NSV for Me!

I had an NSV (Non Scale Victory for you skinny readers) yesterday. I went to the fridge to make a tuna sandwich and I noticed the mayo had expired. (taking deep breaths as I fight back the tears of happiness)

Now, that may not be cause for a ticker tape parade in most households, but it is in mine. You see this was a 48oz Kirkland Mayo from Costco. The size a normal family would use. And it expired on Jan 30th. It expired with about a cup of mayo still in the jar. RIP.

Still don't get it?

Last year, and for however long before that. . . every six weeks I was buying two (count 'em TWO) of Costco's restaurant size, one gallon, keg o'mayos. Buying it AND eating it. Tuna, potatoes, pasta. . .they were just conduits to get mayo into my body. Expired? Never would have happened. In fact, Costco is lucky I didn't start eating it in the store as I shopped!

Yes, my name is Leanna and I was a mayo-holic. (Gee, maybe I needed to go to the MAYO Clinic)

Sweet Onion Balsamic Pizza With Rosemary and Roasted Garlic

Dough

Start with a good standard pizza dough, I like Chris Bianco's Pizza Dough Recipe.

Start the dough and let it rise while you prepare the toppings.

Toppings

1 head garlic
1 large sweet onion (whatever sweet onion is in season- they're available year round now)
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 cup prepared ranch dressing
2 tsp olive oil
4-5 tbsp balsamic vinegar
kosher salt
2 cups low fat mozarella cheese


Preparations

Garlic - peel garlic cloves, toss with olive oil with a spinkle of kosher salt. Wrap in a foil packet and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Set aside.

Sweet Onions - Peel and slice 1 large sweet onion. (I like onions - I use more) Heat a non stick frying pan over low-med heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the sliced onions and drizzle with the balsamic vinegar. Toss well and let the onions melt down over the next 45-55 minutes, stirring about every 10 minutes. The object is not to fry the onions, but to gently caramelize them in the balsamic vinegar. Depending on your stove top and pan, you may need to turn he heat down to low. During the last few minutes, add the roasted garlic and stir.

At this point, your pizza dough should have doubled and you can roll it out into your pan.

Before I add my toppings, I like to pre-bake my pizza crust for about 5 minutes at 425 degrees.

Remove from the oven and spread the ranch dressing on the crust then top with garlic/onions, rosemary and mozarella cheese.

Bake for another 12-18 minutes until cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.

Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday. For Catholics, it is a time for reflection and contemplation of our transgressions in order to repent of our sins. We abstain from meat on this first day of Lent and many Catholics mark the day by fasting as well. On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, Catholic adults (who are physically and medically able) are asked to consume only one full meal, which may be supplemented by two smaller meals, which together should not equal the full meal.

Traditionally, Ash Wednesday and Lent bring fish frys at church, fish sticks at home and Filet O' Fish for the fast food junkies. Oh, and if you're in downtown Mesa, it's time for the annual pilgramage to Pete's Fish and Chips.

In our home, we prefer a healthier, more economically friendly approach. Spinach Cheese Manicotti is a great 'make ahead' dish, that tastes even better as leftovers the next day. I made a batch last night for tonight's dinner, and the leftovers will be DH's lunch on Friday (Friday's are also meatless during Lent).

Spinach Cheese Manicotti

Spinach Cheese Manicotti

1 8oz box Manicotti
8oz frozen spinach, cooked, chopped and drained well
1/3 cup chopped onions
3 egg whites
1 15 oz container low fat ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups grated low fat mozarella
1 tsp garlic salt
3/4 cup parmesan cheese - divided
1 jar low fat meatless pasta sauce

Cook manicotti according to package directions, drain and run pasta under cold water, drain again and set aside.

Beat egg whites in a med bowl, mix in ricotta, spinach, onion, mozarella, garlic salt and 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese.

Spread 3/4 of the pasta sauce in the bottom of a 9x11 baking dish. Stuff manicotti with the filling and place in the dish.

Top with the remaining pasta sauce and parmesan cheese.

Cover dish with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, remove foil and bake for 10 more minutes.

Sunday Dinner

Big Sunday dinners are the norm in our house. Since we go to church for Vigil Mass on Saturday night, I have all day Sunday to cook. If the weather is cool or rainy I'll usually make baguettes, a loaf of bread or rolls from scratch. The following recipe came about after trying Roast Beef Roll Ups with Horseradish Cream from Desperation Dinners! We loved the sauce (although I cut some of the calories) but we wanted a more filling meal. In place of the proscuitto, we have also used capicola or pancetta.


Chicken Leanna

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to equal thickness
garlic salt
pakrika

Topping-
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1 1/2 cups cooked spinach, cooled and drained well
5 or 6 strips of proscuitto, chopped (use kitchen shears)


In a small bowl- toss together cheddar cheese, cooked spinach and proscuitto. Set aside.
Sprinkle chicken with garlic salt and paprika to taste.
Cook chicken in non-stick oven safe pan until almost done. Top evenly with cheddar/spinach/proscuitto mixture. Bake for 7-10 minutes @ 350 degrees or until done. (OR Cook chicken until done - top chicken with spincach/cheddar/proscuitto mixture and place under the broiler until cheese is melted)

Sauce can be used to top chicken or served on the side.


Sauce- (can be halfed-we like a lot of sauce!)

8 tbsp (1 stick) butter
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup milk (orig recipe calls for half and half - I use 2% milk)
2 tsp (or to taste) creamy horseradish sauce
dash of hot sauce (or to taste)
garlic salt to taste

In a glass bowl or large glass measuring cup, microwave butter until almost melted. In another bowl, separate eggs, beat well then mix with the milk. With a balloon whisk, temper these mixtures until combined. Microwave on high in 20 to 30 second increments, whisking mixture *violently* for a few seconds in between each cooking time. You've got to use a large whisk for this- a fork will not do the trick. The mixture will thicken in 3-6 minutes, depending on your microwave wattage. When the sauce thickens, add horseradish, hot sauce and garlic salt to taste. Serve hot- can be refrigerated and reheated.

*This sauce is tricky and tends to break until you get the hang of it. If it does break - keep beating it and it should come back together. Pampered Chef has a 2 qt glass measuring pitcher that is hands down *the best* cooking vessel for this sauce. The pitcher has a rounded bottom that matches perfectly with the whisk.

Sunday Breakfast

On those rare occasions when we can shoo the animals off the table so we can eat, breakfast at our house usually consists of a bowl of instant oatmeal enhanced with leftover fruit from the bird's morning meal. If I do cook something special it's usually a healthy, low fat meal like this Crunchy Onion Spinach Frittata. I don't like mushy onions so I don't saute the onions first like it calls for in most frittata recipes.

Crunchy Onion Spinach Frittata

2 eggs
4 egg whites
1/4 cup skim milk
1/2 cup diced onion
1 cup spinach, cooked and drained very well
salt
pepper
creamy horseradish to taste
1/2 tsp olive oil
2 slices Kraft 2% American Cheese

Set oven to broil.

Take a 6 inch non stick oven proof skillet and coat the bottom amd sides with the olive oil.

Place pan on burner set to medium heat.

Beat eggs and egg whites with skim milk, salt, pepper and creamy horseradish.

Add egg mixture to heated pan and stir in onion and spinach.

With a heatproof spatula, scrape cooked egg mixture from the bottom of the
pan towards the center and let the uncooked mixtue fil in the spaces until the egg mixture is completely set.

Shake the pan and loosen mixture from the sides so the firm eggs can move around the pan.

Tear cheese slices into strips and evenly distribute them over the top if the egg mixture.

Place pan under broiler until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve immediately.