Breakfast for Dinner? It's well worth the effort.

Endeavoring to enhance my culinary skills, I wanted to try a recipe this week that would be a little more challenging than what I had tried previously.  Searching the web for recipes specifically listed as “difficult” I knew I had a winner the minute I found the recipe we are featuring in today’s post.

Having been a long time fan of crepes, primarily those filled with jams and other sweet goodies, I had never thought to prepare them myself because I had always found them a bit intimidating.  It takes a while to prepare crepes properly.  I was always into immediate gratification. Anyway, who would ever have considered crepes as part of a weight loss program?  Certainly not I.  Surprise!!

This particular crepe recipe is a savory dish perfect for any meal, including dinner.  It was a little challenging at first, but the result was delicious.  Judy and I will definitely include new and different varieties of crepes again as part of our future meal planning.

There are several steps involved in the preparation and cooking of our featured dish.  Each step must be followed in the proper order.  In the end you will have a winning dish that both satisfies and amazes you and your dinner companions.

Note: I find it helpful with any of the recipes I prepare to measure out all of the ingredients ahead of time, so that everything is ready when it's needed.  This is especially important with a complicated recipe such as today's.

From our kitchen to yours. Enjoy the adventure.

Ham and Mushroom Crepes

Ingredients

Crepe

Ham and Mushroom Crepes

½ cup whole wheat flour, all natural

¼ tsp Salt

¾ cup low fat Milk 2%

2 large Eggs

Sauce

¾ cup low fat Milk, 2%

¾ cup Chicken Broth, fat free, low sodium

3 Tbsp whole wheat Flour, all natural

3 Tbsp Dry Sherry

1/8 tsp Nutmeg, ground

1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1/8 tsp Black Pepper, freshly ground

½ cup Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated

1 Tbsp Parsley, chopped

Filling

8 oz. Cremini Mushrooms, sliced, about 2 cups

3 cloves Garlic, minced

2 Tbsp Dry sherry

1 Tbsp Parsley, chopped

¼ tsp Salt

6 oz cooked Ham, thinly sliced, about 1 oz per slice

Instructions

To prepare the Crepes, Combine the flour and Salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the Milk and Eggs in a separate bowl. Slowly whisk the Milk and Egg mixture into the Flour mixture until smooth. Let stand at least 15 minutes.

Spray a small nonstick skillet or crepe pan with cooking spray and set over medium heat. Stir the batter and pour ¼ cup of the mixture into the skillet, tilting in all directions to form a thin, even layer. Cook until the top is set and the bottom is golden, about 1 – 1 ½ minutes. Flip the crepe and cook the other side about 15 – 20 seconds until golden.  Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter to make 6 crepes. Remember to spray the skillet between crepes.  Cover all crepes loosely with plastic wrap and set aside.

To prepare the Sauce, Whisk together the Milk, Chicken broth, Flour, 3 Tbsp of Sherry, Nutmeg, Cayenne Pepper, and Black Pepper in a medium saucepan until smooth.  Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 6 – 7 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in the Cheese and 1 Tbsp of the Parsley; Cover and keep warm.

To prepare the Filling, Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set over medium high heat.  Add the Mushrooms, Garlic, and Salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until the Mushrooms soften, about 5 – 6 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 Tbsp of Sherry and cook until the liquid evaporates, about 1 – 2 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 1 Tbsp of Parsley.  Let cool slightly for a minute or two.

Final assembly of Crepes. Preheat oven to 450°F. Spray a 7 x 11 inch, or similar, baking dish with cooking spray.  Arrange the crepes side by side on a flat work surface.  Lay one slice of Ham on each crepe.  Spread each with 1 Tablespoon of the sauce and about 2 Tablespoons of the Mushrooms, 1/6^th of the total.  Roll up the Crepes, jelly-roll style, and transfer to the baking dish. Spoon the remaining sauce over the Crepes to cover.  Bake until the sauce is bubbly and lightly browned, about 15 minutes.

Yields 1 Crepe per serving.  PointsPlus value per serving is 5.  It’s OK to splurge and have 2.    Prep time is about 25 minutes. Cooking time is about 45 minutes. Level of difficulty is Difficult, but worth it.

Weight Watchers and PointsPlus are registered trademarks of Weight Watchers Intl. Inc.

Recipes shown may not be exactly the same as those found on any website. Judy and I "tweak" each recipe we feature, to some degree, incorporating our own unique tastes. PointsPlus values, however, are accurate. 

Photo by Barry Baruh

Peking Duck Wraps

Here is a recipe I discovered while looking for something new and unusual to prepare.  We’ve done a Duck recipe before and it was fantastic, so I wanted to try another one and compare the results. Both were great!

If Peking Duck is a favorite of yours, you’ll love this easy to assemble and easy to eat version.  The only drawback was…there wasn’t enough.  The recipe makes only two servings. This was so delicious that had we made more, we would have eaten all of it.

This was one of the most fun dishes we have prepared.  Give it a try; we’re sure you’ll love it.

From our kitchen to yours. Enjoy the adventure.

Ingredients

Peking Duck Wrap

4 ½ Tbsp Hoisin sauce.

2 Tbsp Sake, rice wine

4 tsp Honey

1 Tbsp low sodium Soy sauce

1/8 tsp five-spice Chinese blend seasoning

½ pound uncooked Duck breast, skin removed

2 small Tortillas, 6 inch, fat-free, flour

½ medium Cucumber, peeled, seeded, cut lengthwise into thin strips

1 medium Scallion, green part only, cut into thin strips

Instructions

Combine 3 Tablespoons of the Hoisin sauce, Sake, 3 teaspoons of the Honey, soy sauce and 5-spice seasoning in a plastic zip-lock bag; add the Duck breast. Squeeze out any air, seal the bag and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to overnight. Turn occasionally to completely coat the Duck.

Combine the remaining 1 ½ Tbsp of Hoisin sauce and 1 teaspoon of Honey in a small bowl and set aside in the Fridge while Duck is marinating.

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a 10 x 15 inch glass pan with foil.  Stand a wire rack in the pan.  Spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray.

Remove the Duck breast from the marinade. Discard the marinating sauce and place the Duck in the wire rack.  Bake until the Duck is cooked through, about 17 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, cover with foil and let the Duck rest about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, wrap the Tortillas in a damp towel and microwave on high about 45 seconds.  Thinly slice the Duck, against the grain. Spread half of the reserved Hoisin/Honey sauce on each Tortilla. Top each with half of the Cucumber, Scallion and Duck. Wrap the Tortilla around the filling and serve at once.

Yields 1 wrap per serving (sadly).  PointsPlus value per serving is 8. Level of difficulty is Easy. Prep time is about 15 minutes.  Cooking time is about 17 minutes.

Note: You can turn this into a party canapé if you like by simply cutting each wrap into several pieces, holding them together with a toothpick and coating each with a little sauce.

Weight Watchers and PointsPlus are registered trademarks of Weight Watchers intl. Inc.

Recipes shown may not be exactly the same as those found on any website. Judy and I "tweak" each recipe we feature, to some degree, incorporating our own unique tastes. PointsPlus values, however, are accurate. 

Photo by Barry Baruh

Veal Milanese

Our son Aaron is studying abroad this semester, in Italy. We’ve been texting him a lot lately, and for some strange reason I’ve been craving some good, home-cooked Italian food.   

Although Aaron is in Bella Roma,  beautiful Rome, we chose a recipe for this evenings meal with a history more associated with the north of Italy, in Milan.  Our featured recipe for today is Veal Milanese.  It’s melt-in-your-mouth divine.  The lemon-caper sauce brings the Veal and Pasta together in a marriage of cinematic proportions. 

Play some Italian Opera, softly in the background, as you enjoy this marvelous dish.

From our kitchen to yours. Enjoy the adventure.

Ingredients

3 Tbsp all-purpose flour.  We used whole grain all natural flour.

2 tsp Garlic Herb seasoning, salt free

2 garlic cloves, medium, minced

½ tsp Salt, or to taste

¼ tsp Black Pepper, freshly ground

1 pound Veal cutlet, four 4 ounce pieces, tenderized and pounded. Your butcher can do this for you or you can try it yourself.

1 Tbsp Olive oil

½ cup reduced sodium Chicken broth, fat free

¼ cup fresh Lemon juice

2 Tbsp Capers

2 cups cooked whole grain spaghetti, kept hot.

Instructions

In a large zip lock baggie combine Flour, Garlic herb seasoning, Salt and Pepper.

Place tenderized and pounded Veal cutlets in the baggie and shake to coat. Set aside.

Heat Oil and Garlic in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add Veal and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Add Chicken Broth, Lemon juice, and capers; simmer until sauce thickens and Veal is cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Divide Pasta among 4 plates and top each with a cutlet. Spoon sauce over the top.

Yields 4 servings.  PointsPlus value per serving is 7. Level of difficulty is Moderate. Prep time is about 15 minutes. Cooking time is about 10 minutes.

Weight Watchers and PointsPlus are registered trademarks of Weight Watchers intl. Inc.

Recipes shown may not be exactly the same as those found on any website. Judy and I "tweak" each recipe we feature, to some degree, incorporating our own unique tastes. PointsPlus values, however, are accurate. 

Photo by Barry Baruh

Chicken Tagine with Apricots and Couscous

Judy and I enjoyed a wonderful dinner this evening, a Moroccan dish combining Chicken, Dried Apricots and Couscous, with slivered Almonds.  As you have seen from past posts, we can’t stay away from Couscous for very long. It’s become one of our favorite sides. This dish is so good that it will be hard not to go back for seconds.  You’re in luck.  At only seven points per serving you can split your seconds with your best friend. You may as well enjoy yourself.  You deserve it, don't you?

From our kitchen to yours. Enjoy the adventure.

Chicken Tagine with Apricots and Couscous

Ingredients

4 Dried Apricots, cut in half lengthwise

1 cup Fat Free Chicken broth, low sodium

1 pound Chicken Breast, boneless, skinless, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 Tbsp All Purpose Whole Wheat flour

1 medium Onion, chopped

½ tsp ground Cinnamon

1 Tbsp Honey

¼ cup Slivered Almonds

1/8 tsp Salt

1/8 tsp Pepper black, fresh ground

2 cups Couscous, cooked, hot

Instructions

In a small saucepan, bring Apricots and Chicken broth to a simmer, set aside

Coat a large, non-stick skillet with cooking spray and place over High heat. Toss Chicken with Flour in a plastic bag and sauté Chicken until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in Onion and reduce heat to low. Cook until Onion is soft and tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in cinnamon and Honey, to coat.

Stir in Apricots, Broth and Almonds, season to taste with Salt and pepper.

Simmer about 10 minutes and serve over Couscous.

Yields about 3 ounces of Chicken, ¼ cup of sauce and ½ cup of Couscous per serving.  PointsPlus value per serving is 7.  Prep time is 15 minutes. Cooking time is about 30 minutes. Level of difficulty is Moderate.

Weight Watchers and PointsPlus are registered trademarks of Weight Watchers intl. Inc.

Recipes shown may not be exactly the same as those found on any website. Judy and I "tweak" each recipe we feature, to some degree, incorporating our own unique tastes. PointsPlus values, however, are accurate. 

Photo by Barry Baruh

Chicken Teriyaki with Broccoli

When plans change at the last minute, as they did with Judy and me this evening, and instead of going out to dinner you have to prepare one all of a sudden, something quick and easy is the best answer. The recipe we chose to solve the problem worked out beautifully.

Judy and I were on vacation last week, enjoying some Southern California desert sun, playing golf, shopping and eating out.  If truth be told I may have even gained a pound or two, or three.  Upon our return home we flipped a coin to see who would be doing the cooking this week and Judy won. So I am doing the cooking.  Apparently Judy is still in vacation mode.  However, since we hadn’t eaten at our favorite Italian restaurant, Forli in Alamo, for a few weeks we had decided to put off cooking for one more night and splurge just one last time. But, as things sometimes have a funny way of working out, we will be going to Forli tomorrow evening instead. Hence, the aforementioned change.

I needed to prepare something quickly with the limited stock we had on hand at home using chicken breasts, broccoli, and some frozen brown rice from Trader Joe’s.  That was about all we had in inventory.  After a quick web search I decided on something with an Asian flair, one of my favorites, Chicken Teriyaki.

From first thought to dining table this savory dish takes only about half an hour to create. 

From our kitchen to yours. Enjoy the adventure.

Chicken Teriyaki with Broccoli

Ingredients

Chicken Teriyaki with Broccoli

1 spray of cooking spray

4 cloves of garlic, minced medium

1 pound Chicken Breast, boneless and skinless, cut into 1 inch pieces

4 medium Scallions, chopped

½ cup fat free, low sodium Chicken broth

3 Tbsp Teriyaki sauce

2 cups Brown Rice, cooked, we prefer Trader Joe’s Organic microwavable

1/4 tsp Red Pepper flakes

4 cups Broccoli florets, steamed

  

Instructions

Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and cook Garlic and Red Pepper flakes, over medium-high heat for about 1 minute.

Add Chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.

Add Scallions and cook until soft, about 2 minutes.  Add Broth and Teriyaki sauce, simmer until Chicken is cooked through and sauce reduces slightly.

Spoon ½ cup Rice into a shallow bowl. , spoon about 1 cup of Chicken mixture and ½ cup of Broccoli over Rice.

Yields 4 servings, Weight Watchers PointsPlus value per serving is 7. Prep time is about 15 minutes. Cooking time is about 15 minutes. Level of difficulty is Easy.

Weight Watchers and PointsPlus are registered trademarks of Weight Watchers intl. Inc.

Recipes shown may not be exactly the same as those found on any website. Judy and I "tweak" each recipe we feature, to some degree, incorporating our own unique tastes. PointsPlus values, however, are accurate. 

Photo by Barry Baruh