Helpful Hints To Tweaking a Recipe ....

Let's face it, dieting and cutting fats, calories and carbs have become a way of life for most of us, yet at times, we find ourselves cooking what we were accustom to growing up, in which case, are usually recipes that our mothers cooked or recipes handed down from family members and even if they weren't exactly the healthiest way to prepare the food, we still love them.

I thought this blog would be an informative way to illustrate how I go about tweaking a recipe to make it conform to the constraints of most our diets, mine included.  :D

First of all, I am going to use a recipe that I found on Paula Deen's website.  I love Paula Deen!  She is a good southern girl with a warm smile and great sense of humor, but to my dismay, I just can't eat food that contains bacon fats, tons of butter and shortening!  Lord help me, I would be dead if I cooked like that!  So here we go ... a recipe of Paula's that I tweaked and experimented with in my own kitchen.  Glenn and I were pleasantly surprised at how good it turned out.  And btw, tweaking recipes can become second nature for you as it has for me just by experimenting and knowing what products to use.  ;-)

Here is the recipe as I found it from Paula Deen's website.  I posted my tweaks beside the original ingredients and added directions following Paula's:

Country Style Fried Cabbage

Servings: 6 servings
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 8 to 10 min
Difficulty: Easy


Ingredients
1 small head green cabbage, shredded
3 tablespoons bacon fat
  (6 strips of turkey bacon cooked till crispy and set aside. Use the small amount of grease rendered from the turkey bacon and add 1 tablespoon of EVOO along with 4 ounces of filtered water)
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Wash cabbage. For shredding begin by cutting cabbage into quarters. Cut by making thin slices across the cut sides of the cabbage. Discard core and any tough ribs. Heat bacon fat in a large cast iron Dutch oven. Add cabbage and stir just until glistening. Lower heat and add pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste and continue cooking and turning until cabbage is just tender.
Notes from the Paula Deen Test Kitchen: A fast and delicious side dish to your St. Patrick’s Day cornbeef recipes. We also loved it with 4 slices of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled over the top before serving.

Follow Paula's directions for washing and shredding the cabbage then begin these preparations;

Cook 6 slices of turkey bacon in a large non-stick skillet until crispy.  Allow to cool and then crumble into small pieces.  After adding the EVOO to your same skillet that you cooked the turkey bacon in, add the shredded cabbage, 4 ounces of filtered water and the crushed red pepper flakes.  Set the heat to medium and stir with a large wooden spoon turning the cabbage over from the bottom of the skillet allowing the oils to coat all of the cabbage.  Turn down the heat to simmer and put a tight fitting lid on.  Continue simmering and turn the cabbage periodically until it is well steamed and tender.  Add the crispy turkey bacon pieces blending them in evenly. ~

I served this with my tweaked southern cornbread recipe, fresh green onion, vine ripe sliced tomatoes, and a side bowl of plain (no pork fat added) great northern beans with fresh hot peppers chopped and added to them.

A very southern meal, without the pork fat, and no shortening or bacon drippings, not even in my cornbread.  ;-)

Comments and questions are encouraged.  :)

Patti's Simple & Spicy Buffalo Chicken Salad for Two~

Patti's Buffalo Chicken Salad for Two


6 strips of Frozen [non-breaded] Chicken Tenders (without steroids, antibiotics, etc)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Crystal Hot Sauce (better than Tabasco!)
2 quarter wedges iceberg lettuce
1 organic vine ripe tomato, cut in wedges
2 stalks organic celery, chopped
365 Organic Blue Cheese Dressing

If you don't shop at Whole Foods to get the 365 Blue Cheese Dressing, you can substitute using homemade Ranch Dressing;  1 cup Buttermilk, 3/4 cup Mayo and 1/4 cup sour cream to 1 package Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing.  Also, sprinkle crumbled blue cheese over salad. ;)

In a 10 inch nonstick skillet, add the olive oil and place the frozen chicken tenders into the skillet as you turn the heat on medium.  Sautée the chicken on medium taking care not to brown it and turning as soon as the meat is white on the bottom side.  Turn down the heat to simmer.  Using the Crystal Hot Sauce, splash enough hot sauce to cover all pieces of the chicken and allow to simmer.  Keep an eye on this because as the chicken simmers the liquid will evaporate.  Turn the chicken to make sure each side is well coated with the Hot Sauce as you continue to cook it on simmer until chicken is fully cooked and white in the center along with the hot sauce making a nice orange, almost dry coating, over the tenders.  Once chicken is fully cooked, cut the tenders up in bit sized pieces and set aside.

Divide and tear each quarter wedge of lettuce and place into salad bowls.  Add the chopped celery and tomato wedges.  Top with the chicken, Blue Cheese dressing and serve.  ~Enjoy~

Here Is a Recipe For Very Moist Meatloaf Using Venison~

Venison Meatloaf

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2 lbs. ground venison
3/4 cup quick cooking oatmeal (not instant)
1 medium green bell pepper (diced)
1 medium onion (diced)
1/2 cup milk
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, mix together the oatmeal and the milk and allow it to soak for seven or eight minutes.
In a large bowl combine all ingredients along with oatmeal mixture and place in a large meatloaf pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour and a half topping with ketchup about two-thirds of the way through cooking.

This recipe will not fit in a small meatloaf pan, thus you will need to divide between two small meat loaf pans, or do what I did since I didn't have a large one or two smalls.  I had to use a (6) muffin tin with what was left after filling one small meatloaf pan, making sure to squirt ketchup on the top of each one at the two-thirds way through cooking as well.  But actually as it turned out, it was a perfect size serving for my grandson.  Do take note that the meatloaf will cook faster in the muffin tin as well. :D

A Classic Dish from India~

This easy dish is very quick to make and a welcome accompaniment for flatbreads. Dal (split mung beans) is quickly cooked with a little turmeric, cinnamon, and bay leaf to make a satisfying soupy stew. It can also be served as a dal fry, fried with a little garlic, onion, and tomato. Either way, it should come to the table piping hot, an ideal companion for fresh chapatis.

1 cup mung dal (split mung beans, yellow in color (I use any color of lentils) or 2 1/2 cups cooked mung dal
4 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 tablespoons Madras Curry Powder
2 bay leaf
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
1 medium-sized tomato, chopped

You will need a medium-sized saucepan, and a large deep skillet or saucepan.
To cook split mung beans, rinse off with cold water and then place in a saucepan with four cups of vegetable broth (1 carton, 4 cups), Madras Curry Powder, and 2 bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then simmer until tender, approximately 20 to 25 minutes.

To make Dal Fry:
In another large skillet or saucepan, heat the oil over high heat. Toss in the garlic and onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for one minute longer, stirring the entire time. Now pour in the cooked mung dal and stir (watch out for spattering as the dal first hits the oil). Cook the dal for 2 to 3 minutes, or if the dal was cold or at room temperature, cook until hot. Serve immediately in individual bowls or in one large bowl.

Serve with hot Naan bread ~  This dish is delicious!

Healthy and Tasty Salmon with Sugar Snap Peas

Here is a very easy salmon recipe that is not only delicious but healthy as well and doesn't require hardly any prepping or cooking time.  :D

Salmon & Sugar Snap Peas

Heat 1 Tbsp. EVOO in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add 4 wild caught salmon steaks (about 6 oz. each and thawed if are frozen). Pour 1/4  cup soy sauce, (use lite if you prefer), and 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice over the salmon. Cover and cook 6 minutes.  Turn salmon and add a box of frozen Sugar Snap Peas.

Cover and steam 2 minutes or until salmon and peas are cooked through.  Serve with any variety of rice, even Minute Rice if that is all you have.  My preference is either Wild Rice or Jasmine.

~Enjoy~

Southwestern Chicken Chili Stew

This recipe is light, very low in fat and oh so flavorful!  I serve it with the "Blue Chips" but whatever Tortilla chips you prefer are fine .. or without chips even.  :D


Southwestern Chicken Chili Stew

INGREDIENTS:
    •    2 tablespoon olive oil
    •    2 cups chopped onion
    •    4 large garlic cloves, minced
    •    1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins, washed, cooked and cubed.
    •    Pickled jalapenos to taste (I use about 8 slices and chop it up well)
    •    1 teaspoon ground coriander (I usually don't add this)
    •    2 teaspoons ground cumin
    •    2 cans (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice (I use Del Monte.  They have lower sodium content)
    •    1 can Great Northern beans, or black beans, (16 oz) drained.
    •    juice of a lime
    •    1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
    •    Tone's Lime Pepper seasoning on chicken and about 1/2 teaspoon into tomato mixture. (You can get this at Sam's Club)
    •    Sour cream
    •    Chopped red onion
    •    Chopped fresh cilantro
   
PREPARATION:
Heat olive oil in a large nonstick saucepan over medium heat. When oil is hot, add chicken;  cook it slowly until center turns white.  Remove and cut in cubes then set aside.  In the same skillet, add a tablespoon more olive oil if needed then add the garlic and swirl in skillet to infuse in oil.  Add onion;  saute until it is translucent. 

Meanwhile, In a medium to large soup pot add your diced tomatoes, add chopped jalapeno, and using a wooden spatula break the tomatoes up as you allow them to simmer.  Once your garlic and onion are done, add it to your tomato mixture along with the Lime Pepper seasoning, cumin and cooked chicken.
Reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes; add juice of one lime and stir in the corn kernels and drained beans.
Simmer chicken chili, gently stirring until everything is blended in and nice and hot. 

Garnish with sour cream, chopped red onion and chopped fresh cilantro.

Patti's Garden Fresh Spaghetti Sauce

When you can buy or grow garden Roma tomatoes this sauce is even better, otherwise use the best organic canned tomatoes you can find at your grocery store. ;-)

To make this sauce, start with a large non stick skillet that has a lid and add 3 Tablespoon's butter allowing it to melt over low heat.  When melted add 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms simmering until mushrooms are soft and have shrunk down, absorbing the butter, which takes about 15 minutes.  Remove mushrooms and set aside.

Add to the skillet 2 Tablespoons EVOO and allow to heat up slightly.  Add 4 cloves chopped garlic to the oil.  Move the garlic around with a wooden spoon for a few seconds to flavor the oil, making sure the heat is on medium low to be careful not to burn the garlic.  Add to this, 1 medium chopped onion, 1/2 of a chopped green bell pepper and continue stirring and simmering this mixture until the onion is translucent. 

Add back into the mixture the cooked mushrooms, 1 can organic diced tomatoes and 1 small can tomato sauce.  Bring all of this to a boil, stirring and breaking up the tomatoes with your spoon.  To bring out the flavor of the ingredients, add 1 bay leaf, 1/2 Tablespoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon dried Thyme and 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder.  Blend all the seasonings into the sauce and continue simmering and breaking up the tomatoes.  Turn the heat down to low and place the lid on the skillet allowing the sauce to simmer on low for at least 30 minutes.  As it simmers, be sure to check the sauce and stir it occasionally.  Taste before adding sea salt; canned tomatoes contain high amounts of sodium.  I don't add salt to my sauce unless I am using fresh picked garden Roma tomatoes.

You can add Italian sausage to this sauce but be sure to cook it first and drain off all grease.  Add the cooked meat at the same time you add the cooked mushrooms.  ;-)

Serve over whatever pasta you prefer and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.  Bon Appetit!  :D