We had dinner with friends last weekend and tried a few new recipes. The main course was a pork loin with maple glaze, and we served this apple parsnip puree on the side.

The original recipe is from Julee Rosso’s book Great Good Food: Luscious Lower Fat Cooking. I changed some of the spices, and made it in the slow cooker, instead of the oven.

I cooked it for about 7 hours, and a few pieces of the parsnip weren’t quite tender. You could chop the parsnip into fairly small pieces (about 1/4”), and cook it a bit longer (7-8 hours), to make sure it’s tender.

Also, I pureed with a hand blender, and it might be easier in the food processor.

Despite that little problem, the puree tasted great, and was an excellent accompaniment for the pork. We’ll have this again, with pork or turkey.

Apple Parsnip Puree

• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 4 large tart apples, such as Granny Smith
• 2 lbs parsnips, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp Chinese 5 spice (or ginger)
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup low fat buttermilk

Directions:

1. Set the slow cooker on low.
2. Combine the lemon juice with 1/4 cup of water in a large bowl.
3. Peel and core the apples, and cut them into eighths. Drop the pieces into the lemon water, and stir to coat them.
4. Place the parsnips into the slow cooker.
5. Add the apples, and the lemon water.
6. Add the chicken broth.
7. Sprinkle with brown sugar, spices and pepper.
8. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours, until parsnip is tender.
9. Add buttermilk, and puree with a hand blender, or in a food processor.
10. Keep warm in slow cooker until ready to serve.

Serves 6

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This recipe came from my Excel friend, Jon, who lives somewhere near Boston. I think they’re legally required to eat beans there, just as we have to use maple syrup here in Canada.

Jon and his family tried this slow cooker recipe and say that it’s really good. We’ve got lots of long, cold nights ahead, so The Chef could try this chili on a day when he has lots of errands to run. Then, when we get home at night, dinner will be waiting for us!

The recipe serves 6, so we’ll probably cut it in half. I’ve never seen diced tomatoes with chiles in the stores here, so we could use regular tomatoes, and a bit more chili powder, or some red pepper flakes.

Update: Jon says, “I used 3 cans each of beans and tomatoes, and it served 3 with a little leftover [with second helpings]…I used regular diced tomatoes, and cut up a couple jalapenos and threw them in. Next time we’re going to add more cumin.” They might add some meat too.

Slow Cooker Black Bean Chili

• 2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) black beans, drained
• 2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes with chiles, drained
• 1 cup corn
• 1 bunch scallions, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, minced (optional)
• 1 container (8 ounces) low-fat sour cream (optional)
• baked tortilla chips (optional)

Directions

1. In a 6-quart slow cooker, combine the beans, tomatoes, corn, scallions, garlic, chili powder, cumin, cocoa powder, salt, and pepper.
2. Cook for 3 to 4 hours on high.
3. Garnish each serving with cilantro and sour cream. Serve with tortilla chips, if using.

Makes 6 servings

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I found this recipe in the November 2009 issue of Real Simple magazine, and talked The Chef into making it. He has bad memories of boiled cabbage, from sometime in his childhood, but agreed to try it anyway.

The recipe was fairly simple, and The Chef added a couple of touches of his own. He cut the ingredients in half, so we didn’t have leftovers.

We both really enjoyed it, and will have it again. It’s a flavour combination that we hadn’t tried before, and it had a bit of a kick, but no cabbage taste. And according to The Chef, that’s a good thing!

Spicy Pork Chops With Red Cabbage

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 4 bone-in pork rib chops (approx 1” thick, 8 oz each)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• salt and black pepper
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1/3 small head red cabbage, thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in large skillet over medium heat.
2. Season pork with cumin, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper.
3. Cook until browned and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes per side.
4. Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tbsp oil in second large skillet over medium-high heat.
5. Cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Add cabbage, raisins, vinegar, 1/4 cup water, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper.
7. Cook, covered, tossing occasionally, until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
8. Stir in the dill, and serve with the pork.

Serves 4.

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I found this recipe in a Betty Crocker Casseroles and One Dish Meals booklet. It’s nice and easy, and something a little different than the standard beef casserole.

If you don’t like lamb though, you could make this with ground beef.

Greek Lamb and Orzo

• 1 lb ground lamb
• 2 cans (16 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 medium stalk celery, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground red pepper
• Plain yoghurt (optional)

1. Cook lamb in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink.
2. Drain fat from the skillet.
3. Stir in tomatoes, celery, pasta, salt and red pepper.
4. Heat to boiling; reduce heat.
5. Cover and simmer about 12 minutes, stirring frequently, until tomato liquid is absorbed and orzo is tender.
6. Serve with yoghurt.

Makes 4 servings.

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We haven’t had this pasta for a long time, but it’s very good, and would be perfect for a cool fall supper. The recipe is from Quickies 2, which is packed with easy, tasty meal ideas.

The ingredients in this pasta are good for your health too, so you don’t even have to feel guilty while you enjoy this.

The recipe makes quite a bit of pasta, so we’d have leftovers for lunch the next day. Or, we could cook less pasta, and freeze some of the sauce to use later.

Serve a nice tossed salad on the side, and it’s a great supper.

Penne With Tomato and Beans

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 19-oz can kidney beans
• 1 pound whole wheat penne, cooked
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1. Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil, about 5 minutes.
2. Add tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.
3. Stir in kidney beans.
4. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until thickened, stirring frequently.
5. Toss with penne and Parmesan.

Serves 6 to 8.

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We’ve got a few acorn squash in the garden this year, and it looks like they’re almost ready to eat. I’m not a big fan, but The Chef likes them.

However, this recipe looks pretty good, as far as acorn squash recipes go. Maybe we can try it with some of the harvest.

The recipe is from Quickies: Ten Quick Ways with Everyday Foods. The recipe doesn’t say to pierce the squash, but I always poke it with a fork a couple of times before microwaving.

Garlic Ginger Squash

• 1 acorn squash
• 2 – 3 tsp butter
• 1 crushed garlic clove
• 3 thin slices fresh ginger

1. Microwave the squash on high, for 3 minutes.
2. Peel it, and thinly slice, discarding the seeds.
3. Cut the squash into bite sized pieces
4. Sauté in butter, with garlic and ginger.
5. Sprinkle with pinches of salt and pepper.

Serves 2.

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Next weekend, we’re going to a pot luck dinner, and we might take this tasty potato salad. It’s delicious, even if it’s a little high in fat, thanks to the bacon. I like to make this with red potatoes, for a nice touch of colour.

Potato Salad With Bacon

• 1-1/2 lbs new potatoes
• salt and pepper
• 4 slices bacon
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp dried dill

1. In large pot, cover potatoes with water.
2. Add 1 tsp salt, and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes
3. Drain, and run under cold water until cool.
4. Cut potatoes into quarters.
5. Meanwhile, cook bacon in skillet over medium high heat, until crispy, about 6 minutes.
6. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.
7. When cooled, crumble bacon.
8. In large bowl, whisk oil, vinegar, mustard, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
9. Toss dressing with potatoes, bacon and dill.

Note: Salad can be prepared 1 day ahead, then add the bacon just before serving.

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The chef has been extra wonderful this week, making dinners from the low glycemic index cookbook that I bought at Costco last weekend. It’s The G.I. Diet Menopause Clinic — the latest in a series by Canadian author, Rick Gallop.

The book has 13 weeks of optional menu plans and grocery lists, and about 80 pages of recipes. We’ve adapted some of them, to include ingredients that we prefer, and followed the instructions exactly for some of the others.

Monday was Lemon Linguine with Smoked Salmon, which the chef changed to “with Sliced Ham”. We added a bit more liquid than the recipe called for, and it was very good.

Tuesday we had Cheesy Lentil and Bean Bake, which I really enjoyed. The chef ate most of his, but would prefer something with ground beef, instead of all those beans.

Wednesday, the chef grilled himself a small steak, and I had grilled back bacon.

Thursday we had braised halibut. I’m not a fish lover, but this was so good that I had the leftovers in a tossed salad today. Here’s the chef’s adaptation of the recipe, and a picture of the finished dish.

Braised Halibut on Spinach

• 1 pkg (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach
• 1 lb Pacific halibut
• 1 tbsp grainy mustard
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp grated lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup water

1. Preheat oven to 375°F
2. In medium saucepan, bring 1/2 cup water to boil. Add frozen spinach, cover and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until thawed.
3. Drain spinach in colander, and squeeze out as much water as possible.
4. Rinse and pat fish dry with paper towel.
5. In small bowl, mix mustards, lemon zest and pepper. Coat fish on all sides with this mixture, and set aside.
6. In large ovenproof frying pan, heat oil over medium-high heat.
7. Add garlic and onion and cook for 8 minutes, or until softened.
8. Reduce heat to medium and stir in spinach and salt.
9. Pour in water, and place fish on top of spinach mixture.
10. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until fish just flakes with a fork.

Serves 4.

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The chef made a fabulous pasta this week, and we both rated it as one of the best things he’s ever cooked. We can’t wait to have it again!

He agreed to share the recipe, which he concocted by himself, from a mixture of other recipes. There’s a picture of the finished dish at the bottom of the recipe. Yummy!

Pasta Carbonara

• 6 slices Prosciutto
• 2 cups mushrooms
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup cream
• Pepper to taste
• Parmesan cheese (grated)
• Fresh curly parsley a few sprigs
• Fresh Italian parsley a few sprigs
• Fresh garlic chives
• 1 package fresh pasta (I used Olivieri 350 grams linguine — about 2/3 pkg)

1. Slice mushrooms, dice prosciutto, dice parsleys and chives and set aside.
2. Place pasta in pot with enough water, a dash of salt and a bit of olive oil bring to boil and cook until el dente.
3. In large mixing bowl beat egg with the cream and add pepper and set aside
4. Next while the pasta is cooking sauté the mushrooms in olive oil and a bit of butter as the pasta is almost ready add the prosciutto and herbs to the mushrooms.
5. When pasta is ready drain and toss in the egg and cream and add  parmesan and mix in the sautéed mushrooms mixture.

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Last week the chef made a lovely grilled rack of lamb, and he emailed me the recipe so I could post it here. Yes, that’s right – he emailed it – all the way from the kitchen laptop to my office upstairs. I’ll bet we’re not the only people who email within their own house though!

Anyway, here’s his top secret recipe. And when he says to watch carefully, you should take his advice. He turned his back on ours for about 5 minutes, and we almost lost it! It was engulfed in flames, and the chef risked life and limb to retrieve it.

So, it was a little crispy on the outside, but moist and flavourful, and done to perfection inside.

Grilled Rack of Lamb

• 1 rack of lamb (we used Australian from Costco)
• 1 heaping tbsp Dijon
• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• One stem of Rosemary (Cut in thirds)

1. Mix all ingredients in a bag with the rack of lamb
2. Place in fridge until ready to BBQ (1-2 hours)
3. Set BBQ on medium and place rack on
4. Spread remainder of marinade on rack
5. Watch carefully turning occasionally for approx. 5 minutes a side for medium rare

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