Because of the delicate flavors in this dish, we preferred using a mild baked ham to a smoked one.
1 (1-ounce) slice white bread
3 3/4 cups uncooked extra-broad egg noodles
2 1/2 cups (1 1/2-inch) sliced asparagus
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup whole milk
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed ham (about 8 ounces)
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 450°.
Place bread in a food processor, and pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs form to measure 1/2 cup.
Cook pasta in boiling water 7 minutes, omitting salt and fat. Add asparagus; cook 1 minute. Drain.
Lightly spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Place flour, thyme, salt, and pepper in medium bowl; gradually add milk and broth, stirring with a whisk until well-blended. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion; saute 4 minutes. Add milk mixture; cook until thick (about 4 minutes), stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in juice. Combine the pasta mixture, milk mixture, ham, and parsley in large bowl; spoon into a 2-quart casserole. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and cheese.
Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until filling is bubbly and topping is golden.
*Could be made ahead and frozen. Thaw in refrigerator then bake until bubbly and topping is golden.
6 servings (serving size: 1 cup)
3-4 medium tomatoes
salt
1/2 lb. bacon
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
Fresh Basil Leaves
Pie Crust – cook 3/4 of the way
Peel, thinly slice and seed tomatoes; place in a single layer on colander and salt. Drain for an hour. Dry on paper towels.
Fry up 1/2 lb. bacon until crispy. Place on paper towels to remove excess bacon grease.
Layer tomatoes, bacon and basil leaves in pre-cooked piecrust. Mix: mayonnaise, mozzarella, cheddar and pour over the tomatoes and bacon.
Bake at 350° – 375°F for 1 hr.
Several quarts of water
8 cups fresh spinach leaves, stemmed (1 pound)
Vegetable oil spray, if needed
15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup low-sodium salsa
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
6 6-inch corn tortillas or nonfat or low-fat flour tortillas
1/2 cup nonfat or low-fat sour cream
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons lime juice
4 ounces shredded nonfat or low-fat Monterey Jack cheese (about 1 cup)
2 Italian plum tomatoes, diced
2 green onions (green and white parts), thinly sliced
In a large pot, bring water to a boil over high heat.
While water heats, thoroughly rinse spinach. Add spinach to boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well in a colander. Press out as much liquid as possible with the back of a large spoon. (Discard water or save for vegetable stock.)
Preheat oven to 3500 F. If using a casserole dish, spray it with vegetable oil spray and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine spinach, black beans, salsa, cumin, and chili powder.
Spoon 1/4 of the mixture down the middle of one tortilla. Roll the tortilla around the filling (jelly-roll style). Place tortilla seam side down in a shallow nonstick baking pan or prepared casserole dish. Repeat process with remaining tortillas.
Bake enchiladas, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine sour cream and lime juice. Remove enchiladas from oven and spread sour cream mixture evenly over enchiladas. Top with cheese, tomatoes, and green onions and bake for 5 minutes.
Cook�s Tip: This dish freezes so well that you might want to make a batch to keep on hand for unexpected guests or evenings when you just don�t want to cook. After rolling the enchiladas, place them in a container and cover tightly with foil or put them in an airtight plastic freezer bag. Increase baking time to 35 to 40 minutes.
You can substitute a 10-ounce package of no-salt-added frozen spinach for the fresh spinach. Cook according to package directions, omitting salt and oil, then continue with the recipe.
Serves 6
1 pound salmon fillets
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup dry white wine or water
2 green onions, sliced
1 bay leaf
1/2 of a 10-ounce package frozen no-salt-added chopped spinach
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Lemon slices (optional)
Cut salmon into 4 pieces, rinse, and pat dry. Set aside. In a large skillet, combine water, wine, green onions and bay leaf. Over high heat, bring just to a boil. Carefully add salmon and return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 8 to 10 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
Remove fish and pat it dry with paper towels. Cut each salmon steak in half, removing as much of the bone, cartilage and skin as possible.
Meanwhile, cook spinach according to package directions. Drain well, squeezing out moisture. Stir in nutmeg.
Preheat broiler. Place fish on a broiler-proof serving platter or on the rack of an unheated broiler pan. Top with spinach mixture, sprinkle with cheese and season with pepper. Broil 4 inches from the heat for 1 to 2 minutes, or until cheese melts. Garnish with lemon slices, if desired.
Serves 4
