Morton Family Strata (featured in the film The Family Stone)

At last weekend's Book Club, I was sharing a tale about my addiction to DVD commentaries and other special features. Then, just last night, I discovered that the "Special Features" section of one of my favorite movies (The Family Stone) was a recipe for Morton Family Strata, which Sarah Jessica Parker's character attempts to make in the film. I've never made it, but it sure sounds yummy!

Ingredients:
8 slices white bread
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, sliced
14 ounces tomatoes, sliced
13 ounces sliced mushrooms, drained (or sauteed fresh)
1 medium onion, thinly sliced into rings
5 eggs
3 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1 pinch garlic salt
parmesan cheese
black olives, sliced

Directions:

1. Using a cookie cutter, donut cutter or lid from a jar, cut bread into shapes or circles. Set aside.
2. Place bread scraps in bottom of buttered 13" by 9" baking dish. Layer half of the cheese over bread.
3. Arrange half of the tomatoes and all of the onion rings and mushrooms over the cheese. Cover with the rest of the cheese.
4. Arrange the bread shapes on the cheese. Put slices of the tomato in the center of each bread shape.
5. Combine slightly beaten eggs, milk, salt, oregano and garlic salt. Pour over the bread.
6. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and dot with olives. Cover. Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
7. Bake 1-1/2 hours in a 325 degree F oven, or until knife comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes or until firm.
   

To read/print this recipe, click here.

Zesty, Cheesy Mac and Cheese (Bethenny Frankel)

This is a zesty, "healthy" twist on a comfort food favorite! The investment in ingredients and time is well worth the outcome. This tasty dish is good enough to be a main course, and the recent weather change has it on my mind:

http://www.bethenny.com/

Key Lime Pie

Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust:
1 paper wrapped package of Graham Crackers
5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1/3 cup sugar (I accidentally left this out and it turned out perfectly fine without the sugar)

Filling:
3 egg yolks
Zest from 2 lines (about 1 1/2 teaspoons)
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk (I use fat free)
2/3 freshly squeezed lime juice (use key limes - you can find them at Martin's)

Topping:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon lime zest

Directions:

For the graham cracker crust:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Coat 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray. Add graham crackers to food processor or in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush. Add melted butter and sugar (although I would skip or use less than the recipe lists). Press the mixture into the bottom and sides of the pan, forming a neat border around the edge. Bake the crust until set and golden, 8 minutes. Set aside and cool, but leave oven on.

For the filling: Meanwhile, in a electric mixer with the wire whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks and lime zest at a high speed until very fluffy, abut 5 minutes. Gradually add the condensed milk and continue to beat until thick, 3 or 4 minutes longer. Lower the mixer speed and slowly add the lime juice, mixing just until combined, no longer. Pour mixture into the pie crust. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the filling has set (my oven definitely takes more than 10 minutes). Cool on a wire rack, then refrigerate.

The recipe recommends freezing for 15-20 minutes before serving, but chilled in the refrigerator worked fine for us.

For the topping: Whip the cream, vanilla and the confectioners' sugar until nearly stiff. Serve on top sprinkled with lime zest.

Smoked (or Grilled) Buffalo Chicken Salad

Tonight was another new creation and Paul (the guy that doesn't particularly like salads) said he would put it on any restaurant menu.

Ingredients
Chicken Breasts (1 small per person)
Romaine
Carrots
Celery
Bleu Cheese
Low fat sour cream
Fat free butter milk, milk or ff half and half
Frank's Red Hot
Roasted Sunflower seeds

Directions

• Grill chicken breast (we have a smoker box and used applewood chips)
• Mix about 1/4 - 1/3 cup of low fat sour cream (Daisy is my favorite brand) with a few dashes of Frank's Red Hot and fresh ground pepper to taste). I thinned out the dressing with some fat free half and half since that is what I had on hand, but have made similar dressings with fat free buttermilk or skim milk
• Chop grilled chicken and toss with a little Frank's Red Hot (Paul wanted real butter too, but we compromised with a few spray's of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter).
• Add the chopped carrots and celery (along with any other veggies you want) and bleu cheese to a large bowl with the dressing and toss until everything is well coated
• Warm roasted sunflowers seeds and add on top with a little extra bleu cheese and Frank's Red Hot
  

Chicken Nuggets (Kid-friendly and healthy)

Ingredients
Two Chicken Breasts (pound and cut in pieces)
Flour (enough to coat chicken pieces)
1/2 cup corn meal
1/2 bread crumbs
1/4 grated parmesan
salt/pepper to taste
Cooking spray

Directions
Pound the chicken breast (plain or seasoned - used Martin's garlic and herb for this batch) and cut in bite sized pieces
Coat with a light dusting of flour
Dip chicken pieces in egg whites, roll in mixture of corn meal, bread crumbs and parmesan
Spread evenly on foil or sprayed baking sheet
Spray evenly with olive oil cooking spray
Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes turning occasionally (spray each time) until golden brown
Serve with your favorite dipping sauce (BBQ, ranch, etc)

Peach Pie with Crumb Topping

Ingredients
Fresh Peaches (6-8 depending on size)
Cinnamon
Vanilla Extract
Wonder Flour (regular will work too)
Pie Crust
1/2 cup flour
1/2 sugar
1/2 stick butter

Directions
Peel and dice the peaches. Toss with a couple teaspoons of cinnamon, 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla and enough flour to coat.

Pour into a pre-made pie crust (or skip the crust and make as a crumble without a crust).

To make the crumble, mix the flour and sugar. Dice the cold butter into small cubes and mix with hands until you have a doughy consistency. Crumble the mixture over the pie or crumble. Bake at 400 degrees for 35-45 minutes (it's done whenever it is golden brown).

*I just made this for the first time and was a little disappointed with the store bought crust so I would probably just make as a crumble next time and save a few calories...just spray a pie pan or pyrex dish with non-stick spray, add the fruit and crumble on top and bake.

Brown Sugar & Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin (Slow Cooker!)

Way to go Mandy--nice execution of a great idea! I'm going to be the lazy contributor to this blog, both in terms of cooking effort and blogging effort. I post links.

So: Here's a link to this incredible and incredibly easy pork loin I made a few weeks ago in the slow cooker. We had it with Ina Garten's delicious Brussel sprouts, which are also very easy and will make you love Brussel sprouts if you thought you never would (ask Anna!).

Thai Cucumber Salad

I usually double the recipe...

Ingredients
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup boiling water
1/2 cup white vinegar
3 cups, peeled thinly sliced cucumber (works fine leaving the peel on seedless cukes)
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 tablespoons chopped red bell pepper (I usually add more)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp peeled freshly grated ginger root
1 tsp minced jalapeno
1/2 tsp salt
1 glove garlic, crushed

Directions
Dissolve sugar in boiling water, add vinegar, cover and chill for two hours
Combine cucumber and other ingredients in a bowl, pour chilled vinegar mixture over it