Saturday, January 16, 2010
Chicken & Spinach Soup with Fresh Pesto
Ingredients
2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 cup carrot or diced red bell pepper
1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 8 ounces), cut into quarters
1 large clove garlic, minced
5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons dried marjoram
6 ounces baby spinach, coarsely chopped
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans or great northern beans, rinsed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
Freshly ground pepper to taste
3/4 cup plain or herbed multigrain croutons for garnish (optional)
Preparation
1.Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add carrot (or bell pepper) and chicken; cook, turning the chicken and stirring frequently, until the chicken begins to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Stir in broth and marjoram; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
2.With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken pieces to a clean cutting board to cool. Add spinach and beans to the pot and bring to a gentle boil. Cook for 5 minutes to blend the flavors.
3.Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, Parmesan and basil in a food processor (a mini processor works well). Process until a coarse paste forms, adding a little water and scraping down the sides as necessary.
4.Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Stir the chicken and pesto into the pot. Season with pepper. Heat until hot. Garnish with croutons, if desired.
Nutrition
Per serving: 204 calories; 8 g fat (2 g sat, 4 g mono); 29 mg cholesterol; 16 g carbohydrates; 18 g protein; 6 g fiber; 691 mg sodium; 529 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (110% daily value), Folate & Vitamin C (20% dv).
1/2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 2 lean meat, 1 fat
Apple Creme Brulee Cheesecake Recipe
INGREDIENTS
1.For the graham crust
2.1 1/2cupsgraham cracker crumbs
3.2 1/2tablespoonssugar
4.4-5tablespoons meltedbutter
5.For the apple layer
6.3green apples, sliced into 1/4 in. slices
7.1tablespoonlemon juice
8.2tablespoonsunsalted butter
9.1 1/2tablespoonssugar
10.2 1/2tablespoonsheavy cream
11.1pinchnutmeg
12.For the cheesecake
13.3 (8 ounce)packagescream cheese
14.1 1/4cupssugar
15.2teaspoonsvanilla extract
16.1pinchsalt
17.1/2teaspooncinnamon
18.1/4teaspoonground ginger
19.1/2cupsour cream(full fat)
20.1tablespooncornstarchor flour
21.4largeeggs
22.1/4cupbrown sugar(for brulee topping)
DIRECTIONS
1.Make the Crust:.
2.Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. In a bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and the sugar. Add 4 tablespoons of the butter and mix. If the crumbs seem dry, add the last tablespoon of butter. Press onto the bottom of the springform pan. Press in an even layer.
3.Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. The crust should be firm and golden. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. Cool the crust completely. Once cooled, wrap the outside of the pan in a heavy duty piece of aluminum foil.
4.Apples:.
5.Toss the apples with the lemon juice.
6.Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the apples and cook for 2 minutes, over medium heat, until the apples begin to soften. Sprinkle with sugar and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until the apples soften further and begin to turn golden. Add the cream and the nutmeg and lower the heat slightly. Cook until the cream has been absorbed by the apples, about 10 minutes. Transfer the apples to a plate and let cool completely.
7.Cheesecake.
8.In the bowl of your mixer, beat the cream cheese for a minute or two until it’s smooth. Add the sugar and beat at medium speed until smooth, about 2 or 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract, the salt, the cinnamon and the ginger and beat for another minute. Add the sour cream and cornstarch and beat until blended, another minute or two. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition.
9.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
10.Layer the apples over the cooled graham cracker crust. Pour the prepared cheesecake filling over the apples. Place the pan in a large, shallow roasting pan and add hot water to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan. Carefully place the pan in the oven. Bake for between 70 and 80 minutes, until only wobbly in middle.
11.Remove the cheesecake from the oven and from the water bath. Peel off the aluminum foil layer and place on a rack to cool completely. Once cool, place in the refrigerator to chill overnight.
12.Just before serving, sift brown sugar over top of cheesecake to lightly cover the entire surface. Either using a propane kitchen torch, or by putting the cheesecake under the broiler, melt the sugar to form thin crust. (This step can be omitted and cheesecake is still excellent).
1.For the graham crust
2.1 1/2cupsgraham cracker crumbs
3.2 1/2tablespoonssugar
4.4-5tablespoons meltedbutter
5.For the apple layer
6.3green apples, sliced into 1/4 in. slices
7.1tablespoonlemon juice
8.2tablespoonsunsalted butter
9.1 1/2tablespoonssugar
10.2 1/2tablespoonsheavy cream
11.1pinchnutmeg
12.For the cheesecake
13.3 (8 ounce)packagescream cheese
14.1 1/4cupssugar
15.2teaspoonsvanilla extract
16.1pinchsalt
17.1/2teaspooncinnamon
18.1/4teaspoonground ginger
19.1/2cupsour cream(full fat)
20.1tablespooncornstarchor flour
21.4largeeggs
22.1/4cupbrown sugar(for brulee topping)
DIRECTIONS
1.Make the Crust:.
2.Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. In a bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and the sugar. Add 4 tablespoons of the butter and mix. If the crumbs seem dry, add the last tablespoon of butter. Press onto the bottom of the springform pan. Press in an even layer.
3.Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. The crust should be firm and golden. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. Cool the crust completely. Once cooled, wrap the outside of the pan in a heavy duty piece of aluminum foil.
4.Apples:.
5.Toss the apples with the lemon juice.
6.Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the apples and cook for 2 minutes, over medium heat, until the apples begin to soften. Sprinkle with sugar and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until the apples soften further and begin to turn golden. Add the cream and the nutmeg and lower the heat slightly. Cook until the cream has been absorbed by the apples, about 10 minutes. Transfer the apples to a plate and let cool completely.
7.Cheesecake.
8.In the bowl of your mixer, beat the cream cheese for a minute or two until it’s smooth. Add the sugar and beat at medium speed until smooth, about 2 or 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract, the salt, the cinnamon and the ginger and beat for another minute. Add the sour cream and cornstarch and beat until blended, another minute or two. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition.
9.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
10.Layer the apples over the cooled graham cracker crust. Pour the prepared cheesecake filling over the apples. Place the pan in a large, shallow roasting pan and add hot water to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan. Carefully place the pan in the oven. Bake for between 70 and 80 minutes, until only wobbly in middle.
11.Remove the cheesecake from the oven and from the water bath. Peel off the aluminum foil layer and place on a rack to cool completely. Once cool, place in the refrigerator to chill overnight.
12.Just before serving, sift brown sugar over top of cheesecake to lightly cover the entire surface. Either using a propane kitchen torch, or by putting the cheesecake under the broiler, melt the sugar to form thin crust. (This step can be omitted and cheesecake is still excellent).
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