Friday, November 30, 2007

Orzo Salad

Ingredients
8 ounces orzo
1 cup fresh, chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup pitted, halved olives
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh, chopped parsley
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper

Cooking Instructions
1. Bring 1 gallon of well-salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain well and let cool.

2. Place the orzo in a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, olives, red wine vinegar and olive oil. Mix well. Add the fresh herbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

This recipe serves: 10
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Orzo Salad [Recipe Brought to you by FoodFit]

Baked Ziti

Ingredients
1/2 pound ziti pasta
4 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 1/2 cloves garlic, crushed
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
2 cups tomato sauce
1/3 cup fresh, chopped basil
1 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
2/3 cup grated, fat-free mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cooking Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Bring 1/2 gallon of salted water to boil. Add the ziti and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.

3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more, season with salt and pepper, and brown.

4. Add the tomato sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning.

5. In a large mixing bowl, toss the ziti, sauce, basil and ricotta cheese together. Transfer to a casserole dish and sprinkle with the grated cheeses. (This can be made ahead and stored unbaked in the refrigerator up to 2 days, or it can be frozen.)

6. Bake until the cheese is bubbly and brown and the dish is thoroughly heated, about 15 to 20 minutes; bake longer if the dish has been refrigerated.

This recipe serves: 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Baked Ziti [Recipe Brought to you by FoodFit]

Spinach, Grapefruit and Almond Salad

Ingredients
For the vinaigrette:
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
1/3 cup olive oil
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:
1/2 cup slivered almonds
4 cups spinach, cleaned and torn into bite-size pieces
1 grapefruit, peeled and sectioned

Cooking Instructions
For the vinaigrette:
1. Place all the ingredients in a container with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well.
2. Add the salt and pepper to taste.

For the salad:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
3. Place the spinach in a bowl and toss with the vinaigrette.
4. Transfer the dressed spinach leaves to a serving plate. Arrange the grapefruit sections on top and sprinkle with the almonds.

This recipe serves: 6
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes

Spinach, Grapefruit and Almond Salad [Recipe Brought to you by FoodFit]

Penne with Summer Squash, Zucchini and Sugar Snap Peas

Ingredients
1 pound penne rigate
1 cup Basic ... Stock, or low-sodium canned ... stock
1/2 pound summer squash, seeded and julienned
1/2 pound zucchini, seeded and julienned
1/4 pound sugar snap peas
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper

Cooking Instructions
1. Bring 1/2 gallon of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook until al dente, about 7 to 9 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, bring the ... stock to a boil in a skillet large enough to hold the vegetables. Add the vegetables to the ... stock and steam, covered for about 3 to 4 minutes.

3. When the vegetables are just tender, add the cooked penne and the olive oil and toss until it is heated through.

4. Divide the pasta and vegetables evenly among 4 warmed plates or bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and basil.

5. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.

This recipe serves: 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

Penne with Summer Squash, Zucchini and Sugar Snap Peas [Recipe Brought to you by FoodFit]

Rustic Italian Minestrone

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1 16-ounce can chopped tomatoes
5 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1/4 pound fresh green beans, stemmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
1 16-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 medium zucchini, quartered and chopped
1 cup raw, small, shell pasta
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cooking Instructions
1. In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes more.

2. Add the tomatoes, vegetable or chicken broth and herbs, bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer.

3. Add beans and simmer for 2 minutes.

4. Add the zucchini and pasta and simmer for 10 minutes, or until all of the vegetables are tender and the pasta is al dente. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Serve the soup in large bowls with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

This recipe serves: 8
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Rustic Italian Minestrone Recipe [Recipe Brought to you by FoodFit]

Pizza with Mushrooms and Three Colored Peppers

Ingredients
For the pizza dough:
3/4 cup warm water
1 tablespoon milk
4 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon olive oil, plus extra

For the topping:
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup fresh diced tomatoes, or use canned drained tomatoes
4 ounces grated mozzarella cheese
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into rings
1 teaspoon dried oregano or chopped, fresh herbs
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
vinaigrette (optional)

Cooking Instructions
For the pizza dough:
1. Mix the water, milk and yeast together in a large bowl and stir with a wooden spoon.

2. Add the flour, salt and olive oil. Mix together with a wooden spoon until the dough is too thick and sticky to stir.

3. Spread a little flour on a work surface and place the dough on top of the flour. Knead the dough by pulling the dough from the sides and folding it in the middle. Keep kneading until the dough becomes a smooth ball. If it sticks to the table or to your hands, add a little more flour.

4. Rub a clean bowl with the olive oil and put the dough in it. Cover the bowl with a towel and put it in a warm place. Let the dough rise for about 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in volume.

5. Punch the raised dough down with your fist. Turn the dough over, form it into a ball again, cover, and let rise for another hour.

6. Heat the oven to 450°F. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin or use your hands to pat the dough into a circle about 12" to 14" across and 1/4"-thick. Place the dough on an oiled baking sheet.

For the topping:
1. Sprinkle the garlic and spread the olive oil over the rolled dough, then spread the tomatoes on top. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese, leaving the edge of the pizza free. Spray a skillet with non-stick cooking spray and place over medium -high heat. Sauté the peppers and mushrooms for 5 minutes. Place the vegetables on top of the cheese. If desired, drizzle a little vinaigrette on top of the pizza for added flavor.

2. Bake until nicely browned and crispy, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Cut the pizza into 8 slices.

This recipe serves: 4
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

Pizza with Mushrooms and Three Colored Peppers [Recipe Brought to you by FoodFit]

Olive Tapenade Bruschetta

Ingredients
2 tablespoons pitted and finely chopped green or black olives
1 teaspoon capers
3 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
12 French bread slices
2 cloves garlic

Cooking Instructions
1. Mash the olives, capers, 1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil and pepper together.

2. Toast the bread on both sides in a toaster oven, under the broiler or on the grill.

3. While the toasted slices are still warm, rub them with garlic and drizzle them with the remaining olive oil on one side.

4. Put a dab of the olive mixture on each slice of bruschetta.

This recipe makes: 12 pieces
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes

Olive Tapenade Bruschetta Recipe [Recipe Brought to you by FoodFit]

Four-Way Onion Soup

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 large Vidalia onions, or other sweet onions, sliced into 1/4" rounds
1 bunch scallions, white parts only, sliced into rounds
4 large shallots, chopped
2 cups chicken broth or beef broth
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
4 slices French bread, toasted
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped chives

Cooking Instructions
1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the onions, scallions and shallots. Cook slowly for a long time stirring occasionally until the onions are golden brown, about 1 hour. If the onions get too dry, add water to keep them from burning.

2. Add the broth and lower the heat to simmer for another 15 minutes.

3. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.

4. Ladle the soup into 4 deep soup bowls and top with 1 slice of toast and a sprinkle of cheese. Garnish with fresh chives.

This recipe serves: 4
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Four-Way Onion Soup Recipe [Recipe Brought to you by FoodFit]