here is another recipe from the Fast & Easy book... requested by "Pamven" a few weeks back...

SPINACH BREAD
PRO/FATS and Veggies Level One
From the new Suzanne Somers Fast & Easy book

*** Taken verbatim from the new Suzanne Somers Fast & Easy book. These are Suzanne's words...***

This is a must-try recipe! I consider it one of the cornerstone recipes of this book. I have given you two ways to make this bread in a glass baking dish or tripling the recipe and baking it in a loaf pan. It takes longer to cook in the loaf pan, but you end up with a whole loaf of bread that you can slice and freeze. Then you have Spinach Bread for a whole variety of sandwiches

Butter for greasing baking dish
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
4 large eggs, beaten
1/4 teaspoon crushed garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter an 8x8-inch glass baking dish.
Mix together spinach, eggs, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes, or until mixture has set. Allow to cool slightly. Cut into 4 squares. Use a spatula to remove squares from pan. Refrigerate of freeze until ready to use.

VARIATION
To make a whole loaf of this bread, triple the ingredients and pour into a well buttered loaf pan. Place loaf pan on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 350 degrees. A whole loaf will yield 12 slices. Use what you need; wrap well and freeze extra slices or loaves.

Thank you from the bottom of my stomach. HEHEHE
Ive been so hungry for a grilled cheese sandwich and couldnt come up with any alternitives for the bread. I saw her use the spinach bread for grilled cheese when she was on the Today show. Ive been lusting for it ever since.

Myrna
thank you very much for sharing these recipes!
How wonderful of you!

LEVEL ONE/PRO/FAT

(I got this from one of my weekly mailings.)

Seared Tuna Steaks with Spring Greens

6 6-oz. tuna steaks
2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1 tsp. coarse kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
8 cups fresh spring greens

Sprinkle tuna steaks with pepper and salt. Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a skillet and cook tuna steaks for 2 minutes per side or until desired doneness is achieved (We like it pink in the middle). Combine the remaining olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper and whisk together in a small bowl. Place some of the spring greens on each plate, pour the lemon juice/olive oil mixture on serving of salad and then top with a tuna steak.

Level 1 - Pro/Fat

Mushrooms in Wine Sauce

1 Shallot finely chopped
1/2 onion finely chopped
sliced mushrooms - I think I used about 1/2lb, not sure
1 Tablespoon butter
1 can beef broth
1 cup red wine

Melt butter in non-stick pan and add shallots, onions and mushrooms, saute until lightly browned, add red wine and beef broth, simmer until it is reduced (about 1/2 way). Serve over grilled steaks!

This was taken from my newest favorite chef - Rachel Ray - 30 minute meals on the Food Network.

Salad Dressing

Level 1 - Pro/Fat

3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 rounded teaspoon of dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

whisk together thyme, mustard and vinegar, stream in olive oil while continuing to whisk dressing.

This dressing was served over a baby spinach salad that included apples (good for level 2 but a level 1 NO NO) she also used shredded swiss cheese that was put into 2 inch piles on a hot non-stick skillet. When the edges turn light brown - about 1 minute - turn over and cook another 15 seconds. You can flavor the cheese crips with cracked pepper. I know many of us already made the cheese crackers like that - a good substitute for croutons.

LEVEL ONE/VEGGIE/FAT

(I got this from the PBS site with recipes & this one was from Julia Child!)

Curry of Spinach and Eggplant
Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger

Ingredients for 6 Servings:
1 large, firm, shiny eggplant (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
2 tablespoons black or yellow mustard seeds
6 tablespoons clarified butter

For the Curry:
1 large onion, diced (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped garlic (3 to 4 large cloves)
2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
3 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 cup water
1 tablespoon your favorite sugar substitute

For the Finish:
2 bunches (20 ounces) fresh spinach, washed, stemmed, and cut into 2-inch slices

Special Equipment Suggested:
A 6-inch frying pan
A 12-inch frying pan
A 10-inch saucepan

Preparing the Eggplant:
Wash the eggplant, cut off and discard the green cap, and cut the purple part lengthwise into even 1/2 inch slices. Cut the slices into 1/2 inch strips, and the strips into 1/2 inch dice. Toss in a colander with the coarse salt, and let drain for 20 minutes.

Preparing the Mustard Seeds:
Meanwhile, measure the mustard seeds into the dry 6-inch frying pan and saute briefly over moderate heat, until they turn gray and start popping--the heat brings out their aroma. Set aside.

Sauteing the Eggplant:
When the eggplant has drained for 20 minutes, dry it thoroughly in a paper towel, so that it will saute rather than steam. Pour 4 tablespoons of the clarified butter into the 12-inch frying pan and set over moderately high heat. When the butter is hot, add the eggplant and saute for several minutes, tossing and turning; regulate the heat so that the eggplant is no darker than a nice golden brown. When soft, turn it into a bowl and toss with the mustard seeds.

Preparing the Curry:
Heat the remaining butter in the 10-inch saucepan over moderately high heat. Stir in the onions and salt and saute, stirring frequently, until the onions are golden and soft. Add garlic and ginger, cook just a few seconds until their aromas are released, and then stir in all of the spices listed. Cook an additional minute, stirring constantly to blend spices and prevent them from scorching. Stir in the tomatoes, water, and sugar. Turn the heat to high and bring to boil.

Ahead-of-Time Note:
You could stop at this point. Cover and refrigerate everything, and bring to boil several hours later.

Finishing the Dish:
Add the spinach, bring back to boil, then stir in the eggplant. When the eggplant is heated through--in about a minute--the dish is ready to serve.

Pan Seared Tuna with Baby Greens

4 filets fresh tuna*, about 6-8 oz. each
Coarsely crushed black pepper
¼ tsp. paprika or cayenne pepper, optional
1 TBsp olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 lb. baby salad greens, washed and drained
½ C cucumber, sliced and quartered
12 grape tomatoes, washed and cut in half
12 pitted olives, optional level 2
SF Italian Dressing

Rinse the tuna filets and pat dry with a paper towel. Combine the pepper and paprika or cayenne. Press pepper onto both sides of the tuna.

Heat oil in a large nonstick or heavy skillet over high heat. Add tuna and sear both sides for 1-2 minutes per side (the outside surface should be white).

Continue cooking to desired doneness (3-5 minutes depending on the thickness of the tuna).

Remove from heat and squeeze lemon juice on filets. Place each filet on a bed of greens mixed with cucumbers. Garnish with grape tomatoes and black olives (level 2). Add dressing on the side.

*Note: You can also cook a 40 oz. whole tuna loin. Sear all the way around, 6 minutes on each side. Finish in the oven at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Posted @ gianteagle.com

SPINACH CHEESE SQUARES

1 package (10-oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
3 eggs
1 lb Monterey jack cheese, grated (or ½ Pepper Jack & ½ Monterey Jack)
1/2 onion, diced and sautéed in 1 T butter optional*
Canadian Bacon, diced and sautéed with onions optional*

Thaw spinach and drain thoroughly and squeeze dry. Add beaten eggs and cheese (*and sautéed onion and Canadian bacon if using). Mix together. Bake in greased 11x7 Pyrex baking dish at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until lightly brown on top. Let cool and cut into 16 squares for a great appetizer or into 6-8 pieces for a side vegetable or a quick breakfast.
**I make a variation to take to work every day for lunch. I saute onions in butter first, and then add the spinach, eggs, nutmeg, 8-oz.feta cheese and 4-oz. grated Muenster. I then bake for about 20 minutes. It's a really yummy variation of Spanikopita (w/o the phyllo).
Posted by Melinda @ ss.com

Marcis variation: I used ½ C chopped onions, 1-2 T butter, 6-oz.crumbled feta and 8 oz. grated Muenster and added 1/8th tsp. nutmeg. I then baked it for 30-35 minutes at 350*F.

Scallops with Spinach
Level 1 - Pro/Fat
Serves 2

Scallops and or Shrimp - probably 1 1/2 lbs total
2/3 stick of butter
2 cloves of garlic
1 Teaspoon onion powder
2 Tablespoons paprika
2 Teaspoons parsley
1/2 Cup Parmesan
1/4 Cup White Wine
Olive Oil
1 package of frozen spinach, thawed and drained

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Melt butter in skillet and saute garlic until lightly browned. Put spinach in casserole dish put scallops and or shrimp on top of spinach, sprinkle with wine and a little drizzle of olive oil. Mix all the dry ingredients and sprinkle over the casserole. Bake for 20 minutes or until everything is bubbling and scallops are done.

My DH had this in a restaurant the other night and I tried to recreate it - it tastes very similar - has a scampi taste, but the spinach is a nice touch. His dish only had scallops in it, but I made it with both scallops and shrimp and it was very good.

LEVEL ONE/PRO/FAT--(With a minor imbalance!)

Clams Casino

36 littleneck clams
1/3 cup parsley, chopped
12 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch squares
1/2 cup butter
1 cup dry white wine

Shuck the clams and place each one back onto one of the shells; and reserve the juices in a small saucepan. Sprinkle some parsley over each clam. Place a square of bacon on each clam, followed by a slice of butter. Pour a small amount of wine over each clam. Place clams on a baking dish and bake for 12 minutes at 450 degrees. While clams are baking, heat juices until slightly thickened. Remove clams from oven and pour a small amount of juice over each clam. Serve hot.

I don't know whether or not to put Level 1 or Level 2 b/c of the walnuts. I know that some of us eat nuts on Level 1 & it hasn't hurt us.

VEGGIE/PRO/FAT

Fresh Steamed Broccoli with Garlic Walnut Butter

1 bunch fresh broccoli, cleaned, and cut into florets
1/4 cup butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup walnut, crushed

Steam broccoli florets until crisp tender; meanwhile, saute garlic in butter in a saucepan, then add walnuts and stir. When broccoli is just done, remove from steamer and place on a serving platter. Pour butter/walnut mixture over broccoli and toss slightly.

I got these from a weekly recipe list sent to me.

LEVEL ONE--PRO/FAT

Boneless Blackened Chicken Breasts

1 Tbsp. paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
4 - 6 boneless chicken breasts
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Combine first 8 ingredients. Rub each chicken breast with a portion of spice mixture to coat. Heat oil in a large skillet, Cook chicken over medium heat for several minutes on each side until juices run clear.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

2 (16 ounce) jars roasted red peppers, drained
2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
1 (8 ounce) package sliced fresh mushrooms
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Place roasted red peppers in a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth.
In a large saucepan, mix roasted red peppers, chicken broth, and mushrooms. Season with basil, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Garnish with sour cream

OR

La Madeleine Red Pepper Soup

1/4 C. Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Fennel Seed
1 C. chopped Onion
1/2 tsp. Thyme
1/2 Bay Leaf
1/2 tsp. minced Garlic
1 Tbsp. Fresh Basil
6 Red Bell Peppers - seeds and ribs removed
2 Tbsp. minced jalapeno - optional
5 C. Chicken Stock
2 tsp. Tomato Paste
1/4 C. chopped fresh Tomato
1 C. Heavy Cream
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a heavy saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat and add the onions, fennel seeds, thyme, bay leaf, garlic, basil, red pepper, and jalapeno pepper. Sauté the vegetables over low heat until wilted, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the chicken stock, whisking until smooth, along with the tomato paste and fresh tomatoes. Cook the soup over medium heat, partially covered for about 45 minutes. Puree in a blender or food processor. Return puree to pan and add cream and simmer for about 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning; add salt and pepper to taste.

Posted by Debbie (inreno) @ ss.com

OR

Red Pepper Soup

2 T. butter
3-4 red bell peppers, chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. heavy cream
1/8 t. pepper

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Place red pepper, onion and garlic in the saucepan and saute for 5-10 minutes, or until tender. Pour in broth stirring well, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Return liquid to the saucepan over medium low heat. Stir in heavy cream and black pepper and allow to heat through.
I used homemade chicken broth, so I added 1 t. of salt to the soup. The recipe suggested straining the soup through a sieve, but I prefer the vitamins in the pepper skins. It was also suggested to serve with a dollop of sour cream in the middle and a few chives sprinkled on top. This truly is very good, and doesn't take long to make. I was finished within the hour, including clean up. (serves 5)

Posted by Cathy @ ss.com

Blue Cheese French Onion Burgers

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 pound lean ground round
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
Blue cheese crumbles

Directions
1. Heat oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; saute 10 minutes or until tender. Spoon onion into a bowl; let cool.

2. Add beef, pepper, and egg white to onion, and stir well. Divide beef mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping into 3/4-inch-thick patties.

3. Sprinkle salt evenly over surface of skillet. Heat salt in skillet over high heat 2 minutes. Add patties; cook 5 minutes on each side or until done.

4. Plate the burgers; top each with lots of blue cheese crumbles.

LEVEL ONE/PRO/FAT

(I got this from the weekly recipes that I get!)

Salmon Poached in Champagne

2 pounds salmon fillets
3 cups champagne
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 small sweet onion, sliced
5 or 6 sprigs of fresh dill
Salt and pepper to taste

Place the salmon fillets in a shallow pan in one layer. Add the champagne, lemon juice, and just enough water to just cover the fillets. Remove the fish and bring champagne/water mixture to a boil. Place the salmon fillets back in the pan in a single layer and top with the onion slices, dill sprigs and salt and pepper. Reduce heat to
simmer and cover and cook for about 10 minutes. The salmon will be done when the flesh is firm and flakes easily. With a slotted spatula, remove fish from the poaching liquid, keeping the onions and dill on top of the fish. Allow fish to drain and serve hot.

LEMON DELIGHT BARS

These are similar to the Lemon Bars that we all remember, but without the carbs, and with a cream cheese frosting.
I used Naturade Whey Powder, Vanilla, which has 1 carb per 2 scoops. Please remember, do not "pack" the whey powder
into the measuring cup, as this will alter the recipe. I fluff the powder in the can with a fork and then take out
loose scoops.

Preheat the oven to 325° F. Spray a 9 x 9 inch pan (mine is Pyrex), with Pam (you can also butter the pan).

LAYER ONE
1 cup vanilla (unsweetened) whey powder
1 stick of butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar equivalent (I used 2 teaspoons of Somersweet)
Combine in a small bowl and mix together well. Mixture will be crumbly. Press into bottom of 9 x 9 pan. Bake at 325° for 10-12 minutes. Do not allow this layer to brown much. Cool for 15-20 minutes.

LAYER TWO
4 eggs
1 cup sugar equivalent (I used 3 tablespoons of Somersweet)
5 tablespoons lemon juice (or Key Lime juice- I did this its YUMMY)
2 teaspoons lemon zest (outer peel from 1/2 of a lemon)
1 packet Knox gelatin
2 tablespoons water
Combine water and lemon juice in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over and allow to sit.
Combine 4 eggs and sugar equivalent in a medium bowl and beat for 3-5 minutes, till mixture is yellow and ribbony. Add gelatin mixture and mix in well.
Layer one should be treated gentle. It is delicate. At this point, you are ready to pour the Layer two mixture over layer one. I suggest spooning or ladling it over layer one so that the layers maintain their integrity.
Bake for 20-30 minutes at 325°. Remove from the oven when the edges start to brown at all.

LAYER THREE
1/4 C sugar equivalent (I used 2 teaspoons of Somersweet-- it was sweet)
3 oz cream cheese, softened (can substitute mascarpone)
1 tablespoon lemon juice (Key Lime juice is also great!)
Combine well in a small mixing bowl. Spread gently over bars. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, covered
with plastic wrap.
Posted by ~September~ @ss.com

Marci's notes: I used Splenda and it worked fine. I only had an 8" square pan and I thought the crust was too thick. Next time, I will cut the crust recipe by 1/4th and try that. Also, the second layer was fragile and when I tried to spread the cream cheese frosting, it tore. Next time, I will thin the frosting a little and drizzle it on the finished bars. All in all, I thought they were very good.

LEVEL I--PRO/FAT

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

6 to 8 boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
8 oz. goat cheese
1 Tbsp. marjoram
1 clove garlic, minced
8 oz. thin slices of Smithfield ham or Prosciutto
8 oz. Monterrey Jack Cheese, sliced into 15 to 20 slices.

Slice each chicken breast in half diagonally, nearly all the way through, and open to form two even halves. It is easier to cut the chicken if it is partially frozen. Place the breasts in a shallow baking dish and cover with olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste and allow to marinate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine goat cheese, marjoram and garlic and mix well to make a paste. It is easier to do this if the goat cheese is at room temperature. Pour some of the olive oil from the baking dish into a frying pan and heat to medium/high. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Working in the baking dish, take each breast and spread one half with the goat cheese. Top with a slice of ham and cover with slices of Monterrey Jack cheese. Fold the other half over and repeat with the other breasts. Gently transfer the breasts, two or three at a time, into the hot frying pan. Fry the breasts on one side until lightly browned and then carefully flip with a spatula to brown the other side. Once the breasts are browned, return them to the baking dish. You can top the breasts with any extra slices of ham or the Monterrey Jack cheese. Once all the breasts have been browned and returned to the baking dish, place the dish in the preheated oven and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

(Of course this was sent to me in E-mail!)

LEVEL ONE/PRO/FAT

(Sent in an E-mail)

Neapolitan Seafood Soup

In Naples, Italians consider tomatoes are the defining ingredient in soup broth, or zuppa as they say. Zuppa is more then just a soup its a meal they put everything and anything in there! The Italians are flexible with the ingredients and keeping that in mind, the clams, shrimp and scallops can be replaced with crab, mussels, lobster or baby squid.

Ingredients:

3 Large garlic cloves
2 Tablespoons extra- virgin olive oil
1 Large Onion, coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)
1 yellow or orange bell pepper, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup dry red wine
1 (28-oz) can crushed plum tomatoes (not in puree)
3 cups water
2 (8-oz) bottles clam juice
1/3 cup minced fresh Italian parsley
½ teaspoon salt
¾ lb. Shelled, deveined uncooked medium shrimp
¾ lb. Sea scallops
¾ lb. chopped fresh clams

Directions:

Mince 2 of the garlic cloves. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat until hot. Add onion, bell pepper, minced garlic, oregano and red pepper. Cover and cook 5 to 8 minutes or until soft, stirring occasionally. Add wine. Increase heat to medium-high; cook 5 minutes or until wine is reduced by half. Add tomatoes, water, clam juice, parsley and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove cover. Increase heat to medium-high; bring to a gentle boil. Add shrimp, scallops and clams. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until shrimp turn pink and scallops and clams are opaque.
Pass additional red pepper, if desired.
WINE Hints: because of the tomatoes and peppers in the soup choose a lighter red wine. Makes 8 (1 2/3 cup) servings

LEVEL ONE/PRO/FAT/VEGGIE

Spinach and Onion Dip

1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup shallots, chopped
1/2 pound baby spinach, chopped
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 and 1/2 cups sour cream
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a skillet and saute onion and shallots, add spinach and cook for several minutes. Place Spinach mixture in a glass bowl and stir in cream cheese, sour cream, garlic, and salt and pepper. Chill and serve with fresh vegetables.

Temper Tantrum Soup

1 good metal pot
1 old metal pot
1 large metal spoon
1 small onion
1 quart water

Place good metal pot on stove and fill with water, bring to a boil to give the illusion of cooking. Finely chop onion until eyes are puffy and tear filled. Place metal spoon in old metal pot and bang loudly while sobbing. Continue as needed until DH agrees to take you to your favorite restaurant.

Enjoy!

KEY LIME CHEESECAKE MOUSSE

1 cup boiling water
1 small box (3 oz.) lime sugar-free Jell-o
½ pint heavy cream (1C)
8-oz. package cream cheese (softened)
3 Tbsp. key lime juice
1 Cup Splenda

Mix boiling water with lime Jell-o. Set in refrigerator to partially set up. In a chilled bowl, whip heavy cream. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, key lime juice, and 1 Cup Splenda until smooth. Using hand held blender with wire whisk, very lightly mix in partially set lime Jell-o. Fold in whipped cream. Pour into 6 individual serving dishes.

Chill 2-3 hours.

LEVEL I/PRO/FAT

LEMON HERB ROASTED CHICKEN (Serves 2 to 4)

1 3 1/2 pound chicken, rinsed & patted dry
2 garlic cloves, smashed & peeled
2 to 3 T unsalted butter, room temperature
Coarse salt & freshly ground pepper
1 lemon, quartered
1/3 C dry white wine or water or chicken stock
1/2 t dried thyme

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a roasting pan with a rack, set aside. Rub the chicken all over with the garlic and then with 2 tablespoons buttter. Season inside and out with salt and pepper. Place the garlic cloves and the lemon pieces inside the cavity. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Place the chicken on rack in prepared pan and tuck the wing tips under. Roast until the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Transfer chicken to a platter, and discard twine. Keep warm. Place roasting pan on the stove over medium-high heat and stir in the wine, thyme, and any accumulated juices from the platter. Bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon; cook until sauce thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. If desired, stir in 1 tablespoon butter. Pass through a fine mesh sieve. Serve sauce with chicken.

(Saw this on Martha Stewart today!)

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Moving Up

Walla Walla Sweet Onion Flower
by Susan Fowler Volland, Food Stylist and Food Editor

Whole, crispy fried Walla Walla Sweet Onions cut to resemble flowers are a popular treat at fairs and festivals throughout Washington State. The "petals" of the onion are simply torn off and dipped in zesty barbecue sauce. Try this simple, reduced-fat version which can easily be made in the oven. The lovely presentation and combination of flavors make a memorable plate, especially when paired with good company and a tall, cool lemonade.

2 Walla Walla Sweet Onions
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano, or 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
Non stick vegetable cook spray

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease a large baking or roasting pan. Peel the Walla Walla Sweet Onions, cut the bottom level, but leave the core intact. To make the flower design, begin as if you are going to cut the onion in half, from top to bottom, but stop cutting 1/2 inch from the core. Cut the onion this way 5 times to form ten sections or "petals." Carefully loosen the petals slightly by rapping the onion lightly on the work surface, and loosening them with your fingers. Remember that the flower will bloom more as it cooks.

Place the flour, salt, pepper, oregano, paprika and mustard in a small paper bag. Spray the onions with cooking spray to lightly coat each petal. Put one of the onions in the bag and gently shake to coat. Remove the onion and pat off the excess flour mixture. Place in a prepared pan and repeat with the other onion. Spray the coated onions lightly again with cooking spray to aid in browning.

Bake the onions in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until tender. Serve the onion flowers hot, as an accompaniment with pork loin, or grilled steak.

Serves: 4

(Pine Nut Butter Topping Optional--it's a minor imbalance on SS)

Grilled and Roasted Walla Walla Sweet Onions with Pine Nut Butter

by Tom Douglas of The Dahlia Lounge in Seattle.

Chef Tom Douglas is famous nationwide for his unconditional love of great food. Here he illustrates how a Walla Walla Sweet Onion can go from simple to sophisticated with just a few chosen ingredients. At the Dahlia Lounge, these grilled, roasted and buttered onions are served as an appetizer on a bed of sautéed Swiss chard.

4 medium Walla Walla Sweet Onions
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
3 ounces unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
lemon wedges and rosemary sprigs for garnish

Toast the pine nuts in a 350 degree oven for 6 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool. Caution: pine nuts burn easily. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and fire up an outdoor grill. Peel onions and cut them in half, top to bottom. Brush onions with oil and place cut side down on the preheated grill. Barbecue until grill marks form. Place on a cookie sheet and finish cooking in the oven until tender, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the pine nut butter. Place the 1/2 cup pine nuts in the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times until finely ground. Add butter, lemon zest, rosemary, black pepper and salt. Process until mixture is well blended. Spread the tender onions liberally with pine nut butter. Return to the oven to cook just until butter is melted, about 2 minutes.

Serve onions warm, sprinkled with grated parmesan cheese and additional toasted pine nuts. Garnish plates with lemon wedges and rosemary sprigs.

Serves: 4 as an entree
8 as an appetizer

Garden Vegetable Soup

2 T butter in a HUGE saute pan
Heat on medium

Add all at once:

2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 sweet onion
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 chopped green pepper
couple handfuls green beans, cut in 1" pieces
2 zucchinis, peeled and sliced
1 organically grown carrot, don't peel, just wash well and slice (minor imbalance, but worth it, IMO)

Cook over medium heat until onions are transparent.

Add:

1 or 2 15 ounce cans of chicken broth, depending on how soupy you want your soup

some cracks of fresh pepper

Then add 1/2 head of shredded cabbage

Simmer until veggies are done to your liking.

***you can add a can of tomato paste if you like a tomato-y taste to your soup.***

Since it looks like we are using this thread, I am posting recipes that were on the Fall 2003 thread:

Roasted Sticky Chicken
Posted by: aka_Raeanne (My Page) on Tue, Oct 7, 03 at 13:40

Level 1 - Pro/Fat
Roasted Sticky Chicken

1 large roasting chicken
1 medium onion chopped
4 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper

Combine all spices and rub them on chicken well. Put chicken in zip lock bag and marinate overnight. Put in crock pot in the morning, add chopped onion and let cook on low for 8-10 hours. Don't add any liquid. This will fall off the bone and be very juicy and flavorful.

I usually use 1 roasting chicken and add a couple of breasts. I also add the onion the night before in the zip lock bag. My crockpot cooks fast and only needs to go 6 to 8 hours, but longer would be okay.

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Asparagus Quiche
Posted by: aka_Raeanne (My Page) on Tue, Oct 7, 03 at 13:54

Level 1 - Pro/Fat
Preheat oven to 400
9x13 roasting dish/pan

1 lb fresh asparagus trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
6 slices of bacon chopped into small pieces
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups cream
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
S & P
2 Cups shredded Four Cheese blend

Steam asparagus until tender, but still firm about 5 minutes. Cook bacon in a skillet over medium high heat until browned. Sprinkled bacon and asparagus into 9 x 13 baking dish/pan, sprinkle cheese over it. In a bowl beat eggs, cream and nutmeg, S&P to taste and pour over cheese.

Bake uncovered 35 minutes at 400 degrees. Cool to room temperature before serving.

This recipe freezes nicely.

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Scallops with Spinach
Posted by: aka_Raeanne (My Page) on Tue, Oct 7, 03 at 13:58

I don't know if I ever posted this before, but it is my DH's favorite.
Level 1 - Pro/Fat

Scallops and/or Shrimp - 1 1/2 pounds
2/3 stick of butter
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp onion powder
2 Tbl paprika
2 tsp parsley
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup white wine
Olive oil
1 box of frozen spinach, thawed and drained

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Melt butter in skillet and saute garlic until lightly browned, put spinach in casserole dish, place seafood over it, sprinkle with wine and a little drizzle of olive oil. Mix all the dry ingredients and sprinkle over casserole. Bake for 20 minutes or until everything is bubbling and scallops are done.

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RE: SS Fall 2003 Recipes
Posted by: yankandtex (My Page) on Wed, Oct 8, 03 at 18:03

LEVEL I/VEGGIE/FAT
Zucchini and Tomato Stir-Fry

6 small zucchini squash, sliced
1 small onion, diced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped or 1 tsp. dried
2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Heat olive oil in a skillet and saute zucchini and onion until crisp-tender. Stir in lemon juice, basil, tomatoes and salt and pepper. Continue cooking for about a minute. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

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RE: SS Fall 2003 Recipes
Posted by: Maddie_in_KY (My Page) on Thu, Oct 9, 03 at 14:54

ummmm...Raeanne--aren't you forgetting the stapler in the sticky chicken recipe??? LOL!!!
Maddie

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Artichoke & Red Pepper Quiche
Posted by: aka_Raeanne (My Page) on Mon, Oct 20, 03 at 14:59

Maddie - Believe me I think of that dang stapler everytime I make that recipe LOL.
Level 1 - Pro/Fat

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 8" pie plate

6 ounces marinated artichoke hearts
6 ounces roasted red peppers
1 onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic - minced
3 eggs - beaten
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup paremsan cheese grated
2-3 splashes of red hot pepper sauce
2 Tbl oil or butter

Saute onions and garlic in oil/butter until very tender. Coarsely chop artichokes hearts and peppers. Add eggs to arichoke/peppers, add cheeses and pepper sauce, add eggs and mix well. Pour into prepared dish and bake about 30-35 minutes, until golden on top. Cool and enjoy.

LEVEL I/VEGGIE/FAT/PRO

Cheese-Stuffed Mushrooms

18 - 24 large mushroom caps
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Combine all ingredients, except mozzarella cheese, and mix well. Fill each mushroom cap with an equal amount of the mixture. Place mushrooms on a baking pan and bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Return to the oven long enough for cheese to melt. Serve warm.

LEVEL I/VEGGIE/FAT/PRO

Spinach and Onion Dip

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped
1/3 pound shallots, peeled and chopped
1 pound baby spinach, coarsely chopped
1 8-oz. block of cream cheese, softened
1 8-oz. container sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Saute onions and shallots in olive oil until golden brown, add spinach and cook until wilted. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool. Place spinach mixture in a bowl and add cream cheese, sour cream and salt and pepper. Chill before serving; serve with veggies.

LEVEL I/VEGGIE/FAT (if you leave out the olives)

Antipasto Salad

2 Romaine hearts torn into small pieces
1 red onion, sliced
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup brine cured olives
2 6-oz. jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1 cup peperoncini peppers

Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all salad ingredients on a large platter. Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a cruet and shake well. Just before serving pour vinaigrette over salad and toss.

LEVEL I (Minor Imbalance)

Zesty Hot Clam Dip

2 8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened
2 8-oz. cans minced clams, drained
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. prepared horseradish
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. hot sauce or to taste

Place cream cheese in a double boiler and melt, add clams, onion, garlic, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Stir in enough clam juice to make a smooth consistency. Place in a chafing dish and serve with veggies.

WOW, I wish I had seen some of these before I planned my meals last week!

Thanks ladies!

LEVEL ONE--PRO/FAT/VEGGIE (Slight imbalance)

Creamy Zucchini Soup

2 pounds zucchini, sliced
1 large white onion, sliced
1/4 cup butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. crushed bay leaves
1/3 cup fresh parsley
1 cup chicken broth (Could substitute veggie broth?)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup evaporated milk (Could substitute cream?)
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat butter in a skillet and saute zucchini and onion until tender. Remove from heat and add garlic, bay leaves and parsley. Place in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Place mixture in a saucepan and add chicken broth, wine, evaporated milk and salt and pepper. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently. Serve warm.

I've never fixed this but I'm thinking that it sounds pretty good & that it can be modified. What do you think?

This one is from Susie at the SS Daily thread:

Level 1 - Pro/Fat

Posted by: publickman (My Page) on Tue, Jan 6, 04 at 18:13

I don't remember whether I posted this before or not, but here is how I make Crab Asparagus Soup (approximately):
Crab Asparagus Soup

Ingredients:

2 pounds asparagus
6 stalks celery
1 large onion
2 serrano peppers
4 cups water
1 tsp crab soup base
1 tsp lobster soup base
1 tsp Thai fish sauce
1/4 teaspoon Chinese chili paste (or to taste)
1 pound crab meat
Soy sauce to taste

Remove the tips from the asparagus and reserve. Coarsely chop the asparagus stems, celery, onion, and serrano peppers and put in a stock pan with the water. Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 45 minutes. Blend the mixture in a food processor or use a hand-held blender to purée. Strain the puréed mixture through a Chinamans cap into another soup pan or bowl and force as much purée through as possible, leaving the stringy pulp to be discarded.

Return the liquid to the heat and add the soup base, fish sauce, and chili paste. You can substitute a dash of cayenne for the chili paste. Add the asparagus tips and simmer for about 3-5 minutes, but do not overcook the tips. Add the crab meat and remove from heat. Adjust seasonings with soy sauce and/or chili paste and serve immediately.

If you don't have crab or lobster soup base, you and substitute vegetable bouillon or use clam juice for part of the water and add salt.

Lars

This is a variation of a recipe posted at all recipes by Star Pooley. The changes are mostly in cooking the broth for 2+ hours instead of 30 minutes.

Level 1 - Pro/Fat

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 onions chopped
2 cloves of garlic - minced - more if you like
about 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley - originally called for an entire bunch of parsley
1 large can of diced tomatoes - originally called for stewed tomatoes
* optional(if you like a thicker soup you can include a large can of tomato puree or 1 small can of tomato paste)
1/2 cups dry white wine
2 bottles of clam juice - origanally called for water instead of clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon of dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dired oregano
*optional - 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes - if you like a little kick
1 1/2 lbs peeled and deveined shrimp
1 1/2 lbs bay scallops
2+ dozen clams
2+ dozen mussels - cleaned and debearded
1 1/2 cups of crabmeat - I used lump crabmeat
1 1/2 pounds of cod cubed - I used tilapia

Over medium-low heat melt butter and add evoo in large stockpot, add onions, garlic and parsley. Stir and cook until onions are tender.

Add tomatoes to the onions, then add chicken broth, wine, clam broth, bay leaves, basil, thyme and oregano. Mix well, cover and simmer at least 2 hours.

Stir in shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels, crabmeat and fish. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer about 7 minutes or until clams open. Serve in bowls and enjoy!

Eileen from the Recipe Exchange posted a wonderful recipe for Puerto Rican Pork - it is a very tasty pulled pork. I posted a link to it.

Level 1 - pro/fat

Martha Stewart's Greek Tzatziki Sauce (2003)

Makes 2 cups

1 English cucumber, peeled and coarsely grated or chopped.

1-1/2 t. kosher salt

1-1/2 cups greek yogurt* (or sour cream can be substituted for low carb diets)

2 large garlic cloves, minced fine

2 T. white wine vinegar

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup finely chopped FRESH dill

Freshly ground pepper

1. In a colander, sprinkle cucumber with salt; toss to mix. Leave at room temp for 1/2 hour. Press liquid out of cucumber.

2. In a bowl, combine cucumber, yogurt, garlic, vinegar, oil, and dill. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Chill. Serve cold with lamb, veggies, chips, or add a scoop to tomato soup.

* To make greek yogurt: Put 32 ounces whole milk PLAIN yogurt in a cheesecloth lined sieve placed over a bowl. Cover the bowl and place in refrigerator at least 4 hours. Discard liquid. makes 1-1/2 cups

Spago House Salad Dressing:

2 large shallots, minced (1 heaping tablespoon)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons zinfandel vinegar
2 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Salt
Freshly ground white pepper

In a small bowl, whisk together the shallots and the mustard. Whisk in the vinegars and then the olive and vegetable oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate until needed.

Yield: Makes 1 1/4 cups.

(Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, Adventures in the Kitchen, Random House, 1991)

Level 1 - Pro/Fat

3 Tablespoons butter
2 Large Portobellos - sliced
1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 clove garlic - chopped
2 tablespoons dry red wine
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat, saute mushrooms, spinach, seasonings and garlic until mushrooms are tender and spinach is thoroughly heated.

Add wine and reduce heat to low, simmer 1 minute. Stir in parmesan cheese. Serve.

This is from All Recipes submitted by Leslie

I used fresh baby spinach and it worked fine.

Level I - Pro/Fat

The original recipe says it takes 45 minutes to cook, but I cooked my much longer - I would say nearly 2 hours, but worth it - these pork chops are flavorful, tender and very mosit. The onions are suppose to carmelize, but mine didn't. I took the chops out of pan and just continued cooking onions - but we were hungry and didn't wait for them to brown.

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
4 pork loin chops - 1/2 inch thick
3 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
1 onion - sliced into strips (I used 2 onions)
1 Cup of water

Rub chops with 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat, brown chops on each side. Add onions and water to pan and reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Turn chops over add remaining s & p, cover and cook until water evaporates and onions turn light to medium brown. Serve chops with onions on top.

This was posted on All Recipes by Pamela

Level 1 - Pro/Fat - Posted on All Recipe by Alice

***Please note that I made some notes at the bottom.

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
12 ounces sour cream
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/3 cup white wine
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 pinch salt
1 dash lemon pepper

simmer chicken breasts in water to cover until almost tender.

In a microwave dish, mix together sour cream, parm cheese, white wine, chicken brothe and lemon pepper.

Cut chicken into bite size pieces and put in sauce mixture, cover and microwave on hgih for about 10 to 15 minutes, then on low for another 5 minutes, make sure it doesn't burn, when sauce starts to thicken and chicken is tender it is done.

***Now for what I did: I cut the chicken up into bite size pieces first and browned them in a pan, removed chicken from pan and added all the other ingredients into the pan, let that simmer until it thickened and then added the chicken to heat through and served. It cooked quicker than what the microwave directions call for. Next time I will cook chicken on grill first and then add to sauce. My DH liked this much more than I did, but I think with a little tweaking it will be a very good recipe.

Pro/Fat - Level 1

Wooden Skewers (soak in water to prevent burning)

1 1/2 lbs Flank Steak, slicked thin
1 1/2 cups soy sauce
2 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried ginger
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Marinate the steak in all the other ingredients for about 1 hour, make sure everything gets coated, add more soy sauce if necessary.

Thread the steak slices onto the skewers and cook on a hot BBQ grill until nicely brownd on both sides (10 minutes).

These go very quick, so you may need to make more. I don't measure, so these are approximate and you may need to adjust slightly - I think I add more Sesame oil than a teaspoon, but that flavor may be strong for most people.

resurrecting

Thanks for resurrecting this Raeanne. I have forgotten about some of these great recipes.