by jltitus on September 2, 2009
I love to cook and have been challenging myself to cook more Weight Watcher friends foods that really taste good. Every week I choose new recipes to try out. Tonight was one that we’ve had before. I love this recipe. It’s so simple, easy, healthy… and best of all tasty.
Sam, here’s the recipe… enjoy!
Ingredients
2 spray(s) cooking spray
20 oz butternut squash, fresh, peeled and cubed*
1/8 tsp table salt, for cooking pasta
12 oz uncooked whole-wheat pasta, penne
1 1/4 cup(s) fat-free skim milk
2 Tbsp white all-purpose flour
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
1 Tbsp thyme, fresh, chopped, divided
1/2 cup(s) part-skim ricotta cheese
1/3 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano recommended
1/4 cup(s) chopped walnuts, toasted
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Coat a 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
Place squash on prepared baking sheet; roast until tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Place in a large bowl and mash.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. After squash has been roasting for about 10 minutes, cook pasta according to package directions; drain and return to pot.
In a medium saucepan, whisk together milk, flour, garlic, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking frequently; reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in mashed squash and 2 1/2 teaspoons of thyme. Add sauce to pasta; toss to mix and coat
Transfer pasta mixture to prepared baking dish; dot with spoonfuls of ricotta and then sprinkle with Parmesan and walnuts. Bake until top is lightly browned in a few spots, about 15 to 20 minutes; remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon of thyme. Yields about 1 cup per serving.
Tagged as:
dinner,
pasta,
squash,
weight_watchers
by jltitus on September 13, 2008
Ingredients:
- Risotto
- 1 Garlic Clove, minced
- ½ Red Onion, finely chopped (or 3-4 shallots)
- 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 cup Arborio Rice
- ⅓ cup Oil Packed Sundried Tomatoes, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Dried Italian Herbs, your choice
- ½ cup Cooking Sherry
- 2 cups Hot Vegetable Stock, or water and veg bullion cube
- ½ teaspoon Salt (if needed)
- Veggies
- 1 Small Eggplant*
- 4 Water Packed Artichoke Hearts
- 1 Bell Pepper (or jared, roasted red pepper)
- Reduction
- Balsamic Vinegar (at least 1/2 cup)
Directions:
*I only used 2 slices of eggplant per person, so you won’t need an entire eggplant to make this dish.
Preheat your oven to 450º F.
Roasted Red PepperBegin by sauteing the garlic and onion in olive oil in an oven safe sauté pan that has high sides and a tight fitting lid. While the onion is cooking over medium heat, begin roasting the pepper if you are using a fresh one. Instructions can be found here.
Once the onion has softened and browned, add the rice and stir to coat with the oil. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes and herbs. Add the cooking sherry and stir until absorbed by the rice. Add the stock/water, stir, cover and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a cast-iron grill pan with some olive oil. When the pan is very hot, add slices of eggplant and drizzle with olive oil. Grill until tender, remove from the pan. Slice the artichoke hearts in quarters and grill for a few minutes, set aside when completed. Sprinkle both lightly with salt.
To make the reduction, heat balsamic vinegar in a sauce pan, reducing by half until the vinegar is syrupy. The more vinegar you use, the easier it is to make, but the longer it takes. If you only use a small amount of vinegar, you can overcook it easily; keep a close eye on it. While the vinegar is reducing, check for consistency by drizzling some on a plate. If it is thick and syrupy, and tastes sweet and tangy, you’re ready to go. Try not to burn or completely caramelize the vinegar.
One the risotto comes out of the oven, remove the cover and fluff it with a fork. BE CAREFUL. While I was plating the dish, I had forgotten that the pan had just come out of a 450º oven and tried to move it out of the way. I plated, photographed, and wrote about this dish one hand because of that. Ouch.
Plate the dish. I used a cooking ring to form the risotto, put the artichokes on top, and the eggplant and pepper next to the risotto. Drizzle with the reduction and serve.
(Serves 3)
Tagged as:
balsamic,
rice,
risotot,
side dish,
vegetables
by jltitus on September 12, 2008
Ingredients:
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon basil, dried
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper, crushed dried
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 ounces macaroni
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 4 ounces pepperoni, thinly sliced and separated into rings
- 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
Directions:
Cook pasta in a pot of boiling salted water until al dente.
Drain. In large bowl, stir together oil, vinegar, garlic, basil, and salt and pepper.
Toss with warm macaroni to coat well.
Toss with Parmesan.
Cover, and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours.
Add broccoli, pepperoni, and tomatoes; toss well.
Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, and serve.
(Serves –)
Tagged as:
pasta,
salad
