I had such a chuckle this morning when I turned up to spin class and the instructor had a New Year’s resolution playlist. So cute.  Halfway through the class (right about the point where you feel like you’re gonna fall over and d-i-e die), Weird Al came on with his Grapefruit Diet song.  So, I just had to laugh.  Or else I was gonna cry!

(Grapefruits are on special this week, by the way – in case you’re inspired to give that old diet a try.  The woman on the bike beside me said she did it for a week in her twentys and hasn’t eaten another grapefruit since.)

I might stock my fruit bowl while grapefruit are on special, but I’m not about to fall off the grapefruit deep end.  Wouldn’t be too interesting to blog about, would it?  I am planning on lightening up a little bit though, so I made one of my favorite meat loaves this weekend.   This recipe makes a huge meat loaf, just so you know.  I usually make the whole thing, then divide it in half and freeze one for a rainy day.  Leftovers make fabulous sandwiches!

On the side we had simple steamed asparagus (on sale), and some lovely parmesan smashed redskin potatoes (also on sale).  It was a great dinner!  Enjoy!

TURKEY MEAT LOAF

Serves:  8-10

Source:  The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, by Ina Garten; pp. 138-139

• 2 large yellow onions, diced
• 2 T. good quality olive oil
• 2 t. kosher salt
• 1 t. freshly ground black pepper
• ½ t. dried thyme
• 1/3 c. Worcestershire sauce
• ¾ c. chicken broth
• 1 ½ t. tomato paste
• 5 lbs. ground turkey breast (on sale)
• 1 ½ c. plain dry breadcrumbs
• 3 extra large eggs, beaten
• ¾ c. ketchup

Preheat oven to 350.  In a medium pan, over medium heat, cook the onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme until the onions are translucent but not browned, approximately 15 minutes.  Add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste and mix well.  Allow mixture to cool to room temperature.

Combine the ground turkey, breadcrumbs, eggs, and onion mixture in a large bowl.  Mix well and shape into a rectangular loaf on an ungreased baking sheet.  Spread ketchup evenly on top.  Bake for one hour, or until the internal temperature is 160 degrees and the meat loaf is cooked through.  Allow to rest for five minutes or so, then slice thickly.  Serve hot, at room temperature, or cold in a sandwich.

PARMESAN SMASHED POTATOES

Serves:  6-8

Source:  The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, by Ina Garten; p. 158

• 3 pounds red potatoes, unpeeled (on sale!)
• 1 T. plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 ½ c. half and half (I used whole milk)
• 1 stick butter (I used half a stick)
• ½ c. sour cream
• ½ c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ t. freshly ground black pepper

Cut the redskins in half if they’re on the big side.  Place the potatoes and 1 tablespoon of salt in a 4-quart saucepan with cold water to cover.  Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer covered for 25-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are completely tender.  Drain.

In a small saucepan, heat the half and half and the butter.

Put the potatoes into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix slowly for a few seconds on low speed to break them up.  Slowly add the hot cream and butter to the potatoes, mixing on the lowest speed (the last quarter of the cream and butter should be folded in by hand).  Fold in the sour cream, Parmesan cheese, the remaining salt, and pepper; taste for seasoning and serve immediately.  If the potatoes seem to thick, add more hot cream and butter.

We’ve been eating a lot more fish at our house since I started writing this blog.  It’s been good for our family, too.  Not only does fish feel much lighter than meat, it’s given me a great chance to experiment with different preparations, and my kids have decided that salmon (“yay, pink fish!”) is all right — except for No Thank-You Boy, of course … but if you’ve been following along, you know that we’ve determined there’s not much in the way of food that he enjoys these days.  Teenagers.  Let’s not talk about him please.

Let’s talk about dinner!  This meal comes together in a skinny minute; there’s minimal prep work followed by a short cook time.  The sauce of red onion, lemon juice, and capers is light and bright at the same time.  If you’re not crazy about those flavors, you could easily pass on the sauce.  Truth be told (and keepin’ it real), my husband wasn’t nuts about the sauce.  I liked it though, and thought it was a nice compliment to the fish.

You could also punt and whip up a box of rice pilaf if you weren’t feelin’ it for the risotto, but as far as risotto goes, this one is a cinch, and a perfect recipe to get the hang of the technique if you’ve never made risotto before.  Give it a try!

Enjoy your Monday, everyone!

ROASTED SALMON & ASPARAGUS WITH LEMON-CAPER SAUCE

Serves:  4

Source:  epicurious.com

• 2 T. fresh lemon juice
• 2 T. minced red onion
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 T. capers, chopped
• pinch dried thyme
• ½ t. grated lemon zest

• 1 ½ lb. skinless salmon fillet (on sale)
• 1 lb. asparagus (also on sale)
• 1 T. olive oil

Preheat oven to 450.  Whisk first six ingredients in a small bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Cut three ½” deep slits crosswise in top of salmon (as if dividing into 4 equal pieces but don’t cut all the way through).  Arrange asparagus in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet.  Drizzle with oil and turn to coat.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place salmon atop asparagus; sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast until salmon is just opaque in center, about 20 minutes.

Transfer asparagus and salmon to platter.  Spoon sauce over salmon.  Cut into 4 pieces along slits and serve.

RISOTTO WITH PARMESAN

Serves: 6 as a side dish

Source:  epicurious.com

• 5 c. chicken broth
• 4 T. butter (I cut this to 2 T. with no trouble)
• 1 ½ c. finely chopped onion
• 1 ½ c. Arborio rice
• 1 c. grated Parmesan (if you opt for the green can, I’m afraid we can’t be friends anymore.)
• 2 T. chopped fresh Italian parsley
• Shaved Parmesan cheese (on sale)

Bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Reduce heat to low; cover saucepan.

Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium low heat.  Add onion, sauté until very tender but not brown, about 15 minutes.  Increase heat to medium.  Add rice and stir 1 minute.  Add 1 ½ cups of broth.  Boil gently until broth is absorbed, stirring frequently.  Add another cup of broth; stir until broth is absorbed.  Add remaining 2 ½ cups of broth, ½ cup at a time, patiently allowing broth to be absorbed before adding more and stirring frequently until rice is tender and mixture is creamy, about 25 minutes.  Patience, people.  Stir in 1 cup of grated cheese.  Season with salt and pepper.  Transfer to serving bowl, garnish with parsley and shaved Parmesan.

I’ve tried for several years to make the traditional lamb gyros at home, but I always come up short; the at-home version never tastes nearly as good as what you’d find at an authentic Greek restaurant, or from a street vendor for that matter.  So, I’ve thrown in the (dish) towel on the lamb version for now, and make my gyros with chicken instead.  This version is pretty darned good, I have to say.  Five out of five members of the DamFam love them — even No Thank-You Boy, who doesn’t like a da’gum thing these days… so that says a lot!

The prep work here is minimal, but the flavors are big – the chicken is marinated for a short time in a simple blend of olive oil, cumin, garlic, and oregano.  After a quick trip under the broiler, we’ll layer on a creamy yogurt feta sauce, top it with some crunchy cucumbers, lettuce, and tomato, then wrap it all up in a warm, fluffy pita.  I’m famished, aren’t you?

As for a side dish, I’m going to toss together a simple veggie roast of Yukon Gold potatoes and fresh asparagus.  We probably don’t need much of a starch since there’s bread in the main course, but I have half a bag of Yukon Golds hanging around, and I need to use them up.  Because honestly, allowing good potatoes go to waste is a travesty, any way you slice it.  Also, this blogger never met a potato dish she didn’t like.

Actually, I’ll retract that.  This blogger despises her mother’s German Potato Salad.  Just keepin’ it real…(and I do apologize, Mom … the rest of your cooking is stellar)!

And by the by, if anyone has a good lamb version of gyros they’d like to share (like say, if you’re a certain reader whose family owns a lamb and veal business), feel free to chime in.  You know who you are!

Enjoy!

CHICKEN GYROS WITH YOGURT FETA SAUCE
Serves: 4

Source:  The Deen Bros. Cookbook by Jamie & Bobby Deen, and Melissa Clark.  Pp.178-179.

• 1 ½ lbs. chicken cutlets, sliced in half lengthwise ** see note below **
• 3 T. olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed, more if you’re big on garlic
• 1 t. dried oregano
• 1 t. ground cumin
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 container of plain yogurt (Dannon is on sale), or Greek yogurt
• 2 oz. crumbled feta cheese (Athenos brand is on sale)
• ¼ c. minced red onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 ½ T. chopped fresh dill
• 2 t. freshly squeezed lemon juice (fresh, please – we’ve had this discussion)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 4 slices pita bread (I love and adore Kangaroo Brand), warm
• Shredded romaine (on sale)
• Diced tomato and sliced cucumber for serving

In a large bowl, place the chicken, oil, garlic, oregano, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste; toss to coat.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, feta, red onion, garlic, dill, lemon juice, and salt and pepper.  Set aside to chill until serving time.

Preheat the broiler.  Spread the chicken cutlets on a baking sheet.  Broil 6 inches from heat for 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway through the cook time.

To serve, divide the chicken, sauce, lettuce, tomato, and cucumber evenly among the warmed pitas.  Fold and serve.  Pass additional sauce at the table, if desired.

** NOTE ** to make the cutlets, place a chicken breast on a work surface and carefully slice it in half horizontally, forming two thin slices of chicken, then cut the slices in half top to bottom to form four long pieces, gosh I hope that makes sense!)

ROASTED POTATOES & ASPARAGUS WITH PARMESAN

Serves:  4

Source:  Epicurious.com

• 1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1” pieces
• 1 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1” pieces
• 3 T. olive oil
• 1/3 c. Parmesan cheese (I’m using the shaved Parm’ that’s on sale this week)

Preheat the oven to 450.  Place rack in upper third of the oven.

Toss together asparagus, potatoes, oil, and ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a large shallow baking pan, spreading evenly.  Roast, stirring once, 20 – 25 minutes.  Sprinkle with cheese and roast until cheese is melted and golden in spots, about 3 minutes more.

I ate too much this weekend.  And if you want the truth, I went overboard on the  cocktails, too – we went to a really fun (LATE) dinner party on Friday, then out to the lake on Saturday, and had company on Sunday.  The weather was gorgeous, and I just felt like livin’ it up and indulged just a teensy bit too much.

It’s time to get back on track, and I’m going to be really, really good today.  I just ate an apple (a Jazz apple, I’m totally hooked – you must try them!);  I’m munching a bunch of grapes and pounding ice water by the quart to re-hydrate and flush all the junk out of my system.  I might even go a little crazy and EXERCISE later.  I know, right?  Look out.

I like to go ‘veggie’ for a few days when I’ve abused my body like this, and a perfect way to get back on track is with this delicious black bean soup.  If you didn’t know this already, black beans are virtually fat free, they’re a great source of fiber and antioxidants, and … they’re on SALE through today, yippee!  This soup feels filling, and if you go easy on the shredded cheese and sour cream, it’s very healthy too.   My kids totally dig it and have absolutely no earthly idea that it’s good for them — cheap, healthy, and a total nutritional fake out,  I love it!

Alongside I like to serve these crispy roasted vegetable quesadillas; again, these can be made quite healthy if you go light on the cheese and don’t oil your griddle with too heavy a hand.  I’m making mine with the sale LaBanderita tortillas (which I have leftover from the burritos last week), the sale red onions, and the Colby Jack that’s on sale in the cheese department (you’ll have to shred this yourself).  Choose from one of the three brands of salsas that are on sale (Frontera, Manny’s, or Newmans!) to dunk the quesadillas.

I’m off to the gym.  Hope I remember how to get there.

If you have the luxury of time, make the soup earlier in the day.  It gets better the longer it sits!

Serves:  6-8 for dinner

Source:  Adapted from epicurious.com

• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 very large yellow onion (on sale!), diced
• 4 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 ½ t. dried thyme
• 5 – 15 oz. cans black beans, drained (LaPreferida brand, on sale)
• 4 c. chicken broth
• 1 – 28 oz. can and 1 – 14 oz. can crushed tomatoes with their juice
• 3 t. ground cumin
• 1 t. ground chipotle powder (or regular chili powder)
• Generous pinch of chopped cilantro
• 1 lime, cut in to wedges
• 2 – 3 scallions, chopped
• Shredded cheese and sour cream for serving, if desired

Heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion, garlic, and thyme; sauté until onion is tender, about 8 minutes.  Add beans, broth, tomatoes with juices, cumin, and chili powder.  Bring soup to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until flavors blend and soup thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.

Working in batches, puree half of the soup in blender until smooth (see note).  Mix puree back in to soup in pot. Stir in cilantro, a squeeze of fresh lime juice to taste, and season with salt and pepper.  Ladle soup in to bowls and top with sliced scallions, shredded cheese and sour cream if desired.

NOTE * BLENDING  HOT LIQUIDS 101: If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you’ve heard it before.  Unless you enjoy cleaning soup off of yourself, your cabinets, and your ceiling, please, please, please do not 1). Fill your blender to the top with hot soup, and then 2). Put the lid on tightly, and then 3).  Turn it on full blast.  (I’m telling you these things because 1). I like you, and 2). I don’t want your scalded self and your messed up kitchen on my conscience!)

To call this a ‘recipe’ is kind of silly – it’s really more of a guideline, because if you can make a grilled cheese sandwich, you can make a quesadilla.  Swap in most any vegetable that you like; sometimes I throw baby bella mushrooms or zucchini in the mix too!  Have fun!

ROASTED VEGETABLE QUESADILLAS

Serves:  4-6 for dinner

Source:  Adapted from epicurious.com

• ½ – 1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1” pieces
• 1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded, cut in to 1” pieces
• 1 large red onion, sliced and separated into rings
• 1 – 2 T. olive oil
• 6 large flour tortillas (I’m using the LaBanderita 10” sale tortillas)
• ½ – ¾ lb shredded cheese (I’m using the sale Colby-Jack, but feel free to swap in shredded Pepper Jack, which is also terrific in these)
• Chopped fresh cilantro to taste
• Cooking spray
• Salsa or Pico de Gallo for serving
• Sour cream for serving, optional

Preheat the oven to 500.

Line a large cookie sheet with foil for easier cleanup.  Place the vegetables on the pan and toss with olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Roast vegetables until tender and lightly browned, shaking pan occasionally, about 10-12 minutes.  Cool vegetables.

Preheat the broiler.

Place three tortillas on a work surface.  Sprinkle each lightly with some of the cheese, then divide vegetables evenly among the tortillas.  Top with more shredded cheese and chopped cilantro.  Cover with the remaining three tortillas.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.  Place the quesadillas on the baking sheet, spray the top tortilla with cooking spray.  Broil the quesadillas until golden brown, about 2 minutes.  Carefully turn the quesadillas and broil the second side until golden brown, an additional 2 minutes.

Alternately, make the quesadillas on your cooktop, like a grilled cheese.  This is what I always do, because I don’t trust my broiler!

I love soup.  Adore it, dream about it, and absolutely could eat it every single day of the gosh darned year.  Hot soup, cold soup, creamy, thick or thin… I really don’t care, just bring on the soup.   Yes, even in the summertime!

Last night I made one of the most economical, yet delicious soups ever:  this wonderful Cream of Asparagus.  You would never believe it has only FIVE (yes,  “5”) SIMPLE INGREDIENTS!   I already threw the receipt away, but if I just do the math in my head, I think the entire pot cost a grand total of around $8.00, for (roughly) six servings.  It’s hard to beat that!

We enjoyed the soup with a simple salad (made with the sale Boston lettuce), and some crunchy sesame breadsticks.  Try it while the asparagus is on sale for 1.99/pound!

Some quick notes on the recipe:  be sure to trim off the woody ends of the asparagus before you chop the stalks.  If you don’t know this already, the asparagus will ‘tell’ you which part to throw away, if you simply bend the bottom of the individual stalks with your hands, it will naturally ‘snap’ where the good part starts, and the woody part ends.  Brilliant!

Also, if you’d like to make a pretty garnish, save out a few of the tips.  Blanch them quickly in a small pan of boiling, salted water for about 1 minute.  Drain them well, then garnish each bowl with a tip or two immediately before serving.

(Personally, I think this is a wonderful idea and I would have done it too, but I was really, really hungry.  I punted and used the chives that are growing like crazy in my backyard!  J)

SIMPLE CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP

Makes roughly six cups

Source:  epicurious.com (“Crème D’asperges”)

• 2 T. butter
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 lbs. asparagus, woody ends trimmed; stalks sliced 1/2 “ thick (tips reserved if you’d like to make the garnish, as discussed above!)
• 3-4 c. good-quality chicken broth (I used 3 ½ cups)
• ½ c. heavy cream
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the onion, season with salt and pepper. Sauté for five minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the chopped asparagus (again, season) and cook, stirring occasionally, for five minutes.  Add the broth and bring to a simmer.  Cover pan and reduce heat to medium low.  Simmer soup for 15 minutes, or until asparagus is tender.  Cool the soup for a few minutes.

Transfer contents of saucepan to a blender (you might have to do this in batches).  Place the top on the blender, venting slightly to allow steam to escape (*see very important note below).  Start the blender on low, then increase the speed slowly.  Blend soup until completely smooth.  Return to the pan, set over low heat.  Add the cream, stir to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Garnish with the reserved, blanched tips (as discussed above!).

*BLENDING  HOT LIQUIDS 101: Unless you enjoy cleaning green soup off of yourself, your cabinets, and your ceiling, please, please, please do not 1). Fill your blender to the top with hot soup, and then 2). Put the lid on tightly, and then 3).  Turn it on full blast.  (I’m telling you these things because 1). I like you, and 2). I don’t want your scalded self and your messed up kitchen on my conscience!)

Instead, allow the soup to cool slightly in the pan.  Fill the blender just over halfway, then begin blending the soup very slowly, leaving the lid slightly askew.  I also like to hold a folded up dishtowel on the lid, as I’m holding the lid in place.  As the steam is under control, then you can increase your speed.

I avoid this entire blender situation altogether by using my immersion (a.k.a ‘stick’) blender, one of the best little inventions in the world!