Maybe it’s a sign of the times or something. When I was grocery shopping recently, I picked up a box of Panko crumbs and bought them. Only later did I realize that they were in fact Italian panko. Italian panko?!? They lacked the light texture of regular Japanese panko and were considerably larger, thicker, etc. But when used in the right application, I did find that they are pretty good.

Still. Italian panko? That is so backwards. I guess that is what I get for buying the only box I saw — by Progresso.

In any case, this is a quick and easy meal to make (in fact, I pulled together the mashed potatoes, corn and steak in about 30 minutes). Great for a quick weeknight dinner.

2 cube steaks
2 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup Italian panko crumbs (Progessive makes ‘em)
2-3 tbsp extra light olive oil

Combine flour, paprika, pepper and salt in a shallow dish. Pour beaten egg into a second shallow dish. Put the panko crumbs in a third shallow dish.

Dredge the cube steak in the flour mixture, then the egg and then the panko. Be sure to fully coat at each station. Set aside.

In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over a medium burner.

Add the steaks and cook for about 4 minutes per side until browned.

Serve hot with a veggie and a starch.

Not the best picture, I’ll admit. But this is one of those “gotta try it” recipes.

I adore French fries (but I don’t love the damage they do to my weight) and always have. Like many folks, McDonald’s fries were my first love. But I have eaten some awesome ones since them. In fact, I still salivate over the delicious, crispy waffle fries that I had at the Ritz-Carlton in Naples three or four years ago. They were coated with an amazing spice mix that made them wildly addicting. Unfortunately, when we returned the following year, there was a new chef and the waffle fries weren’t served any more. Darn. If anyone happens to know the recipe though, I am all ears!

For years, I have been trying to make a good French fries at home that didn’t involve deep frying. No such luck, though. The combinations I tried (cooking method, temperature, oil, etc) just didn’t do it. But I’ve finally got it. These Super Easy Low-Fat Oven Fries are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside — just the way I like ‘em!

These fries are low in fat, since they are oven baked and use little oil, which means I can still eat them whether I am watching my weight or not. They are also highly customizable, which I love.

Looking for more great fry ideas?

• Chipotle Cinnamon Sweet Potato Fries
• Asiago Pepper Steak Fries
• Homemade Ketchup

About Potatoes:
Potatoes are complex carbohydrates (that’s good) and contain about 100 calories each. It’s best to eat them with the skin on, since that is where all the good nutrients like vitamin C are stored. They are good sources of fiber, potassium and are naturally fat and cholesterol free, so long as you keep the skin on (just be sure to wash well to remove any dirt).

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4 medium potatoes (I suggest Idaho or Yukon Gold)
2 tbsp olive oil
seasonings of choice (see below)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.

Wash the potatoes well and pat dry. Using a mandolin or cutting by hand, cut the potatoes into long strips, about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch on each side. Put the potatoes in a zipper bag or large bowl and toss with olive oil. Add seasonings and toss again to coat.

Spread the potatoes out on a baking sheet in one layer.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, tossing several times during the cooking process. The fries are done when they are a light brown, cooked through and a bit crispy on the outside.

Serve warm.

Seasoning suggestions:

• The Refined Fry: 1/2 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary and 1/2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan
• Winter Herb Delight: 1/2 tsp garlic salt, 1/4 tsp dried basil and 1/4 tsp dried marjoram
• Hungarian Revenge: 1/4 tsp garlic powder and 1/4 tsp paprika
• Cajun Capers: 1 tsp Cajun seasoning

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Yes, potatoes are not an herb, but they are a vegetable (although I consider them more of a starch. With all the herby possibilities for seasoning these though, they are a great addition for this week’s Weekend Herb Blogging. WHB was created by Kalyn of Kalyn’s Kitchen and is being hosted by The Expatriate Chef from The Expatriate’s Kitchen. Check out the site tomorrow for a roundup of great herb and veggie related posts.

After two years of blogging (yes! Cucina Bella turned 2 yesterday! YIPPEEEE! Who knew this on-a-whim experiment with food writing would last this long?!?), it should be no surprise that I am finding the need to return to subjects I’ve touched on before. Specifically, oatmeal.

I originally wrote about oatmeal for Fit Fare (before I was the editor of that site) and then later sold a similar story to Associated Content. The gist? Oatmeal is so, so good for you. It’s a grain that is rich in fiber, which is great for digestion. Oprah turned me onto steel-cut oats, which are the tops for nutrition, but I am still a really big fan of rolled oats.

What’s so good about oatmeal? Well, oatmeal is rich in a type of fiber called soluble fiber. Soluble fiber isn’t digested by the body (neither is insoluble fiber) but it does turn to a jelly-like substance that binds to fatty compounds and moves things along. You know, as in out. It’s good for lowering cholesterol (including so-called “bad cholesterol” – LDL cholesterol) and also regulating blood sugar (particularly important for people with diabetes). A good resource that explains the differences between the types of fiber can be found here.

Oatmeal is also a good way to fill up in the morning if you are trying to lose weight, which I will be soon enough. But if you are like me, then you probably prefer flavored varieties to the bland canister one. Fortunately, it’s not hard to transform plain oatmeal into a flavorful delight. This recipe is great because it’s very fast and easy (particularly if you have a nifty apple corer like me . . . what an awesome purchase that was!!!).

1 cup apple cider
1 cup water
1 tsp lemon juice
1 medium apple, peeled, cored and cubed
1 cup quick cooking oatmeal
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
sweetener such as honey, white sugar, brown sugar or Splenda, to taste (optional)

In a small saucepan, combine the apple cider, water, lemon juice and apple and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Add oatmeal, cinnamon and salt and stir together. Reduce heat to medium and cook for about 2 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat and let sit for 3-5 minutes before serving.

Add in sweetener, if desired, just before serving (this oatmeal is sweet already, so you may not need it — Will and I like ours a little bit sweeter though).

Potential add-ins:

• raisins – add 2 tbsp-1/4 cup when oatmeal is added
• pears – substitute a pear for the apple
• strawberries – add to the water mixture or substitute for the apple
• blueberries – same as strawberries
• almonds – add 2 tbsp when oatmeal is added

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This is a pretty local dish for me. The apple, apple cider and of course water are all very local ingredients. Oatmeal falls into my exception category, so this qualifies as my Dark Days Challenge meal for last week. Click here to find out more about the Dark Days Eat Local Challenge, created by Urban Hennery.

Who knew? When I wrote my very first post two years ago, on a recipe that I still make from my days of eating the (blech) Atkins way, I was so nervous. How would it be received? Would people care what I had to say about cooking? And were my cooking skills good enough for me to write a food blog?

Two years later, I’ve learned a few things. First, you don’t need to be a top-of-the-line chef to write about cooking. Anyone can write an interesting food blog whether you are a take-out queen, new to the stove or a professionally trained extraordinare. Did I have great skill when I started? No, definitely not. But I have developed my technique over the years. I have also been more open to trying new things and experimenting.

Another thing I have learned is that sometimes the best recipes come from mistakes. I can’t tell you how many times I have forgotten an ingredient or added more (or less) than I thought a recipe would need and found the results to be perfect.

As some longtime readers might remember, I named this blog for my kitchen. Cucina Bella (pronounced cou-chee-naa bell-la) is named for my kitchen and literally means “beautiful kitchen” in Italian. This kitchen, which is in the first house I’ve ever owned, is more beautiful to me today than it was two years ago when I started writing. We replaced all the appliances when we moved in and replaced the flooring with a creamy tile. My husband and I have slowly made other improvements to the room since then including granite countertops. I have to admit, as much as I wanted the granite, I was hesitant to get it (hello! HUGE cost!) but it was so, so worth it.

Thank you to all my readers, whether you’ve been here for a few days or a few years. I can’t tell you how cool it is to know that when I write here, other people are listening.

Here’s to two more years of Cucina Bella!

The first, and only, time I had spaghetti squash was years ago in college. While studying at the Biosphere 2, I was invited to a dinner at another girl’s apartment. Spaghetti squash with a tomato sauce was one of the meals she served. I remember being apprehensive, but trying it. I was shocked. It really tasted good.

Why haven’t I ever made it myself? I don’t know. When I tried it, my cooking skills were subpar — I didn’t know what to do with it and I was afraid to try. As I’ve gotten older and developed my hand in the kitchen, I just haven’t taken the time to make this. But I’ve been thinking about that tasty dish a lot lately and decided to make my own version. It’s been years since I had it last, so I cannot remember exactly what was in it so I just threw some things together to make this.

MMmmmm, Mmmmm, Mmmmm. This was so tasty, I could have eaten the whole thing myself. Nonetheless, I shared it with Will. I told Will this was spaghetti and excluded the word squash. Why? Not because I thought he wouldn’t eat it, but because I think the specification might be a little much for him. In any case, he gobbled up a big bowl of this and told me it was “yum.” Good enough for me.

The cool thing about this dish, I think, is that it’s naturally low in carbs and gluten-free (and vegetarian too), so this is something I could serve without worries whenever anyone comes to my house.

1 spaghetti squash (I used a smaller one)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 plum tomatoes, diced
2 tsp capers
sea salt and pepper
freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Cut the squash in half, length-wise and seed. Put squash halves cut-side down on the baking sheet. Cook for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a small skillet. Add garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Don’t let the garlic brown. Stir in tomatoes, capers, salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes.

Scoop squash into a bowl. Pour in tomato mixture. Stir together. Serve warm, topped with freshly grated Parmesan.
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This veggie rich dish is a good submission for Sweetnicks‘ ARF/5-A-Day Tuesdays. Check out Cate’s site tomorrow night for a roundup.

Sigh. Sometimes, life is just too busy for me to cook. With Halloween in the middle of the week, my work schedule was . . . hectic. Wednesday is a major day for me, so to have to leave early makes it tricky to get everything done. Which stinks. Majorly.

But I have a cauliflower, spaghetti squash and a few other veggies begging to be cooked this weekend. New recipes are coming. I swear.