Pretty much everyone who knows my family knows that my husband Shawn hates onions … or at least he says he does. The truth? He doesn’t like the texture of onions, but he does appreciate the flavor that a sweet onion can add to a dish. Don’t tell him I told you though, he’s very sensitive about it. (I jest. He reads my blog. I am sure to hear about this paragraph very soon).

Beef stew? It’s one of those dishes that absolutely needs to have onions in it. I love big bits of onion, personally, but everyone knows that life and marriage is about compromise, so over the years, I have tried different methods of incorporating onions: dried onions (from the spice aisle), finely chopped onion, even onion free … but I finely found the method that works for us.

My stew starts with a puree of onion, carrot and potato, fresh from the food processor. What I love about this is that it adds the flavors while also thickening the stew a bit (you can thicken it more, if you want, but you totally don’t have to). It’s important that the onion is a sweet onion though. The flavor of yellow onions just isn’t as good for this. Oh, and beware, the puree is known to make your eyes water a bit. Small price, I say.

Next comes the beef. I buy natural grass-fed stew meat, usually from a local farm because it’s fresh and very tender. One of my local grocery stores also sells a decent version of this. However, use whatever type of stew beef you prefer. As for amount, I usually add about 1 1/3 lbs, but if you want a meatier stew, make it 2 lbs. Once the meat is browned and mixed up with the puree, I deglaze the pan with red wine. Choose a good red wine that you enjoy. Also, know that different varieties will add different sub-flavors … for instance, merlot adds a slight peppery flavor while a cabernet can add a warm richness. Use one that you like (and avoid cooking wines!).

Finally, water, seasonings and veggies are added. The stew cooks for about an hour total, from beginning to end, and then it’s ready to thicken or serve. The rich stew is a family favorite here. Paige could (or rather does) drink the stew liquid. Will can’t get enough of the veggies. Shawn is sure to go back for seconds … and usually take leftovers for lunch the next day.

Yes, it’s that good.

Beef Stew
serves 4

2 tbsp olive oil
4 carrots, peeled
4 potatoes, washed and 1 peeled (I use either Yukon gold or russet)
1 sweet onion, peeled and ends removed
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1/3 lb stew meat
1 cup good red wine (Merlot or Pinot Noir are my favs)
1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
4 cups water
salt and pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
dash balsamic vinegar

In a large pot, heat the olive oil on medium heat.

Combine 1 carrot, 1 potato, the onion and the garlic in the bowl of a food processor and puree. Add to the hot oil and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Push the puree to one side of the pan and add the beef. Brown lightly on all sides and then mix with the puree. Let cook for a few minutes (it’s about 10 minutes of cooking from the point of adding the beef to the next step).

While the puree and beef is cooking, slice the remaining 3 carrots and cube the remaining 3 potatoes.

Add the red wine to the pan and stir well, scrapping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the water. Stir in the salt and pepper, paprika and oregano. Add the carrots, potatoes and sweet potatoes, stirring well to combine.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 45 minutes. Stir in a dash of balsamic vinegar. Serve immediately, or thicken **, if desired.

** You don’t have to thicken this, but if you want to, combine equal amounts of cornstarch and water and add to the completed stew (about 2 tbsp of each works beautifully).

There is something amazing about biting into the crispy coating of fried chicken. It crunches between your teeth, revealing layers of flavors. It’s salty and wonderful … Before you know it, you’re biting into juicy chicken, just below the skin. Well, at least I hope it’s juicy. I’ve had a lot of flavorless meat on fried chicken in my day. Haven’t you?

This chicken is the total package: crispy and packed with flavor inside and out.

In 2010, I am focusing a lot on healthy, budget-friendly dishes. Chicken drumsticks are definitely budget friendly, and since these are baked, this is lightened up. (Don’t worry … only a portion of the 2 tbsp of butter actually makes it onto the chicken). Perfect for a night when you are craving comfort food … but not willing to break your healthy resolutions.

Psst … are you participating in the Ten in 2010 challenge? It’s a community effort to support each other to a healthier, happier 2010. Don’t worry — you don’t even need a blog to join. Click here to learn more.

Crunchy Oven Fried Chicken Drumsticks
serves 4
view the printable recipe at Tablespoon

2 cups corn flake cereal
3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, divided
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp skim milk
1 tsp garlic salt
4 chicken drumsticks (about 1 1/3 lbs)
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Spray an oven-safe 13×9x2 inch pan with cooking oil spray.

Place the cereal in a resealable bag and crush with a rolling pin. Add 2 tbsp parsley and the paprika to the bag and shake to incorporate. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a small skillet. Remove from burner and let cool for a few minutes. Then, whisk in the milk, 1 tbsp parsley and garlic salt. Wash and pat dry the chicken. Then, roll it in the butter mixture. Transfer chicken pieces to the resealable bag and shake until well-coated (do then all at once — it’s easiest). Place the chicken into the prepared pan. Spray lightly with cooking oil spray.

Slide the pan into the preheated oven and bake for 40-50 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.

Photo - Amazon.com

Happy New Year!

This year, I plan to focus even more heavily on healthy living and raising a healthy family. If we take care of our bodies, then we can live longer and happier, and who doesn’t want that? So I am hoping you, my dear readers, will indulge me as I feature occasional tips and interview tidbits from notable health experts. Please?

First up: Advice from Dr. Oz.

I was asked recently to participate in a press conference call with Dr. Mehmet Oz (yes, that Dr. Oz. I am a big fan of his). Sure, the call was in the middle of a day when I had a bazillion deadlines, but it was a small sacrifice. The topic? New Year, New You – particularly focusing on healthy living. So, I jumped on the call and asked about healthy eating on a budget.

His response was really interesting.

Buy in Bulk as a Group – Dr. Oz suggests that families band together and shop in bulk for staples like grains. He said that people should “find a large vendor somewhere near them where they can go and buy their staples and buy them in bulk.” This strategy removes the costs of marketing and packaging that can drive consumer prices up.

I loved that idea.

Join a CSA for Vegetables – Buying vegetables from farmers’ markets can be costly (not always, but in some areas, that is definitely true). Dr. Oz advises that people join a consortium with a farm, like a Community Supported Agriculture program. Through these programs, people buy a share in a farmer’s crops, supplying money for seeds and other costs of farming and getting boxes of produce in return.

“Farmers are cash poor, consumers are food poor,” Dr. Oz pointed out, so this relationship is mutually beneficial — people get freshly grown produce for cheap while the farmers get the capital they need to get their farm running in the spring.

Losing Weight? Remember to cut yourself some slack, since everyone slips up sometimes.

“The question isn’t whether you will fail – It is how you will deal with your failure.” – Dr. Oz

Are you a Dr. Oz fan? His television show, The Dr. Oz Show, will have a healthy living focus to kick off the New Year. On January 4, the show will feature Dr. Oz’s Ultimate Diet. And on January 5, it will feature a 28-day Detox Diet. Check your local listings for showtimes and channels.

It’s really hard to believe that I went for so many years without ever tasting a single sweet potato. My mother didn’t like them, and by extension neither did I. As far as I can remember, I think I had my first one at about age 19 in the fry form (cause seriously, anything in the fry form has to be good, right?).

Since then, I have discovered that I adore the naturally sweet and moist flesh. It’s just so good. And sure, the traditional casserole is delicious, but it’s the sweet potatoes themselves, seasoned and roasted, that I really love. And as luck would have it, Shawn and our kids do too.

I’m fortunate to have a very adventurous eater in Will, who’s now nearly four and a half. He’ll try absolutely anything, and has even been the catalyst for me trying a few new things (anchovies? those were Will’s idea). Paige tends to be less adventurous on her own, but she adores her big brother and will eat anything he does.

What’s great about this recipe is that it’s really quick and easy to make. Prep takes just minutes and it’s out of the oven in about a half hour. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Do you have kids? What kind of eaters are they (adventurous, cautious, etc)? Share in the comments!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes
serves 4

1 very large sweet potato or two smaller ones, peeled
2 tbsp olive oil
3/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a heavy, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray it with cooking oil spray and set aside.

Cut the sweet potato into 1/2-3/4 inch cubes and place into a large boil. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the olive oil, cinnamon, paprika and salt. Pour over the sweet potatoes and stir to coat. Pour the potatoes onto the prepared baking sheet.

Place the baking sheet in the oven and cook for 30-40 minutes, stirring/turning once or twice.

Serve hot from the oven, with a sprinkle of sea salt (if desired).

What I am cooking with: a large metal mixing bowl, a silicone spatula from Williams-Sonoma for stirring, Circulon 11-by-17-Inch Metal Cookie Pan and a metal slotted spoon for turning the potatoes

Got chips?

It was mid-summer when I started dreaming up this cranberry concoction. While my family and I were contemplating whether the elevated temperatures really warranted turning on the air conditioner, I was also starting to fantasize about how I could take some traditional Thanksgiving tastes – like cranberry sauce – and give them a new life.

And this? This ain’t your grandmother’s cranberry sauce. Oh no, it’s totally different.

This Cranberry Salsa is made from ripe cranberries that I bought roadside on Cape Cod. It’s sweet and spicy, a perfect contrast to salty tortilla chips. It should also be amazing on a turkey sandwich … you know, the day after Thanksgiving. It’s something that you take one bite of and instantly want more. And perhaps the best part? It takes no time to make.

To make it hot, I used a habenero pepper, which gave it a hearty bite. If you like really hot, include the pepper seeds in the salsa. For a milder salsa, use a milder pepper like a jalapeno.

This might not be the sauce you thought you wanted for Thanksgiving. But it’s amazing — use it as an appetizer or alongside the turkey. The leftovers will be ideal for turkey and cheese quesadillas, nachos, alongside omelets …

But, that’s if you have any leftover to eat. It’s just so amazing.

For the recipe, head over to SheKnows where I wrote about three alternatives to cranberry sauce, including this one.

Until last week, I had never carved a pumpkin myself. There was this one time in high school where I insisted on having a carved pumpkin … but aside from a tiny knife jab or two, I didn’t do the actual carving. But on Halloween, I carved two pumpkins and my husband carved another two. I can’t tell you how excited I was to see them lined up and lit on our front steps … heck, I may or may not be still lighting them since I love them so.

Pumpkins are fun. They are also very tasty (and nutritious! Don’t forget nutritious!). Just look at all the pumpkin recipes I have written about lately. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes, Pumpkin Cupcakes, Pumpkin Coconut Muffins … yum.

But the flesh of the pumpkin isn’t the only wonderful, edible, tasty part … the seeds are also amazing — especially when they are roasted. Between the kids and I, we polished off a whole batch of these in just days. Honestly, a few pumpkins are on my farmers’ market list for this weekend. I am hoping to puree and freeze the flesh and roast more seeds.

Chances are, the seeds won’t last long.

As far as snacks go, this is one that I can feel good about serving to the kids. According to World’s Healthiest Foods, they have a good amount of protein, iron and even anti-inflammatory benefits. For men, they may even help with prostate health.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
8 servings/2 cups

2 cups raw, whole pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Rinse the pumpkin seeds, removing as much of the pumpkin flesh debris as you can. Lay the seeds out on paper towel to get the excess water off. It’s okay if you don’t get it all.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spread the pumpkin seeds out and drizzle with butter. Use a spatula to mix well around the sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and mix again.

Bake for 40-55 minutes until the seeds are lightly browned. Stir every 5-10 minutes after 40 minutes for even browning.

Not too long ago, a late start like this would have spelled panic, agitation and worry for my day. It wasn’t that long ago that I was stifled by stress and overcome with disorganization. My office is still a mess, but me? I’ve learned the art and joy of being organized about everything I do. That feels good.

I also felt that feeling of being stifled not too long ago with food. I wasn’t sure if Paige would be okay eating fish, although I had no genetic reasons for being concerned. That fear felt like it limited and thwarted me with cooking. So when we gave her a few tastes here and there, it was like the sun peaked through the clouds and I took a much-needed breath.

This particular recipe began nagging and playing in my head when I spied another very fresh, very fresh, very pungent bunch of basil at the grocery store. Of course, I didn’t leave without it.

The taste has strong notes of sunflower, but the sauce has the texture of pesto. Did you know that sunflower seeds are one of the World’s Healthiest Foods? Very high in vitamin E and vitamin B-1, they have been shown in studies to lower cholesterol levels, lower high blood pressure, reduce the symptoms of asthma and even may protect against cancer. Basil, which is high in vitamin K, is also one of the World’s Healthiest Foods. Ultimately, the dish is pretty nutritious, fairly low in calories and delicious over rice.

Basil and Sunflower Tilapia
serves 2

2 cups packed basil
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tomato (about 2 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter)
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
salt

1/2 lb tilapia

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Combine the basil, olive oil, garlic, tomato, sunflower seeds and a little salt in a food processor and process until it’s roughly the texture of pesto.

In an oven-safe casserole dish that is large enough to fit the filets of tilapia, but not too much larger, spread half of the sunflower-basil mixture. Place the tilapia on top and cover completely with the other half of the sunflower-basil mixture.

Place in the oven and cook, 20-25 minutes until fish flakes easily. Flake all of the fish and stir together with the sauce.

Serve hot, over rice, with a lemon wedge. Sprinkle with sea salt just before serving.

I’ve been cooking almost daily. I love cooking so that’s a chore I totally don’t mind doing. And there are several great benefits to cooking at home, instead of getting take out or going out. For one, a meal made at home is cheaper than one in a restaurant. That’s always a good thing. For another, it’s far easier to control what you eat and how many calories you take in when you are eating at home.

Speaking of calories, there are significantly fewer calories in ground turkey than in ground beef — about 100 fewer, in fact. So, while Shawn and I love a juicy beef burger, I try to substitute turkey for beef when possible. With recipes like my Italian Turkey Meatballs and these Hawaiian Turkey Meatballs, the extra juicy sauce makes up for the dryness factor of the turkey. What dryness factor? Simply put, ground turkey doesn’t cook up as juicy as ground beef.

This recipe has a lot of ingredients — I know, who wants to use that many? But to achieve the right flavor here, you have to. And the result is worthwhile. Plus, this healthy recipe amounts to just under 400 calories for each portion. How much is a portion? Eight one-inch meatballs and one-quarter of the sauce. Serve it with 1/2 cup of rice and you have a healthy meal with a lean protein and about 2 servings of fruits and veggies for about 500 calories. Not bad at all.

Just try it!

Hawaiian Turkey Meatballs
serves 4

Meatballs:
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 small onion, finely minced or processed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp grated ginger
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp packed brown sugar

Sauce:
2 cups pineapple tidbits with juice, separated
1 cup water
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 green pepper, sliced
1/2 red pepper, sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.

Mix together the ground turkey, onion, garlic, ginger, egg, panko, salt, pepper, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Knead with your hands to combine well.

With your hands, grab meat and roll into 1 inch meatballs. Place on the baking sheet. Don’t let them touch, but they can be close together.

Place the meatballs in the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes until cooked through. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the pineapple juice, water, brown sugar, vinegar and soy sauce until sugar is fully dissolved. Whisk in the cornstarch and raise the heat to medium high. Bring to a boil, stirring continuously.

Stir in the pineapple bits and the peppers. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Cook for 15 minutes. Add meatballs and recover. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Serve with rice.

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.

Nearly every weekend this summer has included a trip to my cousin’s farm. Will and I have carefully selected the farm-fresh and mostly organic produce and coveted it all week long. There were overflowing pints of blueberries that Will would finish before the day was out and tiny, sweet orange cherry tomatoes that would burst as we bit them. And then there was sweet corn, so crisp and sugary that we’d consume ear after ear.

But, as my cousin’s husband said this weekend, the season is quickly coming to an end. When we drove over to the farm on Sunday, we found giant, ripe, just-picked heirloom tomatoes and brilliant other tomatoes. Plus, several varieties of onions, gigantic cucumbers and other goodies.

With winter fast-approaching, we bought about 10 pounds of seconds tomatoes — ones that didn’t quite pass muster but are perfect for fresh marinara. We also bought several of the perfect red tomatoes and an heirloom. I immediately started dreaming of what to do with the lovely globes of goodness. The seconds were destined for marinara (more on that later this week . . . it was a lengthy process). The regular, ripe, perfect tomatoes I have tucked away for gazpacho (along with the cucumber and a red onion), which I will tell you about another day. But the heirloom, oh the heirloom. The gnarly, imperfect, gigantic heirloom was my wild card. Would I slice it and eat it bit by bit? Or perhaps transform it into something else.

But while flipping through a Barefoot Contessa cookbook, I found my answer. An heirloom tomato salad with blue cheese dressing. Ina Garten’s recipe didn’t quite meet my tastes (too much mayo . . . heck, mayo in general! ew!), so I worked out my own vinaigrette version.

Coincidentally, did you know that September is an Eat Local Challenge month? I am taking on the challenge this time. After a summer of doing my best to eat locally (and prepare for winter to do the same), I am ready to nudge my eating local forward with a solid footing for winter. So my challenge this September is to buy, prepare and store local produce for the long New England winter that will be here before we know it. I’ll be sharing my progress as I go as well.

Now. Onto the recipe.

Heirloom Tomato with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette
serves 4

1 extra large heirloom tomato (about 2 lbs)
1/2 red onion, finely diced
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp tarragon wine vinegar
salt and pepper
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

Slice the heirloom tomatoes into extra thin pieces. Arrange on a plate. Top with finely diced red onion.

In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and blue cheese. Spoon over the tomatoes.

Serve immediately.

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This is my contribution for Sweetnicks’ ARF/5-A-Day Tuesdays. Check out the Sweetnicks site for great fruit, veggie and antioxidant-rich ideas.