No Spoon Needed

For many people, the start of the New Year is about making resolutions or implementing changes.  With that in mind, the last two Januaries, I've posted recipes that use healthier cooking methods than their traditional counterparts:  baked -- not fried -- salmon patties; steamed broccoli with -- not cheese sauce -- lemon; sauteed -- not fried -- pork chops; baked -- not fried -- Mozzarella cheese sticks.  This year, I thought I'd do something different and share a recipe that's a tasty way to add fiber to your diet.

According to newspaper and magazine articles, most people don't eat enough fiber.  Fiber can be found in a variety of foods including beans, whole grains, nuts, berries, bran and oatmeal to name a few.  If you like to get your fiber from oatmeal, break the monotony by putting down the spoon and picking up an oatmeal muffin instead!  The recipe I'm sharing uses oats in both the batter and the topping.  With some prep work the night before, the muffins can easily be mixed up in just a few minutes the next morning.

Combine the dry ingredients -- flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt -- in a mixing bowl.  You can use either old fashioned or quick cooking oats, but not instant.  Instant oatmeal has been precooked and, as such, won't work in baked goods.

Combine the topping ingredients -- oats, sugar, cinnamon -- in a small bowl or resealable plastic bag. 

The next morning, combine the wet ingredients -- egg, milk, oil -- in a small bowl.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring only until combined; it's ok if the batter looks lumpy.  You don't want to overmix the batter or the muffins will be tough.

Put the batter into greased muffin cups, filling each cup 3/4 full.

Sprinkle the topping evenly over the batter.

Bake the muffins for 15 to 20 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven and let the muffins cool five minutes.  Run a knife around the edge of the muffins to loosen them from the pan.  Lift the muffins out and place them on a cooling rack.  Don't turn the muffin pan over or the topping will fall off!

The muffins are a nice change of pace for breakfast and they can easily be packed in a bookbag, purse or briefcase for a snack later in the day.  Not only does fiber make you feel full, it also helps lower cholesterol.  The muffins are so tasty, your kids won't even realize they're also good for them!

Oatmeal Muffins

12 Servings

Batter:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup oats

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1 egg

1 cup milk

1/4 cup oil (I use canola)

Topping:

2 Tbsp. oats

1 Tbsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large mixing bowl.  In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk and oil.  Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients; stir just until combined (batter will be lumpy).  Spoon batter into greased muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full.  Combine the topping ingredients in a small bowl; sprinkle evenly over batter.  Bake at 400° for 15 to 20 minutes or until done.  Let muffins cool five minutes before removing from the pan.

© Margaret's Morsels

A Recipe in Persistence

Every recipe I post is a tried and true family favorite, affectionately known in our house as a "keeper."  Some keepers I've been making for years while others are new additions.  A few became keepers without any changes, deletions or additions, but most recipes require some tweaking. No keeper underwent more tweaking than the recipe I'm sharing today.

My son loves chicken alfredo and, although I've made it for years, he never liked my version.  A few years ago, I found a recipe for chicken alfredo that sounded so good, I went to the grocery and bought the ingredients so I could cook it that night.

I had to tweak the recipe before I even went to the grocery.  The original version called for broccoli, a vegetable my son will not eat.  I omitted the broccoli and prepared the rest of the recipe as directed.  It was good, but it needed more tweaking.  Two years and half a dozen versions later, I ended up with a recipe my family deemed a keeper.

In addition to omitting broccoli, I changed the chicken from boiled -- too bland -- to rotisserie; added salt and pepper; reduced the amount of milk; changed the assembly and cooking directions.  Two of the biggest changes -- using ziti instead of egg noodles and the addition of Mozzarella cheese -- were suggested by my son.

While the ziti is cooking, combine cream of chicken soup with milk, cubed rotisserie chicken, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and Mozzarella cheese.  

Drain the ziti and add it to the soup mixture; stir well to combine the ingredients.

Pour into a greased 2-quart casserole dish and bake until hot and bubbly.

Since I don't add broccoli to the mixture, I steam fresh broccoli to serve either on the side

or on top of a serving.

Normally, I wouldn't be so persistent with a recipe, but I knew I could turn this tasty dish from good into a keeper.  Thank goodness most recipes don't require this much tweaking!  

Chicken Alfredo

4 Servings

1/2 (8 oz.) pkg. ziti

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of chicken soup (undiluted)

1 1/2 cups milk

2 cups cubed rotisserie chicken

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 1/2 cups finely shredded Mozzarella cheese

Cook ziti according to package directions; drain.  Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine soup, milk, chicken, Parmesan, salt, pepper and Mozzarella. Add ziti; stir to combine ingredients.  Pour mixture into a greased 2-quart casserole dish.  Bake at 400° for 30 to 45 minutes until hot and bubbly.

© Margaret's Morsels 

No Delivery Required

In less time than it takes to have pizza delivered, you can enjoy hot fresh pizza from the oven and I'm not talking about the microwave!  You can make your own pizza and be ready to eat in less than 30 minutes.  Just like the kind that's delivered, this pizza can be made to order.

The crust can be made with a package of precooked pizza crust, a can of refrigerated pizza crust, English muffins or a large loaf of Italian or French bread.  The choice is yours.

I use a can of refrigerated pizza crust

You also have a choice when it comes to the sauce.  The recipe includes a homemade sauce, but you can substitute 1 1/2 cups pizza sauce instead.   I highly recommend making the sauce.  It's easy to prepare, only uses five ingredients and cooks in five minutes.  Remember to make additional sauce if you're making more than one pizza.

One batch of homemade sauce

Just like the pizza you order, you can choose which toppings you want on this pizza.  My husband and I like ground beef and mushrooms.  Our son likes cheese and sometimes pepperoni.  The choice of toppings is up to you, but make sure to precook any toppings -- especially meat -- that won't cook in the short baking time.

The assembly is different depending on what you use for the crust.  If you use a precooked crust, a can of pizza crust or English muffins, add the ingredients first and then bake the pizza.  If you're using French or Italian bread, split the loaf in half lengthwise and broil in the oven until it's lightly golden brown.  Add the remaining ingredients and bake until the pizza is heated through and the cheese is melted.

Instead of spreading the sauce on the crust, I mix it with the toppings, except for the cheese and pepperoni.  It's not as messy when eaten plus the flavors blend.

Cooked ground beef mixed with 
mushrooms and homemade sauce

Cover the pizza with cheese and, if desired, pepperoni.

Regardless of which crust you use, the baking time is the same:  10 to 13 minutes or until the crust is brown and the cheese is melted.

The next time pizza's on the menu, give this recipe a try.  It's quick, tasty and no delivery required.

Make it Your Way Pizza

4 Servings

Crust:

1 (14 oz.) pkg. precooked pizza crust
1 (13.8 oz.) can refrigerated pizza crust

4 English muffins, split in half

1 large loaf French or Italian bread, split in half lengthwise and broiled until lightly golden brown

Sauce:

1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste

1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves

1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves

Toppings:

1 cup cooked ground beef or pork sausage

cubed cooked ham or Canadian bacon

cubed cooked turkey or chicken

1 (8 oz.) can mushroom stems and pieces, drained

chopped onion and green pepper

1 (8 oz.) pkg. shredded Mozzarella cheese or any cheese that melts easily
pepperoni slices

Preheat oven to 450°.  Put desired crust on a pizza pan or baking sheet. Prepare sauce by combining all five ingredients in a small saucepan; simmer on low heat for 5 minutes.  Or, use 1 1/2 cups store bought pizza sauce.  Spread sauce on crust.  Add desired toppings.   Sprinkle with cheese and, if desired, top with pepperoni.  Bake 10 to 13 minutes until crust is brown and cheese is melted.

© Margaret's Morsels

Sauteed not Fried

Last week, I posted a recipe for Baked Mozzarella Cheese Sticks.  I thought I'd stick with the healthier cooking theme and share a recipe that, instead of being baked, is sauteed.

The first time I fixed Sauteed Pork Chops for my mother, she was concerned the pork chops hadn't cooked long enough to be completely done.  After tasting them, she agreed that, not only were they done, they were delicious!

Saute means to cook food quickly in a small amount of fat over moderately high heat.  It's similar to pan frying, but uses less fat and cooks the food quicker.  The high heat serves two purposes.  One, it quickly browns the outside of the food.  Two, it allows the food to cook faster which prevents the inside from drying out.

There's four things to remember when you saute pork chops:

• Let the pork chops sit at room temperature 30 minutes before they're cooked.  Food that's at room temperature cooks more evenly than cold food.

• Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels.  Food that's wet steams rather than sautes.

• Don't overcrowd the pan.  Overcrowding prevents food from browning.  I cook four pork chops at a time in a 12-inch skillet. If you're using a smaller pan or cooking more pork chops, use a second pan or cook the pork chops in batches, reheating the pan and adding more oil as needed.

• Don't turn the pork chops over with a fork.  Piercing meat with a fork lets the juices escape.  Use tongs instead.

When it comes to the oil you use, it's imperative to choose one that has a high smoke point -- the temperature at which the oil begins to smoke and gives food an unpleasant flavor -- because you don't want the oil to smoke. Different oils have different smoke points.  I use canola, but other oils with high smoke points include grapeseed, peanut, safflower and soybean.

There are two schools of thought when it comes to heating the pan.  Some recipes call for the pan to be heated before the oil is added.  Other recipes, like the one I'm sharing today, call for the pan and oil to be heated at the same time.  I use whichever method is called for in the recipe.

Put the oil in the skillet and heat it over a strong medium-high heat.  I rely on my senses, specifically hearing, seeing and feeling, to know when the oil is hot enough to add the pork chops.

Listen to the sounds coming from the pan.  If you hear splattering and popping, the oil is too hot.  Look at the oil periodically while it heats.  You do not want to see smoke.  You want to see the oil go from this:

to this:

The oil will start to shimmer which indicates it's just below the smoke point. As the oil heats, periodically place your hand a few inches over the hot oil. When you can't leave your hand over the oil for very long, the oil is ready.

When you cook pork chops or any piece of meat, cook the nicest looking side -- known in the culinary world as the presentation side -- first.  In other words, when you put the meat in the skillet, put the presentation side down.  The coloring is more attractive on the presentation side which makes the food look nicer when it is plated.

The rest of the recipe is pretty straightforward.  When the oil is hot, put the pork chops -- presentation side down -- in the pan and cook one minute. Turn the pork chops over and cook the other side one minute.  Reduce the heat to medium; cover and cook the pork chops four minutes.  Turn the pork chops over; cover and cook five minutes.

If you've never sauteed pork chops before, you may be wondering how to tell if they're done.  A quick way to test is to press on the pork chop with your finger.  When fully cooked, the pork chop will feel solid.  If you're still not sure, cut into one of the pork chops and check the color of the meat. When cooked, the meat will be white.  It's ok if there's a tinge of pink, but you want to see more white than pink.

I serve the pork chops with either white rice or Mushroom Rice Casserole and Baked Apples.  Because the pork chops cook in less than 15 minutes, they're easy to fix for breakfast with scrambled eggs and biscuits.  I've even been known to serve them this way for supper!

Sauteed Pork Chops

4 Servings

4 (1-inch) thick center loin pork chops, patted dry

salt to taste

pepper to taste

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the pork chops.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, swirling the skillet occasionally.  Put pork chops in the skillet and saute until browned, 1 minute.  Turn pork chops over and saute the other side until browned, 1 minute.  Reduce heat to medium.  Cover the pan with a lid and cook the pork chops 4 minutes. Turn pork chops over.  Cover and cook an additional 5 minutes.

© Margaret's Morsels