Tasty Recipes from Recipe Wizards

Imagine building a meal around stale bread. That’s the inspiration for Tuscan panzanella salad. It uses fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, basil, olives and, yes, two day old bread.

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 4 to 5 hours

Serves 6

Rebecca Rogers of Bloomington, Ind., loves her slow cooker and was looking for new recipes her 9-year-old son would enjoy.

This easy recipe includes Fritos and cheese, always kid-pleasers. You’ll want to use regular Fritos, not tortilla chips, which will not hold up as well to the chili.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound lean ground beef

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 small onion, chopped

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

One 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes, undrained

One 16-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Salt and pepper, to taste

One 12-ounce bag Frito corn chips

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

In a nonstick skillet, cook ground beef and garlic over medium heat, breaking up the meat as it cooks, until no longer pink. Drain and place in slow cooker.

Add onion, chili powder, cumin, undrained tomatoes, drained beans, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low setting for 4 to 5 hours.

Put a handful of Fritos in each bowl. Spoon chili over Fritos and top with shredded cheese.

Per serving: 718 cal.; 35 g pro.; 53 g carb.; 40 g fat (14 sat., 7 monounsat., 1 polyunsat.,18 other); 67 mg chol.; 973 mg sod.; 8 g fiber; 6 g sugar; 51 percent calories from fat.

Prep time: 1 hour

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves 8

Larb is often called the national dish of Laos. Use only fresh, blemish-free herbs, and chop and slice them by hand because a food processor will bruise them. Loosely pack the herbs into the measuring cup. Although you can use ground chicken or turkey, chopping the meat yourself gives the dish a finer texture.

INGREDIENTS

2 whole boneless chicken breasts or 3 pounds of ground chicken or turkey

Juice of 2 large limes, plus 1 lime for garnish

2 tablespoons rice wine

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

1 stalk minced lemongrass, tough outer leaves, root and top several inches removed before mincing

3 teaspoons grated lemon peel

2 small hot chili peppers, minced (wear gloves), or 1 teaspoon crushed chili flakes

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

3 tablespoons toasted sticky rice flour (see recipe below)

1 chicken bouillon cube

1 heaping cup chopped, fresh mint

1 heaping cup chopped, fresh cilantro

Several additional stems of mint and cilantro for garnish

1 bunch green onions, green part chopped, white part sliced diagonally

1/2 cup chopped Thai basil

1 large head leaf lettuce (16 leaves for wrappers)

INSTRUCTIONS

On a large, clean chopping board, chop the chicken with a heavy knife or cleaver. As you chop the chicken, fold it over on itself. Continue to fold and chop until the meat is very finely chopped. Put the meat in a large bowl and squeeze the lime juice over it. Add the rice wine.

Cook the chicken mixture in a nonstick skillet (don’t use any oil) over medium-high heat, tossing and stirring constantly just until the meat turns white. Return the mixture with any accumulated juice to the bowl and allow it to cool to room temperature.

While the chicken cools, prepare the fresh herbs. Add the ginger, lemongrass, lemon peel, chili peppers (or crushed chili flakes), garlic, fish sauce, salt, white pepper and rice flour to the cooked mixture.

Break apart the chicken bouillon cube and sprinkle it on top. Toss the ingredients together until they are well mixed. Then add the mint, cilantro, green onions and Thai basil. Gently toss everything. Break lettuce leaves from the head and wash and dry them.

Scoop 1/4 cup of the larb onto each lettuce leaf and arrange the leaves on a large platter. Garnish with mint, cilantro sprigs and wedges of lime. Diners pick up a lettuce leaf and roll it up to eat. Serve larb with cool sticky rice.

Per serving using ground turkey: 380 cal.; 28 g pro.; 9 g carb.; 25 g fat (8 sat., 9 monounsat., 6 polyunsat., 2 other); 116 mg chol.; 934 mg sod.; 1 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 60 percent calories from fat.

You can buy packages of toasted rice flour in Asian supermarkets, or you can make it at home.

It’s easy to see why salsa is one of America’s favorite condiments. Its fresh, crisp, tangy flavor adds a refreshing touch to a meal without a lot of sugar or fat.

This bright pineapple salsa brings out the flavors of grilled fresh fish, and aromatic cumin gives it a distinctive taste.

The poblano peppers, called ancho peppers when dried, that give the rice dish its zing, are medium-hot. Jalapeno peppers can be used instead. Use 2 tablespoons jalapeno peppers.

Use any fresh, non-oily fish fillets.

Short cut tip: Use a bought tomato salsa and add diced, fresh pineapple instead of making the salsa recipe.

Helpful Hints:

-To time length of cooking for fish fillet, count 10 minutes per inch of thickness.

-The poblano pepper is used in both recipes. Chop at one time and divide accordingly.

Countdown:

-Start rice.

-Make salsa.

-Finish rice.

-Cook fish.

Wine suggestion: the predominant flavor here is the sweet-hot-pineapple salsa rather than the fish. So I’d try a big, fruity, opulent California chardonnay to match it.

This meal contains 508 calories with 21 percent of calories from fat.

FISH WITH PINEAPPLE SALSA

For pineapple salsa:

1/2 cup diced tomato

1 tablespoon diced red onion

1 tablespoon seeded, chopped poblano pepper

1 cup finely diced fresh pineapple

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For fish:

1 tablespoon canola oil

3/4 pound fish fillets

Combine the tomato, onion, poblano pepper, pineapple, cilantro, sugar and cumin together. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Set aside.

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish and saute 5 minutes. Turn and saute 3 minutes, or according to size of fish. Fish is cooked when it is opaque and not translucent. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Place on individual plates and serve some of the salsa on top and the rest on the side. Makes 2 servings.

Per serving: 282 calories (33 percent from fat), 10.2 g fat (1.9 g saturated, 5.5 g monounsaturated), 84 mg cholesterol, 35.1 g protein, 14.5 g carbohydrates, 1.7 g fiber, 96 mg sodium.

POBLANO RICE

1/4 cup seeded, chopped poblano pepper

1 package microwave brown rice

2 teaspoon canola oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place poblano pepper in a microwave-safe bowl. Place rice package and poblano pepper in microwave oven and cook according to rice package timing.

Measure 1 1/2-cup rice and reserve remaining rice for another time. Add the rice to the poblano pepper. Add the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Makes 2 servings.

Per serving: 226 calories (11 percent from fat), 1.7 g fat (no saturated, no monounsaturated), no cholesterol, 6.1 g protein, 49.8 g carbohydrates, 3.0 g fiber, 8 mg sodium.

SHOPPING LIST

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for tonight’s Dinner in Minutes.

To buy: 1 tomato, 1 small container fresh pineapple cubes, 1 poblano pepper, 1 bunch cilantro, 1 bottle ground cumin, 3/4 pound fish fillets,1 package microwave brown rice

Staples: Canola oil, red onion, sugar, salt and black peppercorns.

(Linda Gassenheimer is the author of 14 cookbooks including her newest, “Mix ‘n Match Meals in Minutes for People with Diabetes,” and “Prevention’s Fit and Fast Meals in Minutes.” Visit Linda on her web page at www.DinnerInMinutes.com or email her at Linda@DinnerInMinutes.com.)

Chimichurri sauce over sauteed pork is a Latin favorite. Parsley, garlic, red pepper flakes, oil and vinegar are the basic ingredients for this piquant sauce that is used throughout South America.

There are many stories about the origin of chimichurri. A popular one mentions the gauchos, cowboys, on the Pampas keeping the sauce in old wine bottles with holes pierced in the cork so they could shake it over meat.

Short cut tip: This sauce takes only a few minutes to make in a food processor. If pressed for time, buy the sauce ready-made. It comes in jars or may be fresh in the deli section. Use the bought sauce and follow the instructions for cooking the pork.

This meal contains 506 calories per serving with 30 percent of calories from fat.

Helpful Hints:

Substitute curly leaf parsley if flat leaf is not available.

Balsamic vinegar can be substituted for apple cider vinegar.

A quick way to crush the garlic for this recipe is to add it to the food processor through the feed tube with the processor blades running. This is best done while the food processor bowl is empty. Then add the remaining ingredients.

Countdown:

Make chimichurri sauce.

Make rice.

Cook pork and sauce.

Wine suggestion: the herbal qualities of good chimichurri are nice matched by an herbal sauvignon blanc.

CHIMICHURRI PORK CHOPS

3 large garlic cloves, peeled

3/4 cup fresh flat parsley leaves

Pinch red pepper flakes

1 1/2-tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup water

3/4 pound boneless pork chops

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

With food processor running, drop garlic down feeding tube. Stop processor, add parsley and pulse to chop. Add pepper flakes, olive oil, vinegar and water and process to form a thick sauce; it will not be smooth. (if making by hand, chop parsley and garlic together and mix in the remaining ingredients.)

Heat a nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the pork chops and brown 2 minutes, turn and brown 2 minutes. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to medium, cover with a lid and cook 5 minutes. A meat thermometer should read 160 degrees. Remove from heat. Spoon sauce over the pork and serve. Makes 2 servings.

Per serving: 322 calories (47 percent from fat), 16.7 g fat (2.7 g saturated, 8.8 g monounsaturated), 120 mg cholesterol, 38.4 g protein, 3.0 g carbohydrates, 0.9 g fiber, 110 mg sodium.

QUICK RICE AND TOMATOES

1/2 cup long grain white rice

1 cup, no-salt-added, drained, diced canned tomatoes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large saucepan with 2 to 3 quarts of water to a boil. Add rice and boil, uncovered, about 10 minutes. Test a grain, rice should be cooked through, but not soft. Drain into a colander in the sink. Return to the saucepan and add the tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Makes 2 servings.

Per serving: 185 calories (2 percent from fat), 0.5 g fat (0.1 g saturated, 0.1 g monounsaturated), no cholesterol, 4.1 g protein, 40.5 g carbohydrates, 1.7 g fiber, 9 mg sodium.

SHOPPING LIST

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for tonight’s Dinner in Minutes.

To buy: 1 bunch parsley, 1 bottle red pepper flakes, 1 bottle cider vinegar, 3/4 pound boneless pork chops, 1 can no-salt-added diced canned tomatoes

Staples: Olive oil, garlic, long grain white rice, salt and black peppercorns.

(Linda Gassenheimer is the author of 14 cookbooks including her newest, “Mix ‘n Match Meals in Minutes for People with Diabetes,” and “Prevention’s Fit and Fast Meals in Minutes.” Visit Linda on her web page at www.DinnerInMinutes.com or email her at Linda@DinnerInMinutes.com.)