Category Archives: Main Course

Easy to make meals using regular ingredients. Stress free dishes!

Main Course, Recipe

Creole Romano

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Creole Romano

1 medium onion, finely minced
1 tbsp celery, minced
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 tsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 16 oz can petite diced tomatoes
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
1 lb steamed and cleaned salad (250/350) shrimp
1 lb chorizo, diced to the same size as shrimp
1 cup fat free half and half
1 cup skim milk
16 oz Angel Hair pasta
10 oz grated Parmesan/Romano cheeses (separated)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook Angel Hair pasta; drain and set to the side.

In a medium skillet, brown chorizo and drain.

In a large pot, sauté the onion, celery and garlic in oil for about 3 minutes or until soft. Add the flour, stir, and sauté for 1 minute longer. Add the tomatoes and their liquid, thyme, cayenne and hot pepper sauce. Stir to combine, then add half and half, and skim milk. Stir to combine, then add shrimp and chorizo. Heat just to boiling, then stir 5 ounces of Parmesan/Romano cheese, and angel hair pasta. Toss to combine.

Dish out into individual oven proof serving dishes, and place 1/2 – 1 ounce of reserved grated cheese over top, and place in oven for 8-9 minutes, or until cheese has melted and top is lightly browned.

Serve with a side of green vegetables (a salad, spinach, haricots verts, or broccoli), and a piece of garlic bread.

Serves 8.

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Main Course, Recipe

Ginger Pork Won ton

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Ginger Pork Won ton

1 lb ground pork
1 1/2 tbsp minced ginger (or 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger)
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 small onion, minced
1 package won ton wrappers
1 egg, beaten in a small bowl with 2 tbsp water

In a large skillet or wok, add the pork and brown over medium heat, drain, and add ginger, garlic, onion, soy sauce, and sesame oil, cooking until onion is soft, 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Take a won ton wrapper and place it on your work surface so that it forms a diamond. Take your egg wash and with a small pastry brush, lightly brush the two lower edges that form a “V”. Place 1 tsp of the filling in the middle of the wrapper and fold the wrapper over, pressing the edges to seal. Dab the left corner of the filled wrapper with egg wash and fold the right corner over the left, pressing together to seal. It will take on the appearance of an ornate “hat”, the classic won ton look:

Repeat until all won ton wrappers have been filled. Note: you will have far more filling than you do wrappers, but the filling freezes well.

Once all won tons have been made, either transfer to a freezer and allow to solidly freeze and then store for up to 3 months, or…

Bring a quart of your favourite stock to a boil and toss in 12-16 won ton and allow to heat through. (4-6 won ton make a serving). Or…

Spray a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray and sauté until brown on a couple sides. Serve with soy/ginger/scallion dipping sauce. Or…

Bring 1/4 – 1/2 c vegetable oil to 350F in a skillet. Carefully drop 5-8 won ton at a time into oil (being careful, as it will spatter!), and cooking for 2 minutes before turning over and allowing to brown on the other side. Serve with duck sauce.

You can make sweet won ton by using jam as a filling, you can make them vegetarian by using soy crumbles, or rice and ginger, or you could even use a cream cheese, garlic, ginger, and scallion mixture to make a cheesy won ton. Let your imagination run wild!

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Main Course, Recipe

Burbon London Broil & Oven Roasted Frites

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Bourbon London Broil

2 lb London Broil
1/4 cup good Kentucky Bourbon
Cracked Black Pepper
Kosher Salt

In a zip-top bag, combine London Broil and Bourbon. Turn to completely coat and let set aside for 15 minutes to allow to marinate, turning every 5 minutes. Heat grill (or grill pan) until slightly smoking. Remove London Broil and discard marinade. Grill for 7 minutes each side for medium rare (or longer to your taste). Once grilled, remove to a plate, season with black pepper and Kosher salt. Tent with aluminum foil and let sit for 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute.

Oven Roasted Frites
2 lb Russet Potatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
Kosher Salt (to taste)

Heat oven to 550F (or as hot as your oven will go)
Wash potatoes, julienne. Toss in a bowl with olive oil. Place on baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 20 minutes or until tops of potatoes are slightly browned. Remove from oven and lightly flavour with Kosher Salt.

Slice London Broil into strips. Take Whole Wheat Pita loaves and slice in half. Shred lettuce (I use Romaine), half grape tomatoes, and top with London Broil. Enjoy!

Serves 8.

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Main Course, Recipe, Seafood/Fish

Oriental Glazed Scallops and Zesty Veggie Rice

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Oriental Glazed Scallops

1/2 cup Apricot preserves (sorry, best not to use sugar free here)
3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 tsp Sesame Oil
1 tsp white vinegar
1 lb sea scallops

Turn the broiler on to high, and place oven rack where pan will come no closer than 2″ from heat. Prepare a baking sheet by lining with foil (this greatly assists in clean up!)

Combine preserves, soy sauce, sesame oil, and vinegar together in a medium bowl, then add scallops and toss to coat. Place scallops in a single layer and pour some of the glaze of them. Discard remaining glaze. Broil until scallops are browned and firm (depending on the power of your broiler, this may take anywhere from 8-15 minutes). Be sure to pay attention to them so they don’t overcook and become rubbery. Place 4 ounces of scallops on a plate and garnish with lime and scallions if desired.

Zesty Veggie Rice

2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup white rice
1 cup chopped tomatoes (if you use canned, drain most of the liquid away to keep your rice fluffy)
1 medium green pepper, diced

In a medium saucepan, combine chicken broth, butter and salt and bring to a boil;. Reduce heat, stir in rice. Cover and allow to simmer for about five minutes. Add tomatoes and green pepper, and continue to simmer for about another 15 minutes, or until rice is done to your liking. Remove from heat, allow to stand for another 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Serves 4.

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Main Course, Recipe

Hearty Macaroni & Cheese with Ham (and Spinach Salad)

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Hearty Macaroni & Cheese with Ham

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp all purpose flour
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 cups skim milk
16 ounces medium shell pasta
1/2 lb ham (any type except country), finely diced
2 1/2 cups mixed reduced fat (partially skim) cheddar and mozzarella cheeses
1/2 cup plain or Italian bread crumbs (you can also make your own!)

Cook pasta just shy of al dente (between 1 and 2 minutes shorter than the package recommends). Drain and set to the side.

In a large cooker, make a roux by melting butter and adding in flour. Whisk together until foamy, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add Dijon mustard, stirring together continuously. (Note: the roux will “seize up” this is okay!) Add skim milk and whisk continuously until roux relaxes and combines together. Continue stirring until thickened. Add ham and cheese and stir until cheese is completely melted. Remove from heat, and stir in pasta. Once pasta is completely coated, turn out into a 9x13x2 baking dish. Top with breadcrumbs. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until bubbly and the breadcrumbs are lightly brown. (Serves 6 as a main course, more as an appetizer.)

Spinach Salad with Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette

The Raspberry Vinaigrette and dried cranberries cut through the pungency of the onion for a sweet and tangy taste.

This is just a starting point. Go crazy with the veggies!

12 ounces of spinach, cleaned and dried.
3 large carrots, cut into coins
4 ounces of radishes, sliced
1 medium white (or red) onion, cut into half and then into strips
2 ounces dried cranberries

Using four salad bowls, layer 3 ounces of spinach, 1 ounce of radishes, 1/2 ounce of dried cranberries, carrots and onions to taste. If using other veggies, pile them on as well! Top with Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette.

Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette

1/2 cup raspberry vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 tsp sugar
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped (2 tsp.)
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp Dijon-style mustard
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp dried tarragon, crushed
1 cup water
2 tbsp walnut oil

Combine the vinegar and salt until salt is thoroughly dissolved. Add all other ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate in a tightly covered container. Shake well before using.

Yield: 2 cups. (Serving size: approximately 2 tbs)

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Main Course, Recipe, Salad

Seared Tuna Spinach Salad with Soy Sesame Dressing

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Seared Tuna Spinach Salad

16 oz fresh tuna steaks
1 tbsp olive oil
12 oz baby spinach, rinsed and drained
1 medium red onion, sliced into rings
12 oz white mushrooms, sliced
3 medium carrots, sliced into coins
2 ribs celery, sliced into 1/4″ pieces
sesame seeds
salt and pepper to taste

Place olive oil in skillet and heat to just to smoking. Add tuna steak and sear on each side for 45-60 seconds (tuna will be rare in the interior). Remove from pan, and allow to cool for 3 minutes, before slicing into 1/4″ slices.

Arrange 3 ounces of spinach on each plate, add carrots, red onion, mushrooms, and celery (you may also add any other vegetables you like). Place 4 ounces sliced tuna on each plate, in a star pattern. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper on the side, along with Soy Sesame Dressing.

Soy Sesame Dressing

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon Asian chili sauce
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Serve in small dishes alongside the seared tuna salad.

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