Turkey-less Turkey Roast, Creamed Corn, and Mashed Cauliflower

Turkey-less Turkey Roast, Creamed Corn, and Mashed Cauliflower (Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes, Servings: 6+)

I decided to make a Thanksgiving meal in January.  I bought a Turkey-less Turkey Roast at Trader Joe’s (which comes stuffed with vegan stuffing and a side of gravy) and cooked it according to package directions with a bunch of baby carrots and one pre-trimmed leek.  I coated the veggies with olive oil, salt and pepper.  To go along with my Turkey-less Turkey, I made Creamed Corn and Mashed Cauliflower.  I have heard a lot of positive things about Mashed Cauliflower, so I was really excited to try it.  Well, I had a major letdown with the recipe I used – both my husband and I found it extremely bland and thought it tasted way too much like cauliflower (even with the gravy from the Roast).  I ended up throwing over half of it in the trash.  The Creamed Corn, on the other hand, was delicious! I used fat-free half and half to cut down on the calories and actually used more corn than I was supposed to.  It was still really creamy and had big, bold flavors from the “cream”, milk, and margarine.  Below are the recipes for the Creamed Corn and Mashed Cauliflower with some additional notes.  Even though I did not enjoy my first experience with Mashed Cauliflower, I do plan on trying a different recipe sometime in the future.

Cream Corn Like No Other (adapted from AllRecipes, Servings: 4-5, Total Time: 15 minutes)

Ingredients

·         1 (16 oz.) packages frozen corn kernels, thawed

·         ½ cup fat-free half and half

·         ½ tsp. salt

·         1 Tbsp. granulated sugar

·         1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

·         1 Tbsp. margarine

·         ½ cup skim milk

·         1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

·         1/8 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1.      In a skillet, over medium heat, combine the corn, half and half, salt, sugar, pepper and margarine.

2.      Whisk together the milk and flour, and stir into the corn mixture.

3.      Cook stirring over medium heat until the mixture is thickened, and corn is cooked through. Remove from heat, and stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted. Serve hot.

I wanted to half the recipe, but just decided to use the whole package of corn – it still turned out creamy.  Both my husband and I really enjoyed this dish and I look forward to making it again.

Ruby Tuesdays Creamy Mashed Cauliflower (slightly adapted from Food.com, Servings: 6+, Total Time: 50 minutes)

Ingredients:

·         1 head cauliflower

·         ¾ cup water

·         1 Tbsp. cornstarch

·         1/3 cup fat free half and half

·         1 tsp. granulated sugar

·         ¾ tsp. salt

·         ¼ tsp. white pepper

·         1/8 tsp. garlic powder

·         1/8 tsp. onion powder

Directions:

1.      Divide head of cauliflower into florets that are roughly the same size.

2.      Steam cauliflower pieces over boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes or until cauliflower is tender. (I used my electric steamer.)

3.      Drain the cauliflower and toss it in a bowl of ice water to end the cooking process.

4.      When the cauliflower has cooled, put the florets in a food processor along with ¼ cup water.

5.      Puree the cauliflower on high speed until smooth, but with some very small pieces of cauliflower remaining for just a bit of texture.

6.      Pour all of the pureed cauliflower into a medium saucepan.

7.      Dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining ½ cup of water and add the solution to the cauliflower.

8.      Add the half and half, sugar and remaining spices and stir.

9.      Set the saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring often for 5-10 minutes or until thick.

My cauliflower mash was a little runny and, as I said previously, bland.  Maybe more garlic and/or onion powder would give it a better taste.  I’ll try another recipe in the future.

Chambersburg, PA Restaurants

My husband and I had to spend some extended time in a Chambersburg, PA hotel due to an unfortunate situation around Christmas.  While there, we found ourselves eating at a couple of chain restaurants that we wouldn’t normally go to.  I will say that based on my experiences, I do intend on eating at Ruby Tuesday more often.

Ruby Tuesday

The Ruby Tuesday in Chambersburg is connected to the hotel that we were staying in.  Through the main entrance, you are immediately greeted by the Garden Bar and a hostess stand.  There is a small seating area to the right as well as a bar just behind the hostess stand and seating area.  There is a larger seating area to the right.  We went there twice while we were in town – the first time, the service was great!  The second time, not so much.  The food was delicious both times.

Both times that we went, I ordered the Spaghetti Squash Marinara.  The first time, I also ordered the Garden Bar.  It has pretty standard fare for a salad bar and the vegetables looked and tasted fresh.  I think that they could stand to have a few extra options for salad dressing, but that may just be my opinion.  The Spaghetti Squash is really what I want to focus on.  The roasted spaghetti squash is tossed with red pepper marinara and zucchini.  And it is delicious.  My mouth is watering right now just thinking about it. The squash is very tender with just a hint of crispness added by the zucchini.  The marinara is thick and they definitely do a good job at providing just the right amount for the dish – not too much and not too little.  The menu indicates that the dish is only 260 calories!  Looking at the nutritional guide, it also has some good numbers for fat, carbs, fiber, and protein.  The sodium sticks out like a sore thumb, though!  I found that this dish was enough for two meals.  It is served with Garlic Cheese Biscuits (although on our second trip to the restaurant, we did not get these).  The biscuits are served warm with just a hint of cheese taste, but a lot of garlic.  They are a little crispy.  Unfortunately, each one will cost you about 110 calories.  Oh well, it’s worth it if you have the Spaghetti Squash!

Hoss’s Steak & Sea House

Not really the restaurant you would expect to see here, but when in Chambersburg…you get it.  We went to Hoss’s with some members of my family and lo and behold, there was nothing on the adult menu for me to eat.  Luckily, the cashier was OK with me ordering off of the Kids’ Menu.  I ordered the Cheesy Pizza with Smiley Fries (love those!).  It came with the Soup, Salad, & Dessert Bar, so I started my journey there.  I couldn’t eat any of the soups, but I did make myself quite a large salad.  Again, like Ruby Tuesday, I think that there could have some additional options on dressings, but it worked.  They also have chips with cheese sauce and some pasta salad, so if you need to go, then there are options other than the Kids’ Menu. 

When my pizza came, I think I could have eaten it in one bite!  So small.  It didn’t taste great either, bland and what I remember frozen cheese pizza tasting like when I was younger.  I would not order this again!  The Smiley Fries were great, though. 

I did appreciate the Dessert Bar – lots of options, cookies, cakes, pies, soft serve ice cream.  I sampled some small pieces of cakes and pies and was very pleased with the taste. 

Sauceless Garden Lasagna

Sauceless Garden Lasagna (from AllRecipes, Servings: 6, Total Time: approx.. 1 hour)

Ingredients

·         1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced

·         1/3 cup chopped red onion

·         1 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, divided

·         ½ cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese

·         2 Portobello mushrooms, sliced into small pieces

·         4 cups fresh baby spinach

·         ¼ cup chopped fresh basil

·         1 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano

·         3 cloves garlic, minced

·         3 Tbsp. olive oil

·         ¼ cup balsamic vinegar

·         1 tsp. sugar

·         ½ tsp. salt

·         ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

·         1 (8 oz.) package no-boil lasagna noodles

·         9 roma (plum) tomatoes, thinly sliced

Directions

1.      Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly coat a 9x9 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2.      In a large bowl, toss together the zucchini, mushrooms, spinach, garlic, red onion, ½ cup mozzarella, and feta. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, stir in basil, oregano, sugar, salt and pepper. Toss to coat.

3.      Place a layer of lasagna noodles into the bottom of the prepared pan. Make a layer of tomato slices over the noodles. Spread a generous amount of the spinach mixture over the tomatoes. (NOTE: it shrinks a lot while cooking.) Layer slices of tomatoes over the spinach mixture, then another layer of noodles. Start with another layer of tomatoes on top of the noodles, and repeat layers until ending with the vegetable mixture. Sprinkle remaining cheese on the top.

4.      Bake for 35 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until noodles, and vegetables are tender. Let stand for a few minutes to set, then slice and serve.

First, I’ll say that this dish is not too pretty to look at – the cooked spinach looks a little mushy.  But the taste is there, for the most part.  I think that there is a little too much balsamic vinegar and it slightly overpowers the taste – I recommend either less vinegar, or adding more olive oil.  The dish does become quite large, and I only used 3 cups of spinach and bout 1/3 of the box of lasagna noodles (it would have overflowed the pan with 4 cups of spinach and the whole box of noodles).  One other change I recommend making – remove the skins from the tomatoes, I had some stringy parts in mine.

The zucchini and red onions remain crisp, which adds a nice texture component compared to the softness of the other ingredients.  Surprisingly, the tomatoes were a little crisp too (probably because they were not fully ripe when we bought them).  My husband was OK with the dish, but did not eat any of the leftovers.  The above veggies also remain crisp upon reheating.  Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Soup with Spinach Ravioli

Butternut Squash Soup with Spinach Ravioli (slightly adapted from AllRecipes, Total Time: 1 hour, Servings: 6-8)

Ingredients

·         ¼ tsp. ground cumin

·         ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

·         2 Tbsp. margarine

·         1 cup chopped onions

·         ¾ cup sliced leeks

·         2 ½ cups peeled, seeded and cubed butternut squash

·         ½ cup dry white wine

·         5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

·         1 pinch ground cinnamon

·         1 pinch ground ginger

·         1 pound cheese-filled spinach ravioli

·         ¾ cup half-and-half

·         salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1.      Cook cumin and nutmeg in a large saucepan over medium heat until lightly browned. Stir in the margarine and sauté the onions and leeks until tender.

2.      Mix in squash, wine, and vegetable broth. Season with cinnamon and ginger. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 to 15 minutes.

3.      Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ravioli, and cook according to package directions for al dente.  Drain.

4.      With a hand mixer, puree the soup mixture. Blend in half-and-half and season with salt and pepper.

5.      Mix in the cooked ravioli just before serving.

I used two packages of tortellini (about 9 oz. each): one cheese and one spinach.  Since there was more pasta, I also increased the spices, broth, and wine to help keep the texture more soup-like.  Even though, I made these changes, I found that it was more of a pasta sauce than soup – the consistency is quite thick.  That being said, this is a pretty delicious recipe and quite creamy.  The sauce does not have an overwhelming taste of butternut squash and you cannot taste the onions (the cooked down so much that I couldn’t even find them!).  I do find that this needs a little bit more heat for me, so I have added red chili pepper flakes and cayenne pepper to leftovers to help amp up the spiciness.  This dish also reheats quite well.  I definitely plan on making it again!

Rice and Sweet Pepper Bowl

Rice and Sweet Pepper Bowl (adapted from Better Homes & Gardens, Servings: 4, Total Time: 30 minutes)

Ingredients

·         4 medium green, red, yellow, and/or orange sweet peppers

·         1 8.8 oz. pouch cooked Spanish-style rice (I actually used a 5.6 oz. pkg.)

·         1 14 ½ oz. can stewed tomatoes

·         ½ cup Taco shredded cheese

Directions

1.      Quarter peppers; remove stems, seeds, and ribs. Place in 2-quart square microwave-safe baking dish. Add 2 Tbsp. water. Cover with parchment paper. Microwave on high 4 minutes, until crisp-tender; turn dish once if no turntable. Remove peppers from dish; drain and set aside.

2.      Microwave rice according to package directions.

3.      Drain tomatoes, reserving 2 Tbsp. liquid.

4.      In baking dish layer half the peppers (cut sides up), rice, drained tomatoes, cheese, and remaining peppers (cut sides down). Drizzle with reserved tomato liquid. Cover with parchment. Microwave on high 5 to 6 minutes, turning once if no turntable. Let stand 5 minutes.

I didn’t realize how far I strayed from the original recipe until I started putting in the ingredients above.  That’s OK – it worked out!  I only used yellow, orange, and red peppers – I like their taste more than green peppers when I make a stuffed pepper (or stuffed pepper-esque) recipe.  As noted above, I used a 5.6 oz. package (Lipton Sides) because that’s what we had in the pantry.  I also used shredded Taco cheese instead of Monterey Jack with Jalapenos.  I also omitted the oregano, parmesan, and olive oil – I wanted this to be more of a Mexican dish.

I’ve never microwaved rice or peppers to cook them and I was surprised at how well this worked – although, baking and stovetop methods would work just as well – this was just quicker.  The veggies remained very crisp throughout the process (and when reheated for leftovers).  It was a nice contrast to the soft tomatoes and rice.  I could have used more cheese, maybe 1 cup, but ½ cup worked just fine.  I’ll let my husband add more if he wants! 

Although this is low in calories, the rice does up the sodium, so just make sure it is a part of a balanced diet.  I do plan on making this recipe again, though, I may use Taco Rice or some other flavor, just to play around with it again.  It’s really easy to make your own.  Enjoy!

Spicy Pasta with Sweet Potatoes

Spicy Pasta with Sweet Potatoes (slightly adapted from Better Homes & Gardens, Servings: 4, Total Time: 30 minutes)

Ingredients

·         1 12 oz. sweet potato, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes (2 cups)

·         1 Tbsp. olive oil

·         ½ tsp. chili powder

·         ½ tsp. cinnamon

·         ½ tsp. sugar

·         8 oz. dried rigatoni

·         1/3 cup peanut butter

·         3 oz. cream cheese, cut up

·         2 tsp. Asian chili sauce (such as Sriracha sauce)

·         1 Tbsp. soy sauce

·         6 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions

1.      Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

2.      Spray a rimmed baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Place sweet potato cubes in a bowl. Toss with the 1 tablespoon olive oil, the chili powder, cinnamon, and sugar. Spread in prepared pan; bake for 20 minutes or until tender.

3.      Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup hot pasta water.

4.      In a saucepan combine peanut butter, cream cheese, chili sauce, and soy sauce; whisk in ¾ cup of the hot pasta water. Stir over medium heat until heated through. If the mixture is too thick, stir in additional water. Stir in most of the green onions.

5.      Serve sauce over pasta with sweet potatoes and remaining green onion slices.

First, I’ll start by saying that I liked this dish.  It had a good sweet/heat combination – I have never tried an Asian dish with peanut butter in it, but I like it!  But, be forewarned, if you do not like peanut butter, you will not like this.  It is very heavy on the peanut butter taste, with a little spicy kick at the end.

I like the addition of the sweet potatoes, but I only had one 8 oz. potato, which was not enough to make a whole lot of difference.  In the future, I will definitely want more than 12 oz. of potatoes.  They are soft and chewy in the dish, and the chili powder, cinnamon, and sugar work together nicely.  And that’s coming from somebody who doesn’t really care for cinnamon!

I used egg noodles because we did not have rigatoni, but they held the sauce and are slightly lower in calories in than other pastas.  I also used creamy peanut butter (neither my husband nor I like crunchy) and 1/3 less fat cream cheese so as to try to reduce the calories.  This dish is high in calories, but we made it work for six servings instead of four.  We also didn’t have Sriracha sauce (though we both swear we bought it), so I used 1 tsp. Tabasco and 2 tsp. of a sweet and spicy Asian sauce.  They definitely added the kick that I was looking for and some additional sweetness.  I only added three green onions because my husband is not a big fan of them, too bad, because they added a nice crunch to the overall creamy texture of the dish.  Finally, I added 1 cup pasta water, but still found the sauce was too thick.  Next time will add 1 ¼ or 1 ½ cups.

I recommend this dish to anyone looking to try peanut butter in a meal or who likes a sweet/heat combo.  Enjoy!