What's for Dinner? ~ Saturday January 28th!

[Lucinda]

Allo everyone!

I THINK I am doing King Ranch Enchiladas tonight. Maybe with spanish rice and refried black beans. That is the plan anyway, we've been lusting after potstickers for a couple of days, so we may change our minds. I didn't do the enhciladas last night, I just had a stuffed baked potato instead.


What's for dinner where you are tonight?

Lucinda ♥

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. We need plant protein - so tonight is an Indian theme...

Aloo Gobi (potatoes, cauliflower, onions, garlic, ginger with tomatoes and garam masala) with chickpeas, and a curry lentil dah, over brown rice.

One thing I like about the Engine 2 - you really can stuff yourself - it is work to eat sufficient calories! So far so good!

[Ruby Reason]

4. This meal sounds great, but I have no idea how to cook Indian.

That tends to be my husband's job.

[NRaleighLiberal]

5. Really easy! Always starts with lots of onion, garlic and ginger

if we weren't on the challenge, we would use a good amt of canola oil. we will water saute tonight.

Basic spices are cumin, turmeric, and we like a good garam masala. Add yogurt for a Masala dish, ghee and cream for a Makhani....vegetables of your choice - lentils, chickpeas, cauliflower, peppers, beans....

I think the main character is from the heavy amts of sauteed onions, garlic and ginger, then use of cumin, turmeric and garam masala (instead of generic curry powder).

Makes the house smell really good (for days!)

[Ruby Reason]

10. Sounds yummy, what about the ginger?

Should I assume that it is fresh root ginger rather than the regular ground powder? How much do you add? Do you grate, mince, press, or do what with it?

I've had it in the house before and basically it has sat and dried out unused.

[NRaleighLiberal]

12. Lots of fresh ginger - like a 1 inch slab, which we chop along with the garlic

in the little mini cuisinart chopper

[Ruby Reason]

20. Great, thank you.

Perhaps I'll plan for this upcoming weekend to give it all a whirl! Sure sounds fantastic tasting if you do it right.

[Lucinda]

19. I really need to make this sometime.

A lot of my favorite flavors are in it. I might even be able to get Bill to eat a little cauliflower this way.

[Irishonly]

2. I was given a roast

It is stuffed with provolone cheese, fresh baby spinach, fresh Basil, Black Forest Ham, Italian Seasoning, and Parmesan Cheese rolled in Panko bread crumbs. I have to figure out how to bake it.

[Irishonly]

7. It was delicious

I am not much of a meat eater but I ate a few bites. I loved the applesauce, potatoes and brussel sprouts. Now I am feeling fat and happy.

[Lucinda]

18. Sounds like a great combination of flavors!

I'm glad it turned out well. How did you bake it? I tend to do roasts hot and fast, but I'm not sure I would have with the stuffing...

[Irishonly]

22. Nothing special

I forgot to cover it like I was planning to do. It was baked at 325 until it reached 190 degrees. I took a plate to my neighbor. He's disabled and his mom just recently passed away. He brought the plate back and asked me it we had more and so he ended up with the leftovers.

[NMDemDist2]

3. gonna try this from Eating Well webzine

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/king_ranch_casserole.html

King Ranch Casserole
From EatingWell: September/October 1992
Subscribe to EatingWell Magazine Today!


Usually made with creamy canned soups and several cups of cheese, the fat and sodium of this spicy, layered chicken casserole can be a nutritional nightmare. Our version has a tangy, creamy sauce made with nonfat milk, nonfat yogurt and reduced-sodium chicken broth, plus we use reduced-fat Cheddar. Add in lots of chopped fresh vegetables and you have a version of the Tex-Mex favorite that you can feel good about eating.


6 servings

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

NUTRITION PROFILE
Diabetes appropriate | Low calorie | Low cholesterol | Low saturated fat | Heart healthy | Healthy weight | High calcium | High fiber |

View Our Nutrition Guidelines » INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup nonfat milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1 4-ounce can chopped green chiles, drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, or parsley
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 red or green bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups diced cooked skinless chicken
10 corn tortillas, cut in quarters
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Bring broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Whisk milk and flour in a small bowl until smooth. Add to the broth and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and smooth, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in yogurt, tomatoes, chiles, cilantro (or parsley), chili powder, oregano and cumin. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes.
Line the bottom of a shallow 3-quart baking dish with half the tortillas. Top with half the chicken and half the onion mixture. Spoon half of the sauce evenly over the top. Repeat layers with remaining tortillas, chicken, onion mixture and sauce. Sprinkle with Cheddar. Bake until bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes.
NUTRITION
Per serving: 301 calories; 5 g fat ( 1 g sat , 2 g mono ); 44 mg cholesterol; 38 g carbohydrates; 25 g protein; 6 g fiber; 458 mg sodium; 400 mg potassium.

[Lucinda]

17. How did it turn out?

This is a dish that I think could easily handle a lowered fat content and still be delicious. The spices and textural components are what I love about it. Well... it can as long as you have a great cheese for the topping. Some don't brown well without getting weird and greasy.

[NMDemDist2]

24. i enjoyed it

i put most of the cheese in the layer, only a very light bit on top

it was good, i should have used a smaller pan and do 3 layers instead of only two and i used thighs instead of breasts which always adds more flavor i think

[Lucinda]

27. We add spices and don't put any cheese in the layers.

I add quite a bit of garlic, pepper, and cajun seasoning, and use a mild rotel. It has a nice heat/flavor profile that way.

[Melissa G]

6. I made chili from scratch.

I was low on protein, so I decided to veg it up with a chopped zucchini and whole chopped onion. I also made some quinoa pagodas to ladle it over a la chili mac.

I was low on tomato sauce, so I kicked in a little bit of organic beet powder. Finally, found a good use that works for that stuff! I was anemic when I bought it, as was elder daughter.
This was the best sneak of it into food so far. Lovely color.

[Lucinda]

16. What is a quinoa pagoda?

I'm still a little skittish about trying quinoa, that's what I get for reading the bad side of the internet, but I think I'd love it.

[Melissa G]

21. Quinoa fake pasta

One of the many gluten-free versions of pasta that my spouse maintains resembles cardboard. I don't mind so much if I use this shape (looks like a pagoda) and get the timing absolutely perfect... otherwise, yeah, cardboard or crumbly mush.



http://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Harvest-Quinoa-Pasta-Pagodas/dp/B000LKWSG8

[Lucinda]

23. Thankie for the link!

This might be a great way to get me started.

[fizzgig]

8. more bacon, lol

just back from the store but i am so wiped out i can barely move, so i just popped the rest of the bacon in the oven. it'll go on a toasted english muffin with mayo.

i stocked up today, so there will be plenty of tastiness next week.

[Lucinda]

15. Bill has been working his way through a big box of bacon ends

and evidently made the worlds best hash browns the other night in the resulting grease. I was staggering around zombie-like that night and couldn't bring myself to taste them, although, as much as he shares with me, I still think he might have taken a limb if I had tried to sneak a bite.

[fizzgig]

25. taters cooked in bacon grease is one of the best things ever

that was always part of sunday breakfast when i was a kid

[Lucinda]

26. Bill could have them that way every day and be a happy man.

[msanthrope]

9. Tabbouleh made with quinoa. Gluten-free, more protein

that way. not that I need to be gluten free, but I learned to make it that way for a dinner guest who had celiac, and liked it.

Roast chicken stuffed with dried fruits. A leftover-from-the Fall bag of stuffing, also with dried fruit. Sauteed greens--some kale and turnip greens losing their edge.

Tonight was sorta 'clean out the refrigerator' night.

[Lucinda]

14. I need to clean out the fridge too, but I suspect

that my dinner will not be anywhere near as yummy as yours sounds!

Although....I do think I may have the makings for the pot stickers that I have been longing for...

[Callalily]

11. Swedish Grilled Salmon - in pictures!

Picked up some fresh Swedish salmon, used some "Moroccan" spices as a rub/paste and grilled.

Very yummy - best salmon that I had in a long time.

Raw


With rub/paste


Served with stir-fried veggies


A little pinot noir


Finished

[Lucinda]

13. Yum. Looks delicious! Beautiful piece of salmon.

And I love the pics! ♥