A Little Old....A Little New

This wasn't really a New Year's Resolution, but with the New Year I wanted to start trying some new ingredients in my recipes and cooking. There are so many recipes I probably skip over just because I'm not familiar with the ingredient. So already I've already added Cardamom, Unprocessed Bran, Butternut Squash and Leeks to my list. Sunday evening (my big cooking day) I used turnips and Gruyère cheese as my something new ingredients. I saw a recipe for Turnip-Gruyère Gratin in the new Cooking Light and it caught my eye, which is unusual since it didn't have a picture. I'm a very visual person and typically only make recipes with pictures...hence my love of photographing food! I also decided to try a new Meatloaf recipe made with oatmeal rather than breadcrumbs.

The turnips were quite tasty. They sort of taste like a cross between and potato and onion. The gratin also has potatoes and the dish turned out a little like scalloped potatoes. The meatloaf was very good and worthy of the 5 stars the reviewers gave it on Cooking Light. After reading the reviews I decided to use 2 whole eggs rather than 2 egg whites to keep the loaf together. Also, I didn't have enough ketchup, so I used bbq sauce too. I have a loaf pan and used it, but the recipe uses a roasting pan instead. Next time, I'll shape into a loaf and use the pan, which will help reduce the fat that collects on top. I also steamed fresh broccolini then pan roasted it with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic, ginger and crushed red pepper.



Home-Style Meat Loaf (Cooking Light)

3/4 cup ketchup, divided
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup minced fresh onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 1/2 pounds ground round
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine 1/2 cup ketchup, oats, and next 6 ingredients (oats through egg whites) in a large bowl. Add meat; stir just until blended. Shape meat mixture into an 8 x 4-inch loaf on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Brush 1/4 cup ketchup over meat loaf. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

6 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 242(28% from fat); FAT 7.5g (sat 2.6g,mono 3.1g,poly 0.5g); PROTEIN 27.2g; CHOLESTEROL 70mg; CALCIUM 21mg; SODIUM 527mg; FIBER 1.4g; IRON 3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 15.5g





Turnip-Gruyère Gratin (Cooking Light)

1 pound turnips, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 pound baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
Cooking spray
1 cup fat-free milk, divided
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese
3 tablespoons seasoned breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Preheat oven to 425°.

Place turnips in a large saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add potatoes to pan, and simmer for 8 minutes or until potatoes are almost tender. Drain. Sprinkle turnips and potatoes evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and arrange slices in an 11 x 7–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Combine 1/4 cup milk, flour, and 1/4 teaspoon thyme in a medium saucepan, and stir with a whisk until well blended. Gradually add remaining 3/4 cup milk, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook over medium heat for 7 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, and add Gruyère cheese, stirring until smooth. Pour cheese mixture over turnip and potato slices, and toss gently.
Combine seasoned breadcrumbs and butter; sprinkle over turnip mixture. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve immediately.

6 servings

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 166(24% from fat); FAT 4.5g (sat 2.6g,mono 1.2g,poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 6.1g; CHOLESTEROL 13mg; CALCIUM 189mg; SODIUM 372mg; FIBER 2.9g; IRON 0.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 25.8g