cwc nbc5 october 2002

Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich

Serves 4

This simple beef, cheese, and onion sandwich (on an Italian roll) originated in Philadelphia in the 1930s. Since then, many variations that include different types of cheese and additional vegetables have become popular. The Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich is a perfect tailgate treat!

1 pound eye-of-round steak

1 tablespoon dry sherry

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon oregano

2 bell peppers (any color), seeded and thinly sliced

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon olive oil

8 ounces Muenster cheese, cubed

2 tablespoons milk

dash hot pepper sauce

4 hoagie loaves of bread

Thinly slice eye-of-round steak across the grain. In a medium bowl, combine steak slices, sherry, olive oil, garlic, and oregano (and salt and pepper to taste, if desired), stirring to combine. Let marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes, or up to 8 hours in the refrigerator. Combine bell peppers, onion, and 1 teaspoon olive oil in a bowl; reserve. In a small saucepan, heat cheese with milk and hot pepper sauce on low heat, stirring occasionally until smooth, about 4 to 5 minutes. Reserve and keep warm. Heat a nonstick stove-top grill or griddle on medium-high heat. Keeping the beef and vegetables separate on the grill, cook marinated beef, reserved peppers and onions for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring and turning occasionally using a nonstick-safe spatula (wooden or plastic), until beef is no longer pink in the center and vegetables are tender. To assemble sandwiches, spoon some of the beef mixture, along with bell peppers and onions, into split hoagie loaves. Spoon some of the cheese sauce on top. Serve hot.

Celebrate Oktoberfest with this quick and simple version of the tender and delicious, classic German beef roast with sweet-sour sauce. Serve with noodles or German spaetzle.

Combine all ingredients, except gingersnap cookies, in a non-metallic bowl (or plastic zip-top bag). Marinate at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days in the refrigerator. Heat a large skillet on medium-high. Drain marinade from meat, reserving marinade. Spray the pan with vegetable oil spray. Brown the meat for 5 to 6 minutes, until it is no longer pink. Add the reserved marinade and 1 cup water and cook, covered, on low for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the gingersnaps to liquid in pan and stir until sauce thickens, about 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with spaetzle, potatoes, or noodles.

Baked Oven Fries with Cheddar Cheese Sauce

Serves 4

It's hard to resist a plate full of cheese fries topped with ranch dressing and crumbed bacon, but at over 3,000 calories and over 200 grams of fat—90 grams of which are saturated fat—(according to Restaurant Confidential by Michael F. Jacobson, Ph.D. and Jayne Hurley, RD), you'll probably want to think twice before indulging. Well now you can indulge, because here is a much-lower-in-fat, make-at-home solution to satisfy your cheese fries desires. With only 240 calories and 9 grams of fat (4 grams of saturated fat) per serving, enjoy these tasty cheesy potato treats without the guilt.

1 pound potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch strips

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 cup skim milk

1 tablespoon flour

2 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Tabasco sauce to taste

2 whole green onions, thinly sliced

2 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

lowfat ranch-style dressing

Preheat oven to 400° F. Spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil spray. Combine in a large bowl, potatoes, olive oil, chili powder, and cumin (and salt and pepper to taste, if desired) stirring to coat with spices. Place potatoes in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until potatoes are golden brown. For cheese sauce, whisk together milk and flour in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until thickened, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and add cheese, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco sauce (and salt and pepper to taste, if desired). Cook over low heat for 1 minute, or until cheese melts and sauce is smooth, stirring constantly. Mound cooked potatoes on a serving plate. Drizzle cheese sauce over the potatoes. Top with sliced green onions and crumbled bacon. Serve with lowfat ranch-style dressing on the side.

Notes:

To make your own lowfat ranch-style dressing, combine 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1/2 sour cream, 1/4 teaspoon dried dill, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

A Chilling Chocolate Mousse

In a medium bowl, blend together milk and instant pudding mix using an electric hand-mixer on low speed for 2 to 3 minutes, or until pudding is thick. (Or you can whisk the mixture by hand for 2 to 3 minutes, or until thick.) Reserve 1/4 cup of the crushed sandwich cookies for the top, and fold the remaining crushed cookies and whipped cream into the pudding. Spoon the mixture into 4 dessert glasses (crooked-stemmed martini glasses are festive for Halloween), cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. To create bone-chilling chocolate shapes, melt chocolate chips in a heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally until melted (or microwave on defrost for 1 to 3 minutes, or until melted, stirring occasionally), and drizzle chocolate over aluminum foil in frightening festive shapes (or use a disposable plastic piping bag with a small hole snipped in the end to pipe the melted chocolate into creative shapes). Refrigerate for 15 minutes, or until set. Carefully remove spooky shapes from foil when ready to garnish the desserts. Top each mousse with the reserved 1/4 cup crushed sandwich cookies, gummy worms, black jellybeans, and “chilling” chocolate shapes for a delectable, hair-raising treat!

Use a plastic bag and a rolling pin (or a food processor) to crush the cookies. Crush or grind to a very fine texture, or to the desired consistency.