Basic French Omelet With 3 Different Fillings...

Prep Time: ten minutes

Cook Time: ten minutes

Total Time: twenty minutes

Basic French Omelet:

Ingredients:

one teaspoon olive oil
6 egg whites, whipped
one Tablespoon water
one teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Fillings below

Preparation:

Heat oil over high heat in a skillet with a rounded bottom & sloping sides. In a mixing bowl, whip egg whites, water, salt, & black pepper together, using a fork. Pour egg mixture in to skillet. Cook over moderately high heat until the bottom is set. Using a heatproof spatula, move the cooked mixture to the middle & permit the raw mixture to flow in to the bottom of the pan. When cooked, the omelet ought to be barely brown on the bottom, soft & damp in the middle. Spoon the filling down the middle of the omelet (see note). Using a spatula & beginning from the handle side, fold third of the omelet over the middle. With a heated serving plate in hand, grasp the skillet in the other, palm up & tilt so the omelet rolls over onto the plate.
Yield: two servings

Fillings For French Omelet 

Ingredients:

Potato & Bacon Filling:
four slices low-fat bacon, cooked & crumbled
one teaspoon olive oil
two medium potatoes, cooked, peeled, & diced
two Tablespoons onions, chopped
two Tablespoons parsley
two Tablespoons fat-free cheddar cheese, grated

Sausage & Pepper Filling:
one teaspoon olive oil
3/4 cup low-fat polish sausage, cooked & crumbled
1/2 cup bell peppers, chopped
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon basil

Preparation:
For Sausage & Pepper Filling:
Heat oil in a giant skillet. Then, crumble sausage & cook until lightly browned. Remove sausage from pan. Add peppers & onions to pan & cook until tender. Then add, cooked sausage, oregano, & basil. Toss gently to mix. Lower heat. Cover & keep warm. Fill as directed in the Basic Italian Omelet recipe.

Vegetable Filling:
one teaspoon olive oil
one cup carrot, cut in 1-inch strips
1/2 teaspoon ginger root
one teaspoon olive oil
one cup zucchini, cut in 1-inch strips
one cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup dark red kidney beans, drained & washed
one Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon cornstarch

For Potato & Bacon Filling:
Cook bacon in a giant skillet. Then, drain on paper towel & crumble. Heat skillet again & add oil. Then, add potatoes, onions, & bacon again. Cook until onions are tender. Lower heat. Cover & keep warm. Spoon half the filling onto Basic Italian Omelet. Sprinkle each with parsley & Cheddar cheese before folding.

For Vegetable Filling:
Cook carrots & ginger root in oil for three minutes. Add zucchini & mushrooms. Stir fry until vegetables are tender . In a mixing bowl, merge Worcestershire sauce & cornstarch. Pour over vegetable mixture. Toss gently to mix. Lower heat. Cover & keep warm. Fill as directed in the Basic Italian Omelet recipe.

Notes: All fillings are for "Basic Italian Omelets."

Pomegranate Lamb Kebabs

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Prep Time: 6 hours, 15 minutes

Total Time: 6 hours, 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup pomegranate syrup
1/3 cup olive oil
one tablespoon lemon juice
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
two cloves garlic, minced or pressed
two pounds boneless lamb shoulder or leg, cut in to 1-1/2 inch cubes

Preparation:

In a giant zip-top bag, combine pomegranate syrup, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, & garlic. Add lamb, squeeze out the air, seal the bag, & toss to coat. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.

Grill lamb kebabs over medium heat, turning often & basting with reserved marinade until lamb is browned on the outside, but medium-rare on the inside, about ten to 15 minutes.

Remove lamb from marinade with a slotted spoon, reserving marinade. Thread lamb onto metal skewers. (If using wooden skewers, be definite to soak them in water at least hour before adding lamb.)

Yield: 6 servings

Vegetable Chicken Rice Soup

Cook Time: one hour, 30 minutes

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: two hours

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried navy beans
two Tablespoons olive oil
one (4- to 4-1/2-pound chicken, cut in to serving pieces
one teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
one cup chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
one Tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped zucchini
1/2 cup chopped yellow squash
two quarts chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup seeded & chopped plum tomatoes
four sprigs fresh parsley
three bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/3 cup raw long-grain white rice
1/2 cup chopped green onions (green & white parts)
one Tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
one cup torn spinach leaves

Preparation:

Put the beans in to a bowl & add water to cover by two inches. Soak for 8 hours, then drain. (For a speedy soak, bring the beans & water to a boil over high heat & cook for two minutes, then remove from heat & permit to stand for one hour. Drain.)

Heat the oil in a immense heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. In batches, cook the chicken, seasoning with the salt & pepper & turning one time, until evenly brown, about ten minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Pour off all but two tablespoons of the fat from the pot.

Add the onions, carrots, & celery. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about three minutes. Add the garlic & stir until aromatic, about one minute. Stir in the zucchini & yellow squash & cook for one minute. Add the stock, drained beans, tomatoes, parsley, bay leaves, & cayenne. Return the chicken to the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low & simmer, uncovered, until the beans are very tender, about one hour.

Using a long-handled slotted spoon or tongs, carefully transfer the chicken pieces to a plate. Cold slightly, then remove the meat from the bones, discarding the skin & bones.

Return the chicken meat & any accumulated juices to the pot. Add the rice, green onions, thyme, parsley, & spinach & simmer until the rice & beans are tender, about 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaves.

Ladle in to warmed bowls & serve hot.

Yield: 12 servings

Shrimps Pasta Garden Salad

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Prep Time: twenty minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

12 ounces ridged penne pasta, cooked al dente in salted water, and rinsed with chilled water
one lemon
three sprigs dill weed
one pound jumbo (31 to 40 count per pound) shrimp, peeled
twenty cherry tomatoes, cut in half
8 spears fresh asparagus, cooked al dente and cut in to 1-inch slices
6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1/2 cup child sweet peas, cooked until softened
1/2 cup diced celery (about one medium stalk)
1/2 cup diced sweet onions
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
one Tablespoon sour cream
one teaspoons chopped fresh dill weed
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Add shrimp to the cooked and cooled pasta, along with cherry tomatoes, asparagus, bacon bits, sweet peas, celery, and sweet onions.

Cut the lemon in to quarters. Squeeze the lemon pieces in to a pot of unsalted water large to cook the shrimp. Toss in the rinds, along with three sprigs of dill, and bring to a boil. When the water is boiling, add the peeled shrimp and cook only until the shrimp turn pink and float. Do not overcook or they will become rubbery. Immediately drain and cover with ice, discarding the lemon and dill sprigs. When they are chilled, cut each shrimp in to halves or thirds.

Add the dressing to the pasta, shrimp, and vegetables. Fold gently until dressing is distributed throughout the salad. Chill at least four hours or overnight.

In a little bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, relish, sour cream, chopped dill, and celery seed to make the dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste, keeping in mind that the pasta will soak up lots of salt.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Nutty Wild Rice With Sausages Stuffing

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Prep Time: twenty minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

one cup chopped walnuts
16 ounces bulk pork sausage, sage-flavored
two Tablespoons butter or margarine
one giant onion, diced
four giant celery ribs, diced
8 ounces fresh button mushrooms, cleaned & sliced
Salt to taste
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
two sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only, stems discarded
1-1/4 cups raw wild rice, cooked according to package directions
1-1/4 cups raw long-grain white rice, cooked according to package directions
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preparation:

Place walnuts in a dry, heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Stir-fry three to five minutes until walnuts are toasted golden brown. Let icy.

Brown sausage in a giant, heavy skillet over high heat, stirring often to break it up. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon to a giant bowl.

Melt butter in the same skillet with the sausage drippings. Add onion, celery, mushrooms, salt, & pepper. Saute until tender. Remove from heat & stir in thyme. Let icy & add to the bowl with the sausage.

This makes 12 to 14 cups of stuffing, to stuff a 12 to 14-pound turkey. Do not stuff the turkey until you are prepared to put it in the oven. The stuffing may be made in advance & refrigerated. Bring stuffing to room temperature before adding to the bird.

Add toasted walnuts, wild rice, white rice, & cranberries to the sausage & vegetables. Toss well to mix.

Yield: 12 servings

Greenish Tomato Salsa

Prep Time: ten minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 18 minutes

Ingredients:

12 ounces Mexican green tomatoes (tomatillos)
Water
1/2 small onion, chopped
one clove garlic, minced
one Tablespoon fine-chopped cilantro
one teaspoon minced Jalapeno chilies
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon sugar
Salt, to taste

Preparation:

Remove & discard husks from green tomatoes. Simmer in water to cover in large saucepan five to 8 minutes until tender. Icy & drain, reserving liquid.

Technique tomatoes, onions, garlic, cilantro, jalapeno chiles, cumin, & sugar in a food processor fitted with the metal blade, using on/off pulses, until very smooth, adding reserved liquid to make medium dipping consistency. Season with salt.

Goes great with Low-Fat White Chili.

Yield: about one cup

Cabbage Spaghetti

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Prep Time: five minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

three Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
two cloves garlic, lightly smashed
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from its casing
1/2 medium head green or Savoy cabbage (about one pound), cored & thinly sliced
one Tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup water
one pound pasta or macaroni
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or pecorino or a combination

Preparation:

In a 2- to 3-quart saucepan or casserole, over medium-low heat, combine the oil & the garlic. Cook the garlic, pressing it in to the oil a couple of times to release its flavor, until it barely begins to color on both sides. Remove the garlic.

Add the cabbage & mix well. Cook, uncovered, about three minutes, mixing occasionally. The cabbage ought to be wilted. (It will probably not be necessary to add salt or pepper because the sausage is well seasoned.)

Add the sausage, raise the heat slightly, &, with the fringe of a wooden spoon, break up the meat in to little pieces. This gets simpler as the meat cooks. Continue to cook & break up the meat until it begins to brown, in three or four minutes.

Cook the pasta until al dente in lots of boiling, salted water.

Dissolve the tomato paste in the water & add it to the cabbage. Mix well, cover, & cook gently for 15 minutes, until the cabbage is tender.

Toss the pasta with the sauce & serve immediately. Pass the grated cheese.

Yield: five to 6 servings