The Best Onion Soup



The best onion soup ever!
We like it so much, I've even bought special bowls to serve it in.

Who knew? My mom cooked like Julia too!
I never knew, until I decided to make onion soup yesterday. I've been making onion soup since I was about 12 years old. My mom made it several times a year, and since she deemed it easy to make, it was one of the first things she taught me how to cook. Yes, I know, that's a little nerdy, wanting to learn to cook at such an early age, but the truth is, I've always loved being in the kitchen with the grown up ladies.

As I've mentioned recently, I've been perusing "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" by my cooking hero, Julia Child, since her 100th birthday celebration ( more here ). Since it was sitting right in front of me, I looked up Julia's onion soup recipe and GUESS WHAT? It is almost exactly the same as the one my mother taught me, many years ago, in our kitchen in Tampa, FL. Mom's ingredient portions were a little different, and she used all butter, but mostly it was the same! That actually makes sense, if you think about it: After all, we lived in Paris (yes Paris, France) when I was born, and that was at the same time Julia was there, learning to cook. I've secretly dreamed that maybe Mom might have met Julia, but that was pure fantasy on my part!  Maybe it happened?!?!! Or more likely, Mom learned this recipe from her French baby nurse, who helped her for several months after I was born. We lived in a little tiny house, outside Paris, in a suburb near the Loire valley. "Madame" as Mom always referred to her, came every day, and helped with me and general housekeeping duties, including some cooking. It's very likely that it was from Madame that mom learned this recipe.

I've called this scaled down version of the recipe "Onion Soup for 2" and by that I mean two main course servings. The recipe actually makes about 5 cups of soup, enough for 4 as a starter course.

French Onion Soup for 2

3 yellow onions, medium to large size, sliced



Onion Soup, simmering on the stove.

1 clove garlic, smashed and rough chopped

3 T. butter

1 T. olive oil

1/2 tsp. sugar

1 T. all purpose flour

1 clove garlic, chopped (optional)

4 1/2 cups beef stock or bouillon (canned is fine, that's what Mom always used and Julia endorses her decision)

1/2 c. dry white wine

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 - 3 thick slices day old, toasted and dried french bread, cut bite sized cubes

2 - 3 slices Swiss cheese

2 T. grated Parmesan cheese

In a heavy bottomed pot, melt butter with olive oil over low heat. Add the onions, 1 tsp. salt and sugar. Cook until onions begin to brown. This process takes rather a long time, at least 30 minutes. You must do it over low to medium heat so that the onions brown and do not burn. Stir occasionally during the process, making sure the onions don't stick and are cooking evenly.

When the onions have browned, add the sliced garlic and saute for another minute or 2 (this is my addition, and not absolutely necessary. We like a little garlic taste, but it's optional.) Sprinkle the onion mixture with flour, and stir it in completely. Continue to cook for a minute to brown the flour a little bit. Add the beef stock or bouillon and the white wine. Season the soup with a little more salt and some pepper -- taste the broth to determine how salty it is so you don't over-season. Bring the mixture to a boil, turn it down, and let it simmer, covered, for at least 1 hour. Keep the heat low so that the mixture barely simmers along, developing the rich flavor characteristic of good onion soup. Julia recommends cooking the soup for 2+ hours, but I find that one is plenty. If you leave it on low or put it in your slow cooker, you can probably simmer it for hours, filling your home with a comforting, homey smell.

This soup can be eaten as it, but we like to gussy it up a little, the way it is most often served in America, and often in France. To serve the soup, place some bread in the bottom of a bowl, like this:

Place some swiss cheese on top of the bread and carefully ladle the hot soup over the bread and cheese. Sprinkle each bowl with a little Parmesan and let the soup sit for about 5 minutes until the cheese has melted and the soup has cooled just a little bit!

Bon Appetit! 

Cooking Like Julia

As I mentioned on the occasion of Julia's 100th birthday (here), I've had out my "Mastering the Art of French Cooking", reading it for pure pleasure and inspiration. I have the Anniversary Edition, given by my loving son a few Christmas's ago. It includes a lengthy introduction written by Julia herself, toward the end of her life, as well as a section written by her editor Judith Jones. If you love to cook this is a must own cookbook. I was given "The Joy of Cooking" when I first set up housekeeping over 30 years ago, and while that book is invaluable as to the mechanics of cooking, this book is invaluable if you want to cook with style.

Yesterday, I prepared Saute de Boeuf a la Parisenne, which simply translated means Beef Saute in the Parisienne Style. The Parisienne style is apparently, with cream and mushrooms. This is, essentially, a French version of Beef Stroganoff and was written before sour cream was widely available to the home cook. 

Julia's introduction for this recipe praises it's quick preparation and the advantages of prepping ahead for serving to company. I totally agree that it came together very quickly, but must comment that it is not the prettiest dish I've ever prepared. However, having said that, I must also admit that the taste was ABSOLUTELY DIVINE! I had some beautiful, new potatoes, freshly dug by my step-father on his nearby farm, so I opted to use those, as opposed to rice or risotto. Julia mentions all three as possible accompaniments to this dish, and I think buttered egg noodles would work as well.

I used exactly the cut of beef suggested by Julia and made only one small adjustment. The original recipe called for Madeira, which is fortified wine from Portugal, or dry white vermouth. When I went to the grocery store, they did not have Madeira. I thought I had dry white vermouth at home, but I was mistaken: I had sweet vermouth, which is used in making Manhattans. The two can NOT be substitued for one another. SO, I googled substituting something else for Madeira and discovered what I believe was a good alternative. It's amazing what you can find on the internet!

The directions to this dish are very particular, a trait shared by all of Julia's recipes. She was first and foremost a teacher, long before the days of celebrity chefs! Her advice for drying the mushrooms and the beef thoroughly before cooking is invaluable to the success of this dish. She also specifically mentions allowing the foaming of the butter to subside before adding the ingredients, an indication that the pan is at the correct temperature to begin cooking. That's a great tip, especially for a newer cook.

Remember what I said? It's not the prettiest dish I've ever made! Let me also say that I halved this recipe, so the prepped mushrooms and beef pictured below are less than the amount in the recipe.

Saute de Boeuf a la Parisienne, served over lightly mashed new potatoes

Beef Saute with Cream and Mushrooms
First, prepare the vegetables:

1/2 lb.cleaned,  fresh mushrooms, dried on a paper towel( halved and quartered)

2 T. butter                                                                             

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

3 T. minced shallots or green onions

1/4 tsp. salt and a pinch of pepper

Heat a large, heavy skillet and melt the butter and oil. When the foaming of the butter begins to subside, add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, stirring and tossing to brown them on all sides. Add the onions or shallots to the pan and cook for another 2 minutes (I used sliced green onions). Remove the vegetables to a dish.

Next, prepare the beef and sauce:



Drying the cut beef, not too pretty, but necessary!

2+ lbs. tenderloin of beef; the tenderloin butt and the tail of the fillet are usually used, excess fat and white tendon removed, cut into pieces that are about 2" long and 1/2" thick, drained and dried on a paper towel

2 T. butter

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

1/4 c. Madeira OR 1/4 c. dry white vermouth OR 1/4 c. dry red wine + 1 T. balsamic vinegar (this is the sub that I found by googling, and I had both things in my pantry)

3/4 c. beef stock or canned beef bouillon

1 c. heavy whipping cream

2 tsp. cornstarch blended with 2 T. of the whipping cream

Salt and Pepper

1 T. butter

To Serve:

Cooked, slightly mashed new potatoes OR steamed rice OR risotto

Top with some fresh parsley for garnish or a few snipped chives

In the same pan you prepared the vegetables, melt the butter and oilover moderate heat. When the foaming subsides, add the prepared beef, in  a single layer. (My pan was large enough to do this but if you use a smaller pan, saute the beef in batches so that it sears correctly.) Season as you cook with a little salt and pepper. Cook the beef for only 3 - 5 minutes, so that it is browned but still rare. Remove the beef from the pan and set aside. Pour the wine and beef stock into the pan and scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Boil it rapidly so that it reduces to about 1/2 cup of liquid. Whisk in the cream and the cream and cornstarch mixture. Simmer 1 minute and add the mushrooms and onion back into the sauce, for another minute or 2. The sauce should have formed a liaison (thickened slightly, Julia's own description). Taste the sauce for seasoning and add a little more salt and pepper if needed.

At this point, you can add the beef and turn it off and save the dish to be served later, OR heat it briefly and serve immediately. When reheating, cover the pan and heat only 3 - 4 minutes, being very careful not too cook it too long. You just want to warm the dish. The beef should be rosy red in the middle when you serve it. Add 1 T. of butter at the very end of the cooking, to add extra richness to the dish ( I eliminated this step, and it was plenty rich, believe me!).

Serve the beef in a casserole or on a platter, surrounded by steamed rice, risotto or lightly mashed new potatoes. Decorate with parsley or snipped chives.

Serves 4 - 6

Julia recommends serving this with some fresh green beans or peas. I opted for a salad, since I've got tons of lettuce in my garden. She also recommends a Bordeaux wine. We had a bottle of Pinot Noir, so that's what I served.

Bon Appetit!

Fathers Day, Crabs and Hushpuppies

It's Fathers Day weekend, so like most moms out there in blogland, I am busy worshipping the Father of My Children. It's his weekend, so he gets to do what he wants and eat what he wants. Last night, he wanted to pick crabs. Since this was going to be dinner, I whipped up some dessert and hushpuppies to go along with the crabs. (Dessert turned out great, but that's for another post!)

Picking crabs takes a long time, and when all is said and done, you really don't get THAT much meat, but what you do get sure is good! There's nothing better than Chesapeake Bay Blue crabs, and that's the truth! Pair them with some fluffy balls of fried cornbread with Vidalia Onion and man, oh, man, that's good eatin'! I don't know if you can get some Chesapeake Bay Blue Crabs to pick where you are, but I know you can make these hushpuppies. They were light and fluffy, with a crispy crust and surprisingly easy to make!

Crabs & hush puppies with all the fixin's!

Hushpuppies
2/3 c. yellow cornmeal
1/3 c. all purpose flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
2 heaping T. minced Vidalia Onion
1 tsp. hot sauce (I used Texas Pete)
1/3 c. milk
2 large eggs
vegetable oil for frying

Mix together your dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, hot sauce and onions. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones and mix well.
 In a large, heavy skillet, heat about 1 to 1 1/2" vegetable oil until hot. The oil is ready when you drip a little bit of the batter in and it starts to sizzle immediately and floats to the surface. Drop the batter by rounded spoonfuls into the hot oil. Don't overcrowd the pan -- keep an inch or two between each hushpuppy.

Cook them for a minute or 2 on each side, flipping them once, until they are lightly browned and crisp looking. Drain them on paper towels. I like to eat them with butter, but my guys like to dip them into catsup and sprinkle on a little extra hot sauce.

Hush Puppies draining on paper towels

And while I am posting on Fathers Day, I can't forget to mention my dad. Long gone, but not forgotten. He was a nice guy.

My dad, with his mom, going off to boot camp at age 17

That's him and his mom, circa 1941, right after he finished high school early, so he could enlist in the army and serve in WWII. He was a career army officer, who came up through the ranks and served his country in 3 wars, WWII, Korea and Viet Nam. Love you, Dad!

Twice Baked Potatoes

I've made this recipe over and over throughout the years. Making twice baked potatoes is easy, but a little time consuming. If you you like to cook, like I do, you won't mind the effort it takes to hollow out the potatoes and then stuff the goodies back in. If you love to eat but don't love to cook, you can always mash up the potatoes with the good stuff and then plop it into a casserole dish. I must say, however, that the stuffed potatoes are much prettier and it's kind of fun to have your very own twice baked potato on your plate!
To make these potatoes, pick large, smooth baking potatoes and scrub them well, nice and clean. Bake them in your microwave until they are just done, not shriveled and overcooked. Let them cool for a little while on the counter, until you can handle them easily. Slice off the top third of the potato and begin to gently remove the white potato flesh, leaving a quarter inch of shell with the skin. I think a small teaspoon works best for this operation. Take out little bits at a time, being careful to keep the potato shell intact. If you scrape too close to the skin, the potato will collapse, at which point you will have a potato casserole, as mentioned above!
After you have removed all of the potato and put it into a bowl, add in the good stuff:
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
For 2 large potatoes, add 1/3 c. light sour cream, a generous pinch of salt and pepper, 1/3 c. grated cheddar cheese, 1 tsp. melted butter and 1 tsp. minced chives.
Mash everything together, using a hand mixer or an old fashioned potato masher. Be sure to combine everything so that there are no big lumps of potato. You may need to add another T. or so of sour cream, if the mixture seems dry, but you do want it to be thick.
Then, carefully and gently, spoon the potato mixture back into the potato shells. Press it gently into each end first, and then fill 'er up, mounding up over the top of the potato shell. Sprinkle on a little more cheddar cheese, if you wnat to, pressing so that it adheres to the mounded top and sprinkle with paprika, totally optional. My potatoes seemed cheesey enough to me when I made the ones shown below, so I skipped the extra cheddar and just added paprika. Put the potatoes into a baking dish or onto a cookie sheet. I like to use a dish, so that I can be sure that they stand up and won't tip over. Bake them for 30 minutes.

Twice baked potatoes, ready for the oven

If you want to make these for a big group, you can easily make them ahead of time and refirgerate or freeze them. To freeze, put them onto a cookie sheet and place them into the freezer to get hard without adding the final cheese and paprika on top. After they are individually frozen, wrap them in plastic wrap and they will keep beautifully for about a month, or even a little longer. When you want to use them, put them on the counter to thaw for about an hour, then top them and bake as directed.

My Grandmother's Lasagna

Everyone loves THEIR grandmother's lasagna. However, my Grandmother's lasagna is truly special and everyone who tastes it, LOVES IT. She learned it from her very Italian friend, Florence, who learned it form her VERY ITALIAN Mother, who did not even speak English. I loved visiting that family and loved absolutely everything they cooked. Part of what makes this lasagna so special is the sauce. Made with love, it is always made with a meat blend, ground pork and ground beef and sometimes a little ground veal, which is harder to find. We simmer it low and slow at our house, with lots of garlic, onion, basil and tomato sauce. Make your own or buy your favorite and fix this for your family. I promise that they will love it!

I have adjusted this recipe to feed a smaller group of 4 - 6. Double it for a bigger group.

Classic Lasagna

1 qt. tomato meat sauce

8 oz. lasagna noodles, cooked al dente

15 oz. part skim ricotta cheese

8 oz. small curd low fat cottage cheese

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1 egg

1 tsp. basil

8 - 10 oz. grated part skim mozzarella cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, and cook your noodles "al dente" (about 6 - 7 minutes). While they are cooking, make the cheese filling:

In a big bowl, mix together the ricotta, cottage, and Parmesan cheese. Add in the egg and basil and stir well until combined.

When the noodles are done, drain them well and rinse with cold water. I normally DO NOT rinse my pasta, but this helps to keep them from sticking together and makes them easier to handle.

Spray deep 8.5" X 8.5" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and ladle about 1/2 cup of sauce in the bottom. Start to build your lasagna, by cutting 3 noodles to fit the bottom. Top them with the cheese mixture. I find it works best to put 3 spoonfuls on each noodle and gently spread them to meet, covering the entire noodle. Add a layer of sauce and a big handful of mozzarella, spreading to cover the entire surface. For the next layer, rotate the direction of the noodles, and repeat the procedure above, a layer of cheese, a layer of sauce, a layer of mozzarella. Do it again. Then finally top your lasagna with noodles, sauce and mozzarella. Cover it carefully with some foil sprayed with the non-stick cooking spray -- you don't want to loose any cheese by having it stick to the foil!! Place the dish on a cookie sheet, and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Lasagna is done when it is bubbly around the edges and hot all the way through. I had a little leftover noodles, sauce and cheese mixture, so I made this cute little single serving to freeze for later or to give away. It only has 2 layers, but it's still a hefty serving!

More Comfort Food -- Not my Mom's Meatloaf

When I was growing up, meatloaf was the MOST dreaded dinner my mother served. Where she got her recipe, I'll never know, but it was awful. Terrible. Dreadful. I won't elaborate any further, except to say that for some misinformed reason, she made it with dried onions (not onion soup) and dried green peppers. Think leathery, chewy weird stuff in greasy ground beef. Yuck.

Let me add a disclaimer and say that, for the most part, my mom was a good cook. I made her fried chicken last night, and it simply can not be beat, nor can her chili, which I've blogged earlier. (Search chili at the top if you want to try it.)

Fast forward 15 or 20 years, and now I am the mom, on a budget, trying to figure out another way to serve ground beef. By this time, "hamburger" has progressed, so that you can purchase lower fat versions, and I've been around enough to have eaten meatloaf that actually tastes good. I experimented and finally hit on a recipe that my family loves (with the exception of one son who will remain nameless, like Voldemort). Try MY meatloaf, and forget greasy, nasty extended meat logs with chewy weird stuff.

Meatloaf Your Family Will Love

1 lb. 90% (or higher) lean ground beef

1 egg

1/3 c. minced onion

1/4 c. minced green pepper

1 T. worchestershire sauce

1 tsp. finely minced or grated garlic

1 T. Sauer's* barbeque sauce + 1 more for topping

2 T. V 8 juice

1 T. catsup + 1 more for topping

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 c. dried bread crumbs (use plain, but if you have Italian style, use that and eliminate the orgegano, salt and pepper)

1/3 c. parmesan cheese

pinch salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium to large bowl, mix together ground beef, egg, worchestershire sauce, onion, green pepper, garlic, V8, 1 T. of barbeque sauce and catsup, and oregano. Add in the salt and pepper, bread crumbs and parmesan until the mixture just holds togethera and the vegetables look evenly distributed. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray and press your meatloaf mixture into it. Top the meatloaf with the remaining 1 T. of catsup and barbeque sauce.

Bake for about 45 minutes until the juices run clear.

Serve it with some roasted vegetables and garlic mashed potatoes, and don't forget to pass the catsup!

*We like Sauer's barbeque sauce because it is not too sweet, but you can use your family's favorite brand.

ALMOST Julia's Beef Bourguignon

We got a great deal, TWICE, on an entire beef tenderloin, which we had cut into steaks. There is not too much waste with a whole tenderloin, but you always have that little end piece, not big enough to cut into a steak, but the meat is way too good to throw away. I had two of those little packages in my freezer, and my husband asked for some boef bourginon. Even though it's hot as blazes outside, I agreed, since we hadn't had it in ages. I fixed it early in the morning and then dumped it into my crock pot, which he had retrieved from summer exile in the garage. Turned that baby on low, and headed off to work. Returning home, the heavenly smell filled the house. All that was left to do was cook up some noodles, warm the bread and dump lettuce and tomatoes (from my garden!!) into salad bowls.

I kind of followed Julia Child's recipe, but mine is not so complicated. I also cut way down on the amount of cognac that I used, since the hubby is not to fond of that spirit. Let me say upfront that it is ABSOLUTELY NOT necessary to use tenderloin in this recipe. As a matter of fact, the original calls for beef sirloin or chuck ("stew"). Since this is a slow cooking meal, there is plenty of time for the meat to tenderize as it cooks. Don't leave out the tiny, pearl onions, even though they are a little pricey -- they make the dish special.

We like this over buttered egg noodles with a little fresh parsley, but growing up, my mom always served it over rice. I've even seen it served over mashed potatoes or simply as a stew, with lots of crusty bread to soak up the sauce. Whatever your family prefers, that's the right way to make it!

Beef Bourguignon

3 slices bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 - 1 1/2 lbs. beef, cubed into bite size chunks

1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

2 carrots, halved and sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 heaping T. tomato paste

12 oz. fresh mushrooms, some halved, some sliced (white, baby portobellos or a mixture of both)

1 can beef consomme' + 1/2 can water

1 cup hearty red wine such as cab. sauv.

1/4 c. + 2 - 3 T. flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper

1 bay leaf

2 -3 dashes worcestershire sauce

3 T. fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried thyme

2 oz. good cognac (more if you love it!)

12 - 16 tiny pearl onions, frozen or from jar (not pickled!)

12 oz. cooked, buttered egg noodles with 2 T. fresh parsley

In a large, deep frying pan, cook the bacon until crisp. While your bacon is frying, dry your beef cubes off a little, by placing them on a paper towel or two. This will aid in the browing process. Remove the bacon to a paper towel, and all but 2 T. of the bacon fat. Add the beef cubes to the hot bacon fat. Stir them around, so that they brown on all sides. When they look nice and brown, turn the heat down a little and add the onions, garlic and carrot. Stir in the worcestershire sauce and a little salt and pepper. When the onions begin to brown and soften, add the 1/4 c. of flour. Mix this into the meat/veggie mixture until ALL the flour is absorbed. If there is still fat/liquid in the pan, add a little more flour, 1 spoonful at a time. When the flour is incorporated, add the consomme', water,wine, tomato paste and mushrooms. Turn the heat up a little bit, bring the mixture to a boil and add the pearl onions, bay leaf, cognac and thyme.

At this point, you may put the mixture in your crock pot and cook it on low for at least 5 hours OR put it into an oven proof casserole and cook on 300 degrees for at least 3 hours. I like the crock pot way the best! 

I scream, you scream...Homemade ICE CREAM!

Happy 4th of July, Everyone! What could be more All American than homemade ice cream? I've had this recipe for years, and used to make it often when my children were little. It made for a very exciting day -- ice cream churning away on the back deck, lots of little hands adding in ice and rock salt. Today, it churned away in a brand, new ice cream churn, right in our kitchen sink.

It turned out just as sweet, however!

This recipe came from a Southern Living Cookbook, circa 1985, the year my first son was born. The cookbook was a gift from my mom and I bet I've cooked more recipes from it than almost any other I own!

If there is a flavor combination better than Chocolate and Peanut butter, I can't immediately think of it. After all, if you are going to take the trouble to make from scratch ice cream and have the patience to wait for it to get ready, go for the really good stuff. And believe me, this recipe is the really good stuff!

Peanut Butter Ice Cream w/Butterfinger Candy Bits

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 T. creamy peanut butter

3 13 oz. can evaporated milk

3 cups whole milk

6 2.1 oz. Butterfinger candy bars, chopped into bite sized pieces

Beat eggs at high speed and add peanut butter and sugar. Continue to beat until well blended. Add in evaporated and whole milk and beat another minute. Stir in chopped candy bars. Chill mixture about 30 minutes. Freeze in an ice cream maker, following the manufacturers directions.

Fresh and Cold, Farmers Market Pasta Salad

We spent part of Saturday morning at the South of the James Farmers Market, off Forest Hill Ave., here in Richmond. In spite of record high temperatures, the market was full of people and wonderful fresh produce, interesting crafts and all things local. We bought some delicious peaches, juicy blackberries, and the first local tomatoes of the season. My garden is full of flowers, but if you aren't so blessed, the zinnias and sunflowers were a good buy and abundant.

When it's hot outside, like it is here in Central Virginia, I can hardly think straight some days. Cooking and even eating are almost chores -- well the cooking part anyway. I like to make a lot of things all at once, so I can enjoy the labor throughout the work week. This weekend, I cooked a salmon, made a large, hot pasta dish, whipped up some cold cucumber soup and our favorite pasta salad.

I always love something cold on a hot day, and my cold cucumber soup fits the bill for lunch or dinner (check my blog archive from last summer). I like to eat the soup with a little bowl of pasta salad. Here's a simple one, using the tastiest ingredients from the farmers market. The bold flavors remind me of the antipasto plate from the local Italian eatery we love, and the fresh veggies simply scream summer!

Farmers Market Pasta Salad

12 oz. tricolor rotini pasta

1/3 c. olive oil

2 cloves minced garlic

1 tsp salt
1/2 - 1 tsp. red pepper flakes (1 makes it slightly hot)

2 green onions, sliced thinly, green and white parts

1/2 roasted red pepper, diced (from the jar is fine if you don't want to do the prep!)

1 1/2 cups chopped broccoli (small pieces) blanched or raw, however you like it!

1/2 c. chopped zucchini

12 cherry tomatoes, halved

10 slices pepperoni, diced

2 oz. Monterrey jack cheese with peppers or plain, diced

1/2 c. sliced or halved black olives

1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained well

1 small cucumber, scrubbed well or peeled, halved lengthwise then sliced

2 sliced pepperoncini peppers

about 15 large basil leaves, torn into small pieces

 or thinly sliced into chiffonade

1/2 c.  or a little more Parmesan cheese

1/2 c. red wine vinegar

Cook your pasta according to the package directions. Add the broccoli for the last 5 minutes of cooking time. Drain well. Put the hot pan back on the burner you turned off, and add your olive oil, minced garlic, salt and red pepper flakes. Begin chopping your veggies. Add the pasta back into the oil and mix well. Add in your all the veggies and pepperoni, and toss until combined. Next add the vinegar and finally the diced jack and grated Parmesan cheese, along with the torn basil. It's easiest to do this a little at a time, so the cheese does not melt and clump together. THEN, CHILL, BABY, CHILL, for at least 2 hours, until nice and cold.

If you want a vegetarian pasta, just don't add the pepperoni, it's equally delish.

Blackend Tuna, On the Grill or On Your Stove

Here's another "fish" post, because we love to eat fish, especially in the summertime! This week, we had blackened Tuna. It was so hot outside, I decided to do it inside, and it worked really well. All you do is buy some Ahi Tuna steaks, and some Paul Prudhomme Blackened Redfish Magic. You need some melted butter -- about 1/2 stick for 3 - 4 small tuna steaks -- and a heavy, hot frying pan. We happen to have a non-stick, stainless steel grill pan, and that works absolutely perfectly! (If you follow my blog and were waiting for salmon spread, I have not forgotten you! I simply forgot to take a picture, so I will be making some very soon, and posting next week, I promise!)

First, you've got to get your pan really, really hot. Get out 2 small, shallow dishes, big enough to hold a tuna steak. Put several heaping tablespoons of the blackening mixture into one. Melt the butter in the other dish, and dip the tuna, flipping to butter both sides. Then, carefully dip the tuna into the spice mixture. Put a drop or two of oil into your hot pan, and lay in the tuna steaks.

Cook them about 2 - 3 minutes on each side and DONE! Delicious, rare, tender, blackened tuna for dinner. How easy is that? Try it w/a fresh salad and my super simple summer dressing, which I have listed below. You will notice that the pesto I posted earlier made a reappearance for this dinner, over linguine instead of ravioli, it's yummy over either.

Super Simple Summer Dressing for Salad

1 large lemon

1 clove garlic

3 - 4 T. extra virgin olive oil

freshly ground pepper

a little salt

2 fresh basil leaves, cut into slivers ("chiffonade" style)

Crush and chop your garlic clove, as small as you can, or grate it into the olive oil. Zest half of your lemon and add it to the jar. Squeeze all of the juice into the oil, being careful to avoid adding the seeds. I use a small sieve over the top of the jar to help me. Add the basil, several grinding of fresh pepper and a pinch of salt. Put the lid on the jar and shake, shake, shake it until well blended. Pour and enjoy.

Quick, Cheap, Healthy and EASY Pasta Dish

Everyone I know right now is a little crunched for time and money. With the festive season upon us, it's hard to eat right, stay on a budget and get something good on the table in a short amount of time. All that shopping and gift wrapping, not to mention the decorating and baking, can take a toll on your wallet and your waistline!

Here's a quick and easy recipe that fits the bill. It's not hard to make, very inexpensive and good for you, too. It borrows from the flavors of the antipasto platter but minimizes the calories. I usually make a dish like this as a side dish, but adding a few slices of procuitto made it a satisfying entree for my meat loving husband. I love the new high fiber pastas in this dish -- makes you feel less guilty for eating a plate full! I adapted this recipe from one in Cooking Light and blended it with my own recipe to suit our tastes. It's a forgving recipe, you could easily add in any veggies you like., but here's a nice starting point.

Eliminate the red pepper if your family doesn't like spicy things. The recommended 1 tsp. will only a little "kick" and not be overwhelming. If you're feeling chicken, try adding 1/2 tsp. at first and then taste it.

"Antipasto" Penne

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 T. olive oil

1/2 med. onion, chopped

1 14.4 oz can diced tomatoes

1 red pepper, roasted and chopped

1 T. oregano

1 T. basil

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/2 c. black olives

1 6 oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained

4 thin slices prociutto, chopped up

8 oz. high fiber penne pasta, such as Healthy Options or Smart Choice

1/2 c. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided use

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat broiler. Cut bell pepper in half, lengthwise. Clean out all the seed and cut out the stem. Place pepper on a foil lined baking sheet and flatten with your hand. Broil for about 8 minutes or until pepper is blackened. Place it in a zip lock bag, seal it and let steam 5 minutes. Scrape off the skin with a knife and chop it.

While pepper is broiling, put olive oil on low in a large non-stick skillet. Add onion and garlic, and saute' until soft, about 5 minutes. Don't burn the garlic!

Add tomatoes, spices and red pepper, and cook this mixture for about 15 minutes over medium heat. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. When you add the pasta to the boiling water, add the black olives and artichokes to the tomato sauce. Bring it up to a boil, then turn it down to your lowest heat and add the procuitto. Add a little salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Go light on the salt as the ham and the cheese are both very salty!

Cook the pasta according to the package directions, drain it well and add it to the sauce mixture, mixing well. Add in half of your grated cheese, Mix well. Serve plates and sprinkle with a little more cheese. Enjoy!

We had ours with a leafy green salad and some homemade bread, Sunday dinner comfort food at it's very best! A nice glass of inexpensive Cabernet rounded out the meal.

Arkansas Cornbread

I love cornbread, the moister, the better. I like a little "kick" with mine too. Here is a perfect choice to make when the urge to spluge hits you! This recipe makes a lot, so it's perfect for sharing or making to give away as a gift! Goes great with chili and is a tasty snack, too. Enjoy!

Arkansas Cornbread

2 8 oz. pkg. corn muffin mix
2 c. milk
1/2 c. veg. oil
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 large onion, grated (I use a food processor or food mill for this)
2 T. sugar
1 8 oz. can cream style corn
1/2 c. seeded and chopped chili peppers ( I use a combo of the canned chopped green chilies and some hot ones)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix everything together until just blended. Divide batter between 3 greased 9" pans or use one greased 13 X 9" pan.
Bake at 400 degrees for about 35 minutes.
Very moist and flavorful! You can control the "heat" by choosing the peppers your family likes.

For this batch, I used the Habaneros that I grew over the summer -- just one of them-- mixed in w/a small can of chopped green chilies. Freezes well and makes a nice gift!

Fresh, Simple Salsa

There is simply nothing better than fresh salsa, and it is so very easy to make. Why not try it this week, while tomatoes are delicious and inexpensive at the markets and peppers are abundant?

We have been trying our hand at growing tomatoes and peppers in our backyard in containers. The peppers were extremely successful, the tomatoes, not so much, but we did get a few. Luckily, we have a friend who had lots of tomatoes on his vines and he was very generous! In a addition to that, the local favorite Hanover tomatoes have been on sale at several Richmond area grocery stores, including Kroger and Ukrops.

Here is a very basic, simple and tasty salsa recipe. Enjoy!

Simple Salsa

4 - 5 large Hanover or farm stand tomatoes

1 or 2 Hanbanero pepper (1 makes it spicy, 2 makes it medium hot)

1 handful fresh cilantro, washed, dried and stems removed

1/2 medium onion, peeled and cut in quarters

1 tsp. sea salt

a few grindings fresh ground black pepper

2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

1 T. white vinegar

1 tsp. fresh lime juice

2 tsp. olive oil

Bring a medium sized pot of water about 2/3 full to a full boil. While you are waiting for the water to boil, get out your food processor and dust it off. Wash your pepper and VERY CAREFULLY cut it open and remove most of the seeds and the stem. Wash your hands with soap and dry them with a paper towel. DON'T TOUCH your face while handling the pepper!

When the water comes to a boil, using a slotted spoon, immerse your tomatoes, one or two at a time in the boiling water for about 15 seconds. Remove them to a heat proof bowl and let them cool. When they have cooled, take off the skins and cut out the core at the stem end. Put the onion, garlic and pepper into the processor and pulse it a few times to begin the chopping process. Add in all but one of the tomatoes, the cilantro, and everything else. Pulse the salsa til it is almost smooth then add in the last tomato. Pulse a few more times until you reach the desired consistency.

Don't leave out the olive oil or the vinegar. The oil gives the salsa a little richness and the vinegar kicks up the fresh flavor. The lime juice makes is zesty! Don't be afraid of adding the habenero, using only one or 2 and seeding the pepper keeps the extreme hotness in check while spicing up the salsa for an authentic flavor! This salsa is really good just like it is, but don't be afraid to keep going! Makes about 5 cups.

Make this your own! Add in, as you like:

1 cup. fresh, roasted corn

1 c. drained and rinsed black beans

another hot pepper or 2

3 or 4 minced oil-packed sun dried tomatoes

Easy Appetizer

How often do you ask someone, "What can I bring?" and they say, "How about an appetizer?" and then you think, "Shoot, what should I bring?" Here is an easy one, that is light on the pocketbook and easy on the waistline. As an added benefit, it makes lots of "bites" so fits the bill whenever you need to feed a crowd. It's my variation on a old recipe from the 80's, that used to appear at every gathering, but as things do, kind of slipped out of style. It has the additional benefit of having most of it's ingredients being shelf stable. That qualifies it as a "go to" recipe in my book!

Tasty Tortilla Pinwheels

6 soft flour tortillas, 8"

1 8 oz. block light cream cheese, softened to room temp.

1 package Original Ranch Dressing mix (powdered, in an envelope)

1 4 oz. can diced green chilies, slightly drained

1/4 c. chopped and drained black olives

10 pickled jalapeno pepper slices, minced and drained

In a medium mixing bowl, combine eveything except the tortillas. A rubber spatula works best for this.

On a flat surface, using your rubber spatula, spread a scant 1/4 c. of the cream cheese mixture evenly over the surface of one tortilla. Roll it up, not too tightly, and scrape off any of the mixture that escapes at the end when you have completed the roll up. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, cover them and refrigerate for at least 2 hours so the filling can firm up and come together.

Uncover the plate and slice each tortilla into 1/2" pinwheels. Serve them on a plate garnished with some fresh greens or herbs. Makes approx. 60 pieces, as you will loose a little from the ends where the tortillas are rounded off -- looks too sloppy for me, so those are the cooks' treat!

Variation: Instead of chopped green chilies, olives and jalapenos, you can make these with 1/4 c. chopped, cooked shrimp and about 2 -3 tablespoons of your favorite salsa. You may also substitute green olives for the green chilies, but that would significantly up the calorie and fat content. Roasted red peppers would be another sub for the green chilies.

Think of this as a method you have learned, and can make your own! Experiment and have some fun! Try mixing the ranch dressing mix with the cream cheese and layering it with sliced deli turkey, some sprouts and a T. of salsa for a different lunch. Let your culinary imagination take charge!

Lemon Chess Pie

As you may have noticed, I like pie and I like to make them. Here is another one of my familys' favorites. It is from a very old recipe, passed down to my mother in law, from her mother in law. To keep that in perspective, and show how old this is, my mom in law will be 90 in December (I think she's proud of that, as she should be!). This pie fits the bill for lemony sweetness and once again, as I've said before, it's easy as pie. Check out the direction for "butter the size of an egg" -- that's exactly the way it was written when given to my mother in law from hers!

Lemon Chess Pie

1 unbaked pie crust

3 eggs

butter "the size of an egg" (about 1/2 stick)

1 tsp. + 1 T. flour

juice of 1 1/2 lemons

grated rind or the "zest" of 1 lemon *

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat eggs and sugar together. Add softened butter, flour, lemon juice and lemon zest. Pour into the prepared pie shell. Bake for 35 minutes.

*Cooks note: Make sure to zest only the yellow part of your lemon. The white part is bitter. A microplane rasp works really well for this. This adds great lemon flavor to your pie, so don't leave it out!

Cold Cucumber Soup

Another one of the joys of summer, fresh, crispy cucumbers, and all the fabulous dishes you can create with them. I have loved cold cucumber soup for years now, and it really helps me stick to my healthy eating plan. I realize that cold soup is not everyone's idea of good eating, but as far as I am concerned, when the weather turns hot and humid, there is absolutely nothing better than gazpacho or cold cucumber soup!

Cold Cucumber Soup

3 medium cucumbers, peeled and seeded

24 oz. fat free, low sodium chicken broth

1 rib celery, cleaned and roughly chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1/2 c. water or dry white wine

16 oz. fat free, plain yogurt

1/3 c. light sour cream

1 tsp. salt

fresh dill or snipped chives for garnish

In a heavy sauce pan, combine broth, celery, onion, garlic and wine or water. Bring it to a boil, turn down the heat, cover and let simmer about 30 minutes until the veg. are very tender. Remove from heat and let cool about 30 min.

Put your prepared cucumbers into a food processor fitted with the all purpose blending blade. (You may do this in a heavy duty blender.) Add about half of your broth and process until smooth. Remove half of that mixture to a large bowl and blend in half of your yogurt and sour cream. You must make this by doing it in "batches" as I have never found a processor or blender big enough to do it all at once. Pour the broth/yogurt mixture into your large bowl, and then pour half back into the processor and blend again with the the rest of the yogurt, sour cream and salt. Do this several times, until everything is fairly smooth and blended together. Don't overfill your processor or blender, just take a few extra minutes to pour back and forth till completed. Chill soup thoroughly. Serve garnished with a slice of cucumber, a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of dill or chives.

Summertime! Taco Salad Supper

When it's hot and humid, as it so often is here in Virginia, it's hard to think about hot food, or even heating up the whole kitchen by turning on the oven, or boiling up things on the stove. I love a salad for dinner on days like that. My family, not so much. Since it's me and a bunch of boys, if I make a salad for supper, it's got to be one that qualifies as "real food". They wouldn't call baby greens topped with goat cheese and walnuts "real food", they would call it lunch!

Several years ago, I went to a covered dish luncheon and had a super taco salad made by one of our group members. The recipe is quick and easy, can be made mostly ahead of time and is family friendly in every way. It also "holds" well at room temperature, if you are having one of those days when everyone eats when they can, in between ball games, social events and running around playing taxi service. I first made this exactly as she wrote it, but have since "lightened" it up quite a bit, so I could make it and eat it without feeling guilty. I also added more seasoning to the meat, to suit our palates. You could make it bolder or simpler, to suit your family and their tastes.


Let me say that teenagers love this salad! I have made it many times for my sons and their friends and the bowl is always cleaned out. I mix everything together except the taco chips, and leave it out on the counter (in the a.c.) and let them help themselves. It's always a hit!

Taco Salad
1 lb. lean ground beef (93% lean)

1 T. chili powder

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 tsp. cumin

Brown above ingredients, crumbling hamburger.

1 c. shredded 2% (lowfat) cheddar cheese ( I like Cracker Barrel)

1 head iceberg lettuce torn into pieces or 1 bag romaine hearts (your preference)

2 tomatoes, diced, or 12 grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

4 green onions, white and green parts, sliced thinly

about 20 black olives, cut in half

1/2 bag baked Nacho Cheese Doritos, crushed

Dressing:

1/4 c. light mayo

1/4 c. light sour cream

1/2 c. taco sauce or salsa (your favorite kind)

1/4 c. catsup
Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Salsa will make a chunkier dressing, taco sauce a smoother one. Don't leave out the catsup, though, it makes a difference.

After browning meat and seasonings, drain off any grease and cool to room temperature. Mix lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, onions and olives in a large bowl (the "top" of a tupperware cake server is just the right size and you can use it to take along for a picnic or covered dish supper). Add meat to lettuce mixture. Add the dressing and crushed taco chips right before serving.

If you need to "hold" this salad, simply prepare all the ingredients and keep them separate to fix when you need to eat it. Keep your greens cool, the meat at room temperature for up to an hour or 2, and the dressing on ice. Always add the chips at the very last minute so they stay crunchy.

The baked Doritos can sometimes be hard to find, so when I see them, I buy them and hide them in the pantry for use in this salad. It cuts way down on the fat and calories. The original recipe did not call for light sour cream, and used all mayo. Again, one ingredient can make a big difference in the fat and calorie count, and I actually prefer the taste the way I do it.

Makes 6 main dish sized portions, or 10 side salads.

Spinach Stuffed Chicken

The other night, we had on the Foodnetwork while I was cooking dinner, and Rachael Ray was stuffing chicken breasts, making fettuccine and chopping up a salad. It looked so good, my husband said, "Let's make that!", so last night, I did.

Let me say right up front, that to put this entire meal together in 30 minutes or less would be pretty impressive. There was no instruction given about prepping the chicken breasts, and as soon as I pulled mine out of the package, I knew the "stuffing" and rolling part was going to be pretty near impossible, considering the thickness of the breasts. So, out came the plastic wrap and the rolling pin, and I pounded away on all 6 of them for at least 10 minutes. Then, there was the board and rolling pin clean up, very important whenever you are dealing with raw chicken. When I make this recipe again, and I will, I would buy the thin, breast cutlets that you see in the case at the grocery store. It would make it lots easier, and a more realistic portion size. The whole breast, pounded out and stuffed with all the goodies, was a large portion to consume in one meal. I amended the original just slightly, but the idea and method came straight from Rachael.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Prosciutto

6 chicken breasts, pounded, or thin chicken cutlets

1/2 c. low fat ricotta cheese

1 pkg. chopped, frozen spinach, thawed and drained

2 T. pine nuts, toasted

1 garlic clove, grated

1/4 c. freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

few gratings fresh nutmeg

few gratings of black pepper

6 slices procuitto di Parma (Italian Ham)

To toast your pine nuts, put them in a frying pan over medium heat until they are lightly browned. Watch them so they don't burn. Make your stuffing: Begin by squeezing all of the water out of your frozen chopped spinach. Place it in a bowl with the ricotta, parnigiano, toasted pine nuts and garlic. Mix it well, and grind a little nutmeg and black pepper into the mixture. Mixture will be kind of "stiff" and a little dry.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Lay your chicken breast on a clean work surface, and add a well rounded tablespoon or so of the stuffing mixture towards one end of the breast. Roll the breast up, jelly roll style and secure it with a toothpick. Wrap a slice of the ham around the rolled up chicken, so that the ham covers the opening where the ends come together. Put the 6 breasts in a 13X9" pan, coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 400 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes. They get done a little quicker than you would think! These were worth a little work and really tasty. I added the garlic to the recipe, but my family loves that taste. The nutmeg adds a lot too.

Enjoy!

Perfect Pizza Crust

I've tried lots of different kinds of pizza dough over the years, beginning at age 10 with a Chef Boy-ar-Dee mix at our apartment in Kaiserslautern, Germany. That was the very start of my passion for cooking. We had fallen in love with the pizza served at an Italian restaurant at nearby Ramstein Air Force Base, and I was determined to recreate it! Of course, my first efforts were soggy, but I got better and better with each try.

Making dough from scratch can be intimidating, and I am not really sure why. Maybe it's the chemistry involved...will it rise? Can I make it into something worth eating? I don't know the answer to the anxiety, but I can provide you with an almost foolproof recipe for perfect pizza crust -- not too thin, not too thick, and just chewy enough.

Believe me, it's not as hard as you think it is!!



Pizza Crust Dough

2 level tsp. dry yeast or 1 package (I buy it by the jar and keep it in the frig)

2/3 c. warm water (105 - 115 degrees)

2 c. all purpose flour, divided

1 T. cornmeal

1 T. olive oil

1/2 tsp. salt

vegetable cooking spray

Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large, heat proof bowl. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in 1 3/4 c. flour, cornmeal, oil and salt, to form a soft dough.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes), adding enough of the remaining flour to prevent dough from sticking to your hands or the surface.

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray. Spray top of dough. Cover, and let ride in a warm place (~85 degrees), free from drafts, about 40 minutes, until doubled in bulk.

STOP!! What? How warm is 85 degrees? What does "doubled" mean? How will I know? How can I tell if the water was warm enough? Was it too warm? Will it kill the yeast? This is too hard for me.....

Your body temp is 98.6. Water that is 105 - 115 degrees will feel warm to your fingers, but not burning hot.

In my kitchen, I have under cabinet lights that illuminate the countertops. If I put the covered bowl right under these lights and leave it about 40 minutes, I can clearly see that the dough has grown much larger. Try that. Or, put it into your oven (unheated) with just the oven light on. Again, our body temp. is 98.6, so 85 degrees is a little cooler than we are. If either of these spots feels "hot" to you, then it is warmer than you are, so a little too warm for the dough! See, it's not so mysterious, after all!!

Next, punch dough down and roll into a 15" wide circle. Spray the pizza pan of your choice with cooking spray. If you have a dough mat, like you make pie crust on, it really helps here. I find it easier to put the dough in the middle of your pizza pan, and simply pat it into place, just like you do with the packaged dough. Top with your favorites and bake according to recipe directions. I recommend that you cook it at about 400 degress for 15 - 20 minutes. Less time with less toppings, more time with heavier toppings.

Now, go for it! You CAN do this! It's easy, and really good too.

Eating Healthy Mexican

My family loves "Mexican" food. I put that in quotes because I suspect, like "Chinese" food, the Mexican food we eat here bears very little resemblance to the real thing. I learned to cook Mexican from a friends mother, an air force wife, who had just been transferred to Florida after 5 years in California. She taught me 3 basic recipes for taco filling, cheese enchiladas and chile rellenos. We could not get queso fresco at that time in Florida, at least not in our mainstream, suburban grocery store, so she substituted, of all things, velveeta cheese. I imagine because of the texture. It was while living in Florida -- I am an army brat -- that I also learned to love Cuban food. The lunch ladies who ran the cafeteria at my junior high school were all Cuban, and man oh man, cuban chili with rice, black beans and rice, cooked pork and cuban bread were the food of the day many days in that little school cafeteria! Sorry, I digress, as my point was to talk about eating healthy, mexican food. Here are some recipes that I found in a Cooking Light cookbook. I've made them both several times, and they were a big hit with my family. I've made a few modifications to suit our taste, and you can too! Have fun and be creative! Spicy Black Bean Soup 6 oz turkey sausage, spicy if you like it, if not get keilbasa, sliced 1 cup diced green, yellow or red peppers, or a combo of all 3 1/2 small onion, small dice cooking spray 14.5 oz. can of fat free, low sodium chicken broth or stock 1 (15 oz.) can of black beans, rinsed and drained juice of 1/2 lime a few drops of tabasco sauce 1/4 cup of your favorite salsa 4 T. low fat sour cream chopped cilantro or flat leaf parsley Coat a non stick sauce pan with cooking spray and put it on medium heat. Add sausage, onion and green peppers. When sausage begins to brown, add the veggies get a little tender, add the chicken broth and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat to low, add beans and salsa, and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes. When done, squeeze in the juice of the lime. Divide amoung 4 bowl, top each with one T. light sour cream and cilantro or parsley, if desired. This makes 4 one cup servings. Approx. 172 (without sour cream) 4.5 grams of fat and 3 grams of fiber. Check your sour cream for it's calorie and fat content or leave it off. Serve it with Speedy Quesadillas 4 - 8" fat free tortillas (look for the kind with 2 or more grams of fiber in them) 1 cup Cracker Barrel reduced fat cheddar cheese 1/4 cup green onions cooking spray Coat one side of a tortilla with cooking spray and lay it in your skillet. Top with 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese and half of your green onions. Top w/another tortilla and spray that with cooking spray. Cook about 2 minutes over med - high heat and turn it over. It should be lightly brown. Remove the first one and do it again. Cut each one into 6 wedges, for a total of 12. Serves 4 people, 3 wedges each, approx. 198 calories, 5.6 grams of fat and 2 grams of fiber.