 1 teaspoon) and turn the heat to medium-high. Stir often for five to 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have slightly cooked down. Add the juice from the tomatoes plus 1/4 cup water, stir together, and turn the heat back down to medium-low. Cook uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and easy to mash. Stir often, and add water as necessary, every 10 minutes or so, until the mixture cooks down and begins to stick to the pan. From time to time, press on the squash with the back of your spoon so that it breaks down. Taste, adjust the salt, and add lots of pepper.

2. Using the back of your spoon, make six wells in the vegetable mixture and break an egg into each well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover the pan, and cook until the eggs have set, about six to eight minutes (the whites should be set, but the yolks should still be runny). Serve, using a spatula to dish out portions of pisto topped with an egg.

Yield: Serves six

Advance preparation: The pisto will be delicious for three or four days, but until you reheat it, don’t cook the eggs. To reheat the pisto, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Transfer the cooked pisto to a lightly oiled baking dish. Make six depressions in the top, and break an egg into each one. Salt and pepper lightly, and bake in the oven six to eight minutes or until the eggs set.

Seasoned Pretzels - these pretzels are sure to be a hit at your next party or even for just a snack on a road trip or whenever. They are super delicious and very easy to make.

Ingredients:
-1 Large barrel of Honey Wheat Pretzels
-1 1/2 Cups Orville Redenbacher Popcorn Oil (or for a healthier take, use half olive oil and half veggie oil)
-1 Package of Hidden Valley Ranch "Dips" mix, not dry salad dressing
-1 tablespoon of dill weed
-1 tablespoon of garlic powder

Directions: Mix together dry ingredients and set aside. In a large bowl, combine pretzels and oil. Add dry ingredients and toss. Set aside for 15 min, then toss again. Store in airtight container or fridge and let marinate overnight (the longer the better!).

Pizzettes with Caramelized Onions, Goat Cheese, and Prosciutto

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 large onions, sliced (about 4 cups)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon herbs de Provence
1 teaspoon sugar
1 ball purchased pizza dough (about 12 to 16 ounces)
3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)
2 to 3 ounces prosciutto (about 5 large slices), cut into 2 by 2-inch pieces
Parsley or rosemary sprigs, for garnish

Special equipment: 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter

In a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil over low heat. Add the onions, salt, pepper, herbs de Provence, and sugar. Stir to combine. Continue cooking over very low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are caramelized and dark golden brown, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.

Roll out the pizza dough into a 1/4-inch-thick round. Using the cookie cutter, cut out 24 dough circles. Arrange the circles on a large heavy baking sheet. Place a small spoonful of the caramelized onions on each dough circle. Top with a small amount of goat cheese. Bake until golden and bubbly, about 10 minutes.

While still hot, top each pizzette with a piece of prosciutto. Arrange on a serving platter and garnish with sprigs of parsley or rosemary. Serve immediately.

Also Giadas.

Filet Mignon with Balsamic Syrup and Goat Cheese

1 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter
6 (5 to 6-ounce) filet mignon steaks (each about 1-inch thick)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces soft fresh goat cheese

Boil the balsamic vinegar and sugar in a heavy small saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/3 cup, stirring occasionally, about 18 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Melt the butter in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the steaks with salt and pepper. Cook the steaks to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer the steaks to a baking sheet. Crumble the cheese over the steaks and broil just until the cheese melts, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with pepper.

Transfer the steaks to plates. Drizzle the balsamic sauce around the steaks and serve. 

This isn't mine. It's Giada's. But... whatev.