Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

What fun it was to be in North Carolina for the snow storm and to get to spend time with my son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter. Kristen was scheduled to be in Atlanta for an event honoring her business, but she opted to miss it for fear that she would not be able to get home on Sunday. Michael kept a fire burning all day Saturday and we had the neighbors over for S’mores Saturday night. Rachel got bundled up Saturday morning to play in the snow.

She is waiting for her Mimi and Mommy to suit up and get outside.

She said the snow tasted like sugar. Unfortunatly it was not a packing snow, so we could not make a snowman.

Kristen made a yummy pasta dish for dinner which she said she will blog about sometime soon. It was orecchietti pasta in a creamy tomato sauce with Trader Joe’s chicken sausage with sundried tomatoes. She added a little wine and balsamic vinegar to it and it was a very complex satisfying meal. I am so lucky to have a daughter-in-law who loves to cook as much as I do.

The planes were flying on Monday so I returned to Florida. It is a culture shock of sorts to get on a plane in cold blustery weather and get off in balmy weather. Believe me, I am not complaining. Dinner last night was this spicy tangerine beef from the Weight Watchers in 20 Minutes cookbook. It was wonderful over brown rice. It is so colorful. I love the addition of the tangerines to this. The zest was added too so it had a very fresh taste to it.

SPICY TANGERINE BEEF

2 Tangerines*

2 teaspoons cornstarch

4 tablespoons water, divided

3/4 pound boneless sirloin steak, trimmed and thinly sliced**

3 cups small broccoli florets

3 scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths

1 small red bell pepper, cut into strips

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Grate the zest from the tangerines; set aside. Peel the tangerines and separate into sections; reserve the sections. Stir together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of the water in a cup until smooth; set aside.

Spray a nonstick wok or large deep nonstick skillet with nonstick spray (I just used a little olive oil) and set over medium-high heat. When a drop of water sizzles in it, add half of the beef and stir-fry until browned, about 3 minutes, using a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining beef.

Add the broccoli and the remaining 2 tablespoons water to the wok; cook, covered about 2 minutes. Increase the heat to high. Add the scallions, bell pepper, garlic, tangerine zest, soy sauce, and crushed red pepper; stir-fry about 1 minute. Stir the cornstarch mixture and add to the wok; stir-fry until the sauce thickens and bubbles, about 1 minute. Return the beef to the wok, along with the tangerine; stir-fry until heated through, about 1 minute longer.

* I cut the tops off of each tangerine section to make it easier to remove the seeds.

** I used Laura’s Lean Beef available at Target superstores. It is grass fed beef and does not use any antibiotics.

Serves 4. 4 Points

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This is not what I am supposed to be making this week for Barefoot Blogger Thursday. Sometimes circumstances get in the way when you belong to a foodie group. I mentioned last week that we had joined Weight Watchers. We have our first weigh-in this afternoon. I have lost two pounds. Not great but at least I am going in the right direction. What I was supposed to make was Ina Garten’s Shrimp Bisque. I have made it before and it is delicious; full of succulent shrimp and half-and-half and butter. Right now I can’t afford the calories. The recipe was chosen by Jennifer of Our Blessed Home. You have to go over to her blog on Thursday or after to get the details of Ina’s soup.

The soup I did make made me feel so healthy. It is full of good for you vegetables like spinach, red peppers, carrots and celery. It tasted wonderful. In this past week I have tried to slow down and actually savor what I am eating. I have appreciated every mouthful. Another benefit of this attempt at losing weight is the fact that I have been walking two miles a day. Our dog Daisy is benefiting from these long walks too. She trots along at my pace and comes home panting and drooling. So do I. I am becoming very familiar with our neighborhood and I hope to increase the distance I walk. Give this soup a try. It is perfect for a light lunch.

KIELBASA AND BLACK BEAN SOUP (From Weight Watchers in Twenty Minutes)

1 tsp canola oil
1/2 pound low-fat turkey kielbasa, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 carrots, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

Heat the oil in a large nonstick pot or nonstick Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the kielbasa and cook, stirring, until lightly broned, about 3 minutes.

Add all the remaining ingredients except the spinach; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes longer.

3 Points. 6 Servings

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This is a very refreshing salad. It takes advantage of oranges in season and celery and radishes that add crunch. We went to our first weight watchers meeting today. I hate being so predictable, but yes, we too are on a diet. Isn’t everyone at this time of year? This is the first time I have officially joined Weight Watchers. In the past I felt it was enough to get the cookbooks and do it on my own. But there is something to be gained by the personal support that is offered at the meetings. Also, our good friends and neighbors have joined too and we are planning on getting together at each others’ houses twice a week to share the meals. I still plan on cooking great food. The advantage of Weight Watchers is that you can eat most of your favorite foods but in controlled portions. I am looking forward to the challenge.

The recipe for this salad was in the Best of Weight Watchers Magazine cookbook that I checked out of the library. Now if David can just get over his nightly need for chocolate crunch bars and I can curb my appetite for rich braised dishes, we may have a chance to lose a few pounds. We are giving it a month.

RADISH-ORANGE SALAD

3 small navel oranges
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 Tbls olive oil
1/2 tsp ground coriander
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced radishes
6 medium celery stalks, thinly sliced

1. Cut off the peel and white pith from each orange. Cut the oranges into 1-inch thick slices.

2. Combine the lime juice, oil, coriander, and pepper in a small bowl.

3. Combine the orange slices, the radishes, and celery in a bowl. Drizzle the dressing over oranges and vegetables, and toss gently to coat.

Six servings. Points: 1

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