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This is a new feature to share readers' favorite recipes and tips. 
Please send your favorite to gail@gailmartin.com 

Grilled Beef (Tri-tip) w/Marinated Mushrooms
Chocolate Angel Food Cake with Strawberries
Spinach Frittata
Chicken with Black Cherry Sauce, Stuffed with Wild Rice
 Sweet Potato Casserole
Broccoli Cheddar Soup 
Quick Sugar-free Pineapple Pudding
Southern  Cheese  Ball
Banana Pudding Squares 
Chicken Chalupa
Easy, Yummy Meatballs
Frozen Lemon Pudding 
Williamsburg Sweet Potato Casserole
Walnut Maple Cookies

 
Grilled Beef (Tri-tip) w/Marinated Mushrooms

Summer is a time for outdoor grilling and picnics.  Nothing tastes better than a grilled steak.  Here is an alternative recipe for a different cut of beef that will be tender and delicious at half the cost of a London broil.  This recipe came from Jen Cote owner of The New Deli, Pinole, CA

London broil will do fine, but here's an unknown piece of beef known as the tri-tip roast or steak  is a great find.  This piece of beef is sometimes called a triangle roast and is the 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 pounds of meat that sits at the bottom of the sirloin. Not only does it have a great flavor, but also tends to be lower in fat than most other cuts, so it's a good lean cut. Of course this means that it can dry out faster, but with a good marinade you really can't go wrong with this cut.
Marinate a Tri-Tip Roast in a simple marinade in a zip-lock bag. Add to bag: 

2-3 lb. Tri-Tip or London Broil
¼ c. red wine vinegar
¼ c. soy sauce
1 TBS. sugar

Let marinate for a day or more. 
Marinate mushrooms for a day . To another Ziploc bag, add:

10 oz. fresh mushrooms
¼ c. olive oil

Toss the mushrooms around in the bag until they've absorbed the oil.

Next, add to bag: 

¼ c. soy sauce
¼ c. balsamic vinegar 
(Optional: fresh garlic and fresh herbs)

Drain the marinade from the beef and the mushrooms into a sauce pan, boiling until it reaches a thicker, sauce-like consistency.

Grill the beef until the meat thermometer reads 120 degrees for medium rare.  The beef will be pink on the inside.  Add degrees for meat more well done but this can cause the beef to be less tender.  Serve the meat with the mushrooms, with sauce on the side.


Chocolate Angel Food Cake with Strawberries.

 My author friend, Dorothy Bodoin, http://www.dorothybodoin.com , sent out this recipe in her newsletter.  The recipe was one of her mother's handwritten ones and was made the old fashioned way with sifting flour five times and using a wire whisk for the egg whites.  Today with the new refined flour and hand mixers, you can do this more quickly.  The recipe is fairly low-fat and if you use artificial sugar and low-fat products, it can be an excellent low fat dessert.  Otherwise make it as is and indulge for that special day.  Enjoy this recipe from Dorothy.

 
Ingredients:

1 ¾ cups sugar
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cups egg whites
¼ teaspoon black walnut extract

Sift flour once, then measure 4 level teaspoons cocoa. Sift flour, sugar, cocoa and salt together.  Beat egg whites with mixer until foamy. Add cream of tartar and continue whipping rapidly until egg whites are stiff.  Add extracts and whip in well. Sift in dry ingredients with left hand and fold in carefully with right hand. Do not beat.  Place dough in ungreased tube pan and bake in slow preheated oven 1 hour (325 degrees). 

Remove cake from oven and invert pan. Let cool, then cover with  a whipped topping (for me, sugar free cool whip) and add the strawberries

Spinach Frittata
Serves 4-6, or more as an appetizer. 

Recipe from Jenny Cote at The New Deli, Pinole, CA

Eggs are always a breakfast or brunch favorite and this recipe is excellent for a Sunrise Breakfast at your church or any afternoon party.  They may be served warm or cold and cut into squares for appetizers.  Be creative and try one of the alternative frittatas below.

Prepare cheese by grating:  8 oz Jack cheese, divided in half (half is for the topping)
Mix well with 6 eggs
Then add to the mixture: 
12 oz. Ricotta cheese
One 8 oz. bag frozen spinach 
1 c. or so grated Jack cheese
6 TBS. flour
¾ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. salt

Mix well.  Pour into buttered 13x9" dish, and top with: 
3 or 4 tomatoes, sliced
Then add 1 c. more of reserved, grated cheese

Bake at 375° for 30 min., until golden on top. Broil a few minutes longer, if you want a toastier cheese on top.  Serve warm or room-temperature. Cut into smaller pieces to serve as an appetizer.

Variations:

Artichoke Frittata:
Omit spinach, salt, and 6 TBS. flour from the Spinach recipe. 
Instead use: 
Three 6.5oz. jars marinated artichoke hearts, not drained 
½ c. flour

Green Chile Frittata:
Omit spinach, Jack cheese, and 6 TBS. flour from the spinach recipe.
Instead use: 
Two 7 oz. cans green chiles 
8 oz. Cheddar cheese, grated
½ c. flour

 

Chicken with Black Cherry Sauce, Stuffed with Wild Rice

Another recipe from the New Deli in Pinole, CA 
This recipe makes a double amount of the Wild Rice Stuffing. It makes a great side dish later in the week, and keeps well, so I like making extra. Use any amount of chicken breasts, according to how many you'll be feeding. This recipe will serve 8, plus extra Wild Rice.

Prepare Wild Rice Stuffing ahead of time, even a day earlier. In pot with a lid, bring to boil:
3 1/2 c. water 
Add the following to the pot, to precook the wild rice:
1 c. wild rice
3-4 bay leaf
1 carrot, peeled, left whole to cook until tender 
Let simmer 1-2 hrs. After pre-cooking, remove carrot, let cool, then dice. Set aside. Add to wild rice in pot, bringing to boil:
3 c. water 
Add rice and, then simmer with a lid on for 15 min. more:
2 c. white rice (if using brown, cook 40 min. or so) 
Grill in pan until tender:
1 small onion, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
the pre-cooked, diced carrot
hearty splash of olive oil 
To the pot of cooked rice, add:
The grilled celery, onion, carrot
2 1/2  tsp. Vege-sal (found at Health Food Stores) or seasoned salt.
1 1/2 c. toasted walnuts
1/3 c. frozen orange concentrate
1/2 tsp. thyme  
 
In 13 x 9 " dish, use:
8 chicken breasts with skin on
Lift skin from the chicken and stuff with:
The cooked Wild Rice mixture
 
Bake at 375° for 50 min. or so, until chicken is golden and cooked through. Meanwhile, make Black Cherry Sauce.
 
*** If you want less calories for this meal, remove the chicken skin, flatten the breasts and wrap it around the rice stuffing.
 
Black Cherry Sauce 
 Drain one 8 oz. can of pitted black cherries, set cherries aside, use juice in sauce. Mix together in sauce pan:
Juice of 8 oz. can black cherries
plus enough stock or more black cherry juice to make 1 1/2 c. liquid
3 TBS. brown sugar
1 TBS. cornstarch 
Turn pan on high, stirring until it comes to a boil. Lower heat, let sauce cook 1 min. more, then add reserved cherries. Serve over the chicken.

 

Jen Cote shares her recipes from her New Deli restaurant. It's a great casserole for Thanksgiving or anytime of the year.

                                   Sweet Potato Casserole

Look for sweet potatoes that will bake well. Avoid huge ones (over a pound each) that have rounder shapes, as they don't cook through to the middle as well. Modify the recipe if necessary; for low-fat, you can omit the egg yolks, and use milk instead of cream. For dairy-free, you can substitute soy milk for cream and eggs, and olive oil for the butter. Serves 6 or so. 

2 sweet [potatoes (weighing approx. 2-1/2 lbs total)
2 eggs
1/4 C. cream
1 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp. vanilla

Bake in oven at 375°, sweet potato one hour or so, until tender Let potatoes cool, then slip skins off. In bowl, mash w/ potato masher or fork, then add to bowl eggs, cream, olive oil and vanilla

Put mixture into oiled casserole dish or 8" sq. pan. Top with mixture of the following:

1/2 c. brown sugar 
1/4 c. flour
1/2 c. pecans, chopped
2 TBS. soft butter

Bake at 375° for 35 min., until topping is golden brown. 

Southern  Cheese  Ball

 
I’ve gotten tons of raves about this cheese ball – and it can be used for a sandwich / cracker spread as well.  In fact, I use it more to create classic appetizers /hors d'oeuvres, etc.  I've never made another since this one was shared with me.  If you like Hidden Valley Ranch flavor, you'll adore this!
 
2       Tablespoon  Onion  --  Grated
2       Tablespoon  Green Pepper  --  Grated
2       8  oz.  Packages  Cream  Cheese
1       Package Hidden Valley Ranch Mix –
         (Smallest Packet)
 
Mix with electric mixer.  Then, wet your hands, and shape the mixture into a ball.
Roll in chopped nuts if desired. Absolutely  Delicious!
                                                From a Reader


 When author Terry Fowler is looking for a low fat dessert for a festive occasion, she uses this wonderful and yummy recipe. Check out Terry's website: www.terryfowler.net
 

Banana Pudding Squares 

Makes: 24 servings
35 reduced fat  vanilla wafers, finely crushed
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) margarine, melted
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese  softened (low fat works well)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip Free thawed, divided
3 bananas
3 cups cold fat free milk
2 pkg. (4-serving size each) Vanilla Flavor Fat Free Sugar Free Pudding & Pie Filling
1/2 square Semi-Sweet baking chocolate, grated
COMBINE wafer crumbs and margarine; press firmly onto bottom of 13x9-inch dish. Refrigerate while preparing filling.
MIX cream cheese and sugar until well blended. Stir in 1-1/2 cups of the whipped topping; spread carefully onto crust. Set aside. Cut bananas crosswise in half, then cut each piece lengthwise in half. Arrange over cheese mixture.
POUR milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. Spoon over bananas. Spread with remaining whipped topping. Sprinkle with chocolate. Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving. Store any leftover dessert in refrigerator.

From Patti Shenberger:  

This recipe is so easy and quick to make. I love it for nights when we have things going on, or even when I get home from work and I'm tired and don't want to make a big meal. You can cook the chicken ahead of time and grab it already cooked from the frig and continue on toward dinner. The Fritos give it an even crunchier taste and kids go bonkers for it. 

Chicken Chalupa

Grease the bottom of a casserole dish and crush Fritos or nacho chips in
bottom. Top with cooked chicken, turkey, beef, etc. Mix together 1 can
cream of mushroom soup (or you can use any other creamed soup) and 1 large
container of sour cream. Pour over chicken. Cover liberally with grated
cheese (any kind works but I like jack and cheddar. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, then brown top under broiler until cheese sizzles. 

 

From Renne Uitto

Everyone needs appetizers for a party, and this recipe is easy and delicious.


Easy, Yummy Meatballs


Get a pack of frozen meatballs, either size, depending on what you need.  
1 jar (16 oz.) barbeque sauce
1 (10 oz.) grape jelly
Add the meatballs, grape jelly, and barbeque sauce to the slow cooker.  Mix well and cook on low for about 2-3 hrs


From An Author Friend Jane Perrine at www.janemyersperrine.com  

When I was growing up, my parents were very careful about sweets. We didn't have dessert or sugary snack. But when company came for dinner, Mother would fix this. There was always a little left over my brother, sister and I could have--if we got to it before my father. Making this reminds me of my childhood and my family.  

Frozen Lemon Pudding 


3 eggs
4 tsp lemon juice (real)
½ cup sugar
½ pint whipped cream
½ pound vanilla wafers, rolled
¼ lemon rind 

Make a custard of 3 egg yolks and one white + sugar. 
Cook over water until blended, add juice and rind.
COOL.  
Add 2 beaten egg whites and whipped cream. 
Line pan (Mom always used ice cube trays without the dividers) with crumbs and pour in custard. 
Sprinkle with crumbs. Let freeze several hours.

Williamsburg Sweet Potato Casserole

from Phyllis Patterson of Virginia

You won't use another recipe for sweet potato casserole after you try this one. Great for all seasons! 
E n j o y !


3 Cups Mashed Sweet Potatoes
1 Cup White Granulated Sugar
½ Cup Melted Butter - (pure)
2 Eggs, Beaten - (organic)
1 Teaspoon Vanilla - (pure)
1/3 Cup Sweet Milk


Combine and mix all ingredients.
Pour in an 8' x 8' preferred style pan -- (Pyrex, Corning, etc.)

TOPPING:

½ Cup Packed brown sugar
¼ Cup All purpose flour
2 ½ Tablespoons Butter
½ Cup Chopped pecans


Sprinkle over potatoes.
Bake @ 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

When served on your individual plate, Cool Whip spooned over top is great! Serves 6.

Walnut Maple Cookies

from Karen Coppes of Vancouver, Washington

These cookies are not only delicious but were used at a depression recovery seminar in NYC after 9/11. Omega-3 is a very good nutrient for people suffering with depression, grief, and loss. So this is a good one that.

2 1/2 cups walnuts, ground in food processor
2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup flaxseed meal
1/3 cup carob chips
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. Maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla

1. In a small bowl add all the ingredients in the given order. Mix well.
2. Spray a large cookie sheet and preheat the over to 350.
3. Drop dough on cookie sheet with a spoon and flatten with a fork.
4. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown, checking often to prevent burning.
5. Let cool before removing from the cookie sheet.

Makes one dozen.

Quick Sugar-free Pineapple Pudding

From reader -- Margaret Boos


1 can crushed pineapple
1 1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons tapioca
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup berries (to garnish if desired)

Mix the crushed pineapple with it's juice, milk, and the tapioca in a pot. 
Heat over medium heat, while stirring frequently. Turn heat down when it 
begins to simmer and stir for about 10 minutes until thickened. Remove from 
heat and stir in vanilla (mixture should be clear) Pour into pudding cups 
or small bowl and garnish with berries if desired Enjoy!!!


Broccoli Cheddar Soup 

Jen Cote


Jen Cote, in her new recipe newsletter, came up with the following recipe to keep her customers at The New Deli healthy and happy. You can use a strainer to press the well-cooked celery through if you don't have a processor, or even just use the celery broth, discarding the celery after cooking. Serves 6-8. 

Ingredients:

1/2 bunch of celery
2 Tbsp olive oil and 1/4 cup olive oil for the roue
1/4 cup flour
4 to 8 oz, cheddar cheese 
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup cream (if desired)
1 head of broccoli 

In pressure cooker or medium pot, add celery peeled of outer strings and cut into 4 inch chunks and cook in enough water to cover. Cook until quite soft and tender: Reserve broth, processing (or blending) the cooked celery until smooth. To celery in processor, add the 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Strain out strings if necessary and set aside.

Meanwhile, in sauce pan, make a roux of the 1/4 of olive oil and flour. Add reserved celery broth to the roux, stirring until smooth. Heat it to boiling, stirring, and cooking 2 minutes more. To that sauce pan, add salt and the cheddar cheese, stirring until melted Then add the processed celery and cream, if desired. You now have a great soup base. When ready to serve, add the finely chopped broccoli. Reheat soup in the sauce pan for ten minutes, or microwave for several minutes, until broccoli is tender.

 

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