Robyn's Recipes

Meal of the Week

Ah, the lazy days of summer are truly
here!!  You don't have to spend every
weekend going out and spending your
last cent on entertainment.  How about
something that doesn't cost an arm and
a leg?  Gather up your sweetheart and
take a long, slow drive through the
country.  It'll put your entire being
into the "slow-down-and-relax"
mode.  And don't turn on the air
conditioner in your car... open the
windows and take in the fresh rural
air.  Feel that gentle breeze wisping
through your hair??!!  Take a blanket
along to spread out somewhere in a
meadow, under a tree, or maybe by
a creek.  You can lay there and watch
the clouds go by.  Let your senses tune
in to all of the scents and sounds of 
the summer day...
Now THIS is living!

Breakfast

These pancakes are low in fat and
calories, and will give you a nice
change from that everyday bowl
of cereal.  They are out of
this world!

Gingerbread Pancakes

1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup skim milk (or 2%)
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons dark molasses

Sift the flour, baking powder, cocoa, ginger,
cinnamon and cloves into a large bowl.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk,
egg whites and molasses.  Make a well in the flour
mixture and pour the milk mixture into it.  Stir just
enough to moisten the dry ingredients.  The
 batter will be lumpy.
Coat a large no-stick frying pan with cooking spray.
Heat on medium until hot.  Ladle in the batter so
the pancake spreads to desired size in frying
pan.  Cook for 2 minutes or so, then flip carefully
and cook for 2 minutes more, or until done.

*Top pancakes with syrup or with fresh fruit and
a dollop of vanilla yogurt for less calories.

Makes 4 servings.

Dinner

Entree

London Broil with Lite Gravy

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced OR 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
2 pounds top round steak, about 2 inches thick

In a large glass baking dish, combine the
Worcestershire sauce, garlic, allspice, thyme and
mustard.  Add the meat to the dish and rub the
marinade over the surface.
Allow to marinate for 30 minutes.  Broil or grill the
meat for about 8-10 minutes per side, depending
on desired doneness.  Carve into thin slices.
Serve with gravy (see below).

Makes 6-8 servings.

Lite Gravy

2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups defatted beef broth (canned OR 2 cups boiling water with 6 beef bouillon cubes dissolved)

In a 1-quart saucepan, dissolve the cornstarch in
about 1/4 cup stock.  Whisk in the remaining
1-3/4 cups stock.  Cook over medium heat until the stock comes to a boil and thickens.

(There is only .3 grams of fat and only 23 calories
in 1/4 cup of this gravy and you'll not sacrifice
flavor at all!  You can add just a drop or two
of Kitchen Bouquet Gravy Maker if you wish, too,
but this is optional.)

(painting by Luis Garcia)
(please click on the bridge to see their beautiful gallery of works)

Side Dishes

French-Style Potatoes

This dish is very simple and comes from
19th Century France.

2 pounds boiling potatoes
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt and Pepper to taste
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice

Peel and cut the potatoes into quarters.
Boil in salted boiling water for about 3 minutes
and then drain.  Mix all remaining ingredients, except
for the lemon juice, in a large bowl.  Place
everything in a sprayed baking dish, and drizzle
a little more oil on the top if you wish.
Bake at 450 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until
lightly browned and tender.
Pour the lemon juice over the top just
before serving.
Serve very hot!

Makes 6-8 servings.

Spinach Squares

3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 pound mushrooms, sliced
4 eggs
1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 10-oz. packages frozen chopped spinach,
thawed and squeezed dry

Melt butter in a large frying pan over medium
heat.  Add onion and mushrooms and cook,
stirring often, until vegetables are soft.
Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, lightly beat eggs.  Stir in onion
mixture, crumbs, soup, 2 tablespoons of the
cheese, pepper, basil, oregano, and spinach.
Pour into a greased 9-inch square baking pan.
Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons cheese.

Bake at 325 degrees until edges are golden
brown (about 35 minutes).
Cut into squares and serve hot.

Makes 8 servings.

Dessert

This has just got to be the
perfect dessert for summer...
peaches and cream!

Peach-Custard Kuchen

1 cup flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened (1/2 stick)
1-1/2 cups sliced fresh peaches (about 3 medium)
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 egg yolks
1 cup whipping cream (not whipped cream)

Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Stir together the flour, 2 tablespoons sugar,
the salt and baking powder.  Work in the butter
or margarine until mixture is crumbly.
Pat the mixture firmly and evenly in bottom and
then halfway up sides of ungreased square pan.
Arrange peaches in pan.
Mix 1/3 cup sugar and the cinnamon.
Sprinkle over the peaches.  Bake for 15 minutes.

Blend egg yolks and whipping cream.  Pour
over the peaches.  Bake 25-30 minutes
or until custard is set and edges are light
brown.  Serve warm.
You'll need to refrigerate any that's left over.

(**Note - if you don't wish to use fresh peaches,
you can substitute with 1 8-oz. package of
frozen, sliced peaches, thawed and drained
OR
1 16-oz. can of sliced peaches, drained.)