Creole Chicken and Vegetables

Enjoy the flavor of summer anytime by using frozen bell peppers and frozen okra in this speedy Creole dish. For a filling meal, serve over rice.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1 pound chicken breast tenders
• 2 cups frozen pepper stir-fry (such as Bird's Eye brand), thawed
• 1 cup frozen cut okra, thawed
• 3/4 cup thinly sliced celery
• 3/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon butter

Preparation

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Add pepper stir-fry and next 6 ingredients (through red pepper), stirring to combine. Pour tomatoes over chicken mixture; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Uncover; cook 3 minutes. Add parsley and butter, stirring until butter melts.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 199 (20% from fat)

Fat: 4.4g (sat 1.8g,mono 1.5g,poly 0.5g)

Protein: 28.3g

Carbohydrate: 11g

Fiber: 3.2g

Cholesterol: 73mg

Iron: 1.9mg

Sodium: 550mg

Calcium: 71mg

Cajun Shrimp and Andouille Alfredo Sauce Over Pasta

Fettuccine topped with creamy and rich Cajun shrimp and Andouille alfredo sauce makes a hearty meal perfect for entertaining.
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes


Yield: Makes 6 servings

Ingredients
• 1 pound unpeeled, medium-size fresh shrimp
• 1 (12-ounce) package fettuccine
• 1/2 pound Andouille sausage, chopped
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
• 4 celery ribs, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons salt-free Cajun seasoning
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 6 ounces pasteurized prepared cheese product, cubed
• 3/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley


Preparation

Peel shrimp, and devein, if desired. Set aside.
Prepare fettuccine according to package directions; drain pasta, and set aside.
Cook sausage in a large Dutch oven over medium heat 10 minutes or until browned; remove sausage, and drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in Dutch oven. Set sausage aside.
Melt butter in drippings in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add shrimp, and cook 5 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Remove shrimp, and keep warm.
Add onion and next 3 ingredients; cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat 10 minutes. Stir in Cajun seasoning and flour. Cook over medium heat, 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in chicken broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Boil 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low, and stir in heavy cream; cook over medium-low heat 8 minutes or until mixture simmers. Add pasteurized cheese cubes, sausage, and shrimp, stirring until cheese melts.
Stir in chopped green onions, Parmesan cheese, and chopped fresh parsley. Serve over hot cooked fettuccine.

Curry-Mango Shrimp

Yield: Makes 2 to 3 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mango chutney
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp
• 3 (10-inch) metal skewers


Preparation
Combine first 5 ingredients; brush half of mixture over shrimp. Cover and let stand 15 minutes. Thread shrimp evenly onto skewers.
Grill shrimp, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350º to 400º) 3 minutes on each side or until shrimp turn pink. Brush with remaining chutney mixture, and serve.
Pour: To complement the diverse flavors of the curry-mango marinade, try a Hogue Riesling from Washington's Columbia Valley. The naturally crisp acidity balances sweet peach and apricot flavors for a refreshing finish.

Grilled Shrimp Tacos

To keep the shrimp from spinning when flipped, thread them on 2 parallel skewers instead of one.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Other: 15 minutes

Yield: Makes 8 first-course or 4 main-course servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 4 limes, cut into quarters
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 8 6-inch corn tortillas
• 2 to 3 cups finely shredded green cabbage
• Bottled green tomatillo salsa


Preparation

Whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, milk, and cumin. Set aside. Skewer the shrimp. (If using wood skewers, soak them in water for 10 minutes beforehand.) In a small bowl, combine the butter and garlic. Preheat a gas grill to high; adjust to medium after 15 minutes. (If cooking over charcoal, allow the coals to burn until they are covered with gray ash.) Brush the skewered shrimp with the garlic butter. Place them on the grill with the limes. Cook about 4 minutes on each side or until the shrimp are opaque and the limes are browned. Remove from grill. Lightly salt the shrimp. Grill the tortillas for 30 seconds on each side, then place inside a paper bag to keep warm. To serve, pull the shrimp off the skewers and divide them evenly among the tortillas. Top with the cabbage, sour cream sauce, tomatillo salsa, and a spritz of grilled lime.

Rainy-Day Method: Broil the shrimp and limes about 4 inches from the heat using the cooking times above. Wrap the tortillas in foil and heat in a 350° F oven for 15 minutes, or wrap them in a napkin and microwave for 3 minutes.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 247 (0% from fat)
Fat: 13g (sat 5g)
Protein: 16mg
Carbohydrate: 18g
Fiber: 3g
Cholesterol: 147mg
Iron: 3mg
Sodium: 345mg
Calcium: 96mg

Stir-Fried Ginger Shrimp

The peppery flavor of ginger complements the spiciness of the chile paste and sweetness of the rice wine. Serve with jasmine rice and melon slices.


Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

Ingredient

• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 teaspoon chopped peeled fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Dash of white pepper
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon mirin (sweet rice wine)
• 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon chile paste with garlic (such as sambal oelek)
• 1 tablespoon canola oil, divided
• 1 cup thinly vertically sliced onion
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup diagonally cut celery


Preparation

1. Place shrimp in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with ginger, salt, and pepper; toss well. Let stand 5 minutes.
2. Combine 1/2 cup water and next 6 ingredients (through chile paste) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.
3. Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp mixture to pan; stir-fry 2 minutes. Remove shrimp mixture from pan; set aside. Wipe pan dry with a paper towel. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons canola oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; stir-fry 1 minute. Add celery; stir-fry 1 minute. Return shrimp mixture to pan; stir-fry 1 minute or until shrimp are done.
4. Add water mixture to pan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly with a whisk. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 192 (31% from fat)
Fat: 6.7g (sat 0.8g,mono 2.9g,poly 2.3g)
Protein: 23.8g
Carbohydrate: 7.2g
Fiber: 0.8g
Cholesterol: 172mg
Iron: 3mg
Sodium: 594mg
Calcium: 82mg

Herbed Chicken Parmesan

This lighter version of an Italian favorite loses some of the fat but none of the taste. I recommend rice-shaped orzo pasta with this saucy chicken entrée, but you can serve spaghetti or angel hair pasta instead.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients
• 1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
• 1 pound chicken breast tenders
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 1/2 cups bottled fat-free tomato-basil pasta sauce (such as Muir Glen Organic)
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) shredded provolone cheese


Preparation

Preheat broiler.
Combine 2 tablespoons of Parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley, basil, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a shallow dish. Place egg white in a shallow dish. Dip each chicken tender in egg white; dredge in the breadcrumb mixture. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Set aside.
Combine 1/8 teaspoon salt, pasta sauce, vinegar, and pepper in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; vent. Microwave sauce mixture at HIGH 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Pour the sauce over chicken in pan. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining Parmesan and provolone cheese. Wrap handle of pan with foil, and broil 2 minutes or until the cheese melts.


Nutritional Information

Calories: 308 (30% from fat)

Fat: 10.4g (sat 5.7g,mono 3g,poly 0.6g)

Protein: 35.9g

Carbohydrate: 16.2g

Fiber: 1.8g

Cholesterol: 88mg

Iron: 2.3mg

Sodium: 808mg

Calcium: 249mg

Sirloin Steak and Pasta Salad

Salt-free garlic-pepper seasons juicy steak. I recommend using sirloin, but using flank steak works great, too.


Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 1/2 cups)
Ingredients
• 2 cups uncooked penne or mostaccioli (tube-shaped pasta)
• 1/4 pound green beans, trimmed
• 1 (3/4-pound) boneless sirloin steak, trimmed
• 1 tablespoon salt-free garlic-pepper blend (such as Spice Hunter)
• 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced red onion
• 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon extravirgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled blue cheeseSodium:

Preparation
Preheat broiler.
While the broiler preheats, bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a large Dutch oven. Add pasta; cook 5 1/2 minutes. Add beans, and cook 3 minutes or until pasta is done. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain well.
Sprinkle steak with the garlic-pepper blend. Place on a broiler pan; broil 3 inches from heat 10 minutes or until desired degree of doneness, turning after 5 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices.
Combine onion and next 8 ingredients (onion through black pepper) in a large bowl. Add pasta mixture and beef slices; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with cheese.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 437 (24% from fat)
Fat: 11.8g (sat 4.3g,mono 4.5g,poly 0.8g)
Protein: 29.4g
Carbohydrate: 54.4g
Fiber: 4.4g
Cholesterol: 54mg
Iron: 4.5mg
Sodium: 582mg
Calcium: 100mg

Baked Salmon with Dill

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 fillet and 1 lemon wedge)


Ingredients
• 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick)
• Cooking spray
• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 lemon wedges


Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.
Place fish on a baking sheet lightly coated with cooking spray; lightly coat fish with cooking spray. Sprinkle fish with dill, salt, and pepper. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Serve with lemon wedges.


Nutritional Information
Calories: 263 (54% from fat)
Fat: 15.8g (sat 3.2g,mono 5.7g,poly 5.7g)
Protein: 28.2g
Carbohydrate: 0.1g
Fiber: 0.0g
Cholesterol: 80mg
Iron: 0.5mg
Sodium: 313mg
Calcium: 20mg

Black Chefs, White House

"It was Hercules who really began this long connection of presidents and African- American cooks," says Sharron Conrad, historian of African-American cuisine. She began researching this connection for her article The President's Kitchen: African American Cooks in the White House. Hercules, one of George Washington's slaves, came to be the chef of Washington's kitchen at Mt. Vernon and later in the nation's early capital in Philadelphia. Hercules, Cesar — names of Rome and antiquity were often bestowed upon slaves along with the last names of their owners.