Strawberry Shortcake with Mascarpone Cream

SHORTCAKE
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon poppy seeds (optional)
2 tablespoons butter, cold
1/2 cup light cream (half & half)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (I omitted this.)

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and poppy seeds. Add butter and rub in to flour mixture, creating coarse crumbs.

In a small measuring cup, combine cream, vanilla extract and almond extract. Add to flour mixture and stir with a fork until a ball of dough forms. Add an additional tablespoon of milk, if necessary.

Divide dough into four and place on a baking sheet. It is not crucial to shape the dough, but it's better if your shortcakes are on the round side, for presentation.

Bake at 400F for 15-18 minutes, until lightly golden and somewhat firm to the touch. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

MASCARPONE CREAM FILLING
12-ounces mascarpone cheese, cold
1/4 cup light cream (half & half)
4 tablespoons powdered sugar, or to taste

Beat all ingredients together with a whisk until soft peaks form. If you want to make the filling sweeter, then add a bit more sugar. You might have to add a little more cream to keep the filling from getting too stiff.

ASSEMBLY
Strawberries, diced (I added a little sugar to them since they weren't quite sweet enough.)

Split cakes horizontally in half and spread on mascarpone filling. Top mascarpone cream with strawberries and, if desired, more cream.

Notes: I found this recipe on the Bakingsheet blog and decided to make it for my birthday dessert last week. You have to go check out her blog just for the picture alone. My picture is embarrassing in comparison. My biscuits didn't survive being split in half, so I just piled everything on top instead. There was a slight error on the recipe regarding the baking powder, so the biscuits did not turn out so well. Smothered in the cream and strawberries, they were edible, but not on their own. I'll give them another shot using the correct measurements (2 teaspoons baking powder, not 2 tablespoons) and I'm sure they'll taste great.

Now the mascarpone cream is another story. I loved it. I don't think I've ever had mascarpone before, and it has a slightly tangy flavor that is different than other types of cream I've had. My hand mixer has a whisk attachment, so I used that to beat all the filling ingredients together. And I did have to add a bit more sugar to sweeten it up. We didn't eat all the cream that night, so we used it as a fruit dip the following day, and it was just as good, although not the best choice if you're watching your fat grams. Yikes!

I think this is also the first time I've had strawberry shortcake on a biscuit instead of angel food cake, pound cake, or this mini sponge cakes they sell next to the strawberries specifically for strawberry shortcake. If it was up to me, this is the way I'd eat strawberry shortcake from here on out. Loved it.

Teriyaki Chicken

1 (3 pound) whole chicken, cut in half (I used chicken wings.)
3/4 cup white sugar (I used brown sugar.)
3/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 gloves garlic, minced

Place chicken in a 9x13 inch baking dish.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine sugar, soy sauce, ginger and garlic. Mix well, and pour mixture over chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake chicken uncovered in the preheated over for 1 hour (45 minutes for chicken wings), basting frequently. Test for doneness, making sure there is no pink left in the meat. Let cool slightly, then cut into smaller pieces to serve.

Notes: I made these last weekend, and I'm not completely sold on the recipe. They were good, but I thought it lacked a bit of flavor. Maybe I needed to separate the skin from the bone so the marinade could penetrate the meat. I think I'll try it again with chicken breasts and see if I like it any better. Some of the reviews on Allrecipes suggested adding cornstarch to thicken the marinade to be used as a sauce for the chicken, and then serve it over rice. Might have to try that too.

Makes 6 servings.
Recipe from Allrecipes.

Corn Salsa

1 (16oz) can sweet white corn, drained
1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
1-2 small cans sliced black olives (I used diced olives.)
1 small onion, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
4 medium avocados, chopped
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Mix all ingredients together and serve immediately. If you're preparing this salsa in advance, don't add the avocados until just before serving.

Notes: My friend Adrienne made this recipe for a get-together a while back and everyone loved it. I made it again last weekend while my family was in town, and it was a hit again. (At least for everyone who likes avocados.) I can't stand olives, but you can't even taste them in this salsa. Adrienne doesn't like corn, but still likes the recipe too. For some reason all the ingredients and flavors blend really well together so you aren't overwhelmed by one distinct ingredient.

Cheesy Orzo

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 (14 oz) cans chicken broth
2 cups orzo pasta
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Romano cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat an 8-inch pot with a tight fitting cover over moderate heat. Add oil, onion and garlic and saute for 2 or 3 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Stir in orzo and return to a boil.

Cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until liquid is absorbed and pasta tender. Then stir in cheese, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

To add even more flavor, stir in your favorite fresh herbs, finely chopped.

Notes: This is a simple little side dish, especially if you're looking for an alternative to rice or some other sort of pasta. It's super easy to make, and has just enough flavor to make it interesting. The cheese doesn't hurt either.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Recipe from Rachael Ray 30-Minute Meals 2

Seasoned Turkey Burgers

1 pound ground turkey
2/3 (1 oz) package dry onion soup mix (We used the whole package.)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2/3 egg, lightly beaten (optional) (We used a whole egg.)
4 hamburger buns

In a large bowl, mix the turkey with the onion soup mix, pepper, garlic powder, soy sauce, and egg. Refrigerate the mixture about 10 minutes, then form into 4 patties.

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. (We cooked them on the stovetop over medium to medium-high heat.)

Lightly oil the grill grate. Place the patties on the grill. Cook for 20 minutes, turning once, or until well done.

Yields: 4 burger patties
Recipes from Allrecipes.

Notes: The original recipe for these burgers yielded 6 patties. I scaled it down (which explains the funny quantities that Allrecipes gave me). Kevin made these for dinner tonight, and they turned out pretty good, but they were a little too salty. I'm not sure if it was too much onion soup mix or too much soy sauce. I think we'll try this recipe again, but cut back on the sodium in one way or another. Even still, these burgers had a lot of flavor and were nice and juicy. And they definitely fit into the quick and easy category, which is a big bonus.

Cornmeal Buttermilk Biscuits

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1-1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, level with a knife. Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl, cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles course meal. Add buttermilk, stir just until moist.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat dough into an 8x4 inch rectangle. Cut dough by making 1 length-wise cut and 3 crosswise cuts to form 8 biscuits. Place biscuits, 1 inch apart, on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake at 450 degrees for 12 minutes or until golden. Serve biscuits warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 8 servings.
Recipe from Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2006

Notes: I made these in addition to the Healthy Cornbread Muffins for dinner last night. (I couldn't make up my mind on which recipe to try.) Both Kevin and I liked this recipe, although he said he liked the muffins better. I thought these tasted great fresh from the oven, but they're a little dry the day after. (Seems typical of most biscuits though.) Although this recipe didn't completely wow me, it's a nice alternative to cornbread if you're looking for a change, or if you're looking to spice up your plain buttermilk biscuits.

Nutritional Info:
Calories: 136
Fat: 4.5g (2.3 sat)
Protein: 2.8g
Carbs: 20.9
Fiber: 1g
Chol.: 12
Iron: 1.2
Sodium: 316
Calcium: 87 mg

Healthy Cornbread Muffins

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
3 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 12 cup muffin tin. (I used muffin liners instead.)

Whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk and oil. Pour buttermilk mixture into cornmeal mixture and stir until just combined.

Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until tester just comes out clean. Do not overbake! (Mine were done in 14 minutes.) Turn out to cool on a wire rack.










Notes: I found this recipe on the Bakingsheet blog. The original recipe calls for 1/4 cup yogurt plus 1 tablespoon olive oil instead of the 3 tablespoons oil that I used. I decided to forego some of the health benefits of using the yogurt in favor of a moister muffin like Nic suggested. The end result was perfect. These muffins were great with the Taco Soup I made for dinner last night. I'll definitely be making these muffins again. Quick and easy, and healthy to boot!

Lower Fat Banana Bread

2/3 cup white sugar
1/4 cup applesauce (replaces butter or oil for a lower-fat version)
2 eggs
2 ripe bananas, mashed (or more)
1/4 cup water (I used low-fat milk)
1-2/3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips (not in original recipe)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x5 inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, beat the sugar and applesauce until smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs, bananas and water until well blended.

Mix in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt just until the mixture is moistened. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake at 325 degrees for 60 minutes. (Start checking after 45 minutes.) Bread is done when the top is firm to the touch and a golden brown color. Turn bread out onto a wire rack and let cool.

Yields: 12 servings
Recipe adapted from Allrecipes.

Notes: In attempting to bake this bread last weekend, I was reminded why I added the "in training" to my blog title. While the bread was baking, I kept checking on it to see if it was done. 60 minutes went by. Then 70...and 80. Every time I stuck a toothpick in the center, it wasn't done. After 80 minutes, I stood there in front of the oven trying to figure out what I'd done wrong. And then I looked at the oven temperature display and realized my mistake. When I'd come to check on the bread after 30 minutes, I'd turned the oven completely off.

I decided to be optimistic, so I turned the oven back on and continued cooking the bread until I thought it was done. After letting it cool for a few minutes, I noticed that the top of the loaf was starting to cave in. That was my second mistake. Obviously the bread was not done. I managed to cut off large end pieces that weren't mussy, and threw the rest in the garbage. The miniscule amount that I did have tasted great, but i'm going to have to try this recipe again to give it a full review.

Deep Dish Chili Pie

1 pound ground round (I used ground chicken)
1 (15oz) can seasoned diced tomato sauce for chili, like Hunt's Family Favorites Chili (I couldn't find this in my grocery store, so I used Hunt's Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic and Oregano.)
1 (13.8oz) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
Cooking Spray
1 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cook meat in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain well; return meat to pan. Add tomato sauce and cook 1 to 2 minutes until heated. (At this point I drained the extra liquid from the mixture.)

While meat cooks, unroll pizza crust dough and press into bottom and halfway up sides of a 9x13 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese over pizza crust; top with meat mixture.

Bake, uncovered at 425 degrees for 12 minutes. Top with remaining cheese. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until crust is browned and cheese melts. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Notes: I found this recipe on The Cookbook Junkie's blog. You can find her post here. I loved this recipe. It was quick and easy, and it came from a Weight Watchers 5 Ingredient 15 Minute cookbook, so it was fairly healthy too! I think they're stretching the 15 minute part a little bit, but it did take less than half an hour from start to finish. Since I couldn't find the correct Hunt's tomato sauce, and the one I did buy was a bit too bland, I spiced this recipe up with lots of oregano, basil, a bit of garlic, crushed red pepper, and salt and pepper. I'll definitely be making this recipe again, especially as an alternative to pizza.

Taco Salad (Domestic Diva Style)

1 pound ground turkey
1 (1 oz) package taco seasoning mix
1 head lettuce (more or less depending on servings needed)
Mexican-style cheese
Sour cream
Salsa
Tortilla chips, crushed
Other topping suggestions (tomatoes, olives, onions, beans...)

Cook turkey with taco seasoning mix according to package directions. Chop lettuce and separate into individual large salad bowls. Layer the turkey on top of the lettuce. Top with cheese, sour cream, salsa, and crushed tortilla chips.

Notes: This is the way we make taco salad in my kitchen. It's quick and easy, and fairly healthy (if you use all low-fat/reduced-fat ingredients). It's becoming one of our staple weeknight meals.