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Take Mom
To The Italian Riviera
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Menu No. 2 *Parmesan Canes recipe
from M.J. Smith's Year-Round Low-Fat & No-Fat Holiday Meals in Minutes!
You can make your own breadsticks
More Italian Cuisine
Mother's Day is Sunday, May 11th. To get you in the spirit a bit early, here are some facts from the U.S. Census Bureau:
Source: The Modesto Bee, May 5, 2003.
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Originally
conceived by Anna Jarvis, Mother's Day has evolved into a thoroughly modern American
holiday. Advertisers -- among them the florist and greeting-card industries -- are at no lack for marketing creativity; they proudly sell everything from Mother's Day floral bouquets and restaurant-catered Sunday brunches, to "motherly" greeting cards and window displays. Like many of our "holy days," Mother's Day was originally intended to be just that: a day to celebrate maternal love and sacrifice in a "holy" sort of way. Indeed, Jarvis attained that wish as early as 1908, when she convinced many church leaders to hold special Mother's Day services on the second Sunday in May. In 1912, Jarvis organized the Mother's Day International Association, and after several years, the holiday gained even mayoral and gubernatorial attention. By 1914, Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the day a national observance. In the last several decades, many commercially acclaimed holidays have joined the ranks of Mother's Day, among them: Father's Day, Grandparents' Day, and even days such as Secretaries Day. As the mother of all such modern-day holidays, however, Mother's Day deserves the biggest-ever bouquet of honorary flowers. Source: The Book of Days, A Compendium of Celebrations, Common and Arcane, ©1996 by Lamppost Press and Guen Sublette. Ed Note: Mother's Day comes once a year, and whatever your plans for honoring your mother, grandmother, aunt or special friend, be sure to let her know just how much you love her on each of the other 364 days of the year. We suggest you start by waking up Mom's Italian taste buds with a trip to the Italian Riviera, complete with a delicious menu and recipes from the Flavorful Seasons Cookbook, by Robyn Webb, or M.J. Smith's classic Italian menu from Around the World Low-Fat & No-Fat Meals In Minutes! Additional recipes for delicious Italian cuisine from The Guiltless Gourmet, by Judy Gilliard, are also included. Whether you mix, match or just want to try something new, you're sure to find at least one delicious recipe to add to your culinary repertoire. Arrivederci!
TOMATO
CROSTINI 12 slices Italian bread, (about
1-1/2-inches thick) Preheat oven to 350°F. Rub each slice of Italian bread with the garlic and brush with some of the olive oil. Place the bread slices on a cookie sheet and toast in the oven for 3 to 4 minutes. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Place a spoonful of the tomato mixture on each bread slice and serve. Makes 6 Servings. Per Serving: 230 Cal; 5 g Total Fat (1 g Sat Fat); 39 g Carb; 1 mg Cholesterol; 438 mg Sodium; 6 g Protein; 2 g Fiber; 4 g Sugars. Exchanges: 2-1/2 Starch; 1 Fat.
MEDITERRANEAN
GAME HENS 3 Cornish game hens Preheat the oven to 375°F. Wash and dry the game hens inside and out and remove the giblets. With poultry shears, cut each hen in half. In the bottom of a large roasting pan, place the lemons, rosemary sprigs, and garlic. Place the hens on top and brush them with oil. Roast the hens in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes until they are tender and their juices run clear. Makes 6 Servings. Per (1/2 hen w/o skin) Serving: 68 Cal; 2 g Total Fat (1 g Sat Fat); 1 g Carb; 47 mg Cholesterol; 30 mg Sodium; 10 g Protein; 00 g Fiber; 00 g Sugars. Exchanges: 2 Very Lean Meat.
ORZO WITH
HERBS 6 cups hot cooked orzo Combine all ingredients and serve at room temperature. Makes 6 Servings. Per (1-cup) Serving: 254 Cal; 5 g Total
Fat (1 g Sat Fat); 44 g Carb; 00 mg Cholesterol; 25 mg Sodium; 7 g Protein; 1 g Fiber;
AMARETTO
RICE PUDDING 1/2 cup chopped dried peaches Soak the peaches in the Amaretto for 10 minutes; set aside. Combine the rice, milk, butter, and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cook until the rice has absorbed the milk but the mixture is creamy, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir constantly so the milk does not curdle. Add the peaches and cook 1 more minute. Remove from the heat and add eggs. Return to the heat and cook for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is creamy. To serve, sprinkle individual dishes of rice pudding with cinnamon and nutmeg. Makes 6 Servings. Ed. Note: Due to the high Carb, Cholesterol and Sugar counts, be prudent with your meal planning on the day you use this menu. Per (1/2-cup) Serving: 312 Cal; 4 g Total Fat (2 g Sat Fat); 54 g Carb; 81 mg Cholesterol; 234 mg Sodium; 17 g Protein; 3 g Fiber; 33 g Sugars. Exchanges: 3-1/2 Carb; 1 Fat.
ANTIPASTO Fresh greens Line a large platter with your favorite fresh greens. Arrange the next 7 ingredients on the greens. Sprinkle the olive oil and vinegar over the platter. Serve with purchased Italian breadsticks or Parmesan Canes (recipe follows). Makes 12 Servings. Per (1/12 of platter) Serving: 99 Cal; 4 g Total Fat; 4 g Carb; 58 mg Cholesterol; 388 mg Sodium; 11 g Protein. Exchanges: 1-1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Veg; 1 Fat.
PARMESAN CANES 1 (11-ounce) can refrigerated soft bread
sticks *Ed. Note: We've added the Italian seasoning but it's purely a matter of personal taste. Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove bread sticks from the tube and cut into two (4-inch) pieces. Dip pieces in melted margarine and then in grated cheese mixed with dried Italian seasoning, if using. Twist and shape into candy canes (if using for a Christmas theme), and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 16 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 16 Canes or Breadsticks. Per (1 Cane/Stick) Serving: 105 Cal; 5 g
Total Fat (2 g Sat Fat);
CLASSIC LASAGNA 1 tsp olive oil Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat oil in a medium skillet. Add the onion, carrot, and garlic. Cook and stir until onion is soft. Add the beef and cook until browned. Drain the fat. Add tomatoes, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered, for 10 minutes. Spread 1/3 of the tomato and meat sauce over the bottom of a lasagna baking pan. Layer 1/3 of noodles over the sauce and sprinkle with half of the mozzarella cheese, followed by one half of the ricotta cheese. Make a second layer of sauce, noodles, mozzarella and ricotta. Finish with the final 1/3 of the noodles and meat sauce. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese evenly over the top. Cover and bake for one hour and 15 minutes. Remove cover the last 15 minutes. Makes 12 Servings. Per (1/12th of Pan) Serving: 238 Cal; 11
g Total Fat; 13 g Carb; 57 mg Cholesterol; 347 mg Sodium; 22 g Protein.
Exchanges:
LEMON
ASTI SPUMANTE 1 pint softened lemon sherbet In a medium bowl, combine sherbet, whipped topping, lemon juice, and lemon peel. Spoon mixture into champagne glasses until 3/4 full. Cover with plastic wrap, and freeze at least 1 hour. Remove from freezer 10 minutes before serving. Garnish each serving with a whole strawberry. Pour 2 ounces Asti Spumante over each. Add more, if desired, to fill glass. Makes 8 Servings. Per (5-ounce) Serving: 141 Cal; 1 g Total Fat; 32 g Carb; 4 mg Cholesterol; 41 mg Sodium; 1 g Protein. Exchanges: 2-1/2 Fruit.
CAESAR SALAD Salad: 1 large head romaine lettuce 1 cup croutons 2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, freshly grated Freshly grated black pepper to taste Caesar Dressing: 1/2 cup Vinaigrette Dressing (recipe follows) 2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, freshly grated 1/4 cup egg substitute To Prepare Dressing. Combine all ingredients and chill. To Prepare Salad. Wash the romaine lettuce well; drain and tear into bite-size pieces. Spin or pat dry. Add the dressing and toss well. Add croutons and toss lightly. Place on 4 salad plates and sprinkle each with 1/2 Tablespoon Parmesan cheese and the black pepper. Makes 4 Servings. Note: If you're on a sodium-restricted meal plan, this wouldn't be a good choice for your Italian menu plan. Per Serving (with dressing): 130 Cal; 8 g Total Fat (4 g Sat Fat): 11 g Carb; 4 mg Cholesterol; 450 mg Sodium; 101 mg Calcium; 5 g Protein; 1 g Fiber. Exchanges: 2 Veg; 1/4 Starch; 2 Fat.
VINAIGRETTE
DRESSING 1/4 cup olive oil Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or covered container and mix well. Chill in a covered container. Makes 8 Servings. Per Serving: 68 Cal; 7 g Total Fat (1 g Sat Fat); 2 g Carb; 00 mg Cholesterol; 15 mg Sodium; 17 mg Calcium. Exchanges: 1 Fat.
SCAMPI 1 Tbsp olive oil heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion, garlic, and green pepper. Sauté until tender. Add the ground red pepper and vermouth. Cook until the liquid is almost all absorbed. Add the tomatoes. Cook on medium until hot, almost to a boil. Add the shrimp and cook until done, about 3 minutes. Caution: Be careful not to overcook the shrimp or it will become tough! Makes 4 Servings. Per Serving( without pasta): 229 Cal; 6
g Total Fat (1 g Sat Fat);
ALMOND CAKE 4 tsp butter Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray a loaf pan with a nonstick spray and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg substitute, 1/2 cup at a time, beating after each addition. Fold in the vanilla and almond extract, yogurt, flour and almonds. Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. Makes 10 Servings. Per Serving: 299 Cal; 8 g Total Fat (2 g Sat Fat); 50 g Carb; 6 mg Cholesterol; 82 mg Sodium; 74 mg Calcium; 7 g Protein; 1 g Fiber. Exchanges: 3 Starch; 1/2 Protein; 2 Fat.
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