Chicken Jambalaya

Another South Beach WIN! I always know it's a real hit (and not just me thinking it's a decent imitation of the real thing) when non SBers love it, ask for the recipe, and don't know it's just a decent imitation of the real thing.
I upspiced the hell out of this though. . . the og recipes calls for 1/8 tsp of Cajun seasoning (psssh), and I must've used a teaspoon of my fave, Slap Ya Mama. It was SPICY yes, but spicy in a good way. Spicy in a, "This goes fantastically with tonight's episode of True Blood, since, HELLO, they're in Louisiana, plus, it's been hot here this weekend." If your tongue doesn't love the spice like ours, you might want to stick to the recipe (wuss).
I used a bag of the "ready in 3 minutes" miracle frozen brown rice from TJs and it worked perfectly. I also don't have a lid big enough for the pan I used, so I didn't cover it, and also, I have no idea how long I cooked it. As per usual. :o)

Chicken Jambalaya

• 1 1/2 lbs. boneless,skinless chicken breasts,cut into bite-size pieces
  
• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil,divided
  
• 2 bunches scallions,white and green parts,chopped(2 Tbsp reserved for garnish)
  
• 1 green bell pepper,chopped
  
• 2 garlic cloves,minced
  
• 1/2 cup whole-grain,quick-cooking brown rice
  
• 1/8 tsp sugar-free Cajun seasoning or cayenne pepper
  
• 2 cups lower-sodium chicken broth
  
• 1 (14-oz.)can diced tomatoes
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 Tbsp of the oil in a large straight-sided skillet over med-high heat. Add chicken,scallions,bell pepper,and garlic;cook stirring often,until vegetables are softened,about 5 min.
   
2. Stir in rice and Cajun seasoning. Add broth and tomatoes with juice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to med-low,cover,and simmer,stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed,about 30 min. If jambalaya has excess moisture,cook uncovered for 3-5 min. Sprinkle with reserved scallions and serve.
   
3. Makes 4(1 1/2-cup)servings

Potato Salad

The only way to enjoy potato salad is German style.
Hölle ja.
(Thanks Sammy, for making me crave it for two days now)

• 4 potatoes
• 4 slices bacon
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes; cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool and chop.
2. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside. Reserve bacon fat.
3. Add the flour, sugar, water and vinegar to skillet and cook in reserved bacon fat over medium heat until dressing is thick.
4. Add bacon, potatoes and green onions to skillet and stir until coated. Cook until heated and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

Once I'm in Phase 3, I'm totally trying this with sweet potatoes. Think it'll work? If not, maybe I'll try this one.

1 sweet potato, peeled
1 large mango, skin removed

3 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp grated lime rind
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
½ tsp extra-fine sugar (or Splenda, or you might not need it at all, though it is a super tiny amount)
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
1 head Bibb or Boston (round) lettuce
½ cup (10g) fresh mint (ew)

Preheat the grill or grill pan to medium.

Chop both the sweet potato and mango flesh into long wedges, about ¾-in (2cm) wide, ½-in (1 cm) thick. Place in separate dishes.

Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and pour half over the mango and potato.

With tongs in hand, arrange sweet potato wedges directly over the grill and leave for 6-8 minutes, until grill marks appear and the bottom sides begin to soften. Turn and grill the other side for a further 6 minutes. While the other sides are cooking, arrange the mango wedges directly on the grill. Grill for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Transfer all the wedges to a cutting board and cut into cubes. Place them in a bowl and toss with the remaining dressing.

Arrange lettuce leaves on salad plates. Scatter the sweet potato and mango over the lettuce and add a sprinkling of sea salt and finely sliced mint.

Serves 4-6.

Crying Tiger

I had Thai food last night with the adorable Miss Judy Wheeler (who knew she liked Thai?!) and it got me thinking about this Yam Nua/Yam Neua (I prefer to call it by the name it used when I was first introduced to it - Crying Tiger) recipe I had made once using thinly sliced roast beef from the deli. The thin little meat flaps made me happy, especially since the meat in this dish tends to be really stringy and tough. The ratio of yummy, tangy, spicy dressing to beef is high with thinly sliced meat, so there is a ton of flavor without a ton of calories. PLUS - totally SB friendly if you don't use sugar in your dressing, which I don't think you need to do personally. If you must, you can get away with a really small amount though, so it wouldn't be the end of the world. This is a great way to use leftover meat, an easy to whip up super quick dinner if you go the roast beef route, and a decent intro to Thai flavors for those less adventurous.
There are a ton of decent recipes out there, but the fewer ingredients I have to mess with the better. This one from Good Housekeeping is probably the closest to the one I used way back when.

Crying Tiger Salad
2 limes
1 - 3 tablespoon(s) less-sodium fish sauce (I'd go with a tablespoon at a time, tasting as I go; I don't know that you'd need all three tablespoons the original recipe calls for)
0 - 1 tablespoon(s) sugar (ack! too much sugar! start with a TEASPOON and adjust to taste! if you're brave and South Beachy try a little Splenda or Stevia)
1 bag (10-ounce) romaine salad mix
1 seedless cucumber, cut lengthwise in half, then thinly sliced crosswise
8 ounces deli-sliced rare roast beef, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 cup packed fresh cilantro or mint leaves
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced

---

Directions

1. From limes, grate 1 teaspoon peel and squeeze 3 tablespoons juice (again, I'd do this to taste, maybe you'll want more lime juice than that and if your limes are game to give it to you, why not?).
2. In a small bowl, prepare dressing: Combine lime peel and juice, fish sauce, and sugar; stir until sugar completely dissolves. Toss the beef in the dressing.
   
3. In large bowl, combine romaine salad mix, sliced cucumber, cilantro or mint, and onion. Add dressing & meat to bowl and toss to combine. Divide salad among 4 dinner plates.

You can also sautee the onion a bit if you don't want to deal with the "I just ate a bunch of raw onion" aftermath. Or try using green onions if you have them. Yum, now I want Thai again.

Blueberry Pie

No time like the present.

Blueberry Filling
6	cups fresh blueberries (about 30 ounces) (see note)
1	Granny Smith apple , peeled and grated on large holes of box grater
2	teaspoons grated zest and 2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
3/4	cup sugar (5 1/4 ounces)
2	tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca , ground (see note)
	Pinch table salt
2	tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1	large egg , lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon water

For The Filling: Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place rimmed baking sheet on oven rack, and heat oven to 400 degrees. Place 3 cups berries in medium saucepan and set over medium heat. Using potato masher, mash berries several times to release juices. Continue to cook, stirring frequently and mashing occasionally, until about half of berries have broken down and mixture is thickened and reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Place grated apple in clean kitchen towel and wring dry. Transfer apple to large bowl. Add cooked berries, remaining 3 cups uncooked berries, lemon zest, juice, sugar, tapioca, and salt; toss to combine. Transfer mixture to dough-lined pie plate and scatter butter pieces over filling.

Roll out second disk of dough on generously floured (up to 1/4 cup) work surface to 11-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick. Using 1 1/4-inch round biscuit cutter, cut round from center of dough. Cut another 6 rounds from dough, 1 1/2 inches from edge of center hole and equally spaced around center hole. Roll dough loosely around rolling pin and unroll over pie, leaving at least 1/2-inch overhang on each side.

Using kitchen shears, trim bottom layer of overhanging dough, leaving 1/2-inch overhang. Fold dough under itself so that edge of fold is flush with outer rim of pie plate. Flute edges using thumb and forefinger or press with tines of fork to seal. Brush top and edges of pie with egg mixture. If dough is very soft, chill in freezer for 10 minutes.

Place pie on heated baking sheet and bake 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to bake until juices bubble and crust is deep golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes longer. Transfer pie to wire rack; cool to room temperature, at least 4 hours. Cut into wedges and serve.

Pretty But Pasty Too much tapioca (or the wrong thickener, such as flour or cornstarch) results in a filling that holds its shape but tastes gluey and dull.	Fresh But Soupy With no thickener at all, there is plenty of fresh berry flavor, but the filling is loose and runny.

We used a 1 1/4-inch biscuit cutter to cut holes in the dough, but a spice-jar lid will also do the trick.

ON THE LOOSE Pie filling thickened without enough tapioca won't firm up. But too much tapioca leads to gumminess.	ALL FIRMED UP A little tapioca plus a grated apple created a juicy but sliceable filling.

Pie Crust

Oh fine - if you must. (I'll just say it one more time though. . . . )
I tend to trust that these clowns have done all the science and calorie crunching for me. Give it a whirl and then make me a pie please.

Foolproof Pie Dough
Vodka is essential to the texture of the crust and imparts no flavor—do not substitute. This dough will be moister and more supple than most standard pie doughs and will require more flour to roll out (up to 1/4 cup).

For one 9-inch Double-Crust Pie
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12 1/2 ounces)
1 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons sugar
12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup chilled solid vegetable shortening , cut into 4 pieces
1/4 cup vodka , cold
1/4 cup cold water

1. Process 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about 2 one-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogenous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds (dough will resemble cottage cheese curds and there should be no uncoated flour). Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.

2. Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Divide dough into two even balls and flatten each into 4-inch disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.



Step-by-Step: Key Steps to Foolproof Pie Dough


1. MAKE A FAT AND FLOUR PASTE: Completely blending part of the flour with all of the butter ensures a consistent amount of fat-coated flour in the final dough.
2. ADD MORE FLOUR: Pulsing in the final cup of flour ensures a consistent amount of uncoated flour in the final dough.


3. ADD WATER AND VODKA: Sprinkling with water and vodka ensures even distribution. No need to skimp—unlike water, vodka won't make the dough tough.

Banana Cream Pie

Good gravy I love me some banana cream pie. Working from the comfort of your hotel room bed offers up some perks, like Martha Stewart on in the background. Well you can bet your sweet tooth that these fingers stopped typing once she started making the pie of my dreams.
No wait, I would most certainly not make my own crust a), and there would be a layer of ganache between crust and 'nana, b). (does it work to do it that way in type, or just in speech? Whatever, it's my blog and I'll do what I want)

Delicious Banana Cream Pie
Makes one 9-inch pie
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1/2 recipe Pate Brisee - or, let's be reasonable
1 large whole egg, lightly beaten, plus 4 large egg yolks
6 to 8 medium-ripe bananas
3 cups whole milk
2/3 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to a 12-inch round, a bit less than 1/4 inch thick. Fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, trim crust so there's a 1/2-inch overhang all around. Fold under overhang so it extends slightly beyond edge of pie plate. Crimp edge as desired. Prick dough all over with a fork. Brush rim of dough with beaten egg. Chill pie shell until firm, about 30 minutes.
(Or again, with the premade)

Line chilled pie shell with a round of parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges of crust just turn golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove pie weights and parchment. Return crust to oven, and continue baking until golden all over, 20 to 25 minutes more. Place pie shell on a wire rack to cool completely.
(Not to beat a dead horse, but if you were using premade crust you wouldn't be doing any of this. . . . )

Prepare an ice bath; set aside. In a bowl, lightly whisk egg yolks; set aside. In a saucepan, whisk together milk, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Bring to a simmer (do not boil), and cook, whisking constantly, 3 to 4 minutes.

Whisk a quarter of hot-milk mixture into egg yolks; whisk in remaining milk mixture. Strain into a clean saucepan, and cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until custard is thick and bubbles appear in center, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl, and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto surface to prevent a skin from forming. Set in ice bath until completely chilled, 30 to 35 minutes. (Filling can be kept in refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, up to 1 day.

Cut 3 or 4 bananas into 1/4-inch slices, slightly on the bias. Beginning at the edge of the piecrust, arrange the slices in slightly overlapping rows. Cover with custard, using an offset spatula to smooth it into an even layer. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine cream and confectioners' sugar; beat until soft peaks form. Using a small offset spatula, spread the whipped cream on top of the custard. Refrigerate pie, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

Just before serving, cut 3 or 4 bananas into 1/4-inch slices, slightly on the bias. Beginning at the edge of the piecrust, arrange the slices in slightly overlapping rows on top of the whipped cream.

I hear some of that Stay Fresh fruit powder may stop the bananas on top from discoloring. Or lemon juice if you want to stay natural, though it does slightly change the flavor. Ooh, or try pineapple for a tropical flair!! Hell yes.

Pork Satay

This one goes out to all my homies that think satay can be way too sweet sometimes. Also to Duane, who I think would come over to my house for dinner every day if I promised to make this for him (despite being reluctant at first). It's another South Beach Phase 1 recipe. Proof yet again that this diet does not SUCK, you naysayers!

Pork Satay
1/4 trans-fat-free peanut butter
1/4 c water
1 tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1 1/2 lbs pork cutlets (about 3/4" thick), cut lengthwise into 1/2" strips
4 metal skewers (if you don't have metal you can use wood, just be sure to soak them really well in water so they don't burn in the broiler)

Heat oven to broil.
Whisk together peanut butter, water, vinegar, soy, garlic and red pepper flakes in a mixing bowl. Place pork in a separate mixing bowl and add 1/4 cup of the dipping sauce, toss to coat. (I may have added more than that to coat all my pork - use your judgment). Reserve the remaining sauce for dipping or to spread onto the satay once it's cooked.
Thread pork onto skewers and broil 4 minutes per side. Coat with reserved sauce or put sauce in dipping cups and serve alongside pork.

A garnish of cilantro or sesame seeds would be good if you're cooking this for guests or you like cilantro. Mmmm.

To go alongside, I planned to make Sesame Green Beans, but realized too late that I didn't have any more sesame oil. What else was there to do but douse my cooked beans in Sriracha, soy sauce and garlic powder? They were good and went really well with the skewers.