Au Gratin Potatoes

I've loved au gratin potatoes since I was little, but have never attempted to make my own until this past year. While they take longer to make than the boxed variety, they are well worth the wait, as I find them to be heartier and cheesier. It also seems that every time I make these potatoes I tend to forget how long they take, especially if they are not sliced thin, and end up eating them as a second course instead of with the main dish.

Au Gratin Potatoes
Adapted from Betty Crocker "Heart Health Edition Cookbook" 
6 servings

Ingredients:
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 cups milk
8 oz shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
6 potatoes
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees.

2. Peel and thinly slice potatoes.

3. Spread potatoes in casserole dish.

4. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onion in butter, stirring occasionally, until tender.

5. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Stir constantly until combined. Remove from heat.

6. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.

7. Remove from heat and stir in 6 oz of cheese until melted.

8. Pour cheese sauce over potatoes. Bake uncovered 1 hour.

9. While potatoes are baking, in a small bowl mix remaining cheese and the bread crumbs.

10. After the hour is up, sprinkle cheese and bread crumb mix over potatoes and bake uncovered for another 15-20 minutes, or until the top is browned and bubbly and the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.

11. Enjoy!

Nutritional Info per Serving:
Calories 359; Total Fat 17g; Cholesterol 54mg; Sodium 515mg; Total Carbs 36g; Protein 16g

Curry Pork Tenderloin

Curry powder and ground red pepper make the perfect spice combination for this pork tenderloin. Though beware, if you live in a small apartment like I do, it will smell like curry for the following week!

Curry Pork Tenderloin
Adapted from McCormick "3-Step Cooking with Flavor"
4 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp sesame seed
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin

1. Preheat oven to 400F degrees.

2. Whisk together soy sauce, honey, curry powder, sesame seed, and ground red pepper in a small bowl.

3. Brush mixture over tenderloin, reserving remaining mixture. Place tenderloin in a 9x13 inch baking dish.

4. Bake 20-30 minutes, brushing meat with liquid mixture every couple minutes. I did roughly every 5 minutes. Pork is done when an instant read thermometer reads 155F degrees.

5. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

6. Enjoy!

Nutritional Info per Serving:
Calories 278; Total Fat 6g; Cholesterol 53mg; Sodium 1481mg; Total Carbs 23g; Protein 35g

Mini Apple Crostata

With some excess pastry crust and a few apples hanging around in my fridge at the end of last semester, I decided to throw this mini apple crostata together for one of my class parties. Although the original recipe states it would take 3 hours to make this dish, I was able to make it in 45 minutes, so it can be thrown together quickly in a pinch. Divide into 8 small pieces and you have the perfect one-bite party dessert.

Mini Apple Crostata
Adapted from Betty Crocker "Baking Basics"
8 servings

Ingredients:
Pastry crust for an 8 inch single crust pie
2 apples, I used Macintosh
1/8 cup, plus 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 425F degrees.

2. Prepare pastry crust. Roll crust onto a large ungreased cookie sheet, or pizza dish. Gently cover with plastic wrap and set aside until apple mixture is ready.

3. Peel, core, and slice the apples.

4. In a medium bowl, mix 1/8 cup sugar and the flour. Stir in the apples.

5. Mound the apple mixture in the center of the pastry crust.

6. Fold over the edges of the pastry crust, making pleats as you go.

7. In a small bowl, mix 1/2 tbsp sugar and the cinnamon. Sprinkle over the apples and pastry.

8. Bake 20-30 minutes, or until the crust is a light golden brown. Given that this is a mini crostata, you will want to keep your eye on it during the baking process. To prevent the exposed center from becoming too browned, place a piece of aluminum foil over it while the edges gently brown in the last 5-10 minutes of cooking.

9. Enjoy!

Nutritional Info per Serving:
Calories 31; Total Fat 0g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 0mg; Total Carbs 8g; Protein 0g

Pepperoni Cheese Sticks

Similar to the crescent pepperoni pizza rolls, these pepperoni cheese sticks are the perfect snack or quick lunch. They also stir a bit of nostalgia in me, as they are somewhat similar to the Bosco Sticks I loved back at my undergrad institution!

Pepperoni Cheese Sticks
Adapted from Betty Crocker "Best Bisquick Recipes"
4 servings (1 stick per serving)

Ingredients:
1 1/8 cup Bisquick Mix (I used the Heart Smart Mix)
1/3 cup milk
4 mozzarella cheese sticks
16 pieces of packaged sliced pepperoni
1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/8 tsp garlic powder
Marinara sauce

1. Preheat oven to 450F degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, stir Bisquick mix and milk until a soft dough forms.

3. Sprinkle working surface with Bisquick mix and place dough on surface. Gently roll dough in Bisquick mix to coat. Knead 10 times.

3. Roll dough 1/4 inch thick.

4. Cut into four rectangles. I used the cheese sticks themselves to eyeball the size of the rectangles, though you can be more precise if you wish!

5. Place four pieces of pepperoni below the cheese sticks and roll each piece of dough around the pepperoni and cheese sticks.

 6. Pinch the edges into the roll to seal. Roll on the working surface a couple of times to completely enclose the cheese sticks. Place seam side down on an ungreased cookie sheet, or pizza dish in my case.

7. Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

8. While cooling, mix melted butter and garlic powder. Brush over pepperoni cheese sticks.

9. Enjoy!

Nutritional Info per Serving (not including the marinara sauce):
Calories 259; Total Fat 13g; Cholesterol 27mg; Sodium 624mg; Total Carbs 25g; Protein 12g

Beef Goulash

Similar to the chili mac recipe from November, this goulash is perfect for cold winter nights, especially now as the nights (and some days!) dip down into the single digits and negative windchill's.

Beef Goulash
Adapted from Betty Crocker "Country Cooking"
6 servings

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs ground beef (I used 80% lean)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 16oz can stewed tomatoes
2 cups water
8 oz uncooked elbow macaroni
1 6oz can tomato paste
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

2. Cook beef, onion, and celery in a pan, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown.

3. Drain. Stir in remaining ingredients.

4. Transfer to casserole baking dish.

5. Cover and bake for about 40 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and pasta is cooked through.

6. Enjoy!

Nutritional Info per Serving:
Calories 476; Total Fat 23g; Cholesterol 79mg; Sodium 738mg; Total Carbs 41g; Protein 26g

Apple Banana Muffins

These are some of the tastiest muffins I have ever tried! The combination of nutmeg, cinnamon, bananas, and apples gives them the hint of an apple pie with a touch of bananas, striking the perfect balance for a nice, warm breakfast treat.

Apple Banana Muffins
Adapted from "The Doughmakers Cookbook" 
12 servings (1 muffin each)

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup, plus 1/8 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup mashed bananas (roughly 1 medium banana)
1 apple

1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Use paper liners to line muffin cups.

2. Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

3. In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy.

4. Beat in the egg. Stir in the vanilla and buttermilk. Beat in the flour mixture just until incorporated.

5. Peel, core, and shred the apple.

6. Fold in the mashed bananas and shredded apples.

7. Fill each muffin cup until half full using an ice cream scoop.

8. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

9. Enjoy!

Nutritional Info per Serving:
Calories 140; Total Fat 6g; Cholesterol 18mg; Sodium 161mg; Total Carbs 21g; Protein 2g

Banana Berry Bread

Banana breads are one of my favorite types of breads, as they are both easy to make and extremely versatile - great for breakfast, snack, or dessert. While I normally make my banana bread with blueberries, this time I decided to branch out, including raspberries and blackberries. Although these berries complement the flavor of the bananas, I think in the future I would recommend leaving all out aside from the blueberries, as the seeds from the others at times lead to a less than desirable texture.

Banana Berry Bread
Adapted from Betty Crocker "Best Bisquick Recipes" 
Roughly 16 servings

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
2 cups Bisquick Mix (I used the Heart Smart Mix)
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup mashed bananas (roughly 2 medium bananas)
1 cup fresh or frozen bluberries

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

2. Grease bottom of a bread loaf ban.

3. In a large bowl, mix eggs, milk, Bisquick mix, oats, sugar, and bananas until moistened.

4. Fold in blueberries.

5. Pour into pan.

6. Bake 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

7. Cool 10 minutes and then remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing.

8. Enjoy!

Nutritional Info per Serving:
Calories 121; Total Fat 2g; Cholesterol 27mg; Sodium 138mg; Total Carbs 25g; Protein 3g

Zesty Pork Tenderloin

Pork tenderloins are one of my favorite cuts of meat, and probably one of the easiest to actually cook. Also, unlike other cuts of pork, like pork chops, I find tenderloins a lot harder to overcook!

Zesty Pork Tenderloin
Adapted from Betty Crocker "Country Cooking"
4 servings

Ingredients:
1 pork tenderloin (roughly 3/4-1lb)
1/8 cup ketchup
1/2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tbsp water
1/2 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1. Combine all ingredients, except the pork, in a medium mixing bowl.

2. Add pork, coating it in the marinade.

3. Cover and refrigerate anywhere from 1-24 hours. I marinated mine for roughly 5 hours while I was at class.

4. Preheat oven to 450F degrees.

5. Place pork in a shallow roasting pan. Roast uncovered for roughly 25 minutes, or until the pork reads 160F degrees in the center.

6. Enjoy!

Seen here with the rosemary potatoes.

Nutritional Info per Serving:
Calories 179; Total Fat 4g; Cholesterol 49mg; Sodium 621mg; Total Carbs 6g; Protein 31g