Butternut Squash Risotto

I started making risotto as a consequence of watching Gordon Ramsey's Hell's Kitchen and have morphed it into what this recipe has become today. 


Ingredients: 
1 Medium Red Onion
1 Orange Pepper
1 butternut squash (medium)
1 can of chicken stock (can substitute with vegetable stock as well)
1/2 Cup of Arborio Rice
1 Tbsp Butter
1/4 Cup of Chardonnay (any good dry white wine can be substituted)
Kosher Salt*
Black Pepper*
Olive Oil* 


Preparation: 
Dice onion and orange pepper into small (1/4") dice. Chop the butternut squash into roughly 1/2" chunks. In a large skillet (I like the stainless for this one) heat up olive oil (spray just enough to coat the bottom) over medium heat add in onion, peppers, and half of the squash seasoned with salt and pepper. Stir until vegetables soften and onions become translucent. Move vegetables to the outsides of the pan and add butter and rice. Stir mixing in the rice with the vegetables.  Mix in wine, chicken stock, and 2 cans of water, add salt pepper and cover. 


Periodically stir until liquid begins to get absorbed by rice and vegetables, after about 30 minutes use a spoon to crush up the squash in the pan.  Add remaining chunks of squash, cover and stir.  Let simmer for 15 more minutes and stir occasionally. Remove from heat and let rest until all liquid has been absorbed. 


Serving:
This serves 2 (technically) although you could easily serve this to 3 or 4 people comfortably. This can hold up against pork, beef, chicken, and even by itself. 


Nutrition Info:
One serving of the rice scores about 6 Weight Watchers points plus points. 

Home baked pizza

This is a recipe I've had for a while and have modified it over the years. It is recommended to cook this on either a pizza stone or a stoneware pan. 


Ingredients: 
1 Package or 1 1/4 Tsp of Active Dry Yeast
1 Cup of lukewarm water (~100 degrees)
4 Tbsp Olive oil
1 Tsp Kosher Salt
1/2 Tsp Sugar
1/2 Cup of Whole Wheat flour
1 1/2 Cup white flour plus 1/4 - 1/3 cup extra for dusting/bench flour
2 Tsp of cornmeal


Toppings: 
Margherita
Park Skim Mozzarella Cheese shredded
Joe's Pasta Sauce


Hawaiian

Park Skim Mozzarella Cheese shredded
Joe's Pasta Sauce

Dole sliced Pineapples
Sliced deli ham (Taylor Pork Roll could be an interesting alternative though)


Mushroom
Sliced Cremini Mushrooms
Gruyere Cheese shredded


Preparation:
In a stand mixer, mix together yeast and water and whisk together until bubbles form.  Add 3 Tbsp of olive oil, white, wheat flour, salt, and sugar. Mix together until a dough ball forms (use dough hook).  If dough is still sticky use reserved flour until it becomes stiff and not sticky. Place dough ball in a lightly oiled large bowl and keep covered for about an hour while the dough rises. 


Pre heat oven to 450 degrees and place pizza stone on the lowest shelf. (if using a stoneware pan do not put the pan in the oven but instead raise heat to 500 degrees).  On a flat flourered surface, spread out dough ball into pizza shape or if using stoneware pan spread out in bottom of pan.  Lift the dough up one side at a time and spread cornmeal underneath.  


Cover surface with 1 Tbsp of olive oil and spread to cover entire surface. Coat with toppings to desired height. Bake in oven between 12 and 17 minutes (turning once about halfway through) until crust becomes crispy. 


Serving: 
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Slice and serve. 

Joe's Homemade Pasta Sauce

This is my father-in-law's pasta sauce that I was taught how to make and has stuck with me ever since. 

Ingredients: 
1 Large Red Onion
6 cloves of garlic
2 cans of Tuturosso Crushed Tomatoes with basil
4 tbsp of olive oil
Kosher Salt*
Black Pepper* 
Italian Seasoning*

Preparation:
Dice onion into a 1/4" dice and crush or mince garlic.  In a medium stockpot or dutch oven, heat oil and mix in onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.  When onion becomes translucent, add in 2 cans of crushed tomato and 1 can of water.  Add more salt and pepper and raise heat to high, cover and bring to a boil. 

Once sauce has boiled, add more salt and pepper and Italian seasoning and reduce heat to simmer slightly lifting cover. Cook for 4 hours (using nonstick) or 2 hours (using dutch oven) until it reduces and thickens.  Lightly season after cooking halfway. 

Serving: 
Served best over pasta, pizza, chicken, etc. (anything Italian that you can think of this will probably go well on it). 

Sirloin Tips with Roasted Root Veg

This recipe is an adaptation of one given to me by a friend and coworker. 


Ingredients: 
Sirloin Tips
12 oz Sirloin Chuck stew meat
1 - 2 Tsp of Olive Oil
30 grams of Parmesan Cheese (grated)
30 grams of Whole Wheat seasoned Breadcrumbs
Kosher Salt*
Black Pepper*


Roasted Root Veg
2 Medium Carrots
2 Medium Parsnips
1 Yellow Squash
1 Zucchini
1 Medium Red Onion
1 Red Pepper
Olive Oil*
Kosher Salt*
Black Pepper*


Preparation:
Mix meat and olive oil in a medium bowl until well coated. Cover with cheese and breadcrumbs until well coated. 


Rough cut all vegetables into 3/4" chunks. 


Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Prepare a baking dish by spraying lightly with olive oil and pour in vegetables. Cover lightly with salt and pepper and place in oven on middle rack. Prepare another dish for the meat by spraying lightly with olive oil and placing the meat in that dish. 


After about 10 minutes, mix vegetables up (steam will rise) move to top rack and place the dish with the meat on the middle rack.  Cook for between 7 and 10 more minutes before removing vegetables. 


Check meat done-ness, and remove and let rest when at desired cooking temperature. 


Serving:
Serve vegetables and meat. This can be complimented with the simple and tasty bbq sauce (http://raygasnick.blogspot.com/2012/05/simple-and-tasty-barbecue-sauce.html) . 


Nutrition Info: 
This entire dish scores fairly low on the Weight Watchers Points Plus scale at about a 5 or 6. This is a quick fix dinner. 

Summer or Fall Salad

This is a fresh and crisp salad that can adapt with the changing seasons depending on the available fruits in your area.  This is also probably one of the healthiest things that will be posted. 


Ingredients: 
1 1/2 Cups of Spring Mix Salad Greens
4 or 5 large strawberries (spring/summer)
1/2 Honeycrisp Apple (fall/winter)
34 Grams of Feta Cheese (fat free if you are going for the healthier version) [Typically 1 serving]
40 Grams of Ocean Spray Crasins
28 Grams of Walnuts
31 Grams of Raspberry Vinaigrette dressing


Preparation:
Slice strawberries by first removing their tops (the leafy end) and laying flat on that surface. Cut vertical slices all the way through approx 1/8" - 1/4" in width. [spring/summer]

First pass apple through apple corer and slice each of the slices in half widthwise and lengthwise producing thin "quarters" of each slice [fall/winter]


Line a bowl with the spring mix and fan out strawberries or apples on top.  Coat with Feta Cheese, Craisins, and walnuts. (This should not look like a pile but should be evenly distributed). 

Serving:
This produces 1 serving, pour dressing over top.  This can be packaged up and taken for lunches at work or placed in a large bowl and eaten as a hearty meal on the weekends. 


Nutrition Information:
As I said before, this is probably one of the healthiest dishes I'm posting a recipe for. Here's how this breaks down in Weight Watchers Points Plus points: 
Salad as served (either fruit): 11
Individual Components: 
Regular Feta: 2 pts
Fat Free Feta: 1 pt
Crasins: 3 pts
Walnuts: 5 pts
Dressing: 1 pt

Pine Nut and Garlic Couscous

This dish is a great side to a hearty meat such as pork or beef. 

Ingredients:
1/4 Cup of Pine Nuts
1 Tsp Olive Oil
3 Cloves of Garlic
1/2 Cup of pearl couscous
1 Can of chicken broth
1/4 cup of grated or crumbled Parmesan cheese

Preparation:
In a stainless 2qt saucepan, bring 1 can of chicken broth to a boil.  Mince up garlic and place in small skillet with oil and pine nuts over low heat. When garlic begins to brown, remove from heat and set aside. 

Add couscous to boiling broth and allow it to come back up to a boil. Once it has begun to boil again, reduce heat to low and add in garlic pine nut mix and Parmesan cheese. Let simmer for 8 - 12 minutes. If there is any remaining broth, strain through a strainer. 

Serving: 

Serve along side beef or pork. In order to scale up, add 1/2 cup of couscous per serving and for 4 add 1 additional can of water to the broth mix. 

Ditalini & Peas

This soup is another quick and easy comfort food. 


Ingredients: 
1 Red Onion
1 Small Can of sweet peas
1 Can of Chicken Broth (vegetable broth if you are allergic to chicken)
56 Grams of Ditalini
Spray Olive Oil*
Kosher Salt*
Cracked Black Pepper*
Parmesan Cheese*


Preparation:
This can be cooked in either a dutch oven or a stainless steel saucepan depending on cooking time. The dutch oven will also cook down the broth quicker than the stainless so if you would prefer a more brothy soup, use the stainless. 


Heat pot over medium high heat with spray of olive oil.  Dice onion into 1/4" dice and add to pot, season with salt and pepper. When onion turns translucent, add in broth and increase heat to high. When it comes to a boil add in the ditalini and peas and stir frequently. 

After about 25 - 30 minutes, the pasta will be finished cooking and should expand in size. 


Serving:
Serve in soup bowl with parmesan cheese topping. 

Nutrition Info:
This scores 7 Weight Watchers Points Plus points. 

Pasta Fagioli

This is a simple soup to make when you need an easy yet home made/comfort food. 


Ingredients: 
1 Red Onion
122 grams of Cannelloni Beans
1 Can (12oz) Chicken Broth (substitute Vegetable broth if you are allergic to chicken)
56 grams of Ditalini
1 tbsp Safflower Oil
Kosher Salt*
Black Pepper*
Italian Seasoning*


Preparation:
This can be cooked either in an enamel pot (dutch oven) or in a stainless steel saucepan. The dutch oven will keep the soup hotter and reduce faster. 


In one of the above cooking vessels, heat up oil under medium high heat.  Dice onion into 1/4" pieces and mix into pot.  Season with salt and pepper and stir frequently until onions become translucent. Pour in 1 can of broth and 1 can of water, cover, and increase heat to high.  When liquid boils, add beans and ditalini and stir periodically to ensure that neither beans nor pasta sticks. 


Keep covered and heat on high for 25 - 35 minutes stirring occasionally until soup reduces down and becomes thicker. (approximately 45 minutes total cooking time). 


Remove from heat and let pasta absorb broth. 


Serving:
This serves 1 as prepared above and is best served with Parmesan cheese or crackers (or both). 


Nutrition Info: 
This dish is a fairly healthy one, the beans add fiber and make it filling without adding less than healthy other ingredients. This scores an 11 on the Weight Watchers Points Plus. 

Bacon and White Cheddar Mac & Cheese

This is a very rich dish and substitutes butter for rendered bacon fat in the roux, the white cheddar helps to smooth out the


Ingredients: 
3 strips of lean pork bacon
1 Tbsp Flour
1/2 Cup of Milk
12 oz of sharp white cheddar cheese
164 Grams of Penne
Kosher Salt*
Panko Breadcrumbs*
Italian Style Breadcrumbs*


Preparation:
Chop bacon into 3/8" or smaller bits (including fat) and put into a 2 qt nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Allow fat to render out and bacon to crisp.  Once fat has rendered (approx 2 - 3 tsp) mix in flour and stir together to form the basis of a roux. Once incorporated, lower heat to low and mix in milk and stir together until well mixed.  Increase heat to medium and stir in cheese until a cheese sauce forms (all cheese will be melted in).


In a stainless 2qt saucepan, heat water on high heat until it begins to boil. Add in salt (should taste like the sea) followed by penne. Cook penne just until it has completely cooked and still has enough bite. Drain pasta and add the drained pasta to the sauce and mix together. Cover pot and keep heat at medium until cooked through.


Serving:
This dish makes 3 servings, suggested serving is topped with panko or Italian style breadcrumbs (and or garlic salt).

Foccacia Bread

This Italian flat bread can take on properties of a pizza or can spin off with a variety of different toppings. Listed below will be the most common toppings. 


Ingredients: 
1 1/4 Tsp Active Dry Yeast (1 package contents)
3/4 Cup of warm water (should be between 100 - 105 degrees F)
2 Cups of White Flour
1/2 - 3/4 Cup of Whole Wheat Flour
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tsp Kosher Salt
1/2 Tsp of Sugar


Spicy and Savory Toppings:
1 Medium Red Onion
1 Medium Plum Tomato
1/4 Cup of Parmesan Cheese (Fresh grated 24 month aged cheese preferred)
1 Clove garlic


Smoky and Savory Toppings:
2 1/2 Cups of Cremini Mushrooms
1/2 Cup Gruyere Cheese
3 - 4 Strips of Bacon


Preparation:
In a stand mixer, mix together yeast and water until bubbles form (indicating the yeast is active).  Once well blended, add in flour, 1 Tbsp of oil, salt and sugar. Mix together with a dough hook until a solid ball forms. (if its too sticky add additional white flour). Once The dough ball has formed and is not sticky, let the ball rise in a large covered bowl in a warm dry place for about 2 hours. 


Slice onions thinly, rough chop tomatoes and mince up garlic for toppings. 


Preheat oven to 450 - 500 degrees. 


Flatten out dough ball into a shallow baking dish and with fingers poke shallow holes in the top. Cover with the remaining 2 Tbsp of olive oil and coat with toppings. 


Bake for between 12 and 17 minutes (bottom needs to be crisp, toppings need to be cooked through).  


Serving:
Cut into strips approx 1 1/2 - 2 inches in width and 3 - 4 inches in length. Best served with oil and Italian seasonings as a dip.