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Do You Call it Skim Milk or Nonfat Milk?

YumSugar — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:28:31 -0700

PetSugar and I recently got into a discussion over milk. I grew up knowing that there was whole milk, lowfat milk and nonfat milk. However she grew up calling nonfat milk skim milk. We think it might a coastal thing, but aren't sure. So tell me, what do you call it?

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What Type of Milk Do You Drink?

YumSugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 11:45:30 -0700

Got (one percent) milk? The Daily Mail reports that after a British watchdog organization cautioned against excessive intake of saturated fat, sales of one percent milk have skyrocketed in the United Kingdom. The Food Standards Agency warned that whole milk can lead to heart disease and clogged arteries, so shoppers swapped out whole milk in exchange for one percent, which contains more flavor than skim milk. It now accounts for 10 percent of sales.

I'm surprised to hear that people have just started switching from whole milk in Britain, considering whole milk fell out of favor years ago in the States. Do you drink whole milk?

Say Cheese! Parmesan Fricos

partysugar — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 10:15:08 -0700

Parmesan cheese is quite possibly Italy's most popular cheese. The hard, dry cheese has clearly won its way into the hearts of America. It's made from skimmed (or partially skimmed) cow's milk and has a pale golden rind and light-straw interior. Although Parmesan is made in the US, Argentina, and Australia, for it to be authentically Italian it must be called Parmigiano-Reggiano. On average Parmesan is aged for two years. It has a granular texture that's sometimes characterized by crystals.

The flavor of Parmesan is salty, complex, and nutty. Parmesan is insanely versatile: it's obviously delicious in pasta, makes a wonderful addition to any cheese plate, is great shaved on salads or crisped on pizzas, and makes an exceptional frico. What exactly is a frico? Find out when you read more.

Frico, quite simply a crispy disk made of grated cheese, are native to Italy's Friuli region. Traditionally fricos consist of montasio cheese, but authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano is a nice substitute. Fricos can be used in salads, but paired with a glass of Prosecco, they make a light, luxurious appetizer.

Parmesan Fricos
Modified from Food & Wine

Ingredients

4 cups Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, coarsely grated

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°. In the corner of a large nonstick baking sheet, sprinkle 1/4 cup of the grated cheese in a 4-inch round. Repeat to make 3 more rounds on the baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between the rounds.
Bake the frico in the oven for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese is slightly melted and golden brown. Let the frico cool on the sheet for 2 minutes to firm up.
Using a metal spatula, transfer the frico to a platter to cool completely; they’ll crisp as they cool. Repeat with the remaining cheese. Arrange the frico on a platter and serve.

Serves 8.

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Say Cheese! Baked Brie With Mushrooms

partysugar — Thu, 07 May 2009 10:15:55 -0700

One of the world's most beloved cheeses, brie dates back to the 8th century. It's characterized by a creamy soft center and white edible rind. Although Brie originates in France, it's so popular that countries across the world now produce it. Brie is made from whole or skimmed cow's milk. When perfectly ripe, the interior should ooze. Brie has a short shelf life and mild flavor. The versatile cheese can be eaten alone or spread on crackers and bread. Since it's ideal for melting, baked brie is another desirable method of preparation. To find out how I baked mine with mushrooms, read more.

When I saw this recipe in a recent issue of Bon Appétit, I knew I had to try it. Because it can be made in advance and is vegetarian, it's the perfect crowd-pleasing appetizer. Oh and not to mention: it's wildly delicious!

Baked Brie With Mushrooms
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms*
2/3 cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
6 ounces crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, halved or quartered if large
6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, sliced
2 tablespoons minced shallot (about 1 large)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 13- to 14-ounce Brie (about 5 inches in diameter; preferably in wooden box)
1 baguette, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

Directions

Rinse dried porcini to remove any grit. Place porcini and wine in small saucepan. Bring to simmer over low heat; remove from heat. Let soak until soft, about 20 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer porcini to work surface and coarsely chop. Line strainer with damp paper towel; strain wine into small bowl and reserve.
Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add crimini and shiitakes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook until brown, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.
Add shallot and stir until soft, about 1 minute.
Add chopped porcini and strained wine. Boil until almost dry, about 1 minute. Stir in thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cool.
Remove Brie from box, discarding lid and paper. Using sharp knife, cut top rind from Brie; discard. Return Brie to box. (Alternatively, stack two 12-inch rounds of foil and fold up around bottom and sides of Brie, crimping foil at edges, leaving top exposed.) Mound mushroom mixture atop Brie. DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before continuing.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place Brie with mushrooms on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until cheese begins to melt and mushrooms are warmed through, about 15 minutes. Transfer Brie in box to plate. Serve hot with baguette slices.

Serves 6-8.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Low-Fat Fettuccine Alfredo

partysugar — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 09:11:39 -0700

I love everything about creamy, decadent pasta sauces. However, I know they're incredibly unhealthy. That's why I enjoy making lighter versions like this low-fat fettuccine Alfredo. The recipe calls for skim milk and tons of crunchy, green broccoli. A small amount of good quality parmesan cheese adds depth and flavor. To recreate this classic pasta dish in a more healthful manner, read more.

Low-Fat Fettuccine Alfredo
From Real Simple magazine

Ingredients

12 ounces fettuccine
1 head of broccoli
1 1/2 cups cups skim milk
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon flour
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Cook fettuccine according to the package directions; drain.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook broccoli (cut into florets, stalks peeled and sliced), 3 minutes; drain.
Heat skim milk and butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Slowly whisk in flour.
Simmer until slightly thickened, whisking constantly, 1 to 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan and salt.
Add the pasta and broccoli and stir over low heat until heated through. Top each serving with Parmesan shavings.

Serves 4.

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 445(0% from fat); FAT 9g (sat 5g); PROTEIN 22mg; CHOLESTEROL 23mg; CALCIUM 312mg; SODIUM 568mg; FIBER 4g; CARBOHYDRATE 72g; IRON 3mg

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Reader's Recipe: Hearty "Cleaned Up" Chicken Pot Pie

YumSugar — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 07:58:13 -0800

For some reason, I have been craving chicken pot pie for the past few weeks. I'm not sure where the craving came from, or why, but I do know that I need to make one sooner than later. I've got a few recipes in my repertoire, but I decided to see if there were any great recipes online. Lucky for me, I didn't have to look too hard. My first stop was TeamSugar and reader suzanne has provided a great looking chicken pot pie that's she's altered from The Best Light Recipes cookbook. To check out what suzanne has come up with, read more

Recipe submitted by suzanne

This recipe (from "The Best Light Recipes Cookbook") started out at 380 calaories and 9g fat (instead of the usual 510 calories and 28 g of fat...) The changes I made did not alter the taste or texture at all... just brought the fat and calories even lower. Serves 8

It's delicious and satisfying. give it a try!

Light Chicken Pot Pie

- 6 medium carrots peeled and sliced
- 3 celery stalks sliced 1/4 in. thick
- I medium onion chopped fine
- 2 garlic cloved, minced
- 2 tsp. fresh Thyme or 1/2 tsp. dried
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 medium skinless boneless chicken breasts trimmed of all fat
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup frozen green beans
- 1 cup skim milk
- 2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley leaves
- pinch salt and ground black pepper
- 1 Kroger frozen pie crust (4gm per serving) taken out of the shell, moistened, a bit formed into a ball and rerolled into a thin round circle.

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Combine carrots, celery, onion, garlic, thyme and 1/2 tsp. salt in a cooking pot. Cook in 4 cups chicken stock until vegetables are soft and tender. Stir in white wine and bay leaves and bring to a simmer.
3. Place the whole chicken breasts into the vegatable/sauce mixture and cook until the chicken is not pink in the center - about 12 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and allow to cool.
4. While the chicken cools, whisk the cornstarch into the milk and add to the simmering pot. Simmer until thick, then turn off heat.
5. Take out the bay leaf, stir in the peas, green beans and parsley and season with salt and pepper
6. When the chicken is cool enought to handle, shred it and then cut into bits sized pieces. Stir the chicken into the sauce/veg mixture.
7. Use a turned over ramekin as a cookie cutter and make 8 pie crust circles for topping the pot pies.
8. Evenly divide the mixture into individual ramekins and top each with a pie crust round. Brush each pie crust round with egg white or milk.
9. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the sauce is bubbly... 20-25 minutes.

Serve on a dinner plate alongside a fresh salad. Mmmmmmmmm!!!

What Can Replace Heavy Cream?

YumSugar — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 00:11:22 -0800

So you took the recipe for Penne with Parmesan Cream and Prosciutto home only to realize you didn't have any heavy cream. You probably thought, great I'll just make this some other time. But wait! You can use a simple culinary substitution to ensure that your dish will still turn out.

To substitute 1 cup of heavy cream, mix 3/4 cup of milk and 1/3 cup of butter/margarine (melted and cooled). Just don't try to whip this, it won't work. Many people insist that it can only be substituted with whole milk (as opposed to skim or non-fat), however I say in a pinch, give it a try and see what you end up with - but if it's for an important feast, you may just want to run to the store.