Tuesday, November 26, 2013

THE Pumpkin Pie that will still fit after the BIG meal!

Why not have the great taste without popping the seams on your jeans!



Slave has searched for many years to find a great tasting pumpkin pie that did not weight a ton! So here is something that has the wonderful taste without all the heavy stuff that brings on the guilt.





Ingredients:
2 pkg 3.5 oz Cheesecake Flavor Instant pudding (no sugar)
1 cup caned pumpkin (not pie filling)
1Tub (8 Oz.) Frozen Non-fat dairy Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
1 lot fat ready made graham pie crust
1 ¼ cup skim milk
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice*
Optional
1 TBS butter substitute
2 TBS Brown sugar
½ cup chopped Walnuts
*NOTE: May substitute ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves in place of pumpkin pie spice.
--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Directions:



In large bowl hand beat milk, pudding mix and spice with wire whisk for 1 minute. Whisk in pumpkin. (Mixture will be thick.)
In a separate bowl measure out about half of the thawed topping. Lightly stir a small portion (maybe ½ cup of the pumpkin mixture) into the topping then carefully add that back to the rest of the pumpkin.

By doing this with a light touch you keep the mixture fluffy. If you just mix it in quickly it will beat down into a soupy mess!
This is called “folding”. Do this when you see any recipe direction to “fold in”.
Spread in crust. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or until set.
NOTE: That clear plastic cover that came on the pie crust can be inverted and by just crimping the foil edge 2 or 3 times will hold on as a great cover!
Now if you wish to use the optional crunch type topping.
In small microwave-safe bowl combine walnuts, brown sugar and butter substitute. Microwave on high for 1 ½ to 2 ½ minutes or until bubbly, stirring once. Spread on foil to cool. Be careful nothing burns you quite so much as melted sugar!
Crumble walnut mixture over pie.



Serve with remaining whipped topping. Store in refrigerator.
NOTE: this is a great topping technique to use on both pies and cakes!



Hope that you have a fun time with Your meal!

Serving Master Indy
socialslave

PS: Since slave had some of the phylo cups left over, some of the pie filling was piped into them to use as an appetizer!



To satisfy and restore. To nourish, support and maintain. To gratify, spoil, comfort and please, to nurture, assist, and sustain …..I cook!

The Official Belly Bombers Stuffing recipe

From White Castle Corporation! Images from White Castle



For those of you who have never had the privilege of eating at a White Castle restaurant, the terms “sliders” or Belly Bombers” might be a bit vague. Yes, it is a burger chain. In fact it started in 1921.

The burgers are very small! In fact, I have never heard of anyone ordering 1 White Castle. Most buy them by the bag. Or at least 4 at a time. These unique tidbits are steamed over onions and never even flipped. People love 'em or hate 'em, until you are heading home from the bar and need something in the tummy, then everybody goes to White Castle.

That said, when this recipe first started making the rounds everyone thought it was a joke. Until they tried it! Done properly it is as good as grandma's! So I print it here. No additions or subtractions.

I do suggest that you try it sometime as a side cooked in its own pan first until you get the hang of it.





Ingredients:
10 White Castle burgers (order them without pickles!)
1 cup celery diced fine
1 tsp ground thyme
2 tsp ground sage
1 cup chicken or beef broth
pepper to taste!
========

Preheat oven to 350 and spray a baking pan.















These “burgers” are only about 3 inches square, but you want to cut them into 1 inch squares, buns and all and put in large bowl. Add the finely diced celery, the thyme and sage and stir to mix.





Now to wet this down use a cup of chicken broth. (or beef broth will also work fine) Mix well and pat into the pan and bake for about 30 to 40 minutes, until temp reaches 165 degrees. This will dry it up and help form into together.

 

Enjoy!  :-)   :-)   :-)

Serving Master Indy

socialslave

To satisfy and restore.
To nourish, support and maintain.
To gratify, spoil,
comfort and please,
to nurture, assist, and sustain
..I cook!



Friday, November 22, 2013

Fruity Chicken cups

Get your mind off of Those Turkey(s) with these appetizers


Remember last week when slave told you that you could even get some appetizers out of that $15 worth of meat?

Well like most, slave is facing out of town family to arrive this weekend so here are little low fat gems to greet them!


2 TBS non-fat mayonnaise
1 5 oz. Container of non fat plain Greek Style Yogurt
1 orange
approx 2 cups cooked chicken finely chopped
approx 1 cup caned fruit salad in light syrup – drained and chopped
1 stick celery very finely diced.
Fresh ground pepper and salt
package of phylo cups (yes slave knows how to bake them but why?)











Directions

Combine mayonnaise and yogurt in a big bowl. Cut the orange in half and squeeze juice into the mix, then zest the two halves. (This is the best way to add an orange flavor without the bitterness)

Drain the fruit salad (personal preference, slave removes much of the pineapple, but not all). Chop this into tiny pieces. And do the same with the chicken.












Stir together and season. Seal the mixture in a bowl in refrigerator overnight.







When ready to serve:
Spoon the chicken salad mixture into a re-closeable plastic bag. Cut off about a ¼ inch piece of a bottom tip (trust me when you try to cut a ¼ inch, it will end up bigger than you thought!) This makes a perfect squeezable piping bag. Then just pipe the mixture to fill each phylo cup without getting the stuff all over your hands. Also those phylo cups crumble easily so be gentle!

Amaze your family with all of your new found expertise!

Serving Master Indy

socialslave

To satisfy and restore. To nourish, support and maintain. To gratify, spoil, comfort and please, to nurture, assist, and sustain …..I cook!



Magical Meat

See what happens when you let your meatloaf?

Slave did not forget the pound of hamburger it had left frozen from last week. So here is a bit of a surprise that you might never have thought of.

1lbs of ground chuck
¼ cup chopped onion
1 large egg lightly beaten
¼ cup rolled oats (not the quick kind)
5 oz container of Non-fat plain Greek style Yogurt!
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce (low sodium)
3 slices of American cheese
Ketchup

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl mix the ground beef with onion, egg, oats, yogurt, and Worcestershire sauce.

Line a 9 x 9 baking pan and spray it. Slave shapes the meat mixture into a log like thing and places it diagonally in the pan. This leaves room for the grease to come out and not be trapped in the loaf.

Poke a trench with your fingers down the center. Fold each cheese slice into thirds and stuff these down this trench. Now you can pull the sides together if you wish. But always finish the loaf with ketchup drizzled on the top and smeared around with your hand so that it will make a crust as it bakes.
Bake for 50-55 minutes or until meat has reached 165 degrees on a meat thermometer.
Remove from oven and cover with foil. Let the meat rest for 4 – 7 minutes, it will continue to cook and resting makes it easier to remove from the pan.

Never guessed yogurt in a meatloaf did ya? How healthy can you get yogurt and oats! Don't tell until people ask why your meatloaf is so much better than theirs.

Serving Master Indy!

Socialslave

To satisfy and restore. To nourish, support and maintain. To gratify, spoil, comfort and please, to nurture, assist, and sustain …..I cook!


Thursday, November 21, 2013

A very quick Holiday breakfast!

Pre Castro Cuban Eggs!

Growing in in the fifties, When the holiday cooking season there were many times my brother and I were treated to a quick breakfast that was called “Cuban Eggs”. Remember this was before Fidel Castro!

Slave likes to pull it out when things are rushed. It has been made so many times that real effort was put into trying to figure how much of each ingredient should be listed. Finally what you get here is my best guess!




½ lbs of bulk sausage (had some left over from another dish so this uses it up.)
Eggs – use 2 for each person (slave fixed for two) and add one for the “pot” So slave used 5.

4 slices of toast
¼ or so ketchup.
Salt and pepper to taste! (slave usually doesn’t mention this, I hope you don’t mind)


















 
Directions:

Brown the loose sausage over medium high heat until well cooked.
Toast the bread
In a bowl scramble the eggs with a teaspoon of skim milk for 2 eggs.












Add seasonings. Pour over the cooked sausage in the pan and add ketchup.
Stir until eggs are almost set and remove to pile on toast.

NOTE when scrambling eggs. If they are cooked in the pan until they look done, they will be over-cooked by the time they are on the plate. Honestly they continue to cook while you are serving them!.

 


Thought this might be something special and easy for you!

Serving Master Indy
socialslave

To satisfy and restore.
To nourish, support and maintain.
To gratify, spoil,
comfort and please,
to nurture, assist, and sustain
..I cook!















Slave's Perversion-pinwheels

Slave's Perversion-pinwheels

Over the holidays you just might find yourself in need of a quick “something” to take to a party or to offer un-announced guest.”

This is so easy it is difficult to mess up.

Basic:

Ingredients

    • 1 lb bulk sausage
    • 2 cans crescent roll dough or seamless dough sheet

Directions

  1. lay out sheet of wax paper on counter.
  2. Unroll the dough out of the can in one piece & press perforated edges together to form a sheet of dough from each can.
  3. Spread a thin layer of raw sausage over the two sheets of dough evenly. DON'T be generous, a little goes a long way.
  4. Starting with a long edge, roll dough and sausage into a log.
  5. Refrigerate log overnight: or stick in the freezer til ready to cook.
  6. Pre heat oven to 375.
  7. Slice ½ inch pieces from the log and place on a foil lined and well sprayed baking sheet.
  8. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-18 minutes.
Now then here are some ideas of how you can change this up to fit your mood!

If you use a spicy style sausage, serve appetizer with some Ro-Tel cheese dip as a side! 

Or try ½ maple flavored sausage and ½ regular sausage and sprinkle with cheddar cheese before rolling!

How about Italian Sausage, use Mozzarella cheese and maybe throw in some mushroom bits, with a side dip of Marinara mixed with seafood cocktail sauce. (Mix these 50-50 for the best red dip!)

Prefer a more bland type? How about using cut up ham and cheese! 
 
Works well with reduced fat crescent rolls and reduced fat sausage with no problems.

How easy is this!

OR
2 tablespoons ranch dressing
4 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled
½ cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese (2 oz)
¼ cup chopped green onions (4 medium)

============================

 

Tuck this recipe away for such emergencies!

Serving Master Indy
socialslave

To satisfy and restore. To nourish, support and maintain. To gratify, spoil, comfort and please, to nurture, assist, and sustain …..I cook!

Friday, November 15, 2013

Chicken Stroking Off

Chicken Stroking Off

 

Do you remember the de-boned chicken from earlier this week?
Well lets use that tonight! This makes a quick casserole with plenty left over to freeze.


 
Ingredients
  • 2 cups cooked chicken.
  • 1 cup chopped onion
    1 can 10¾ ounce condensed cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 pkg mixed vegetables.
  • 1 Green Pepper diced
  • wide egg noodles cooked
  • 1 5oz non-fat plain Greek style yogurt 


    Directions
    Put the water on to boil for the noodles, spray & heat a large frying pan to medium heat.
    Put the onions and diced pepper into the pan to sweat. Remember if you can hear a sizzle, the heat is too high. Note the time.
    For instance: the noodles take 7 minutes. The mixed vegetables take 7 minutes. You are only going to microwave them for 3 minutes.



    So as soon as the noodles come back to a boil start the microwave vegetables for 3 minutes
    Stir the chicken and condensed soup into the onions. Stirring occasionally while this heats, adding a bit of milk if it is too thick. Not too much!
    When the microwave stops, drain the vegetables and add to skillet. Set the timer for 4 minutes.



    When the timer goes off, drain the noodles and add to a large bowl to mix.
    Scoop out the chicken-vegetables with a slotted spoon but save the liquid in the pan. Mix them into the noodles. Last thing is to add the yogurt. Stir and pour into a casserole.
    With a large spoon, drizzle just a couple of spoonfuls of the soup stuff over the dish and serve. Again save what is left because after dinner when you go to clean up, you will find that the pasta has sucked up all of the liquid like a sponge! Store the soup in a separate container to add when warming up the left overs.



    If you are going to bag and freeze: use separate bags. Bet you get 2 more meals out of this yet!



    Serving Master Indy



    socialslave



    To satisfy and restore. To nourish, support and maintain. To gratify, spoil, comfort and please, to nurture, assist, and sustain …..I cook!



     

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Barefoot slave's Caramelized Shallots

Barefoot slave's Caramelized Shallots

 This has everything necessary to make it a great holiday side dish! Unique wonderful taste, addictive sauce, and can be expensive. Although slave hears that at times you can get them at Costco in the big bags! Slurp!


The basis for the recipe comes from the legendary Barefoot Contessa and her: Barefoot in Paris by Ina Garten
In fact in slave's research almost every recipe it could find referenced her dish as an “inspiration”. So does slave!


Ingredients

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
1½ - 2 pounds fresh shallots, peeled, with roots cut very close
(try to get small ones of even size)*
3 tablespoons Dark Brown sugar
3 tablespoons good white wine balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoons chopped parsley
optional a dash of thyme
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Spray a baking dish

*Note: Some people have trouble peeling the shallots for this dish and recommend dropping them into boiling water for one minute to loosen the skin. This helps a few. Slave suggests cutting the tip off, then peeling down the outer layer. Now just twist it off and cut very close, leaving the tiniest tip of root and clean it well. This holds the shallots together and when it has been cleaned and cooked it is no different from the rest of the vegetable.

Directions
Quickly melt 2 tbs of the butter in a large microwave safe bowl. Add the brown sugar and mix well, then toss in the shallots and mix them around.

















Melt the rest of the butter in a large frying pan over a medium to medium-low heat add the shallots and sugar, and stir to coat well. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, Keep an eye on it and stir occasionally, or just until the shallots start to brown. Wait until this point to add the balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper and stir that in well. 

Carefully pour into a baking dish and put into oven. Slave lists the cooking times as between 15 to 30 minutes. The reason for the big difference is because it all depends on the size of shallots being cooked. You want them tender but not blackened and burned.



Season to taste, sprinkle with parsley, and serve hot.
Or bake ahead of time. When the meat comes out of oven: put the shallots in and they will warm up as you let the meat rest. Remember, you always let the meat rest!

IMPORTANT NOTES:
This can be fixed and frozen for up to 6 months!

The sauce tends to be highly addictive and very fattening!

Cut recipe in half if just fixing for two people: make more than 2 lbs for 6 people!

Absolutely fabulous added to a sandwich, heaven in a bite!

Faithfully serving Master Indy

socialslave

To satisfy and restore. To nourish, support and maintain. To gratify, spoil, comfort and please, to nurture, assist, and sustain …..I cook!




Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Keeping an Eye out for Food Sales







Keeping an Eye out for Food Sales 
and how to take advantage! 

Friends, slave has had a busy week, but has NOT forgotten you! Once a week or so, the local grocery store runs a special on meat. If you buy any three packages with a yellow sticker on it, the price is $5 each!

Don't shy away from these deals because you are only cooking for two! Let slave offer just one of many possibilities to take advantage of this.

FIRST CHECK the “SELL BY” DATES! Slave always urges you to do this twice: once when you put it in your cart and the second time when you take it out for the checker-person!

Slave picked up these three packages:
Ground round (1.4 lbs) $8.81
Porkloin roast (1.6 lbs) $7.98
Chicken Thighs (5.4lbs) $14.09
Total Paid only $15.00
Saved: $15.88
=================================

This is how slave used them! (1 ½ lbs hamburger)

Sleazy Shepherds Pie

First night, separated about a third of the ground round, and browned that loose in a saute pan, froze the rest (aprox 1 lbs) in a re-closeable plastic freezer bag. Always repackage to freeze!

Took out about a cup of leftover vegetables, and warmed them, while fixing a serving of (yech) instant mashed potatoes. Yes, however, they were given to slave and the flakes do come in handy at times to thicken up a sauce, but more on that latter.



Now simply combine everything and tear up some slices of cheese on top Bump in microwave for about 1 minute just to melt the cheese and you have a quick and great tasting Shepherds Pie!

One meal down and meat that can be quickly thawed out for a one skillet dinner anytime! At least 4 meals depending on what type you fix.



The second night: Porkloin roast 1/1/2 lbs

Piggy that went to Heaven Roast
Preheated oven to 350 degrees.
Prepared some of slaves baked beans:
Recipe posted in blog for 4th of July
4 strips of bacon fried crisp - save drippings and add to beans.
2 (15-ounce) Cans Bush’s vegetarian baked beans
1 cup diced Granny Smith apple Peeled and cored
1 cup diced yellow onion
¼ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard









Spray a heavy Dutch Oven (or other baking dish).
Place the pork roast in the pot and cover with the beans. 
Lay strips of bacon on top and bake for 1hour and 45 mins or until thermometer in the center of meat reaches 165 degrees.



Remove the roast and wrap in foil to rest for 5 minutes while you remove the beans to a serving bowl.

While that was baking, slave zapped a package of frozen stir fry vegetables ($1.19) in the microwave.




You will not believe how good this tastes AND how little work it takes. (as a mater of fact slave was re-building a recliner while this cooked!)




2 dinner entrees and still have enough meat left over for another 2 meal casserole or more!



For the third night: A big package of 12 Chicken Thighs

Orange Balsamic Glazed Chicken Thighs


For this, slave got out and checked its big cake pan to make sure the chicken would all fit! Then line it with foil and spray it well.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees


12 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (approx 5 ½ lbs)
1 ¼ cup orange marmalade
½ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon low-sodium teriyaki sauce (or low-sodium Worcestershire sauce)
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Approx 1lbs fresh Brussels Sprouts
Pkg Long grain rice

½ cup bottled bar-b-que sauce



Directions:
Heat 2 tbs oil on medium high heat in large frying pan. Working in batches (depending on the size of your pan) brown the thighs skin side down, About 3 -4 minutes, until the skin is a golden brown and slightly crisp. Don't worry about cooking it all the way through, that will be done in the oven. This just prepares the skin to make a crust.
Place them skin side up in the pan as they are ready.


Meanwhile, whisk together the orange marmalade, broth, teriyki sauce, (or low-sodium Worcestershire sauce) mix in the maple syrup, stirring it up again just before you use it.



 Please use the real thing! The fake flavored stuff might be OK for pancakes in a hurry but for real cooking it takes the real thing for it to come out right.
Brush the chicken well with the sauce, in fact after all is covered, just pour the rest over it!

Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a center thigh reads 170 degrees – or the juices run clear!

Again: while the chicken is browning for the pan, wash the sprouts well in a vinegar-water bath. Cut off the base and cut the head in half down the center. In a small bowl mix together 2 tbs of oil and 1 tbs of Maple syrup, then toss the spouts til lightly coated. Spread onto a foil lined pan.

The rice called for 2 cups water and 1 cup of rice. So I used the rest of the can of chicken broth for the water. It cooks for 20 minutes so: as soon as rice and water boil cover and lower heat to simmer. Slide the pan of chicken into the oven. After about 5 minutes slide in the Brussels sprouts. (watch these for they are known to burn easily), however with the sweat taste of the maple and the natural roasting they will almost be candy-like if done right!

Serve with some bottled BBQ sauce to pour on the rice! Heaven!

Slave got two meals and a lunch out of this, Then:



The remaining cooked thighs:

Peel and save the skins to re-fry– they make a bacon substitute that will be OK and much less fat. Just don't expect to close your eyes and taste bacon!




De-bone the meat and divide into two different re-closeable freezer bags.

Now slave has 1 bag of cooked chicken meat for a 3 – 4 dinner casserole. 1 bag skin for bacon substitute!
AND 1 bag for make – ahead appetizers for the big Thanksgiving dinner!
Recipes to follow!

Fourth night: After 2 meals and a lunch of the baked bean pork roast, still had about ¾ lbs of pork left So:



Piggy Alfredo style


¾ lbs of cooked pork roast
½ of a one pound package of wide noodles ($1.19)
14.5 oz jar of Alfredo Sauce ($1.69)
1 package frozen broccoli spears ($1.10)
¼ cup cut up onion



While cooking the noodles in boiling water, I microwaved the broccoli spears only half of the suggested time.
Cut up the pork in to chunks less than an inch wide.
Cut the broccoli into approx the same size.
Heat the pork, broccoli, onion and sauce in a pan until bubbling. Mix with cooked noodles into a sprayed casserole to serve.



(after two full plates of this great tasting mixture, slave forced away from the table and filled another freezer bag with the remaining food).
I'm sure to get at least another two meals out of that.



Now count up the meals, count up the costs, then set aside the money you save so that you can get a nice Christmas Present for Master!

Serving Master Indy

Socialslave
To satisfy and restore. To nourish, support and maintain. To gratify, spoil, comfort and please, to nurture, assist, and sustain …..I cook!