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Two dishes in one: Polenta and Ham Pizza Rounds and Polenta and Ham Casserole

Polenta and Ham Pizza Rounds

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Boar's Head. All opinions are 100% mine.

One of my go to meals when I can’t think of anything else to make is polenta. The great thing about polenta is that you can keep a couple of tubes of it in the pantry since it’s shelf stable. My favorite way to cook it is to sauté slices in a pan, cover them with warm spaghetti sauce, and add a little parmesan cheese on top. However, this recipe for Lower Sodium Ham & Polenta Rounds from Boar’s Head bakes the polenta rounds, which seems so much healthier!

Inspired, I created these Polenta and Ham Pizza Rounds using Boar's Head lower sodium deli meats and cheeses. In addition, I created a Polenta and Ham Casserole using leftover lower sodium ham and provolone from the first dish. The ingredients shown below are for making both dishes. If you just want to make the Pizza Rounds, halve the recipe and use leftover ham and provolone in quiche or omelets.

The Pizza Rounds make wonderful party appetizers as well as a main dish. They’re a little messy to eat with your hands – and you have to wait for the rounds to cool down a bit. Even so, my nine-year-old daughter managed just fine. Her verdict – “Oh Mom, these are so good that I can’t stop eating them!” – as she ate her third Polenta and Ham Pizza Round!

While I had used Boar’s Head products before for sandwiches, I had never cooked with them and was impressed with the results. Check out their website to learn which of their products are gluten free, lower sodium, and on the Feingold Association list.

Polenta and Ham Pizza Rounds and Polenta and Ham Casserole

Pizza Rounds – Prep time: 20 minutes    Cook time: 15 minutes

Casserole – Prep time: 10 minutes   Cook time: 25-30 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 - 28 ounce can of crushed fire roasted tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 - 18 ounce rolls of polenta, cut into 32 rounds
  • cooking spray
  • 12 slices of Boar’s Head Black Forest Brand 25% Lower Sodium Smoked Ham
  • 1 - 8 ounce package of Boar’s Head 42% Lower Sodium Provolone Cheese (or 16 slices)

Making Polenta and Ham Pizza Rounds

Directions for Polenta Ham Pizza Rounds:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Combine tomatoes, oregano, basil, thyme, salt and pepper in a bowl and set aside.
  3. Carefully slice polenta. Keep best slices for the pizza rounds. Broken and funky rounds will be used in the casserole.
  4. Spray a large oven safe dish or cookie sheet with cooking spray. Place 16 polenta rounds on dish, 1/2 to 1 inch apart.
  5. Use a cookie cutter to cut ham and cheese. I used a flower shaped one that was just slightly bigger than the polenta rounds. If you run short on ham, overlap two smaller pieces of ham. Then carefully cut it with your cookie cutter. Since the ham will be under the cheese, no one will really notice that you’ve had to “make due.”
  6. Spoon a large dollop of the tomato mixture on to the polenta round – just enough to almost cover the polenta.
  7. Carefully place ham and cheese slices on top and top with a piece of tomato from the leftover tomato mixture.
  8. Place in oven and cook for 15 minutes until cheese is melted.
  9. Remove from oven and place pizza rounds on a platter to serve as appetizers. Or serve two to four rounds per person as a main dish along with a vegetable or salad.

Polenta and Ham Casserole

Directions for Polenta Ham Casserole:

  1. Coat the inside of a casserole dish with cooking spray.
  2. Layer half of the “less perfect” polenta rounds on the bottom of the casserole dish. Cover with half the remaining tomato mixture.
  3. Layer the rest of the polenta rounds. Cover with the rest of the tomato mixture.
  4. Chop up remaining pieces of ham and cheese and liberally sprinkle on top of casserole until evenly spread.
  5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes until cheese has melted and starts to brown a little.
  6. Serve and enjoy!

Note: This was a very cheesy dish. If you’re worried about too much fat and calories, use less cheese and save the remaining pieces for chef salad, omelets or quiche. In addition, you can health up this dish by adding chopped up broccoli, squash, zucchini and/or cauliflower to the layer below the ham and cheese. It’s a great way to sneak in some healthy veggies into your family’s dinner!

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Posted on January 15, 2013 in Featured,Recipes and tagged as ,

Healthier holiday entertaining: Prosciutto Cups with Goat Cheese Mousse

Crispy Prosciutto di Parma cups with Goat Cheese Mousse

When I entertain during the holidays, I try to mix up healthy appetizers along with small but delicious indulgences. I also believe that if you’re going to treat yourself, it’s healthier to have a few small bites than a big plate of something that’s not so good for you. That’s why I’m sharing this fun party appetizer recipe from Prosciutto di Parma. Instead of using dough, this recipe uses the prosciutto to form the cups to serve the goat cheese mousse in – a really cool and unique idea!

You could cut a few fat calories by using a low fat goat cheese and no fat milk. You could also experiment with other herbs that would go well with prosciutto, like basil.

Crispy Prosciutto di Parma cups with Goat Cheese Mousse

Yield: 12 cups

Ingredients:

  • 6 slices Prosciutto di Parma
  • 3.5 oz. plain goat cheese at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1 tablespoon minced chives

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. 
  2. Cut Prosciutto di Parma slices in half crosswise. Press a half slice of prosciutto into each cup of a mini-muffin pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
  3. In the meantime, in a small bowl, combine goat cheese with milk and chopped chives until creamy. 
  4. Remove Prosciutto di Parma cups from the oven and let cool.
  5. Pipe* or spoon the goat cheese mousse into cooled Parma cups, filling each with about a tablespoon of mousse.

*You can make your own piping bag by filling a sandwich bag with the cheese mixture and making a small diagonal cut at one corner.

Recipe and photo supplied by Parma and used with permission.

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Posted on December 4, 2012 in Christmas,Featured,Recipes and tagged as ,

Homemade Queso Fresco #secretrecipeclub

queso-frescoWhen we moved to Georgia, I was concerned that I wouldn’t have access to Mexican foodstuffs like locally made corn tortillas or Mexican cheese. How wrong I was! There’s a large Hispanic population here in Athens, GA and you can find all types of Hispanic food – including special cuts of meat like carne picada – right at WalMart, Krogers and Publix. So even though I’ve moved to the South I can still enjoy the dishes I  loved when I was growing up in Southern California like carne asada and Fish Veracruz since it’s easy to find all the ingredients like Queso Fresco, the Mexican version of feta.

However, when I saw Andrea Kruse of Adventures in All Things Food’s recipe for Queso Fresco for my Secret Recipe Club post, I had a light bulb moment. I didn’t have to go to the store – I could make my own at home! My family and I have made mozzarella before, which is easy. But making Queso Fresco is even easier – all you need is milk, kosher salt, vinegar and some cheese cloth.

Let’s talk about milk

The nice thing about making cheese at home is that you can choose the type of milk that you want – organic, non-organic, sourced from a local dairy, or just the regular stuff from the store. Traditionally, Queso Fresco is made from raw cow’s milk. Here in the US, it’s made from pasteurized milk. I used pasteurized organic whole milk, but you can use whatever you like.However, you do want to avoid ultra pasteurized milk, which will not curdle during the cheese making process.

Also, I had wondered about using low fat or skim milk. Since all the recipes I’ve looked up use whole milk, I stuck with that.

What kind of salt and vinegar?

Most recipes I see on the internet for Queso Fresco use kosher salt. However, the types of vinegar vary. Some use white distilled vinegar, others use red wine vinegar or cider vinegar. Others use rennet or lemon juice to curdle the milk. I used white distilled vinegar since I felt it wouldn’t add any negative flavors to the cheese.

Draining and pressing the cheese

I used a double layer of cheese cloth when I made my Queso Fresco. However, the cheese stuck to the cloth and some was left behind when I peeled it away from the cheese. Next time I make this, I’ll use thin muslin tea towels instead.

As far as pressing the cheese, the easiest thing to do is to gather the sides of your cheese cloth and make your Queso Fresco into a mound or disc shape. Another option is to use a large can to make a cheese press like this one.

Also, you’ll end up with around 2 1/2 cups of whey. You can use it in smoothies or instead of water in soups, bread dough, or savory dishes.

Curds and whey draining the cheese

Queso Fresco

Ingredients:

  • 1 quart whole cow’s milk
  • 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
  • 2-3 tablespoons white distilled vinegar

Directions:

  1. In a heavy bottomed saucepan heat the milk over medium heat. Add in the kosher salt.
  2. Bring the milk up to just barely a simmer, when it will start to foam up (around 190 degrees F). Make sure that the milk doesn’t burn by stirring frequently and keeping an eye on it. When it has a steady simmer and threatens to boil over, remove the pan from the burner.
  3. Add 2 tablespoons vinegar and stir. The milk should curdle and separate immediately. If not, add another tablespoon of vinegar. Stir gently so you don’t break the curds.
  4. Line a colander with doubled cheese cloth or a thin dish towel. Place colander in the sink or in a large pan. Drain off the cheese.
  5. Take up the corners of your cloth and gently squeeze out the whey. For a drier cheese, you can place a weighted plate on top of the cheese cloth and press out excess moisture. (I tried to remove as much whey as possible since I have a food sensitivity to it.)
  6. Cheese will keep for up to two weeks in the refrigerator. Enjoy it sliced or crumbled on salad, fish or vegetables or Mexican inspired dishes.

More from the Secret Recipe Club!

Want to join the Secret Recipe Club? You can sign up here.

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Posted on August 13, 2012 in Featured,Recipes and tagged as ,

Wordless Wednesday: food my husband makes with the kids #wordlesswednesday

cheesemakers mozzarella caprese mozzarella caprese

He made mozzarella from scratch with the kids and served up a delicious caprese appetizer for dinner.

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Posted on July 27, 2011 in Wordless Wednesday and tagged as

Soy cheeses and a Layered Mediterranean Breakfast Bake

Layered Mediterranean Breakfast Bake Here’s another healthy recipe (and gorgeous picture) from 400 Calorie Fix: The Easy New Rule for Permanent Weight Loss! that I had to share. It’s perfect to bring to breakfast meetings or to make on the weekend. Serve it with some fresh fruit or berries.

Soy cheeses

Due to my food sensitivities I’ll be substituting soy cheese and tofu for the feta, ricotta and mozzarella cheeses in this recipe. Cheese has been one of the biggest challenges in my new way of eating since I must avoid milk products due to a whey sensitivity. Luckily, I’ve discovered vegan and soy cheeses.

My favorite soy cheeses are from Follow Your Heart’s Vegan Gourmet line of jack, mozzarella and cheddar cheese alternatives. I’m not going to lie to you and say that they taste just like cheese. At best, they’re “cheese like,” but they fulfill my urge for something cheesy. I’ve been told that Vegan Gourmet cheeses melt well, though I haven’t tried cooking with them yet and prefer to eat a few slices with apples for a snack.

I also just purchase a small shaker of Galaxy Nutritional Food’s Vegan Grated Topping. I thought it would be nice to add to a buttery spread on Tinkyada brown rice noodles or possibly on House Food’s tofu shirataki noodles.

Layered Mediterranean Breakfast Bake

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium zucchini, coarsely grated
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups sliced scallions
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
  • 1 1/3 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup slivered sun-dried tomatoes
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon McCormick Perfect Pinch Salt Free Italian seasoning
  • 1 jar (12 ounces) roasted red bell peppers, drained, rinsed, and cut into strips
  • 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
  • 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the zucchini in a small bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Coat a 21/2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet or a skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add the scallions and garlic. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until tender. Add the feta and cook for 1 minute, or until almost melted. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the ricotta and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
  3. Heat the skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Squeeze extra moisture out of the zucchini, add the zucchini to the skillet, and
    cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and spread on the bottom of the baking dish. Top the zucchini with the ricotta mixture. Top the ricotta with the tomatoes.
  5. Whisk the eggs and Italian seasoning in a small bowl. Pour on top of the tomatoes. Top with the roasted peppers. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and Parmesan.
  6. Bake for 40 minutes, or until bubbly.

Nutritional information

1 serving = one 4” square

  • Calories: 330
  • Total Fat: 18g
  • Saturated Fat: 9g
  • Sodium: 930mg
  • Carbohydrate: 16g
  • Dietary Fiber: 3g
  • Protein: 26g
  • Calcium: 45%

Weight Watchers POINTS = 7

This Mama’s tips

  • Another choice for a salt free Italian seasoning is Mrs. Dash’s Italian Medley.
  • Since I have to avoid pepper, I would substitute Mrs. Dash’s Tomato Basil Garlic for all the spices (except salt) in this recipe. It’s the only one they make that doesn’t have pepper in it.
  • If you have to avoid onions, remove the sliced scallions and substitute with celery or just increase the amount of sun-dried tomatoes and red bell peppers.

____________
Disclosure: I was provided with a review copy of the 400 Calorie Fix.

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Posted on January 24, 2011 in Breakfast,Cookbooks,Featured,Food Sensitivities,Recipes and tagged as ,

More healthy appetizers: Blue Cheese Deviled Eggs

blue cheese deviled eggs

In my Planning a party? Cook up some healthy appetizers with Sam’s Club cheeses post, I showed you how to use cheese in a healthy way to flavor a dish instead of making it your main course.

If you’re into retro Mad Men parties, you could try some healthy deviled eggs. Below is another version of the classic, but this time with using one of Sam’s Club new blue cheeses. Even with the added cheese, they’re only 1 Weight Watchers POINT per half egg.

My 10-year-old son, Nathan, said these were pretty good, but they’re more of an adult indulgence due to the strong blue cheese and Tabasco flavors.

Blue Cheese Deviled Eggs

From the DeviledEgg.org

Ingredients:

  • 6 hard boiled eggs, peeled
  • 1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled – try a Blue Stilton, a Maytag Blue or even Gorgonzola
  • 2 tablespoons lite or low fat mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
  • 5 drops Tabasco
  • 1 tablespoon minced green onion
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

  1. Cut peeled eggs in half length wise.
  2. Place yolks in a mixing bowl, set the whites aside.
  3. Mash the yolks with the back of a fork and add blue cheese, mayonnaise, parsley, Tabasco, green onion, salt and pepper. Mix well.
  4. Spoon or pipe the filling back into egg white and sprinkle tops with paprika.
  5. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour before serving. 

Nutritional Information

  • Calories 51
  • Calories from Fat 35
  • Total Fat 3.9g
  • Saturated Fat 1.3g
  • Cholesterol 96mg
  • Sodium 94mg
  • Total Carbohydrates 0.6g
  • Protein 3.4g

Nutrition Grade B- from CalorieCount 

Weight Watchers POINTS = 2 per whole egg

This Mama’s Tips

  • Serve them with some Mad Men: retro shrimp appetizers or Mad Men inspired Bloody Marys.
  • Everyone likes to hard boil their eggs in a different way. I prefer the following method:
    • Place eggs in a small sauce pan and fill with warm water.
    • Bring water to a boil.
    • Cover and turn off heat.
    • Cook for 10 minutes.
    • Remove from stove top.
    • Remove lid and place in sink. Run cool water into pan until eggs are cool enough to handle.
    • Lightly tap egg to break shell to remove it.

___________

Disclosure: as a Sam’s Club Food Ambassador I receive compensation for my time and efforts and samples of Sam’s Club products.

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Posted on September 26, 2010 in Recipes,Sam's Club,Weight Watchers and tagged as

Planning a party? Cook up some healthy appetizers with Sam’s Club cheeses

Sam's Club international cheese

Last week I visited Sam’s Club headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas where I was dually impressed by Sam’s quality demands on their food partners and the extensive product taste testing they do. Along with their sustainability efforts – from their stores to their headquarters – I have a new appreciation for the company.

While I was there, I had the opportunity to try out their new food offerings for the holidays - and for every day. As a newly hired Sam’s Club Ambassador, I’ll be sharing with you delicious and healthy food ideas and product news from their clubs in the next weeks and months.

Sam’s Club International Cheeses

Their latest offering is an amazing selection of 24 internationally acclaimed cheeses, like three of Mario Batali’s that are sold exclusively through Sam’s Club - Mountain Gorgonzola from Italy’s Lombardy region, an organic Parmigiano Regiiano, and an Iberico that is made from cow, goat and sheep’s milk. (The Iberico is to die for though the Gorgonzola is amazing, too.)

Sam’s Club is also selling cheeses like Maytag Blue, Fromage D’Affinois (an delectable double cream cheese similar to Brie), Kerrygold butter (a favorite of many bakers) and DaVinci Gouda.

These amazing cheeses are being rolled out over the next few months at select clubs all over the US. You can learn more about the cheeses (including wine pairings and recipes) on the Sam’s Club “Tour de Fromage” Facebook app. The more you take the cheese tour, the more you have a chance to win a trip to Paris! Other prizes include gourmet cheese baskets and the cookbook, Italy: The Country and its Cuisine.

Also, check out Sam’s Club Fall Harvest site, which includes articles like Pairing the perfect wine and cheese, Tips for storing and serving cheese, Oktoberfest beer and cheese pairings, and oodles of recipes.

Use cheese as a condiment, not a main course

Now I know that cheese may be your Achilles Heel, and something you avoid when you’re trying to lose or maintain a healthy weight. (Me, too!) However, there is a healthy way to indulge in cheese. Instead of eating it by the piece, use it to flavor your cooking!

A perfect cheese to do this with is Kolios Barrel Aged Greek Feta. Feta is a full flavored cheese that will add a special zing to any dish. I love using it in Watermelon and Feta Salad or on a Spinach, Tomato and Feta Pizza.

My friend, Holly Clegg, author of the cookbook, Too Hot in the Kitchen, suggests serving her Feta Crumble Dip on crackers, in sandwiches or on chicken or fish. I like serving it on precooked whole wheat pizza crusts as a healthy party appetizer. Just spread a thin layer of no fat Greek yogurt, add the dip, slice the pizza into bite sized pieces and serve!Feta Crumble Dip Party Pizza

Feta Crumble Dip

From Holly Clegg’s cookbook, Too Hot in the Kitchen

Makes eight 1/4 cup servings

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup chopped green onions
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes (reconstituted)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 ounces of Kolios Barrel Aged Greek Feta, crumbled

Directions:

  1. In bowl, combine all ingredients - except feta - mixing well.
  2. Toss with feta, refrigerate up to one hour, serve.

Nutritional information

  • Too Hot in the KitchenCalories 80
  • Calories from fat 73%
  • Fat 7g
  • Saturated Fat 2g
  • Cholesterol 5mg
  • Sodium 193mg
  • Carbohydrate 3g
  • Dietary Fiber 0g
  • Sugars 1g
  • Protein 3g

Dietary exchanges: 1/2 lean meat, 1 fat

For more recipes, visit www.hollyclegg.com

Weight Watchers POINTS = 2 for 1/4 cup

This Mama’s Tips

  • To reconstitute sundried tomatoes, pour hot water over them and let sit for 10 minutes. Drain.
  • If you can only find sundried tomatoes in oil, rinse them in hot water and blot with a paper towel to remove as much of the oil as you can.

___________

Disclosure: as a Sam’s Club Food Ambassador I receive compensation for my time and efforts and samples of Sam’s Club products.

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Posted on September 24, 2010 in Recipes,Sam's Club and tagged as ,