Article Preview: Tammy Kelly: Comfort food makes cold weather better - MailTribune.com - Medford, OR

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2015-02-21

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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation  |  Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Ashland man's killer sentenced to 25 years to life Emergency services, Feb. 21 Grace to assume school governance Two-house fire caused by towel left on stove On Track moms embark on food and garden project Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Ashland man's killer sentenced to 25 years to life Emergency services, Feb. 21 Two-house fire caused by towel left on stove Man charged with trying to lure children Two houses burning in east Medford Politics and Elections Ballots on Jackson County marijuana tax go out Friday Brown's inauguration brings hope to local lawmakers Kate Brown sworn in as Oregon's 38th governor Gov. Kitzhaber steps down, federal investigation begins Gov. 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Dr. Jeff Hersh: Breathe easy - all about lung function Health Watch: Health improvements you can make today that will pay off for a lifetime Runners’ Corner: Helpful winter running hints Today is exclusion day for kids who don't have required vaccines Hiking Biking Faith Religion briefs: Friday, Feb. 20 Religion News: Pope makes surprise shantytown visit Religion briefs: Friday, Feb. 13 RELIGION BRIEFS, Feb. 6 Religion News: Church of England consecrates first female bishop Milestones and Achievements Anniversary: Hofer New arrivals: Sunday, Feb. 8 Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Live Music in Local Clubs OSF kicks off its 2015 season SOU presents 'The Glass Menagerie' Third Fridays showcases local artists The music that made Paris famous Theater 'The Glass Menagerie' is polished and professional OSF kicks off its 2015 season SOU presents 'The Glass Menagerie' Le Cirque presents 'City Walk' 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers' Music Professor Gall plays Oberon's Tavern Live Music in Local Clubs The music that made Paris famous Blues Jam at The Little Brown Jug Southern Oregon Jazz Orchestra Community Events Third Fridays showcases local artists Southern Oregon Rod and Custom Show Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhibits by regional artists Jacksonville celebrates Chinese New Year Comedian Susan Westenhoefer pulls no punches Dining Saigon Xich Lo Vietnamese cuisine The zwickels shall flow Soo Rah Korean Cuisine Stylish shareables are the feature at Brickroom Sandwiches and burgers are hits at The Rogue Chef Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED   » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines/Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW   Get Up & Go: Saturday, Feb. 21       ...       Since You Asked: Natural gas pipeline along I-5 built in 1963       ...       Ashland man's killer sentenced to 25 years to life       ...       Get Up & Go: Saturday, Feb. 21       ...       Since You Asked: Natural gas pipeline along I-5 built in 1963       ...       Ashland man's killer sentenced to 25 years to life       ...           Tammy Kelly: Comfort food makes cold weather better By Tammy Kelly More Content Now MailTribune.com By Tammy Kelly More Content Now Posted Feb. 19, 2015 @ 9:49 am Updated Feb 19, 2015 at 11:00 AM By Tammy Kelly More Content Now Posted Feb. 19, 2015 @ 9:49 am Updated Feb 19, 2015 at 11:00 AM »  Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> The weatherman delivered on his promise of cold weather! That means staying in, staying warm and enjoying your favorite wintertime comfort foods. The problem is that often our favorite warm creamy comfort foods are loaded with calories and fat, and remember spring is just around the corner. Here are some traditional yummy recipes, but made just a little lighter so they will be a little better on the waistline! Baked Mac & Cheese with Spinach Ingredients: 3 tablespoons Panko 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 teaspoon paprika 1 16-ounce or 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed (I use fresh whenever I can) 1 3/4 cups low-fat milk, divided 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon salt Freshly ground pepper, to taste 8 ounces (2 cups) whole-wheat elbow macaroni, or penne Put a large pot of water on to boil. Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat an 8-inch-square baking dish with cooking spray. Mix panko, oil and paprika in a small bowl. Place spinach in a fine-mesh strainer and press out excess moisture. Heat 1 1/2 cups milk in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until steaming. Whisk remaining 1/4 cup milk and flour in a small bowl until smooth; add to the hot milk and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce simmers and thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Cheddar until melted. Stir in cottage cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook pasta for 4 minutes, or until not quite tender. (It will continue to cook during baking.) Drain and add to the cheese sauce; mix well. Spread half the pasta mixture in the prepared baking dish. Spoon the spinach on top. Top with the remaining pasta; sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture. Bake the casserole until bubbly and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. If you want to make ahead; Prepare through Step 4. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, if necessary, then bake for 35 to 45 minutes. Mini Shepherd’s Pies with Winter Squash Ingredients: 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 cup chopped onion 12 ounces 93-percent lean ground beef 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 cup reduced-sodium beef broth 6 ounces baby spinach, chopped 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, divided 2 12-ounce packages frozen winter squash puree, thawed 1/3 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, stir in beef, flour and tomato paste, and cook, stirring, until the beef is mostly browned, about 3 minutes. Add broth, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the broth is the consistency of thick gravy, about 4 minutes. Stir in spinach, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder; cook until the spinach is just wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Place squash in a fine-mesh sieve (or a good strainer) and gently press on it to extract excess liquid. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Divide the meat mixture among four 10-ounce broiler-safe ramekins. Top each with about 1/2 cup of the squash. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet. Broil until heated through and bubbling around the edges, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and broil until it is just melted, about 3 minutes more. Ranch Veggie Chicken Casserole Ingredients: 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed 1 tablespoon canola oil 8 ounces mushrooms, chopped 1 medium onion, diced 1 medium red or green bell pepper, diced 4 cloves garlic, minced 4 teaspoons chili powder 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour or all-purpose flour 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth 1 1/2 cups diced fresh tomatoes 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream 1 7-ounce can or two 4-ounce cans diced green chilies, drained 3/4 teaspoon salt 12 6-inch corn tortillas, cut in half, divided 1 cup shredded Colby-Jack cheese, divided 1/4 cup sliced ripe black olives, divided Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat two 8-inch-square baking dishes with cooking spray. Place chicken in a large saucepan and add water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until just cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a clean cutting board. Dice when cool. (Here’s what I do, I bake a bag of chicken breast or chicken tenders at 350 degrees for about an hour to an hour and a half, that way I can use the chicken in more than just one recipe in a week). Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until all the mushroom liquid has evaporated, 7 to 9 minutes. Add bell pepper and cook, stirring, until just tender, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and chili powder; stir for 1 minute. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add broth and cook, stirring, until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in tomatoes, sour cream, chilies, salt and the chicken. To assemble: Spread 1 cup filling in each prepared baking dish. Layer on 4 tortilla halves and top with 1 cup filling. Repeat 2 more layers of tortillas and filling, ending with the rest of the filling. Sprinkle cheese and olives on top. To serve: Bake until hot and bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving. To freeze: Let unbaked casserole(s) cool to room temperature. Tightly wrap with heavy-duty foil (or freezer paper) and freeze. (To prevent foil from sticking to the cheese, coat with cooking spray first.) This recipe can be frozen prior to baking, thaw before baking. Broccoli Cheese Soup Ingredients: 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 1 large carrot, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 1 large potato, peeled and diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 14-ounce cans vegetable broth, or reduced-sodium chicken broth 8 ounces broccoli (or broccoli) crowns, cut into 1-inch pieces, stems and florets separated 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream 1/8 teaspoon salt Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot and celery; cook, stirring often, until the onion and celery soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Add potato and garlic; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in flour, dry mustard and cayenne; cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Add broth and broccoli stems; bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in florets; simmer, covered, until the broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes more. Transfer 2 cups of the chowder to a bowl and mash; return to the pan. Stir in Cheddar and sour cream; cook over medium heat, stirring, until the cheese is melted and the chowder is heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt. Alternate method; for those of you that know me, I am a big fan of the crock-pot. If you are too, throw all of the ingredients (except the cheese and sour cream) in a crock-pot, turn to high for about 4 hours (it is just easier), add cheese and sour cream a little before serving. Tammy Kelly is a correspondent for The Kinston (N.C.) Free Press. She can be reached at [email protected]. By Tammy Kelly More Content Now MailTribune.com By Tammy Kelly More Content Now Posted Feb. 19, 2015 @ 9:49 am Updated Feb 19, 2015 at 11:00 AM » Comment or view comments   /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ »  STAY INFORMED   Email NewsLetter   Sign Up Today   Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed   Email newsletter   Sign Up Today   Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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