Gorgonzola Pear Salad with Pomegranate Dressing

To prepare pears wash well and then core them with a apple corer, leaving the skin on. After coring pears push Gorgonzola cheese into center of pear, packing it in tightly. Wrap pears in plastic wrap and chill for a few hours or you may serve them immediately. Wash Bibb lettuce or spring mix for salad greens and place on a chilled salad platter. When ready to serve slice pears into thin circles and place on top of salad. Sprinkle top of salad with Craisins and drizzle on dressing. If you would like an extra crunch add some walnuts too.

Dressing:

• 1/3 cup Pomegranate Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/4 cup Olive Oil
• 1-2 Tbsp. honey

Salad:

• Boston Bibb lettuce or Spring mix salad
• 1 pear, serves 2
• Crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
• Craisins
• Walnuts, optional

If you do not want to take the time to stuff the pears you may just add pear slices and crumbled Gorgonzola on top of the salad instead. Enjoy, and stay cool!

Beer Bread

Whoever said that beer is just for drinking should know that you can have your beer and eat it too. This is by far the easiest homemade bread that anyone can make. My goodness only 3 ingredients, how cool is that. You can pick what type of beer that you would like to use. The heartier the beer the stronger the taste will be. I made it with a bottle of New Castle Brown Ale and it really had a nice hearty flavor to it. I also made it with a bottle of Miller and it had a milder beer flavor. There are so many variety of beers out there be brave and try one. I want to try a Jalapeno Pepper Ale next. Beer Bread for You!

Beer Bread

• 3 cups self rising flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 12 oz. beer, must be warm

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together all 3 ingredients and bake in a greased 9 1/4 x 5 1/4 x 2 3/4 inch loaf pan at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cool in pan for 10 minutes then invert slice and serve while it's still warm.

I want to credit this recipe to the Valley Elementary Fundraiser cookbook that I volunteered to publish back in the 1989-90 school year.

Taco Seasoning Mix

Well, I don't know about you, but I find that packaged taco seasoning is simply awful. It's way too salty, and not spicy enough. It is so simple to throw together a few spices to make your own, and this recipe blows away the prepackaged stuff. You can control the salt and spice amount as well. Also I have found that you can get away with 99% lean ground turkey with this recipe. Top with your favorite taco toppings and everyone will be impressed. Or you may choose to make a Taco Salad with it. How cool is that? 

Taco Seasoning Mix

• 1 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• ½-1 tsp. ground chipotle powder
• ½ tsp. cumin
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ cup ketchup
• ¾ cup water
• 1.3 lb. ground turkey or ground beef

In a small bowl mix together first 7 ingredients. In a 2 cup measuring cup put ketchup, water and spice powders. Whisk together and set aside.

Brown ground beef or ground turkey in skillet. When meat is no longer pink and is cooked through, drain off fat. Place back onto stovetop. Add spice mixture to meat, stirring well until all meat is coated. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 5 minutes. Serve with soft or hard taco shells of your choice.

I find that the store-bought seasoning packs are not seasoned enough and they are too salty. This tastes better and is much cheaper, too. I always use 1 tsp. of chipotle powder, we like it on the spicy side.

Scalloped Potatoes Au Gratin

I just love potatoes, and I think they get a bad rap. This fascinating little tuber is actually quite nutritious, containing more potassium than a banana. It's surprisingly high in vitamin C. Boiled, or baked with the skin on will provide a multitude of nutrients, plus healthy dietary fiber (although most of the other vitamins and minerals are in the potato flesh itself). That is why I always leave the skin on. So here you go you can have your potatoes and eat them too. Healthy can taste good!

Scalloped Potatoes Au Gratin

• Yukon gold potatoes skins on and sliced thin, about 4 cups
• 1 medium sweet vidalia onion sliced thin
• 2 cups fat free milk
• 4 Tbsp. all purpose flour
• 4 Tbsp. Smart Balance margarine
• 2 tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp. cayenne pepper, optional
• ½ tsp. garlic powder, optional
• 1 cup reduced fat grated Sargento Cheddar cheese

Wash potatoes well and then slice very thin. I like to use my mandoline slicer for the potatoes and the onion. Then peel and slice the onion too. Set aside and melt margarine in a small pot over medium heat and as soon as margarine is melted whisk in flour then add milk and whisk together well stirring occasionally. Add salt, pepper and optional seasonings at this point. As soon as mixture heats up and thickens slighty remove from heat. Spray a 2 ½ quart Corning bakeware dish with pam spray. Layer potatoes and some onion alternately until all is in the dish making sure that potatoes are on the top layer at the end. Pour milk mixture over top of  potatoes and onion then cover with lid and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Then remove lid and add cheese and bake an additional 30 minutes uncovered, for a total bake time of 1 ½ hours.

The yellow meat potatoes have a more buttery flavor to them and really help make these tasty without a lot of added fat.

Creamed Chipped Beef (SOS)

This particular recipe is comfort food at its best. My son, Eric, and my Stud Muffin request this breakfast the most. The saltiness of the chipped beef with the rich creamy white sauce will make your fat cells sing. It's a toss up as to whether or not you want it served over biscuits or toast. Some like it for breakfast, but it works well for dinner too. Creamed Chipped Beef, or SOS, in the army lingo. Toast, or biscuits. Decisions, decisions. Either way, you will love it!

Creamed Chipped Beef

• 1 (4 oz.) package chipped beef
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• ¼ cup flour
• 2 cups milk

Cut beef into bite size pieces and set aside.

In a Dutch oven pot melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and mix well with a wire whisk. Gradually add milk stirring constantly until mixture almost comes to a boil, add meat, reduce heat and stir together well, let simmer until thickened. Serve immediately over toast or biscuits.

My family loves this served with Pillsbury Grand's biscuits (reduced fat) 8 pk. If eating with biscuits start baking the biscuits first, then make the creamed chipped beef while biscuits are baking. Great for breakfast or dinner. This recipe will make your fat cells sing!!!

Paella

Paella, and the magical ingredient in this awesome dish is saffron. It has a wonderful flavor that you will not be able to duplicate. This is an easy dish to feed a large crowd and has a little bit of everything in there. So try this little oven baked twist instead of simmering in a large skillet. Enjoy!

Paella

• 1 lb. Shady Brook hot or sweet Italian sausage (cut in half)
• 4 cups long grain white rice
• 8-10 boneless skinless chicken halves
• 8 cups chicken broth or prepared chicken base
• 2 green bell peppers, cut into chunks
• 2 red bell peppers, cut into chunks
• ½ lb. fresh mushrooms, cut in half
• 2-3 packs saffron (3 grains) or ½ tsp
• 1 cup salsa
• 2 large onion cut into chunks
• 1 ½ lbs. andouille sausages, cut into 2-3 inch pieces
• 1 ½ dozen baby clams, cleaned
• 2 lbs. shrimp, large
• 2 lbs. mussels, cleaned

Brown hot turkey sausage, set aside. Meanwhile, in a very large roasting pan add rice, chicken, broth, green pepper, mushrooms, saffron, salsa and onion. Mix well. Add raw chicken and both types of sausages, layering evenly and covering with liquid. Cover with foil. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes.

Remove from oven, add clams on top. Cook 10 minutes more, covered.

Remove from oven again. Add shrimp and mussels. Cook covered for 10 more minutes or until clams and mussels have opened. Paella is ready when liquid is absorbed and rice is fully cooked. Enjoy!

This is a very easy dish to make and yummy! Great for a dinner crowd or you may cut recipe in half. This is a different twist on the traditional Paella, which is usually simmered on stove top.

Cucumber Dill Dip

I wanted to do a healthy dip this time around and I hit the jackpot on this one. This is fat free but it does not taste like it is. So if you like cucumber, you will love this refreshing dip. Also I wanted to keep it healthy with what I dipped into it as well. The pitas are yummy prepared this way too. So belly up and enjoy, your fat cells will think that they should be singing.

Cucumber & Dill Dip

• 2 large cucumbers
• ½ tsp. salt
• (2) 6 oz. containers of Greek plain non-fat yogurt
• (1) 16 oz. container of Sour Cream fat free
• ½ tsp. garlic powder w/ extra for sprinkling
• ¼ tsp. ground white pepper
• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil, extra virgin
• 1 Tbsp. Aged White Wine Vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. fresh Dill, finely chopped
• 1 package whole wheat pitas, 6 count
• 1 can of Pam olive oil spray

Peel cucumbers and cut in half lengthwise, then scoop out seeds with a spoon and discard seeds. Cut cucumbers halves into chunks and whirl in a food processor with ½ tsp of salt. Place cucumber mash in wire mesh drain and drain for 1 hour. You need to do this step so that the dip is not to watery and the salt will help pull out the moisture.

When cucumber mash has been drained place in a large bowl and add: greek yogurt, sour cream, ½ tsp garlic powder, white pepper, olive oil, vinegar and fresh dill. Mix well then cover and chill for a few hours or overnight.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. With a pizza cutter on a cutting board cut pitas in half, then cut each half into thirds. This will give you six triangles per pita. Repeat until all are cut. Line a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil (it makes clean up easier). Spread out pitas single file and spray with Pam olive oil spray then lightly sprinkle garlic powder on pitas. Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool, you may serve them immediately with dip or store in a plastic bag for later.