November 25, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving!
I am off cooking detail for a few days, while we visit with family. Hooray for me! I will be back after the holiday weekend with more of my usual antics. I hope everyone has a happy and safe Thanksgiving!
Jen's Slow Cooker Meatball Marinara Surprise
I have had a lot of my "surprise" recipes lately, haven't I???? You don't have to answer that...I know I have. My "surprise" recipes are usually out of necessity; and tonight's dish is no exception. The beans and rice were good, but alas, did not stretch as far as I hoped. So, I dug around in my fridge and found some leftover marinara sauce I had stashed. I am telling you, my fridge is empty. I am actually a little proud that I have used almost all of my resources, without a major shopping trip.
My slow cooker was not even put away from last night's meal (hey, at least it was clean), so I decided to use it again tonight. I was also happy to find some frozen meatballs in my freezer. I love pre-made frozen meatballs! Sure, they are not as good as homemade...but they are great in a pinch. Into the slow cooker the marinara and meatballs went, with some additional flavor components.
I think I will serve my sauce creation with some odds and ends pasta I have in the pantry. Here is a tangent: I hate that some recipes don't use up a whole package of pasta. I end up with a bunch of plastic storage bags with different shaped pasta in it. I am much too frugal to get rid of the extra pasta, so I store it. And store it. And store it. No one pasta shape is plentiful enough for a whole meal. Literally, there is an ounce here a couple ounces there....yeesh. What to do???? Well, on a night like tonight, I will just boil all the weird pasta shapes together and call it dinner. It is a little ghetto, I know...but at least the pasta gets used and I don't have to look at all those little baggies anymore. Anyway...moving on...
I saved two servings of salad from yesterday to have tonight. How is that for thinking ahead!?!?! I had a half a head of iceberg lettuce and I combined it with some baby spinach leaves, green onions, and the remainder of my cilantro. It is all chopped and washed and ready to go. Mixed salad that did not cost four bucks a bag!
I will let you know how all of my crazy concoctions turn out later. Wish me luck!
Jen's Slow Cooker Meatball Marinara Surprise
Ingredients:
1 cup of leftover marinara
1 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes
1/2 cup of water
18 frozen meatballs
1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon of ground mustard
2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese to taste
leftover mixed up, odd and ends shaped pasta of your choice
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in slow cooker, except for pasta. Cook on 'low' setting for 5 hours. When cook time is almost finished (1/2 hour from end of cook time); boil water in a separate pot, and cook miscellaneous pasta until al dente. Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top, and hope for the best!
The Result:
This was just okay. It was sustenance. It was a little boring, but decent. Really, it was exactly as you would expect...meatballs and marinara sauce. I found some small diatilini pasta in my pantry, so I just went with that. It turns out the only other rogue pasta I have is an ounce or two of whole wheat penne. The size difference between the two pastas was pretty significant, so I just stuck with the diatilini (by doing them both at the same time, I was afraid one would over-cook and the other would under-cook). I will find a some other way to get rid of the penne. Overall, this was filling and familiar...just not that noteworthy.
My slow cooker was not even put away from last night's meal (hey, at least it was clean), so I decided to use it again tonight. I was also happy to find some frozen meatballs in my freezer. I love pre-made frozen meatballs! Sure, they are not as good as homemade...but they are great in a pinch. Into the slow cooker the marinara and meatballs went, with some additional flavor components.
I think I will serve my sauce creation with some odds and ends pasta I have in the pantry. Here is a tangent: I hate that some recipes don't use up a whole package of pasta. I end up with a bunch of plastic storage bags with different shaped pasta in it. I am much too frugal to get rid of the extra pasta, so I store it. And store it. And store it. No one pasta shape is plentiful enough for a whole meal. Literally, there is an ounce here a couple ounces there....yeesh. What to do???? Well, on a night like tonight, I will just boil all the weird pasta shapes together and call it dinner. It is a little ghetto, I know...but at least the pasta gets used and I don't have to look at all those little baggies anymore. Anyway...moving on...
I saved two servings of salad from yesterday to have tonight. How is that for thinking ahead!?!?! I had a half a head of iceberg lettuce and I combined it with some baby spinach leaves, green onions, and the remainder of my cilantro. It is all chopped and washed and ready to go. Mixed salad that did not cost four bucks a bag!
I will let you know how all of my crazy concoctions turn out later. Wish me luck!
Jen's Slow Cooker Meatball Marinara Surprise
Ingredients:
1 cup of leftover marinara
1 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes
1/2 cup of water
18 frozen meatballs
1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon of ground mustard
2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese to taste
leftover mixed up, odd and ends shaped pasta of your choice
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in slow cooker, except for pasta. Cook on 'low' setting for 5 hours. When cook time is almost finished (1/2 hour from end of cook time); boil water in a separate pot, and cook miscellaneous pasta until al dente. Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top, and hope for the best!
The Result:
This was just okay. It was sustenance. It was a little boring, but decent. Really, it was exactly as you would expect...meatballs and marinara sauce. I found some small diatilini pasta in my pantry, so I just went with that. It turns out the only other rogue pasta I have is an ounce or two of whole wheat penne. The size difference between the two pastas was pretty significant, so I just stuck with the diatilini (by doing them both at the same time, I was afraid one would over-cook and the other would under-cook). I will find a some other way to get rid of the penne. Overall, this was filling and familiar...just not that noteworthy.
November 24, 2008
Jen's Slow Cooker Brown Beans and Rice Surprise
For the next few days, I have vowed not to cook anything new (i.e. I am trying to use up what I already have on hand before the Thanksgiving holiday). I have a ton of cooked Pinto beans and the yummy cooking liquid that goes with it, so I thought I would morph it into something similar to my Cooking Light 'Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice' recipe. Only not red beans...brown beans.
I am pretty much going to follow the Red Beans and Rice recipe, with some exceptions (I amended the below recipe to indicate my changes). First and most obvious, I am using my cooked pinto beans. Then, I am putting potato chunks in it. I had two Yukon Gold potatoes that were starting to look a little sad, so I chopped them up and threw them in the pot. Next, I put my remaining bean liquid and some leftover chicken stock that I had thawed but did not use last night. I am not sure how much liquid the potatoes are going to soak up, so I put extra water into the mix too. I am going to reduce the cooking time, since most of the ingredients are already cooked or are quick to cook. With all of my additions, it ended up being a pretty big batch. Hopefully, this will be enough to have for the next couple days. If not, I have one more trick up my sleeve for tomorrow nights dinner. I will just have to see how it goes. I am curious to find out how the different ingredients are going to influence this dish. Wish me luck!
Jen's Slow Cooker Brown Beans and Rice Surprise
Ingredients:
1 cup of chicken stock
2 cups of bean liquid
2 cups of water
1-2 cups of cooked Pinto beans
2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into chunks
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 (14-ounce) package turkey, pork, or beef smoked sausage, thinly sliced (such as Healthy Choice) (I use HOT)
1 bay leaf
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning
3 cups hot cooked long-grain rice
1/4 cup chopped green onions
pat of butter to top each serving
Directions:
Combine first 12 ingredients in an electric slow cooker. Cover with lid; cook on high heat for 2-3 hours. Discard bay leaf; stir in salt. Serve over rice; sprinkle servings evenly with green onions and a pat if butter.
Jen's Notes:
Check your mixture every once in awhile, to make sure all the water does not evaporate.
If the water is low or almost gone, add an additional 1/2 cup to 1 cup of water, depending on consistency. You can always remove the lid and let it reduce later if the final mixture is too soupy.
The Result:
This was good, but not as good as the normal Red Beans and Rice dish. The brown beans did okay as a substitute, but the red kidney beans really do add a different flavor and texture. I think they have more starch or something, because the kidney beans usually makes a thicker gravy. Also, I think I put too much water in this version. The potatoes did not soak up as much liquid as I had anticipated, so the whole thing was thinner than usual. With that being said, it was still very tasty. The brown beans were great in a pinch, and I would do it again if I did not have any kidney beans on hand, or if I found myself with a surplus of pinto beans again.
I am pretty much going to follow the Red Beans and Rice recipe, with some exceptions (I amended the below recipe to indicate my changes). First and most obvious, I am using my cooked pinto beans. Then, I am putting potato chunks in it. I had two Yukon Gold potatoes that were starting to look a little sad, so I chopped them up and threw them in the pot. Next, I put my remaining bean liquid and some leftover chicken stock that I had thawed but did not use last night. I am not sure how much liquid the potatoes are going to soak up, so I put extra water into the mix too. I am going to reduce the cooking time, since most of the ingredients are already cooked or are quick to cook. With all of my additions, it ended up being a pretty big batch. Hopefully, this will be enough to have for the next couple days. If not, I have one more trick up my sleeve for tomorrow nights dinner. I will just have to see how it goes. I am curious to find out how the different ingredients are going to influence this dish. Wish me luck!
Jen's Slow Cooker Brown Beans and Rice Surprise
Ingredients:
1 cup of chicken stock
2 cups of bean liquid
2 cups of water
1-2 cups of cooked Pinto beans
2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into chunks
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 (14-ounce) package turkey, pork, or beef smoked sausage, thinly sliced (such as Healthy Choice) (I use HOT)
1 bay leaf
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning
3 cups hot cooked long-grain rice
1/4 cup chopped green onions
pat of butter to top each serving
Directions:
Combine first 12 ingredients in an electric slow cooker. Cover with lid; cook on high heat for 2-3 hours. Discard bay leaf; stir in salt. Serve over rice; sprinkle servings evenly with green onions and a pat if butter.
Jen's Notes:
Check your mixture every once in awhile, to make sure all the water does not evaporate.
If the water is low or almost gone, add an additional 1/2 cup to 1 cup of water, depending on consistency. You can always remove the lid and let it reduce later if the final mixture is too soupy.
The Result:
This was good, but not as good as the normal Red Beans and Rice dish. The brown beans did okay as a substitute, but the red kidney beans really do add a different flavor and texture. I think they have more starch or something, because the kidney beans usually makes a thicker gravy. Also, I think I put too much water in this version. The potatoes did not soak up as much liquid as I had anticipated, so the whole thing was thinner than usual. With that being said, it was still very tasty. The brown beans were great in a pinch, and I would do it again if I did not have any kidney beans on hand, or if I found myself with a surplus of pinto beans again.
November 23, 2008
Pasta & Co. Tomato Cheddar Soup
I have had my eye on this recipe for awhile, but I have been hesitant to make it. I typically do not care for tomato soup. Then again, I have never tried to make my own version of tomato soup. All of my tomato soup experiences come from the red and white can, served along side of a grilled cheese sandwich. Being a somewhat rational person, I decided I cannot let my view of canned soup influence how I feel about soup that you make yourself, from scratch. Even though this recipe does use canned whole tomatoes and their juices, I figured it would not resemble the canned tomato soup of my youth. Since I had all the ingredients on hand, I gave it a try.
Oh man...I am glad I did, because this is a total keeper. It was so good! Really good! Good-good!!! Not only good, but EASY! Totally 'piece-of-cake' easy. The whole thing took me 20 minutes from start to finish. I am talking super-cinchy easy. Another bonus was that it was totally cheap to make, too. The whole dish was put together with stuff I always have in my pantry or fridge. Seriously, the only thing I had to do is get a loaf of French bread to go with it (and that was an optional choice).
The only small issue is that it is not very filling, but that could be a good thing. This would be a great soup to make during summertime, because it is not too heavy. If you are looking for a light and delicious dinner this is the soup for you. Also, it is even easy enough to whip up for lunch. Either way, I think this soup MUST be served with bread (preferably crusty, yummy French bread). I don't think it would have been half as satisfying if we did not have the bread to mop up the yummy liquid. Seriously, you need bread.
This recipe could easily be adjusted to be vegetarian by using vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock (that is why I tagged it vegetarian). I am telling you...it is really, really, really good.
Overall, this was an awesome light dinner. I think I will definitely put it in rotation. I am very happy that I tried it!
Pasta & Co. Tomato Cheddar Soup
Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup onions, roughly chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced (optional)
1 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes, with juice
1 1/4 cups of chicken stock (or vegetable stock for vegetarian version)
1 1/4 cups of water
1/2 cup of sour cream
8 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
In a large 3 quart sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and saute until soft. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add tomatoes and their juices, stock, and water. Bring to a simmer then remove from heat. Let cool for 10 minutes.
Add one-half of the sour cream. Whisk until well-blended, then add the remaining sour cream. Whisk until sour cream is combined. Stir in pepper and cheese to blend. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Gently reheat to serve (makes 6 cups).
Jen's Notes:
I did make a couple of minor changes to the recipe; I amended the directions/ingredients to accommodate the differences.
First, I added some garlic. I love the flavor a little garlic lends to this dish. Then, I used whole canned tomatoes, and just chopped them myself in the can with a pair of kitchen scissors. To do this, you literally just snip the tomatoes in the can with your shears. It is really easy, and you get nice (albeit a little uneven) tomato chunks. If you want this to stay super-simple, just use the already diced tomatoes...there is really not a flavor difference. It just depends on how chunky you like your tomatoes.
The recipe notes indicate that this soup freezes really well. It is perfectly okay to make a big batch and freeze some of it.
Oh man...I am glad I did, because this is a total keeper. It was so good! Really good! Good-good!!! Not only good, but EASY! Totally 'piece-of-cake' easy. The whole thing took me 20 minutes from start to finish. I am talking super-cinchy easy. Another bonus was that it was totally cheap to make, too. The whole dish was put together with stuff I always have in my pantry or fridge. Seriously, the only thing I had to do is get a loaf of French bread to go with it (and that was an optional choice).
The only small issue is that it is not very filling, but that could be a good thing. This would be a great soup to make during summertime, because it is not too heavy. If you are looking for a light and delicious dinner this is the soup for you. Also, it is even easy enough to whip up for lunch. Either way, I think this soup MUST be served with bread (preferably crusty, yummy French bread). I don't think it would have been half as satisfying if we did not have the bread to mop up the yummy liquid. Seriously, you need bread.
This recipe could easily be adjusted to be vegetarian by using vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock (that is why I tagged it vegetarian). I am telling you...it is really, really, really good.
Overall, this was an awesome light dinner. I think I will definitely put it in rotation. I am very happy that I tried it!
Pasta & Co. Tomato Cheddar Soup
Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup onions, roughly chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced (optional)
1 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes, with juice
1 1/4 cups of chicken stock (or vegetable stock for vegetarian version)
1 1/4 cups of water
1/2 cup of sour cream
8 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
In a large 3 quart sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and saute until soft. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add tomatoes and their juices, stock, and water. Bring to a simmer then remove from heat. Let cool for 10 minutes.
Add one-half of the sour cream. Whisk until well-blended, then add the remaining sour cream. Whisk until sour cream is combined. Stir in pepper and cheese to blend. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Gently reheat to serve (makes 6 cups).
Jen's Notes:
I did make a couple of minor changes to the recipe; I amended the directions/ingredients to accommodate the differences.
First, I added some garlic. I love the flavor a little garlic lends to this dish. Then, I used whole canned tomatoes, and just chopped them myself in the can with a pair of kitchen scissors. To do this, you literally just snip the tomatoes in the can with your shears. It is really easy, and you get nice (albeit a little uneven) tomato chunks. If you want this to stay super-simple, just use the already diced tomatoes...there is really not a flavor difference. It just depends on how chunky you like your tomatoes.
The recipe notes indicate that this soup freezes really well. It is perfectly okay to make a big batch and freeze some of it.
Dinner at My In-Laws
Sorry, nothing exciting to report for Saturday night dinner. We worked on getting all of our Christmas decorations up, both inside and out, during the afternoon. To avoid extra help from a precocious toddler, we thought it best to send the boy off to the grandparent's house for a day of spoiling. Once we were done with our Christmas decorating, the husband and I went over to pick up our son at the Party Palace and we just stayed for dinner. I love having my Christmas chores completed early...I feel so accomplished!
November 22, 2008
Chipotle Tamale Pie
I am really tired. Not 'run-around-all-day-chasing-after-the-kid-while-trying-to-do-errands' tired...but sleepy. Not-fully-functioning sleepy. My husband took my son to the in-laws Party Palace this morning, bright and early. Normally, I would be jazzed about having some alone time...but instead I am just sleepy. Messy-haired, cranky, pajama-clad, yawning, eye rubbing, just-out-of-bed, sleepy.
Normally, when I am this sleepy I just push a button on the coffee pot and coffee starts coming out. Then, I stand by the coffee pot in the kitchen until there is enough for me to pour a cup. Then, I drink said coffee until I regain a level of normal human consciousness, while the whole time shuttering with delight. I call that stage, "the golden time".
Hmmmm...I can hear your thoughts....why does she only have to push one little button for delicious, life saving coffee goodness????
Because the husband normally spoils her(which is me) and sets up her (my) coffee before he leaves in the morning, so all she has to do stumble to the kitchen and push a button for fresh-brewed. yummy. liquid pleasure! (My brain is so foggy I am not sure which tense/person I am even writing in...first person??? third person??? future???? present progressive???? past tense???? I don't know anymore).
This system works beautifully because I am usually out of it, and really, super-cranky until I get a cup of coffee in my system. Yes, I know I am lucky to have a husband that makes coffee for me every morning. Yes, I know he is a wonderful person for setting it up so I can push the button to ensure fresh coffee goodness, and not make me drink his leftovers from when he gets up (this means he makes coffee twice a day). He is a prince among men...I know this...that is why I married him. It has been so long since I have personally made my own coffee, I don't know how to do it anymore!!!
So why am I telling you all this?????
Because there is NO coffee.
I woke up to press the button, and the green light did not go on. What????? No green light. I pressed it again. No green light. HUH??????? Perplexing, isn't it???? I thought so. I tried a third time, and realized that he did not make me coffee today. I was actually sad....and a little mad. I am going to have to go it alone today. Sigh. I need to tell my husband how much I appreciate his coffee making. But first I need some coffee....
Okay, the coffee is brewing. Thankfully, the husband came home and saved the day.
Now, you are asking yourself, "What does all this have to do with her food blog?"
Nothing, really. I just wanted to over-share. Don't judge me.
So, I am a little behind with last night's dinner post. We had Chipotle Tamale Pie. Actually, I took Claire and family (who just had her baby; in case you didn't know) some for dinner as well. Don't worry...I made two batches. Sheesh. It was good. Here is the photo. That is all I have to say about that. Now I am caught up...and I can go enjoy my coffee.
Normally, when I am this sleepy I just push a button on the coffee pot and coffee starts coming out. Then, I stand by the coffee pot in the kitchen until there is enough for me to pour a cup. Then, I drink said coffee until I regain a level of normal human consciousness, while the whole time shuttering with delight. I call that stage, "the golden time".
Hmmmm...I can hear your thoughts....why does she only have to push one little button for delicious, life saving coffee goodness????
Because the husband normally spoils her(which is me) and sets up her (my) coffee before he leaves in the morning, so all she has to do stumble to the kitchen and push a button for fresh-brewed. yummy. liquid pleasure! (My brain is so foggy I am not sure which tense/person I am even writing in...first person??? third person??? future???? present progressive???? past tense???? I don't know anymore).
This system works beautifully because I am usually out of it, and really, super-cranky until I get a cup of coffee in my system. Yes, I know I am lucky to have a husband that makes coffee for me every morning. Yes, I know he is a wonderful person for setting it up so I can push the button to ensure fresh coffee goodness, and not make me drink his leftovers from when he gets up (this means he makes coffee twice a day). He is a prince among men...I know this...that is why I married him. It has been so long since I have personally made my own coffee, I don't know how to do it anymore!!!
So why am I telling you all this?????
Because there is NO coffee.
I woke up to press the button, and the green light did not go on. What????? No green light. I pressed it again. No green light. HUH??????? Perplexing, isn't it???? I thought so. I tried a third time, and realized that he did not make me coffee today. I was actually sad....and a little mad. I am going to have to go it alone today. Sigh. I need to tell my husband how much I appreciate his coffee making. But first I need some coffee....
Okay, the coffee is brewing. Thankfully, the husband came home and saved the day.
Now, you are asking yourself, "What does all this have to do with her food blog?"
Nothing, really. I just wanted to over-share. Don't judge me.
So, I am a little behind with last night's dinner post. We had Chipotle Tamale Pie. Actually, I took Claire and family (who just had her baby; in case you didn't know) some for dinner as well. Don't worry...I made two batches. Sheesh. It was good. Here is the photo. That is all I have to say about that. Now I am caught up...and I can go enjoy my coffee.
November 20, 2008
Jen's Cheddar Broccoli Chicken, Baked Potato, and Green Beans
This is a fast-fix dinner idea that I got from my mother in law. The husband and I had a change of plans tonight, so I need to get a really quick meal on the table. Basically, I salt and pepper boneless skinless chicken breasts, then dump a can of Broccoli Cheddar Cheese soup on top of them. I spread the undiluted soup in an even layer over the chicken, and bake at 375 degrees for approximately 30 minutes. Then, I microwave frozen green beans and potatoes for my two side dishes. That's it. Not even a recipe really...just canned soup cookin' at it's finest. Certainly, not exciting...but a good, warm meal to put in our bellies. At least some of the major food groups are represented.
November 19, 2008
Jen's Bean Tostadas
I bet you were all hanging on the edge of your chairs, wondering exactly what I was going to do with my beans. Well, I made Bean Tostadas. They were phenomenal! Really, really good. I am ridiculously pleased with myself.
Jen's Bean Tostadas
Ingredients:
5 whole wheat tortillas (medium sized)
1-2 cups of Jen’s Slow Cooker Beans (Smashed/Refried Style) OR any refried beans
Shredded lettuce
Chopped white onion
Salsa of your choice
Avocado, smashed with lemon juice, lime juice, and salt
Sour cream
Shredded cheese
Vegetable oil
Directions:
In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium high heat. Once oil is hot, fry tortillas one at a time; flipping once until crisp (about 1-2 minutes total). Transfer fried tortillas to a plate lined with paper towel to soak up any excess oil. Blot tops of tortillas as well. Stack tortillas on top of one another, but keep separated with layers of paper towel.
Once tortillas are done top each fried tortilla shell with beans and toppings of your choice. Serve and enjoy!
Jen's Bean Tostadas
Ingredients:
5 whole wheat tortillas (medium sized)
1-2 cups of Jen’s Slow Cooker Beans (Smashed/Refried Style) OR any refried beans
Shredded lettuce
Chopped white onion
Salsa of your choice
Avocado, smashed with lemon juice, lime juice, and salt
Sour cream
Shredded cheese
Vegetable oil
Directions:
In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium high heat. Once oil is hot, fry tortillas one at a time; flipping once until crisp (about 1-2 minutes total). Transfer fried tortillas to a plate lined with paper towel to soak up any excess oil. Blot tops of tortillas as well. Stack tortillas on top of one another, but keep separated with layers of paper towel.
Once tortillas are done top each fried tortilla shell with beans and toppings of your choice. Serve and enjoy!
Jen's Slow Cooker Pinto Beans Surprise
Last night, I was nosing through my pantry looking for chocolate...er, I mean vegetables and whole grains...and I came across a bag of dried pinto beans. I don't remember ever purchasing a bag of pinto beans!?!?!?! They looked totally unfamiliar. I checked the expiration date (I was surprised dried beans actually had an expiration date) and found that it was Jan 2009. Why, that is not too far away! Rather than risk having to throw these nutrition beans out, I decided to do something with them.
I figured I would cook them and then figure out what to do with these beans later. You know, typical procrastination tactic. I soaked them overnight, as per the instructions. Then, when I woke up this morning I decided I would put them into the slow cooker with some herbs, aromatics, and spices and then just wait and see what happens. I think I am going to divide this batch in half and make some refried beans, and then leave the rest whole for whatever application that tickles my fancy later on. I literally just started poking through my fridge and pantry, and whatever sounded flavorful made it into the pot. Traditional Mexican style pinto beans typically have lard or some sort of pork fat in them, so I decided to cut up a couple slices of uncooked bacon and throw them into the mix. I think with the long cooking time, the bacon fat will render out nicely. I will fish out the bacon pieces later. I was going to tag this post as 'healthy' until I realized bacon fat does not make these beans healthy (although it is a relatively small amount).
I think I will use these beans (in the form of smashed refried beans) for tostadas tonight. If that doesn't work, then I do have a Tamale Pie recipe that requires pinto beans, too. I am not sure...we will just have to see how my beans behave. I am hoping that, as it gets closer to dinner time, I will be able to formulate a dinner plan that incorporates my beans. We will see...I love experimental cooking!
Jen's Slow Cooker Pinto Beans Surprise
Ingredients:
1 2 lb. bag of forgotten pinto beans
1 onion, cut into chunks
2 stalks of celery, cut into chunks
2 slices of bacon, cut into chunks (OPTIONAL-Omit for vegetarian version)
6 cloves of whole garlic, peeled and smashed
1/2 cup of plain, chunky marinara sauce (I had some in the fridge)
2 bay leaves, whole
1 Tablespoon of red pepper flakes
2 Tablespoons of kosher salt
1 Tablespoon of black pepper
1 Tablespoon of minced onion
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 small can of green chiles
1 Tablespoon of Ancho chili powder
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 Tablespoon of cumin
1 Tablespoon of coriander
2 Tablespoon of hot sauce (I used Tapatio)
plenty of water
Directions:
1) Spread beans out on a large sheet pan and sort beans by talking out any pebbles, sticks, undesirable objects. Cover beans with water, and soak overnight in a large stock pot or slow cooker insert pot (make sure to discard any floating beans or particles).
2)Pour beans and soaking water through a colander. Save beans and discard soaking liquid. Place beans back into slow cooker insert pot and cover beans with fresh water.
3) Add all ingredients in with beans and cook on low for 6-10 hours. (I programmed my slow cooker for 8 hours on low to start with, since I am really not sure about cooking time for this recipe.)
4) When beans are soft and taste "done", strain off liquid into a separate bowl and save (This liquid should be really flavorful, and you may want to use it later for making refried beans or something else).
5) Sort through beans and discard any chunks (i.e. celery, bacon, garlic, onions, bay leaves, etc.). Store beans and cooking liquid in separate containers, or use immediately for other recipe(s).
Jen's Notes:
All quantities are estimated. Also, the directions are more like a 'game plan', since I have never made this recipe before. I think beans are fairly forgiving, so I am hoping that this recipe will work. This can easily be adjusted to a vegetarian recipe, if you leave out the bacon.
The Results:
Oh man! These beans were fan-freakin’-tastic! Awesome! Amazing! Delicious! Certainly the best beans that I have ever made. Dare I say, the best beans that I have ever consumed. They were that good! They were full of flavor and texture, but not overwhelming in any way…just super-yummy. I love that they were easy to make and fairly inexpensive, since all the ingredients were things I had in my pantry anyway. I heart these beans very much, and I am glad that I have a bunch leftover. Although these beans are really not quick to make, I think this will be my go-to beans recipe. I will just keep a couple of cans of beans on hand if I need a fast-fix meal.
The flavor difference between slow cooking/seasoning your own dried beans from scratch vs. beans from a can is unbelievably noticeable. It just goes to show how numb we become to how food actually tastes, because we get so used to eating processed foods. It always amazes me when I make something homemade for the first time; it is a complete sensory experience. I can literally feel my palate wake up. I am telling you, my whole frame of reference changes for what is good and what isn’t good.
I did separate out the cooking liquid in one container, and the whole pinto beans in another container to use in another application. The only chunky items I got rid of were the celery stalks and bay leaves. The garlic, onion, and bacon cooked thoroughly and broke up into small pieces. If you decide to make these, please, please do not leave out the bacon; it perfumed the whole dish and just made these beans very savory. I beg of you…use the bacon!
I took enough beans for tonight’s meal and lunches tomorrow and made ‘refried’ beans by adding 2 Tablespoons of butter, some of the cooking liquid, and smashing the whole concoction with a potato masher. Total perfection! I am very glad that I stumbled upon these beans by accident; otherwise I might not have ever tried this method.
I figured I would cook them and then figure out what to do with these beans later. You know, typical procrastination tactic. I soaked them overnight, as per the instructions. Then, when I woke up this morning I decided I would put them into the slow cooker with some herbs, aromatics, and spices and then just wait and see what happens. I think I am going to divide this batch in half and make some refried beans, and then leave the rest whole for whatever application that tickles my fancy later on. I literally just started poking through my fridge and pantry, and whatever sounded flavorful made it into the pot. Traditional Mexican style pinto beans typically have lard or some sort of pork fat in them, so I decided to cut up a couple slices of uncooked bacon and throw them into the mix. I think with the long cooking time, the bacon fat will render out nicely. I will fish out the bacon pieces later. I was going to tag this post as 'healthy' until I realized bacon fat does not make these beans healthy (although it is a relatively small amount).
I think I will use these beans (in the form of smashed refried beans) for tostadas tonight. If that doesn't work, then I do have a Tamale Pie recipe that requires pinto beans, too. I am not sure...we will just have to see how my beans behave. I am hoping that, as it gets closer to dinner time, I will be able to formulate a dinner plan that incorporates my beans. We will see...I love experimental cooking!
Jen's Slow Cooker Pinto Beans Surprise
Ingredients:
1 2 lb. bag of forgotten pinto beans
1 onion, cut into chunks
2 stalks of celery, cut into chunks
2 slices of bacon, cut into chunks (OPTIONAL-Omit for vegetarian version)
6 cloves of whole garlic, peeled and smashed
1/2 cup of plain, chunky marinara sauce (I had some in the fridge)
2 bay leaves, whole
1 Tablespoon of red pepper flakes
2 Tablespoons of kosher salt
1 Tablespoon of black pepper
1 Tablespoon of minced onion
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 small can of green chiles
1 Tablespoon of Ancho chili powder
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 Tablespoon of cumin
1 Tablespoon of coriander
2 Tablespoon of hot sauce (I used Tapatio)
plenty of water
Directions:
1) Spread beans out on a large sheet pan and sort beans by talking out any pebbles, sticks, undesirable objects. Cover beans with water, and soak overnight in a large stock pot or slow cooker insert pot (make sure to discard any floating beans or particles).
2)Pour beans and soaking water through a colander. Save beans and discard soaking liquid. Place beans back into slow cooker insert pot and cover beans with fresh water.
3) Add all ingredients in with beans and cook on low for 6-10 hours. (I programmed my slow cooker for 8 hours on low to start with, since I am really not sure about cooking time for this recipe.)
4) When beans are soft and taste "done", strain off liquid into a separate bowl and save (This liquid should be really flavorful, and you may want to use it later for making refried beans or something else).
5) Sort through beans and discard any chunks (i.e. celery, bacon, garlic, onions, bay leaves, etc.). Store beans and cooking liquid in separate containers, or use immediately for other recipe(s).
Jen's Notes:
All quantities are estimated. Also, the directions are more like a 'game plan', since I have never made this recipe before. I think beans are fairly forgiving, so I am hoping that this recipe will work. This can easily be adjusted to a vegetarian recipe, if you leave out the bacon.
The Results:
Oh man! These beans were fan-freakin’-tastic! Awesome! Amazing! Delicious! Certainly the best beans that I have ever made. Dare I say, the best beans that I have ever consumed. They were that good! They were full of flavor and texture, but not overwhelming in any way…just super-yummy. I love that they were easy to make and fairly inexpensive, since all the ingredients were things I had in my pantry anyway. I heart these beans very much, and I am glad that I have a bunch leftover. Although these beans are really not quick to make, I think this will be my go-to beans recipe. I will just keep a couple of cans of beans on hand if I need a fast-fix meal.
The flavor difference between slow cooking/seasoning your own dried beans from scratch vs. beans from a can is unbelievably noticeable. It just goes to show how numb we become to how food actually tastes, because we get so used to eating processed foods. It always amazes me when I make something homemade for the first time; it is a complete sensory experience. I can literally feel my palate wake up. I am telling you, my whole frame of reference changes for what is good and what isn’t good.
I did separate out the cooking liquid in one container, and the whole pinto beans in another container to use in another application. The only chunky items I got rid of were the celery stalks and bay leaves. The garlic, onion, and bacon cooked thoroughly and broke up into small pieces. If you decide to make these, please, please do not leave out the bacon; it perfumed the whole dish and just made these beans very savory. I beg of you…use the bacon!
I took enough beans for tonight’s meal and lunches tomorrow and made ‘refried’ beans by adding 2 Tablespoons of butter, some of the cooking liquid, and smashing the whole concoction with a potato masher. Total perfection! I am very glad that I stumbled upon these beans by accident; otherwise I might not have ever tried this method.
November 18, 2008
Leftovers
I am really uninspired today. I just can't think of anything that sounds good and that I want to put forth the effort to make. Ugh. We have plenty of Portobello Penne Pasta Casserole leftover, so I think we will just have a duplicate of last nights meal. Also, I have some errands to run after nap time, so a quick re-heat type of dinner will be good for this afternoon. Efficiency is my middle name. Unfortunately, the husband will have to settle for a frozen Lean Cuisine at lunch time tomorrow. I purposely stock up on those meals when they are on sale; just for occasions like this, when I do not feel like cooking. I would not want the man to starve and what not. Hopefully, I will be a bit more inspired for tomorrows dinner.
November 17, 2008
Portobello Penne Pasta Casserole
I had a completely different vegetarian dish slotted for tonight's meal. I checked out some vegetarian cookbooks at the library and I had a different recipe for portobello pasta marked to try for dinner. Well, I realized I did not purchase everything I needed for the cookbook recipe at the grocery store today. Ugh. I don't have anything thawed to switch up my menu, so I am stuck making something with portobello mushrooms (hardly a hardship, I know). What to do???? Steal an idea from Claire, of course! Seriously, my dinner plans would be really boring most of the time if I could not draft off of Claire's ideas. Hooray Claire. She mentioned that her family liked this recipe when we were talking about mushrooms earlier today. It seems easy and it looks like I have everything on hand to make it. Her blog notes indicate that it was a keeper, so I thought I would give it a try, too. I will let you know how it goes!
Portobello Penne Pasta Casserole
Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) package uncooked penne pasta
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 pound portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup margarine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1/4 cup soy sauce
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place pasta in the pot, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain.
3. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the mushrooms, cook 1 minute, and set aside. Melt margarine in the saucepan. Mix in flour, garlic, and basil. Gradually mix in milk until thickened. Stir in 1 cup cheese until melted. Remove saucepan from heat, and mix in cooked pasta, mushrooms, spinach, and soy sauce. Transfer to the prepared baking dish, and top with remaining cheese.
4. Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until bubbly and lightly brown.
Jen's Notes:
I don't have margarine, so butter will have to work. I think I will just serve this with a side salad. Yum. It sounds really good!
The Result:
This was fantastic. Soooooo yummy and a total keeper! Easy and delicious. I am too tired for witty commentary, so I will just leave it at that. Thanks again, Claire!
Portobello Penne Pasta Casserole
Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) package uncooked penne pasta
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 pound portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup margarine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1/4 cup soy sauce
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place pasta in the pot, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain.
3. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the mushrooms, cook 1 minute, and set aside. Melt margarine in the saucepan. Mix in flour, garlic, and basil. Gradually mix in milk until thickened. Stir in 1 cup cheese until melted. Remove saucepan from heat, and mix in cooked pasta, mushrooms, spinach, and soy sauce. Transfer to the prepared baking dish, and top with remaining cheese.
4. Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until bubbly and lightly brown.
Jen's Notes:
I don't have margarine, so butter will have to work. I think I will just serve this with a side salad. Yum. It sounds really good!
The Result:
This was fantastic. Soooooo yummy and a total keeper! Easy and delicious. I am too tired for witty commentary, so I will just leave it at that. Thanks again, Claire!
(Claire's Friend, Benah's) Pumpkin Crumb Cake
The nice thing about having a friend with a cooking blog, is that you can steal...I mean get inspiration from...recipes that she has collected from her other friends. This cake is a recipe from Claire's friend Benah, which Claire posted on her blog a couple weeks ago. It is really, really good. I had a chance to sample a piece of this cake at a playgroup that Claire hosted, and let me tell you, it is definitely worth recreating. I found some frozen pumpkin puree from about the time of the Mesozoic Era in my freezer (carbon dating analysis will confirm exactly how long it was in my freezer...ugh), so I thought that this cake would be perfect for using that up. My house is going to smell so yummy!
Pumpkin Crumb Cake
Crust:
1 pkg (18 oz) yellow cake mix (take out one cup for topping)
1 egg
1 stick butter, melted
Filling:
1 lb can pumpkin
3 eggs
½ c granulated sugar
¼ c brown sugar
1 ½ tsp cinnamon (or 1/2 tsp each of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger)
Topping:
1 cup cake mix
½ c granulated sugar
½ c chopped nuts (optional)
3 tbsp butter
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Mix crust ingredients; pat into greased 9x13 pan.
Beat filling ingredients; pour over crust.
Combine topping and crumble over filling.
Bake for 45-55 minutes.
The Result:
Dear Claire and Benah,
Thank you for bringing this cake into my life. It is so amazingly delicious and easy. I love it! I would sing you a song about how much I L-O-V-E this cake, but I am tone deaf. It is better if I just write you this love letter. XOXO.
Warm Regards,
Best Wishes,
Hopelessly Devoted,
Forever Yours,
Jen B.
Pumpkin Crumb Cake
Crust:
1 pkg (18 oz) yellow cake mix (take out one cup for topping)
1 egg
1 stick butter, melted
Filling:
1 lb can pumpkin
3 eggs
½ c granulated sugar
¼ c brown sugar
1 ½ tsp cinnamon (or 1/2 tsp each of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger)
Topping:
1 cup cake mix
½ c granulated sugar
½ c chopped nuts (optional)
3 tbsp butter
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Mix crust ingredients; pat into greased 9x13 pan.
Beat filling ingredients; pour over crust.
Combine topping and crumble over filling.
Bake for 45-55 minutes.
The Result:
Dear Claire and Benah,
Thank you for bringing this cake into my life. It is so amazingly delicious and easy. I love it! I would sing you a song about how much I L-O-V-E this cake, but I am tone deaf. It is better if I just write you this love letter. XOXO.
Warm Regards,
Best Wishes,
Hopelessly Devoted,
Forever Yours,
Jen B.
November 16, 2008
Jen's Chicken Paprika
This is my favorite meal ever. I am talking favorite.
Favorite, favorite.
If I committed a heinous crime and was put to death via lethal injection by a jury of my peers, this would be my last meal. (Logistically speaking, either my mother would have to come cook it for me, or I would need to be granted access to the prison kitchen or something...I would petition for leniency in this matter.)
Seriously.
(Yes, I have given it that much thought.)
This recipe is an actual family secret. It was passed down from my dad's family from the old country. My great-grandmother taught my grandmother, when she and my grandpa got married. My grandmother then taught my mother, when she and my dad got married. My mother taught me. There is no written recipe, and there probably never will be. I would not let my own husband eat this dish until I was sure that he was worthy. He still has never been allowed to take leftovers out of the house. In fact, he wasn't even allowed to have leftovers, until after our son was born. It sounds crazy, but it is true. That is how closely guarded this recipe is in my family. My own son will learn to make it, if he upholds the tradition of secrecy. His future wife, however, will need to put in at least 20 years of marriage and give me at least 2 grandchildren before I will teach her to make it...and that is only if I like her. All bets are off if she rubs me the wrong way. There is a list of other criteria, but I don't want you to think I am totally off my rocker...I will keep the rest to myself.
Once in a while I will do some random recipe searches on the Internet to see if anyone has gotten close to cracking my beloved dish. Rest assured, they haven't. Not even close. I have done some extensive 'googling' on this matter, and thankfully no one has even scratched the surface of this recipe. Wolfgang Puck does make a very distant (and laughable) variation...but that is the only (remotely close) facsimile that I have found. HA!
That is why I can sleep easy at night.
Needless to say, I will not be printing a recipe here, either. I am just merely telling you what we are having for dinner. I may or may not take a photo. We will see if I am still in a generous mood after dinner. I will say that I am making a much smaller batch this time (I am trying to devise a quick cooking method), because the full monty takes hours of painstaking work. I am also toying with the idea of letting the husband take some for lunch tomorrow. I am still undecided. I don't know if he can be trusted, because he is always trying to snoop around the kitchen when I am making it...a huge no-no. If he plays his cards right, and stays out of the kitchen when I am cooking, he may get lucky with leftovers. For safety sake, I may drive the leftovers to his office tomorrow, watch him eat them, and then take the container back home to secure the evidence. He is certainly not allowed to flaunt it or share them in anyway. Not even a bite. In fact, he should not even talk about it.
The first rule about Chicken Paprika, is that you don't talk about Chicken Paprika...
As it stands, I may have shared too much already.
The Result:
My quick cooking method did not work all that great. This dish definitely needs a long cooking time for the (blank) to combine with the (blank) and the (blank). With that being said...even though this was not the best version I have ever made...it was still plate-licking good. Alas, the husband will not be having leftovers, after all. I cannot let a sub-par version of this dish get out in public. I could never live with myself if tonight's attempt were to leak, and someone thought that this was as good as it got. Clearly, the only choice I have is to destroy the leftovers and never speak of this quick cooking version again.
Favorite, favorite.
If I committed a heinous crime and was put to death via lethal injection by a jury of my peers, this would be my last meal. (Logistically speaking, either my mother would have to come cook it for me, or I would need to be granted access to the prison kitchen or something...I would petition for leniency in this matter.)
Seriously.
(Yes, I have given it that much thought.)
This recipe is an actual family secret. It was passed down from my dad's family from the old country. My great-grandmother taught my grandmother, when she and my grandpa got married. My grandmother then taught my mother, when she and my dad got married. My mother taught me. There is no written recipe, and there probably never will be. I would not let my own husband eat this dish until I was sure that he was worthy. He still has never been allowed to take leftovers out of the house. In fact, he wasn't even allowed to have leftovers, until after our son was born. It sounds crazy, but it is true. That is how closely guarded this recipe is in my family. My own son will learn to make it, if he upholds the tradition of secrecy. His future wife, however, will need to put in at least 20 years of marriage and give me at least 2 grandchildren before I will teach her to make it...and that is only if I like her. All bets are off if she rubs me the wrong way. There is a list of other criteria, but I don't want you to think I am totally off my rocker...I will keep the rest to myself.
Once in a while I will do some random recipe searches on the Internet to see if anyone has gotten close to cracking my beloved dish. Rest assured, they haven't. Not even close. I have done some extensive 'googling' on this matter, and thankfully no one has even scratched the surface of this recipe. Wolfgang Puck does make a very distant (and laughable) variation...but that is the only (remotely close) facsimile that I have found. HA!
That is why I can sleep easy at night.
Needless to say, I will not be printing a recipe here, either. I am just merely telling you what we are having for dinner. I may or may not take a photo. We will see if I am still in a generous mood after dinner. I will say that I am making a much smaller batch this time (I am trying to devise a quick cooking method), because the full monty takes hours of painstaking work. I am also toying with the idea of letting the husband take some for lunch tomorrow. I am still undecided. I don't know if he can be trusted, because he is always trying to snoop around the kitchen when I am making it...a huge no-no. If he plays his cards right, and stays out of the kitchen when I am cooking, he may get lucky with leftovers. For safety sake, I may drive the leftovers to his office tomorrow, watch him eat them, and then take the container back home to secure the evidence. He is certainly not allowed to flaunt it or share them in anyway. Not even a bite. In fact, he should not even talk about it.
The first rule about Chicken Paprika, is that you don't talk about Chicken Paprika...
As it stands, I may have shared too much already.
The Result:
My quick cooking method did not work all that great. This dish definitely needs a long cooking time for the (blank) to combine with the (blank) and the (blank). With that being said...even though this was not the best version I have ever made...it was still plate-licking good. Alas, the husband will not be having leftovers, after all. I cannot let a sub-par version of this dish get out in public. I could never live with myself if tonight's attempt were to leak, and someone thought that this was as good as it got. Clearly, the only choice I have is to destroy the leftovers and never speak of this quick cooking version again.
November 15, 2008
Tater Tot Casserole
After a week of no red meat, the husband is putting his foot down and demanding beef for dinner. Well, actually he just requested no chicken or marinara sauce...but I read between the lines. I really, really love the Tot Casserole so it was purely my suggestion. It just sounds good. I looked back through my blog and realized that we have not had it for about a month and a half. I feel it is definitely time to break out the tots again. We will have this dish with a side of green beans, and maybe a salad. Green beans and Tot Casserole are just a classic pairing, in my opinion. Yum. I get ridiculously excited for this meal, so I am looking forward to our dinner. This should undo the last few days of healthy, vegetarian meals.
Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 diced white onion (optional)
1-2 garlic cloves, finely minced (optional)
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika
Cheddar cheese--sliced or shredded
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup of sour cream (optional)
Tater Tots, for topping
Directions:
In an 11x7 pan, crumble or spread uncooked ground beef, minced garlic, and diced onions. Sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic powder,paprika, and onion powder on top of beef. Cover with sliced or shredded Cheddar cheese. Combine sour cream and mushroom soup in a small bowl. Spread cream of mushroom soup mixture over the cheese layer (this can be tricky business if you've used shredded cheese). Top with tater tots. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, uncovering for last 30 minutes. Or bake at 375 for one hour, uncovering for last 30 minutes.
The Result:
As you can tell, I was too lazy to take a new photo of Tater Tot Casserole. I figured that you guys have seen it before in my previous post, and it pretty much looked exactly the same. The taste was also the same; delicious and familiar. I still profess both my love and embarrassment over the Tater Tot Casserole. Such dueling emotions...I love you, I hate you....come here,go away...yeah, that about covers it. The Tot is such a cruel mistress.
I did make one small change; I ran out of normal shredded cheddar cheese about half way through the cheese step, so I supplemented with some Pepper Jack. I am pleased to say that it totally worked, and gave it the tiniest little kick that was very yummy.
Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 diced white onion (optional)
1-2 garlic cloves, finely minced (optional)
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika
Cheddar cheese--sliced or shredded
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup of sour cream (optional)
Tater Tots, for topping
Directions:
In an 11x7 pan, crumble or spread uncooked ground beef, minced garlic, and diced onions. Sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic powder,paprika, and onion powder on top of beef. Cover with sliced or shredded Cheddar cheese. Combine sour cream and mushroom soup in a small bowl. Spread cream of mushroom soup mixture over the cheese layer (this can be tricky business if you've used shredded cheese). Top with tater tots. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, uncovering for last 30 minutes. Or bake at 375 for one hour, uncovering for last 30 minutes.
The Result:
As you can tell, I was too lazy to take a new photo of Tater Tot Casserole. I figured that you guys have seen it before in my previous post, and it pretty much looked exactly the same. The taste was also the same; delicious and familiar. I still profess both my love and embarrassment over the Tater Tot Casserole. Such dueling emotions...I love you, I hate you....come here,go away...yeah, that about covers it. The Tot is such a cruel mistress.
I did make one small change; I ran out of normal shredded cheddar cheese about half way through the cheese step, so I supplemented with some Pepper Jack. I am pleased to say that it totally worked, and gave it the tiniest little kick that was very yummy.
November 14, 2008
Vegetable Calzones
My son and I had a tiring morning/afternoon at a local park with amusement-type children's rides. All the fresh air, sunshine, and running around made us both come home and promptly conk out. Yawn. My son is still sleeping, but I realized that I needed to get up and get some sort of dinner plan together. It is so hard for me to get motivated after a nice leisurely nap. I did not think to thaw out any protein items, so we are going to have another vegetarian night at our house.
I went back through my friend Claire's vegetarian blog posts and found this recipe. It sounds pretty good, but I think I will tweak it some based on her comments. I will probably add some spices to the dough mixture, and make a filling based on what I have on hand. It should be fairly close. I will note all my changes in the 'results' section of my post after we eat. I need to wake up and get myself together, since the dough needs to rest for an hour. I better get crackin'!
Vegetable Calzones
Ingredients:
3/4 cup warm water
1 tsp sugar
1 packet active dry yeast
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 large egg
1 cup shredded mozzarella
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1/4 tsp black pepper
Directions:
Combine the water and sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle in the yeast and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, and salt in a food processor. With the machine running, scrape the yeast mixture and the egg through the feed tube; pulse until the dough forms a smooth ball, about 1 minute.
Spray a large bowl with nonstick spray; put the dough in the bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, combine the mozzarella, ricotta, tomatoes, bell pepper, scallions, basil, and pepper in a medium bowl.
Preheat the oven to 400. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray; set aside.
Punch down the dough. Sprinkle a work surface lightly with flour. Turn the dough onto the surface and cut into 6 pieces. Knead each piece lightly, then with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll each into a 6-inch circle. Mound one-sixth of the cheese mixture on half of each circle, then brush the edges lightly with water. Fold the dough over the filling; crimp the edges to seal. Transfer the calzones to the baking sheet; make three 1-inch slashes on top of each with a sharp knife. Bake until golden 20-23 minutes.
The Result:
I had some calzone issues. First, my dough did not rise. Ugh. It was more like a microwaved Hot Pocket instead of yummy, doughy, soft, pillowy calzones. It could also be compared to a chewy piece of unleavened bread or something. Definitely sad. Then, I did not cut the vent slats in the top of the calzones deep enough, so they closed back up. Do you know what closed vent slats mean????? I do...CALZONE BLOW-OUTS! All the filling was out on the pan, so when you cut into the middle, you got a puff of steam from the empty Hot Pocket shell. I took a picture of the pan, so you could witness the carnage for yourself.
The sauce flavor was really good. I used mushrooms, red and yellow peppers, diced tomatoes, garlic, and onions. Very tasty and satisfying. Unfortunately, the dough issues made these calzones not that great. I would be willing to try my hand at this again, with a different dough recipe.
I went back through my friend Claire's vegetarian blog posts and found this recipe. It sounds pretty good, but I think I will tweak it some based on her comments. I will probably add some spices to the dough mixture, and make a filling based on what I have on hand. It should be fairly close. I will note all my changes in the 'results' section of my post after we eat. I need to wake up and get myself together, since the dough needs to rest for an hour. I better get crackin'!
Vegetable Calzones
Ingredients:
3/4 cup warm water
1 tsp sugar
1 packet active dry yeast
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 large egg
1 cup shredded mozzarella
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1/4 tsp black pepper
Directions:
Combine the water and sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle in the yeast and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, and salt in a food processor. With the machine running, scrape the yeast mixture and the egg through the feed tube; pulse until the dough forms a smooth ball, about 1 minute.
Spray a large bowl with nonstick spray; put the dough in the bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, combine the mozzarella, ricotta, tomatoes, bell pepper, scallions, basil, and pepper in a medium bowl.
Preheat the oven to 400. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray; set aside.
Punch down the dough. Sprinkle a work surface lightly with flour. Turn the dough onto the surface and cut into 6 pieces. Knead each piece lightly, then with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll each into a 6-inch circle. Mound one-sixth of the cheese mixture on half of each circle, then brush the edges lightly with water. Fold the dough over the filling; crimp the edges to seal. Transfer the calzones to the baking sheet; make three 1-inch slashes on top of each with a sharp knife. Bake until golden 20-23 minutes.
The Result:
I had some calzone issues. First, my dough did not rise. Ugh. It was more like a microwaved Hot Pocket instead of yummy, doughy, soft, pillowy calzones. It could also be compared to a chewy piece of unleavened bread or something. Definitely sad. Then, I did not cut the vent slats in the top of the calzones deep enough, so they closed back up. Do you know what closed vent slats mean????? I do...CALZONE BLOW-OUTS! All the filling was out on the pan, so when you cut into the middle, you got a puff of steam from the empty Hot Pocket shell. I took a picture of the pan, so you could witness the carnage for yourself.
The sauce flavor was really good. I used mushrooms, red and yellow peppers, diced tomatoes, garlic, and onions. Very tasty and satisfying. Unfortunately, the dough issues made these calzones not that great. I would be willing to try my hand at this again, with a different dough recipe.
November 13, 2008
Tuscan Lemon Chicken
Today is the day! Finally, my chicken is thawed! Hooray!!! I am so darn excited...it has been a long time coming. My life (at least my dinner plans) have revolved around this momentous occasion for days and it's finally here! Woo-Hoo!
That is enough celebrating...I am tired of using exclamation points.
As you know, this recipe was slotted for earlier this week, but it just wasn't in the cards. Once dinner is over tonight, I am going to finally have room in the fridge again.
This is another one from my Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics cookbook. It is literally just a whole grilled chicken with a lemon/rosemary marinade. Simple and yummy. The cooking method is similar to my Rick Bayless grilled whole chicken recipe; where as you cut the back bone out and flatten the chicken on the grill. I think I am going to stick with Rick's method (Ina's is a little more cumbersome) and just use the marinade directions. I am intrigued at what grilled lemons are going to do for the dish, so that will be a little surprise.
After we put the little one to bed tonight, I will use the leftover chicken parts to make chicken stock (which is probably more exciting than the chicken recipe itself). I am not sure what I am going to make as side dishes, but you can probably count on my new favorite salad, a veggie, and a starch of some sort. I love a well-balanced meal.
Tuscan Lemon Chicken
Ingredients:
(3 1/2-pound) chicken, flattened
Kosher salt
1/3 cup good olive oil
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, halved
Directions:
Sprinkle the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt on each side. Combine the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, and 2 teaspoons pepper in a small measuring cup. Place the chicken in a ceramic or glass dish just large enough to hold it flat. Pour the lemon marinade over the chicken, turning it in the dish. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Turn the chicken 2 or 3 times while marinating.
When ready to grill, prepare a hot charcoal fire on 1 side of a grill (or turn a gas grill on low heat). Spread most of the coals across half of the grill. Place the chicken, skin side up, on the opposite side of the grill and place the dish you used for marinating on top of the chicken to weight it. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the underside is golden brown. Turn the chicken skin side down, weight again with the dish, and cook for another 12 to 15 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through.
Place the lemon halves on the cool side of the grill, cut side down for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Remove the chicken to a plate or cutting board, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Cut in quarters, sprinkle with salt, and serve with the grilled lemon halves.
The Result:
This chicken was totally worth the wait. It was so, so juicy and flavorful! It earns my highest rating...fan-freakin'-tastic! The marinade was one of the best I have ever had on a chicken. It was not overpoweringly lemony, just fresh and zippy. It tasted like summertime. It was so good!
I used 1/2 teaspoon of dried, chopped rosemary because I could not find fresh rosemary for a decent price this time around. Also, our cooking method varies from the recipe. We just cooked it on the grill for 45 minutes, breast-side up, without flipping. We have a three burner gas grill, so we turn the two outer burners on medium and leave the middle one off. Then, we put the chicken in the middle of the grill (over the off burner) and the chicken cooks perfectly every time. We let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting, too. It is great. I think if you did follow the recipe, it would turn out just as delicious.
We served my yummy new favorite salad, small baked (microwaved) potatoes, and glazed carrots for side dishes. Simple and delicious!!! I will definitely make this chicken again.
The best part about this whole chicken adventure is that my chicken stock is bubbling away on the stove. Sigh. I am a happy girl!
That is enough celebrating...I am tired of using exclamation points.
As you know, this recipe was slotted for earlier this week, but it just wasn't in the cards. Once dinner is over tonight, I am going to finally have room in the fridge again.
This is another one from my Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics cookbook. It is literally just a whole grilled chicken with a lemon/rosemary marinade. Simple and yummy. The cooking method is similar to my Rick Bayless grilled whole chicken recipe; where as you cut the back bone out and flatten the chicken on the grill. I think I am going to stick with Rick's method (Ina's is a little more cumbersome) and just use the marinade directions. I am intrigued at what grilled lemons are going to do for the dish, so that will be a little surprise.
After we put the little one to bed tonight, I will use the leftover chicken parts to make chicken stock (which is probably more exciting than the chicken recipe itself). I am not sure what I am going to make as side dishes, but you can probably count on my new favorite salad, a veggie, and a starch of some sort. I love a well-balanced meal.
Tuscan Lemon Chicken
Ingredients:
(3 1/2-pound) chicken, flattened
Kosher salt
1/3 cup good olive oil
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, halved
Directions:
Sprinkle the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt on each side. Combine the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, and 2 teaspoons pepper in a small measuring cup. Place the chicken in a ceramic or glass dish just large enough to hold it flat. Pour the lemon marinade over the chicken, turning it in the dish. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Turn the chicken 2 or 3 times while marinating.
When ready to grill, prepare a hot charcoal fire on 1 side of a grill (or turn a gas grill on low heat). Spread most of the coals across half of the grill. Place the chicken, skin side up, on the opposite side of the grill and place the dish you used for marinating on top of the chicken to weight it. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the underside is golden brown. Turn the chicken skin side down, weight again with the dish, and cook for another 12 to 15 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through.
Place the lemon halves on the cool side of the grill, cut side down for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Remove the chicken to a plate or cutting board, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Cut in quarters, sprinkle with salt, and serve with the grilled lemon halves.
The Result:
This chicken was totally worth the wait. It was so, so juicy and flavorful! It earns my highest rating...fan-freakin'-tastic! The marinade was one of the best I have ever had on a chicken. It was not overpoweringly lemony, just fresh and zippy. It tasted like summertime. It was so good!
I used 1/2 teaspoon of dried, chopped rosemary because I could not find fresh rosemary for a decent price this time around. Also, our cooking method varies from the recipe. We just cooked it on the grill for 45 minutes, breast-side up, without flipping. We have a three burner gas grill, so we turn the two outer burners on medium and leave the middle one off. Then, we put the chicken in the middle of the grill (over the off burner) and the chicken cooks perfectly every time. We let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting, too. It is great. I think if you did follow the recipe, it would turn out just as delicious.
We served my yummy new favorite salad, small baked (microwaved) potatoes, and glazed carrots for side dishes. Simple and delicious!!! I will definitely make this chicken again.
The best part about this whole chicken adventure is that my chicken stock is bubbling away on the stove. Sigh. I am a happy girl!
November 12, 2008
Roasted Potato Leek Soup with Crispy Shallots
Well, I am at the start of day 3 of "chicken watch". The whole chicken I put in my fridge to thaw over 2 whole days ago is still frozen. I have hope that it will thaw for tomorrow night's dinner, but I don't want to be disappointed again. The ice crystals are beginning to get softer. My chicken no longer resembles the texture of a bowling ball, but now, a basketball that has been forgotten out in the snow. Hey, that counts as improvement in my book.
Once again, I find my self rearranging my menu due to my stupid, frozen chicken. If chicken wasn't so prone to harmful bacteria, I would just float the darn thing in warm water and call it a day. Alas, chicken germs skeeve me...so that is really not an option. I will just be patient and thaw it correctly. Ugh.
The good news is that this is another vegetarian dish. My husband will be so thrilled! Seriously, he will have no room to complain since a) it is a Barefoot Contessa recipe, and b) it has booze, cheese, cream, and fried things floating in it. Also, I have homemade bread dough rising...I love fresh, warm bread with soup. Hardly a sacrifice.
Once again, this comes to me by my new cookbook Back to Basics. I was happy that I found a copy of the recipe online, so I can just cut/paste the recipe from the web. I get cranky when I have to type a lot of words and stuff.
I did find 4 cups of homemade chicken stock in my freezer. Unfortunately, that is truly the last of the chicken stock. I am officially and totally out. I thought I was out a few days ago...but I wasn't...but now I am. Really. Out. The recipe calls for 6-7 cups of stock, so I need to do some creative cooking. I have 1 cup of boxed vegetable stock so that makes 5 cups total liquid. That is close enough for me...I will just supplement the extra cup of stock with good old-fashioned water to equal 6 total cups. I really need that stupid, frozen chicken to thaw so I can replenish my chicken stock stores.
Roasted Potato Leek Soup with Crispy Shallots
Ingredients:
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch chunks
4 cups chopped leeks (4 leeks), white and light-green parts, cleaned of all sand
1/4 cup good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups baby arugula, lightly packed
1/2 cup dry white wine, plus extra for serving
6 to 7 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup heavy cream
8 ounces crème fraiche
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish (see note)
Crispy shallots, optional (recipe follows)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Combine the potatoes and leeks on a sheet pan in a single layer. Add the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and toss to coat the vegetables evenly. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, turning them with a spatula a few times during cooking, until very tender. Add the arugula and toss to combine. Roast for 4 to 5 more minutes, until the arugula is wilted.
Remove the pan from the oven and place over two burners. Stir in the wine and 1 cup of the chicken stock and cook over low heat, scraping up any crispy roasted bits sticking to the pan. In batches, transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor fitted with the steel blade, adding the pan liquid and about 5 cups of the chicken stock to make a puree. Pour the purée into a large pot or Dutch oven. Continue to purée the vegetables in batches until they're all done and combined in the large pot. Add enough of the remaining 1 to 2 cups of stock to make a thick soup. Add the cream, crème fraIche, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and check the seasoning.
When ready to serve, reheat the soup gently and whisk in 2 tablespoons white wine and the Parmesan cheese. Serve hot with an extra grating of Parmesan cheese and crispy shallots, if using.
Crispy Shallots
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of olive oil or vegetable oil
3 tablespoon unsalted butter
5 to 6 shallots, peeled and sliced into thin rings
Directions:
Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it reaches 220 degrees on a candy thermometer.
Reduce heat to low, add shallots slowly to make sure they brown evenly. Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon, drain well and spread out to cool on paper towels. Once they have dried and crisped, they can be stored at room temperature, covered, for several days.
The Result:
Well, I am not a big fan of this dish. I made it properly...I just did not like the flavor. It was overly bitter due to the peppery arugula and very winey. We ended up mixing in some white wine vinegar to cut the bitterness. The vinegar did improve the flavor...but not enough to really like this dish. The husband said it tasted like pureed veggies (a la baby food). Luckily, the boy had pears and PB & J. Overall, a huge disappointment.
We garnished it with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, Parmigano Reggiano, and the Crispy Shallots. The shallots were the best part about this soup, by far. There were a lot of quality ingredients that went into this dish (with a lot of work, I might add) so it is very surprising that it did not deliver on flavor. Ina! I am shocked!!! Also, I am surprised at how thin it actually was...considering all the potatoes. My guess is that it will thicken overnight in the fridge. I am willing to try it tomorrow again for lunch since soup sometimes tastes better the second day. That is the last chance though, if I still don't like it the dogs are going to feast on soup.
Meanwhile, I did make an excellent side salad to go with our soup. Diced pears, toasted walnuts, salad greens, and my blue cheese dressing. YUM! The salad dressing was awesome. I would say that this salad is now easily my new favorite salad. I am glad that I still have all the components so I can have it again tomorrow.
Once again, I find my self rearranging my menu due to my stupid, frozen chicken. If chicken wasn't so prone to harmful bacteria, I would just float the darn thing in warm water and call it a day. Alas, chicken germs skeeve me...so that is really not an option. I will just be patient and thaw it correctly. Ugh.
The good news is that this is another vegetarian dish. My husband will be so thrilled! Seriously, he will have no room to complain since a) it is a Barefoot Contessa recipe, and b) it has booze, cheese, cream, and fried things floating in it. Also, I have homemade bread dough rising...I love fresh, warm bread with soup. Hardly a sacrifice.
Once again, this comes to me by my new cookbook Back to Basics. I was happy that I found a copy of the recipe online, so I can just cut/paste the recipe from the web. I get cranky when I have to type a lot of words and stuff.
I did find 4 cups of homemade chicken stock in my freezer. Unfortunately, that is truly the last of the chicken stock. I am officially and totally out. I thought I was out a few days ago...but I wasn't...but now I am. Really. Out. The recipe calls for 6-7 cups of stock, so I need to do some creative cooking. I have 1 cup of boxed vegetable stock so that makes 5 cups total liquid. That is close enough for me...I will just supplement the extra cup of stock with good old-fashioned water to equal 6 total cups. I really need that stupid, frozen chicken to thaw so I can replenish my chicken stock stores.
Roasted Potato Leek Soup with Crispy Shallots
Ingredients:
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch chunks
4 cups chopped leeks (4 leeks), white and light-green parts, cleaned of all sand
1/4 cup good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups baby arugula, lightly packed
1/2 cup dry white wine, plus extra for serving
6 to 7 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup heavy cream
8 ounces crème fraiche
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish (see note)
Crispy shallots, optional (recipe follows)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Combine the potatoes and leeks on a sheet pan in a single layer. Add the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and toss to coat the vegetables evenly. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, turning them with a spatula a few times during cooking, until very tender. Add the arugula and toss to combine. Roast for 4 to 5 more minutes, until the arugula is wilted.
Remove the pan from the oven and place over two burners. Stir in the wine and 1 cup of the chicken stock and cook over low heat, scraping up any crispy roasted bits sticking to the pan. In batches, transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor fitted with the steel blade, adding the pan liquid and about 5 cups of the chicken stock to make a puree. Pour the purée into a large pot or Dutch oven. Continue to purée the vegetables in batches until they're all done and combined in the large pot. Add enough of the remaining 1 to 2 cups of stock to make a thick soup. Add the cream, crème fraIche, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and check the seasoning.
When ready to serve, reheat the soup gently and whisk in 2 tablespoons white wine and the Parmesan cheese. Serve hot with an extra grating of Parmesan cheese and crispy shallots, if using.
Crispy Shallots
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of olive oil or vegetable oil
3 tablespoon unsalted butter
5 to 6 shallots, peeled and sliced into thin rings
Directions:
Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it reaches 220 degrees on a candy thermometer.
Reduce heat to low, add shallots slowly to make sure they brown evenly. Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon, drain well and spread out to cool on paper towels. Once they have dried and crisped, they can be stored at room temperature, covered, for several days.
The Result:
Well, I am not a big fan of this dish. I made it properly...I just did not like the flavor. It was overly bitter due to the peppery arugula and very winey. We ended up mixing in some white wine vinegar to cut the bitterness. The vinegar did improve the flavor...but not enough to really like this dish. The husband said it tasted like pureed veggies (a la baby food). Luckily, the boy had pears and PB & J. Overall, a huge disappointment.
We garnished it with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, Parmigano Reggiano, and the Crispy Shallots. The shallots were the best part about this soup, by far. There were a lot of quality ingredients that went into this dish (with a lot of work, I might add) so it is very surprising that it did not deliver on flavor. Ina! I am shocked!!! Also, I am surprised at how thin it actually was...considering all the potatoes. My guess is that it will thicken overnight in the fridge. I am willing to try it tomorrow again for lunch since soup sometimes tastes better the second day. That is the last chance though, if I still don't like it the dogs are going to feast on soup.
Meanwhile, I did make an excellent side salad to go with our soup. Diced pears, toasted walnuts, salad greens, and my blue cheese dressing. YUM! The salad dressing was awesome. I would say that this salad is now easily my new favorite salad. I am glad that I still have all the components so I can have it again tomorrow.
November 11, 2008
The Big Blue
I had some leftover Gorgonzola that needs to be used badly. The husband h-a-t-e-s blue cheese of any kind, so I am the only one in the house that will eat it. I found this easy recipe for blue cheese salad dressing from my Pasta & Co By Request cookbook. It is pretty thick so it can also double as a dip (think spicy chicken wings/legs or crudites). This dressing will keep for a month, so it seems that it is the perfect vehicle for my Gorgonzola issue. We have a ton of salad ingredients, and I made sure to buy the husband some Ranch dressing for his salad to avoid any potential pouting. All in all, this is a great solution to my blue cheese problem.
The Big Blue
Ingredients:
1 cup of quality mayo (Best Foods is recommended)
1 cup of sour cream
6 ounces of blue cheese, crumbled (I used Gorgonzola)
1/2 cup of buttermilk
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 teaspoon of coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of salt
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk thoroughly. Store in an air tight container, and use as needed. Salad dressing will keep for at least one month.
The Big Blue
Ingredients:
1 cup of quality mayo (Best Foods is recommended)
1 cup of sour cream
6 ounces of blue cheese, crumbled (I used Gorgonzola)
1/2 cup of buttermilk
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 teaspoon of coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of salt
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk thoroughly. Store in an air tight container, and use as needed. Salad dressing will keep for at least one month.
Eggplant Parmesean
I put a whole chicken in the fridge to thaw yesterday morning, and it is still frozen rock solid. Yeesh. It has been over 24 hours and there is really no difference from when I pulled it from the freezer yesterday. That means I need to do some menu rearranging. I was counting on the chicken for dinner tonight and turning the extra parts into chicken stock for soup tomorrow. All that is going to need to be pushed back due to the cryogenic state of the chicken.
I am really not all that upset, since I have been dying to try this recipe. This dish is from my friend Claire, who belongs to a message board that put out a cookbook earlier this year. I was able to thumb through the cookbook at her house the other day, and all the recipes in it look super-yummy and family friendly. This recipe is from that cookbook. She posted this recipe on her blog a few months ago with some pictures. Oh man, this dish looked so good I wanted to lick my computer screen. Also, I am a sucker for Italian food...due to my Italian heritage and all.
Eggplant Parmesan
Ingredients:
2 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick round slices
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp dried thyme
Freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil for frying
Flour for dredging
6 large eggs, beaten
2 Tbsp whole milk
Olive oil, as needed
Tomato sauce (see recipe below)
Parmesan cheese
1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
Directions:
Place the flour in a plate or bowl. Add oregano and thyme. In another bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together. Dredge an eggplant slice in the flour then dip it in the egg mixture. Shake off any excess egg and start frying. Turn the eggplant once, cooking until golden brown. It cooks very quickly so keep your eye on them. Using tongs, transfer to a paper towel lined baking sheet and season with salt to taste. Repeat with the remaining eggplant. Preheat oven to 400. Cover the bottom of the baking dish with some tomato sauce and arrange the eggplant over the sauce. Cover the eggplant with more sauce and scatter half of the Parmesan and mozzarella over the sauced eggplant. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, sauce, Parmesan, and mozzarella. Bake until hot and just beginning to brown, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Tomato Sauce
Ingredients:
3 cans crushed tomatoes
1 medium onion
3 cloves garlic
Oregano
Salt
Pepper
Fresh basil
Directions:
Mince the garlic and onion. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and saute onion and garlic until onion is translucent. Add cans of crushed tomatoes plus half a can of water and bring to a boil. When it's boiling, turn the heat way down and let it simmer. The longer you let it simmer, the better it will taste. For three cans, let simmer about 90 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and oregano to taste. At the very end chop up some basil and stir it in (dried basil would work too).
The Result:
As usual, I am at a loss for a good adjective...but this was AWESOME! Totally fabulous. A little labor-intensive, but fan-freakin'-tastic. Cheesy, bubbly, saucy, goodness! YUM!
I stuck to the "eggplant" part of the recipe, but deviated from the "sauce" part. I added some dry Marsala wine to the cooking onions and garlic, then I added 1 can of tomato sauce and 2 cans of diced tomatoes. I added some additional spices, too; red pepper flakes, a little chili powder, salt, pepper, thyme, and Italian Seasoning. The sauce was closer to my normal marinara, and not the recipe version. What can I say, that is how we like it. After "ooohs" and "aaaahhhhs" from the husband, I made sure to point out that this was considered a vegetarian meal. Now, I think he will be open to try more vegetarian dishes. I will consider that a small personal victory.
This is a total keeper. Although, it will be one of those dishes that I only make when I am feeling like spending a lot of time in the kitchen. It really would suit a special night or weekend meal better. With all that cheese it is pretty decadent, so I think I will consider this recipe a once in awhile treat. Nonetheless, it was still great!
I am really not all that upset, since I have been dying to try this recipe. This dish is from my friend Claire, who belongs to a message board that put out a cookbook earlier this year. I was able to thumb through the cookbook at her house the other day, and all the recipes in it look super-yummy and family friendly. This recipe is from that cookbook. She posted this recipe on her blog a few months ago with some pictures. Oh man, this dish looked so good I wanted to lick my computer screen. Also, I am a sucker for Italian food...due to my Italian heritage and all.
Eggplant Parmesan
Ingredients:
2 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick round slices
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp dried thyme
Freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil for frying
Flour for dredging
6 large eggs, beaten
2 Tbsp whole milk
Olive oil, as needed
Tomato sauce (see recipe below)
Parmesan cheese
1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
Directions:
Place the flour in a plate or bowl. Add oregano and thyme. In another bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together. Dredge an eggplant slice in the flour then dip it in the egg mixture. Shake off any excess egg and start frying. Turn the eggplant once, cooking until golden brown. It cooks very quickly so keep your eye on them. Using tongs, transfer to a paper towel lined baking sheet and season with salt to taste. Repeat with the remaining eggplant. Preheat oven to 400. Cover the bottom of the baking dish with some tomato sauce and arrange the eggplant over the sauce. Cover the eggplant with more sauce and scatter half of the Parmesan and mozzarella over the sauced eggplant. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, sauce, Parmesan, and mozzarella. Bake until hot and just beginning to brown, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Tomato Sauce
Ingredients:
3 cans crushed tomatoes
1 medium onion
3 cloves garlic
Oregano
Salt
Pepper
Fresh basil
Directions:
Mince the garlic and onion. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and saute onion and garlic until onion is translucent. Add cans of crushed tomatoes plus half a can of water and bring to a boil. When it's boiling, turn the heat way down and let it simmer. The longer you let it simmer, the better it will taste. For three cans, let simmer about 90 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and oregano to taste. At the very end chop up some basil and stir it in (dried basil would work too).
The Result:
As usual, I am at a loss for a good adjective...but this was AWESOME! Totally fabulous. A little labor-intensive, but fan-freakin'-tastic. Cheesy, bubbly, saucy, goodness! YUM!
I stuck to the "eggplant" part of the recipe, but deviated from the "sauce" part. I added some dry Marsala wine to the cooking onions and garlic, then I added 1 can of tomato sauce and 2 cans of diced tomatoes. I added some additional spices, too; red pepper flakes, a little chili powder, salt, pepper, thyme, and Italian Seasoning. The sauce was closer to my normal marinara, and not the recipe version. What can I say, that is how we like it. After "ooohs" and "aaaahhhhs" from the husband, I made sure to point out that this was considered a vegetarian meal. Now, I think he will be open to try more vegetarian dishes. I will consider that a small personal victory.
This is a total keeper. Although, it will be one of those dishes that I only make when I am feeling like spending a lot of time in the kitchen. It really would suit a special night or weekend meal better. With all that cheese it is pretty decadent, so I think I will consider this recipe a once in awhile treat. Nonetheless, it was still great!
November 10, 2008
Pastor Ryan's Spicy Orange Garlic Shrimp
The Pioneer Woman often has a guest cook on her website; her friend, Pastor Ryan. Judging from his posts, it seems that Pastor Ryan also knows his way around a kitchen. His recipes look really yummy and fairly easy to make. This recipe debuted on November 1st and I have been drooling over it ever since. Unfortunately, the recipe steps are not spelled out in written format, but rather explained with pictures. Instead of trying to piece together a recipe, I will include the link below so you can click and go see the photos/recipe for yourself. I think I will serve this dish with some brown rice and broccoli. Also, I have some green onions that need to be used, and will make a nice garnish. I will let you know how it turns out later.
Just click on the title to be redirected to shrimpy goodness...
Pastor Ryan's Spicy Orange Garlic Shrimp
Ummmm.....I can't wait for dinner!!!!!
The Result:
This dish was SHRIMPLY DELICIOUS! Hardy-Har-Har. Seriously, this is a keeper. It was really quick and easy to put together and oh-so-good. As you can tell by the photo, I totally forgot to use my green onions. Oh well, today is a new day, and I think they are still okay. My only critique is that it could have used a little salt and I wish there was more "glaze". It was still fan-freakin'-tastic despite those little changes. The salt thing was easy to correct with a sprinkle of table salt. The glaze was so spicy and yummy I could have drank it as a beverage. This dish went perfectly with the brown rice and broccoli...I highly recommend trying it!
Just click on the title to be redirected to shrimpy goodness...
Pastor Ryan's Spicy Orange Garlic Shrimp
Ummmm.....I can't wait for dinner!!!!!
The Result:
This dish was SHRIMPLY DELICIOUS! Hardy-Har-Har. Seriously, this is a keeper. It was really quick and easy to put together and oh-so-good. As you can tell by the photo, I totally forgot to use my green onions. Oh well, today is a new day, and I think they are still okay. My only critique is that it could have used a little salt and I wish there was more "glaze". It was still fan-freakin'-tastic despite those little changes. The salt thing was easy to correct with a sprinkle of table salt. The glaze was so spicy and yummy I could have drank it as a beverage. This dish went perfectly with the brown rice and broccoli...I highly recommend trying it!
November 9, 2008
Sunday Breakfast Edition: Pancakes with Warm Apple Compote
The husband surprised me Sunday morning with a pre-church breakfast of homemade pancakes and warm apple compote. I am not sure how he made it, or what exactly happened for this to come together, but it was awesome. Really yummy! We had some apples in our crisper drawer and he figured out how to make a pancake topping out of them. I am very impressed! That husband o' mine...he is a keeper!
Ina's Wild Mushroom Risotto
Inevitably, when I get a new cookbook (or borrow one from the library) you are bound to see some recipes from it. I got the Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics cookbook from the library, and then I had to return it before I was able to really try anything. I was sad. Until good fortune smiled upon me, and I got a Target gift card as a "thank you" present. It was a ridiculously thoughtful gesture and I am lucky that I have such a great friend (you know who you are, my little Target benefactor). Anyway, I was able to buy the Back to Basics cookbook with my gift card. Hooray for me!
I know it seems like we have had a ton of risotto recently, but I just can't get enough of it. Yes, it is a pain to make...stirring and stirring and stirring and stirring until my arm is about to fall off. Oh man, the temporary discomfort is totally worth it! Despite the hassle, it is delicious in almost any form. It is creamy and substantial and screams warm, homey, comfort food. I heart it very much. Luckily, the husband and boy love it too.
Our brand new mega-super grocery mart actually carries a bunch more specialty food items than our normal grocery store. I was able to find real, imported, Italian Arborio rice without making a day trip out of it. The store also has specialty mushrooms, so I was able to pick up both morels and crimini mushrooms(no porcinis though). Again, I was happy. Since mushrooms are best used the same day, I decided to bump my other dinner plans back and make this tonight.
I have to admit I have been bored with our meal options lately. Also, it seems that we eat a ton of red meat. Even though I have tried some new recipes with the past couple weeks, I still feel a little ho-hum with our dinner choices. At first, I decided that I would spice things up by having an "ALL VEGETARIAN" week, this week. Yeah...that got quickly veto'ed by the hubby. I thought I was going to have a mutiny on my hands for a second. In my defense, I know there are some great vegetarian recipes out there. I truly don't know a whole lot about vegetarian cooking, and I would like to learn more. I 'tabled' my vegetarian idea for another time...with a firm warning that it would happen soon (also, I reserved some vegetarian cookbooks at the library and they are not ready to be picked up yet). So, I just decided to try some other new recipes this week and try not to make any that have red meat as the main ingredient. You would think that would not be too hard, but I found out I live with carnivores. This dish is not completely vegetarian, but it was certainly a nice compromise. Ina usually delivers, so I have high hopes.
Wild Mushroom Risotto
Directions:
Purchase or borrow a copy of Barefoot Contessa's Back to Basics cookbook. Turn to page 144-145 and follow the recipe for Wild Mushroom Risotto. You will not be disappointed.
As you may have realized, I am lazy and the recipe is way too long to type out...it's a two-pager. If you are really dedicated to trying this dish, call me and I will lend you my copy of Back to Basics. Here is a photo to entice you and make you salivate.
The Result:
Orgasmic.
I know it seems like we have had a ton of risotto recently, but I just can't get enough of it. Yes, it is a pain to make...stirring and stirring and stirring and stirring until my arm is about to fall off. Oh man, the temporary discomfort is totally worth it! Despite the hassle, it is delicious in almost any form. It is creamy and substantial and screams warm, homey, comfort food. I heart it very much. Luckily, the husband and boy love it too.
Our brand new mega-super grocery mart actually carries a bunch more specialty food items than our normal grocery store. I was able to find real, imported, Italian Arborio rice without making a day trip out of it. The store also has specialty mushrooms, so I was able to pick up both morels and crimini mushrooms(no porcinis though). Again, I was happy. Since mushrooms are best used the same day, I decided to bump my other dinner plans back and make this tonight.
I have to admit I have been bored with our meal options lately. Also, it seems that we eat a ton of red meat. Even though I have tried some new recipes with the past couple weeks, I still feel a little ho-hum with our dinner choices. At first, I decided that I would spice things up by having an "ALL VEGETARIAN" week, this week. Yeah...that got quickly veto'ed by the hubby. I thought I was going to have a mutiny on my hands for a second. In my defense, I know there are some great vegetarian recipes out there. I truly don't know a whole lot about vegetarian cooking, and I would like to learn more. I 'tabled' my vegetarian idea for another time...with a firm warning that it would happen soon (also, I reserved some vegetarian cookbooks at the library and they are not ready to be picked up yet). So, I just decided to try some other new recipes this week and try not to make any that have red meat as the main ingredient. You would think that would not be too hard, but I found out I live with carnivores. This dish is not completely vegetarian, but it was certainly a nice compromise. Ina usually delivers, so I have high hopes.
Wild Mushroom Risotto
Directions:
Purchase or borrow a copy of Barefoot Contessa's Back to Basics cookbook. Turn to page 144-145 and follow the recipe for Wild Mushroom Risotto. You will not be disappointed.
As you may have realized, I am lazy and the recipe is way too long to type out...it's a two-pager. If you are really dedicated to trying this dish, call me and I will lend you my copy of Back to Basics. Here is a photo to entice you and make you salivate.
The Result:
Orgasmic.
November 8, 2008
Green Chile Omelet
The family and I had a wedding today that was smack dab in the middle of the afternoon (i.e. nap time). The boy did pretty well behavior-wise during the ceremony, but started flipping out at the start of the reception. Needless to say, we left quickly to avoid ruining the bride and groom's big day. Toddler melt downs are not fun for anyone. Anyway, we left the wedding and went to my In-Law's Party Palace so the boy could run wild in private. We did not get home until after our normal dinner time, so we had to devise a dinner plan very quickly.
The husband is the breakfast wizard in our house, so he made us these really yummy Mexican-inspired, green chile/shallot/Pepper Jack cheese omelets. Oh man, they were really good and totally hit the spot. Best of all, we had dinner on the table in 15 minutes! I love easy dinners like tonight. There is really no recipe, but I did take a photo. It ended up being exactly what I was craving!
The husband is the breakfast wizard in our house, so he made us these really yummy Mexican-inspired, green chile/shallot/Pepper Jack cheese omelets. Oh man, they were really good and totally hit the spot. Best of all, we had dinner on the table in 15 minutes! I love easy dinners like tonight. There is really no recipe, but I did take a photo. It ended up being exactly what I was craving!
November 7, 2008
Jen's Double Breaded Pork Chops & Top Secret Cheesy Potatoes
I know we just had pork last night, and I know that I just made this recipe not to long ago, but there are extenuating circumstances as to why I am choosing this meal again. First, I went to go pull out what I did have planned for tonight's dinner and realized that I was out of ground beef. Ugh. Then, I noticed these pork chops from August still in my freezer. Since I practice the "first-in, first-out" rule to food in my freezer, I felt that it was my obligation to cook these pork chops post-haste. Also, I feel as if last night's dinner was a bit disappointing with the wonky cook times and all, so I really need a good pork recipe to help me recover. See, I can rationalize anything!
I think I will make some cheesy potatoes and cauliflower to complete this meal. These are all dishes that I make a lot, so it should be easy and predictably yummy! Hooray for easy and yummy!
Jen's Double Breaded Pork Chops
Ingredient:
Cooking Spray
3-4 Tablespoons of canola oil
4 pork chops (either boneless or bone-in)
1 cup of seasoned Italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup of panko bread crumbs
1 Tablespoon of onion powder
1 Tablespoon of garlic powder
1 Tablespoon of paprika
1 Tablespoon of dried parsley
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
2 eggs, beaten
2 Tablespoon of milk
4 small dashes of Louisiana Hot Sauce
salt to taste
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare large cookie sheet by spraying with cooking spray and set aside.
2) In a large bowl combine Italian seasoned bread crumbs, Panko bread crumbs, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, parsley, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and mix thoroughly. Set aside.
3) In a separate medium bowl combine 2 beaten eggs, milk, and Louisiana Hot Sauce. Set aside.
4) Take pork chops and pat dry with paper towel.
5) In a large skillet heat canola oil over medium-high heat.
6) While oil is heating set up a breading station for your pork chops, as follows:
7) Once pork chop has been double coated with both egg and bread crumbs, place in skillet,turning once to brown on both sides-approximately 3 minutes per side. (Please note: Pork chop will not be cooked through, this step is just for browning.)
8) Once pork chop is brown on both sides, place on waiting cookie sheet and sprinkle with a little bit of salt.
9) Repeat steps 6-8 with remaining pork chops.
10) Once all pork chops have been browned and placed on cookie sheet, place cookie sheet in oven for 25-30 minutes to finish cooking pork chops. Serve and enjoy!
I think I will make some cheesy potatoes and cauliflower to complete this meal. These are all dishes that I make a lot, so it should be easy and predictably yummy! Hooray for easy and yummy!
Jen's Double Breaded Pork Chops
Ingredient:
Cooking Spray
3-4 Tablespoons of canola oil
4 pork chops (either boneless or bone-in)
1 cup of seasoned Italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup of panko bread crumbs
1 Tablespoon of onion powder
1 Tablespoon of garlic powder
1 Tablespoon of paprika
1 Tablespoon of dried parsley
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
2 eggs, beaten
2 Tablespoon of milk
4 small dashes of Louisiana Hot Sauce
salt to taste
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare large cookie sheet by spraying with cooking spray and set aside.
2) In a large bowl combine Italian seasoned bread crumbs, Panko bread crumbs, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, parsley, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and mix thoroughly. Set aside.
3) In a separate medium bowl combine 2 beaten eggs, milk, and Louisiana Hot Sauce. Set aside.
4) Take pork chops and pat dry with paper towel.
5) In a large skillet heat canola oil over medium-high heat.
6) While oil is heating set up a breading station for your pork chops, as follows:
* Dip pork chop in egg wash, flipping to coat both sides evenly. Let the extra egg wash run off back into the bowl.
* Place egg coated pork chop into the bread crumb mixture, flipping and evenly coating with bread crumbs on all sides.
* Dip bread crumb coated pork chop back into the egg wash, flipping to coat again with egg wash on all sides (over the bread crumb mixture)
* Place pork chop back into the bread crumb mixture again, flipping to coat again with bread crumb mixture.
7) Once pork chop has been double coated with both egg and bread crumbs, place in skillet,turning once to brown on both sides-approximately 3 minutes per side. (Please note: Pork chop will not be cooked through, this step is just for browning.)
8) Once pork chop is brown on both sides, place on waiting cookie sheet and sprinkle with a little bit of salt.
9) Repeat steps 6-8 with remaining pork chops.
10) Once all pork chops have been browned and placed on cookie sheet, place cookie sheet in oven for 25-30 minutes to finish cooking pork chops. Serve and enjoy!
November 6, 2008
Mustard Herb-Crusted Pork Tenderloin
I found some pork tenderloin on sale for a great price at our local mega-super grocery mart. They were buy one get one free (or half price, if you want to get technical). I am just discovering all the yummy possibilities associated with cooking pork tenderloin. I like the idea of a two for one sale, since I can use the extra one for experimentation purposes. There are so many good-sounding recipes out there, and I will have plenty of options for selecting something new to try in the near-future. I figure I will make this recipe today, and save the second hunk o' meat for another application.
In reviewing my past blog notes, it seemed that we really liked this recipe a lot. It is originally from Cooking Light, and in my experience, you can never go wrong with Cooking Light. Ever. Never. Ever. At any rate, I am excited to have this particular dish again. I think I am going to pair this dish with some cous cous and asparagus. Yum!
Mustard Herb-Crusted Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients:
1 (1/2-ounce) slice white bread
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons grated fresh Romano cheese OR Parmesan
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
1 garlic clove, minced
Cooking spray
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450°.
Place slice of bread in a food processor, and pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1/4 cup.
Combine the breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, cheese, and 2 teaspoons thyme in a shallow dish. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Combine Dijon mustard, fennel seeds, and garlic in a small bowl. Rub pork with mustard mixture, and dredge in breadcrumb mixture.
Place the pork on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 25 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160° (slightly pink). Let stand for 10 minutes. Cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 ounces pork)
CALORIES 184 (30% from fat); FAT 6.2g (sat 2.3g,mono 2.7g,poly 0.4g); IRON 1.6mg; CHOLESTEROL 72mg; CALCIUM 72mg; CARBOHYDRATE 4.6g; SODIUM 351mg; PROTEIN 25.8g; FIBER 0.4g
Cooking Light, JANUARY 2007
Jen's Notes:
There are a couple of adjustments that I will make to this dish to suit my needs. I have dried herbs, instead of fresh...so I will probably reduce the quantity of the strongly flavored herbs, like fennel (only 1/2 to 1/4 teaspoon of fennel, at most). I will use Parmesan Reggiano in place of the Romano cheese, because I have Parm in the fridge. This time I do have homemade breadcrumbs, so I am excited to see the difference in flavor from the store bought ones I used the last time. Finally, I think I will bake my tenderloin in a roasting pan with a rack in the bottom. My notes from last time indicated that the bottom would have been a soggy mess if I did not use a roasting rack.
The Result:
I am mad. I am mad because this took TWICE as long to cook, this time. When I pulled it out after 25 minutes, it was literally so raw the temperature did not read on our meat thermometer. I got mad at the thermometer (it was crappy and unreliable) and made the husband throw it away. Then, I put it back in for another 15 minutes and it still was not done. At this point, I was able to cut an end piece of for my son and microwave it until it was cooked all the way through. I did not want to deal with a cranky, hungry toddler so we just fed him separately and waited for ours to finish cooking. I put the tenderloin back in the oven again, for another 10 minutes. Still rare to medium rare. Not good for pork. We decided to just bite the bullet and eat it anyway. We carved it and heated our pieces in the microwave so it was at least edible and not raw. Finally, while the husband and I were eating, we put the other half of the roast back in the oven to finish (another 15 minutes)so he could at least have some food for lunch tomorrow. Sheesh!
On a positive note, the flavor was good. I think the issue with the cook time may be that I used a different roasting pan this time. It has higher sides, and I think the meat was not exposed in the oven to the full cook temperature. That is the only thing I can think of...everything else I did was the same. The last time I made it the cook time was perfect. Ugh. The asparagus and cous cous was really yummy. Unfortunately, the whole meal was overshadowed by wrestling with uncooked pork. A total buzz-kill, to say the least!
In reviewing my past blog notes, it seemed that we really liked this recipe a lot. It is originally from Cooking Light, and in my experience, you can never go wrong with Cooking Light. Ever. Never. Ever. At any rate, I am excited to have this particular dish again. I think I am going to pair this dish with some cous cous and asparagus. Yum!
Mustard Herb-Crusted Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients:
1 (1/2-ounce) slice white bread
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons grated fresh Romano cheese OR Parmesan
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
1 garlic clove, minced
Cooking spray
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450°.
Place slice of bread in a food processor, and pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1/4 cup.
Combine the breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, cheese, and 2 teaspoons thyme in a shallow dish. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Combine Dijon mustard, fennel seeds, and garlic in a small bowl. Rub pork with mustard mixture, and dredge in breadcrumb mixture.
Place the pork on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 25 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160° (slightly pink). Let stand for 10 minutes. Cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 ounces pork)
CALORIES 184 (30% from fat); FAT 6.2g (sat 2.3g,mono 2.7g,poly 0.4g); IRON 1.6mg; CHOLESTEROL 72mg; CALCIUM 72mg; CARBOHYDRATE 4.6g; SODIUM 351mg; PROTEIN 25.8g; FIBER 0.4g
Cooking Light, JANUARY 2007
Jen's Notes:
There are a couple of adjustments that I will make to this dish to suit my needs. I have dried herbs, instead of fresh...so I will probably reduce the quantity of the strongly flavored herbs, like fennel (only 1/2 to 1/4 teaspoon of fennel, at most). I will use Parmesan Reggiano in place of the Romano cheese, because I have Parm in the fridge. This time I do have homemade breadcrumbs, so I am excited to see the difference in flavor from the store bought ones I used the last time. Finally, I think I will bake my tenderloin in a roasting pan with a rack in the bottom. My notes from last time indicated that the bottom would have been a soggy mess if I did not use a roasting rack.
The Result:
I am mad. I am mad because this took TWICE as long to cook, this time. When I pulled it out after 25 minutes, it was literally so raw the temperature did not read on our meat thermometer. I got mad at the thermometer (it was crappy and unreliable) and made the husband throw it away. Then, I put it back in for another 15 minutes and it still was not done. At this point, I was able to cut an end piece of for my son and microwave it until it was cooked all the way through. I did not want to deal with a cranky, hungry toddler so we just fed him separately and waited for ours to finish cooking. I put the tenderloin back in the oven again, for another 10 minutes. Still rare to medium rare. Not good for pork. We decided to just bite the bullet and eat it anyway. We carved it and heated our pieces in the microwave so it was at least edible and not raw. Finally, while the husband and I were eating, we put the other half of the roast back in the oven to finish (another 15 minutes)so he could at least have some food for lunch tomorrow. Sheesh!
On a positive note, the flavor was good. I think the issue with the cook time may be that I used a different roasting pan this time. It has higher sides, and I think the meat was not exposed in the oven to the full cook temperature. That is the only thing I can think of...everything else I did was the same. The last time I made it the cook time was perfect. Ugh. The asparagus and cous cous was really yummy. Unfortunately, the whole meal was overshadowed by wrestling with uncooked pork. A total buzz-kill, to say the least!
November 5, 2008
Jen's Red Beef Enchiladas
Apparently, we eat a lot of beef. I would like to think that we don't, but looking back on past blog recipes, a good handful of posts are all about beef dishes. I guess I am going to have to incorporate more chicken, fish, pork, and vegetarian choices into our menus. Well, today is not one of those days. We are having beef...again. Although, in my defense, I do have some Mexican food related items to use up. I need to do something with them, and beef is as good a choice as any, I guess. Okay, I am rationalizing. Anyway, I really do not feel like making chicken enchiladas again, either. I am not sure why...other than beef sounds better. So there.
Jen's Red Beef Enchiladas
Ingredients:
Cooking Spray
1-2 Tablespoon of canola oil
1 pound of ground beef
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small can of green chiles, diced
2 chipotle peppers, seeded and diced
1 Tablespoon of Adobo sauce
1/4 cup of salsa
1 teaspoon of coriander
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 teaspoon of Ancho chile powder
1/2 cup of beef, veal, or chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste
1 (28 oz.)large can of red enchilada sauce
2 cups of shredded cheese, divided
tortillas
sour cream and/or guacamole for topping (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large skillet, heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Add ground beef until browned, then drain. Add onions, green chiles, chipotle, cumin, coriander, Ancho chile powder, salt and pepper. Stir and cook until onions are softened and everything is combined. Add garlic and cook for additional 1 minute. Add salsa and stock. Cook until stock is almost evaporated, about 3-5 minutes. Turn off the heat and set skillet aside.
Spray a 9 X 13 glass casserole dish with cooking spray. Open can of enchilada sauce and pour about 1/2 cup in bottom of dish. Place beef filling in tortillas with a sprinkle of cheese in each(you will use about 1 cup of cheese total for the filling) and roll into enchiladas. Place each enchilada, seam side down in casserole dish, packing tightly. Once casserole dish is filled with rolled enchiladas, pour remaining enchilada sauce over enchiladas being sure to saturate each one. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of enchiladas evenly. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly.
Let enchiladas rest for approximately 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving. Top with sour cream, guacamole, and/or additional salsa and enjoy!
The Result:
This is my favorite enchilada recipe. It is fairly easy and super-yummy. I actually used Pepper-Jack cheese for the filling and cheddar for the top. The mix of cheese was awesome and the Pepper-Jack gave it a little extra spicy kick. I baked it for 25 minutes without covering it with foil this time, and I think the results were actually better. The tortilla edges got a little crisp and the cheese was nice and golden. I served this with some steamed green beans, and nothing else. All in all, this was a great dinner!
Jen's Red Beef Enchiladas
Ingredients:
Cooking Spray
1-2 Tablespoon of canola oil
1 pound of ground beef
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small can of green chiles, diced
2 chipotle peppers, seeded and diced
1 Tablespoon of Adobo sauce
1/4 cup of salsa
1 teaspoon of coriander
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 teaspoon of Ancho chile powder
1/2 cup of beef, veal, or chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste
1 (28 oz.)large can of red enchilada sauce
2 cups of shredded cheese, divided
tortillas
sour cream and/or guacamole for topping (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large skillet, heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Add ground beef until browned, then drain. Add onions, green chiles, chipotle, cumin, coriander, Ancho chile powder, salt and pepper. Stir and cook until onions are softened and everything is combined. Add garlic and cook for additional 1 minute. Add salsa and stock. Cook until stock is almost evaporated, about 3-5 minutes. Turn off the heat and set skillet aside.
Spray a 9 X 13 glass casserole dish with cooking spray. Open can of enchilada sauce and pour about 1/2 cup in bottom of dish. Place beef filling in tortillas with a sprinkle of cheese in each(you will use about 1 cup of cheese total for the filling) and roll into enchiladas. Place each enchilada, seam side down in casserole dish, packing tightly. Once casserole dish is filled with rolled enchiladas, pour remaining enchilada sauce over enchiladas being sure to saturate each one. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of enchiladas evenly. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly.
Let enchiladas rest for approximately 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving. Top with sour cream, guacamole, and/or additional salsa and enjoy!
The Result:
This is my favorite enchilada recipe. It is fairly easy and super-yummy. I actually used Pepper-Jack cheese for the filling and cheddar for the top. The mix of cheese was awesome and the Pepper-Jack gave it a little extra spicy kick. I baked it for 25 minutes without covering it with foil this time, and I think the results were actually better. The tortilla edges got a little crisp and the cheese was nice and golden. I served this with some steamed green beans, and nothing else. All in all, this was a great dinner!
November 4, 2008
Claire's Pot Roast: Jen's Variation
I spent the morning standing in line for 3 hours so I could vote, but I was smart enough to think ahead for dinner. I put this pot roast recipe in the slow cooker this morning, before I left for the polls. See, sometimes I am lucid enough to plan ahead!
I love this recipe! It is so yummy and totally easy. I used to cook pot roast a little differently, but since Claire exposed me to this version I probably won't make it my way ever again. It is that good! I did put a small twist on it, as I did the last time I made it. Either way, it is fantastic and I am looking forward to an easy and yummy dinner tonight.
Claire's Pot Roast
Ingredients:
2-3 lb. chuck roast (I think that's the cut I was using)
3-4 potatoes, peeled and in chunks
4-5 carrots, peeled and in chunks
1 envelope onion soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Jen's Variation:
Add the following ingredients to the above recipe-
1 onion, diced into chunks
3 ribs of celery, cut into chunks
2 cloves of garlic, diced into pieces
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 Tablespoons of water
Directions:
Place cut potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, and garlic in the bottom of slow cooker. Pour small amount of water over veggies. Sprinkle top of veggies with salt and pepper. Place roast on top. Sprinkle onion soup over roast and vegetables. Pour can of soup over roast and vegetables. Cook on low 7-8 hours.
I love this recipe! It is so yummy and totally easy. I used to cook pot roast a little differently, but since Claire exposed me to this version I probably won't make it my way ever again. It is that good! I did put a small twist on it, as I did the last time I made it. Either way, it is fantastic and I am looking forward to an easy and yummy dinner tonight.
Claire's Pot Roast
Ingredients:
2-3 lb. chuck roast (I think that's the cut I was using)
3-4 potatoes, peeled and in chunks
4-5 carrots, peeled and in chunks
1 envelope onion soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Jen's Variation:
Add the following ingredients to the above recipe-
1 onion, diced into chunks
3 ribs of celery, cut into chunks
2 cloves of garlic, diced into pieces
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 Tablespoons of water
Directions:
Place cut potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, and garlic in the bottom of slow cooker. Pour small amount of water over veggies. Sprinkle top of veggies with salt and pepper. Place roast on top. Sprinkle onion soup over roast and vegetables. Pour can of soup over roast and vegetables. Cook on low 7-8 hours.
November 3, 2008
Quick Homemade Pizza: Margherita-Style
I love homemade pizza, and this recipe is the best and easiest I have tried. I found some fresh mozzarella on sale for a good price today, and I already had some fresh basil to use up. These ingredients just scream Pizza Margherita to me. I rounded out my pizza menu with some cute little on-the-vine Campari tomatoes and sliced crimini mushrooms. Although mushrooms are not found traditionally on Pizza Margarita, I have decided that I can break the mushroom rule and call it what I want. I know, I know...I am such a rebel!
Quick Homemade Pizza
Ingredients:
For Dough:
1 package of active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups of flour
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon of Italian Seasoning (optional)
1 Tablespoon of garlic powder (optional)
For Sauce:
½ can of diced tomatoes
½ can of tomato paste
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of chili powder
1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon of salt
My Favorite Topping Ideas:
Caramelized onions
Cheese
Sautéed mushrooms
Fresh tomatoes
Fresh basil leaves
Italian sausage
Prosciutto
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450. In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy (about 10 minutes).
2. Stir in flour, salt, & olive oil. Beat until smooth. Let rest 5 minutes.
3. While dough is resting, combine all sauce ingredients in a food processor, and blend until smooth.
4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a round. Transfer crust to a lightly greased pizza pan dusted with corn meal. Spread evenly with sauce. Cover with toppings in an even layer.
5. Bake 15-20 min. Let cool 5 minutes. Cut and serve!
The Result:
Fabulous! I used a lot of sauce, so the pizza was very saucy (great adjectives, huh???...sauce, saucy...let's see if I can pull out any other brain-busters). It was really good,only just a little too messy. The flavor was exactly what I had in mind; I ended up caramelizing the onions and mushrooms together for that extra 'umph'. It was totally satisfying and really, really yummy! I am jealous that the husband is taking the leftovers for lunch tomorrow.
Quick Homemade Pizza
Ingredients:
For Dough:
1 package of active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups of flour
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon of Italian Seasoning (optional)
1 Tablespoon of garlic powder (optional)
For Sauce:
½ can of diced tomatoes
½ can of tomato paste
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of chili powder
1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon of salt
My Favorite Topping Ideas:
Caramelized onions
Cheese
Sautéed mushrooms
Fresh tomatoes
Fresh basil leaves
Italian sausage
Prosciutto
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450. In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy (about 10 minutes).
2. Stir in flour, salt, & olive oil. Beat until smooth. Let rest 5 minutes.
3. While dough is resting, combine all sauce ingredients in a food processor, and blend until smooth.
4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a round. Transfer crust to a lightly greased pizza pan dusted with corn meal. Spread evenly with sauce. Cover with toppings in an even layer.
5. Bake 15-20 min. Let cool 5 minutes. Cut and serve!
The Result:
Fabulous! I used a lot of sauce, so the pizza was very saucy (great adjectives, huh???...sauce, saucy...let's see if I can pull out any other brain-busters). It was really good,only just a little too messy. The flavor was exactly what I had in mind; I ended up caramelizing the onions and mushrooms together for that extra 'umph'. It was totally satisfying and really, really yummy! I am jealous that the husband is taking the leftovers for lunch tomorrow.
November 2, 2008
Ina's Butternut Squash Risotto
This is my second Butternut Squash Risotto recipe...this one coming from the Barefoot Contessa Ina Garten. There are a few subtle differences between the two recipes; mainly the roasted squash and the addition of bacon in this version. The husband is waiting for me to finish my post so we can go sit in our spa, so I am going to make my commentary short and sweet. (The boy is in bed, but don't worry, we will still be able to hear him. Hooray for baby monitors with good reception!)
I only made a couple substitutions...bacon in place of pancetta, and I had homemade veal stock instead of chicken stock. I used all my chicken stock up, but thankfully, I found some veal stock in the freezer...problem solved! Also, I added one clove of garlic. I just can't eat dinner without garlic being somewhere in the dish.
Ina's Butternut Squash Risotto
Ingredients:
1 butternut squash (2 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 ounces pancetta, diced (or substitute bacon)
1/2 cup minced shallots (2 large)
1 minced garlic clove (optional)
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (10 ounces)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds, and cut it into 3/4-inch cubes. You should have about 6 cups. Place the squash on a sheet pan and toss it with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing once, until very tender. Set aside.
Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock in a small covered saucepan. Leave it on low heat to simmer.
In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the pancetta, garlic and shallots on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until the shallots are translucent but not browned. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 full ladles of stock to the rice plus the saffron, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir, and simmer until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Continue to add the stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry, then add more stock. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 30 minutes total. Off the heat, add the roasted squash cubes and Parmesan. Mix well and serve.
The Result:
This was, by far, the better risotto. The roasted squash made a huge flavor difference, in a positive way. The husband actually did not complain about squash for dinner again, and even had a second helping! It was that good! I used maple bacon, so it gave the whole dish a hint of sweetness without being overpowering. I think the veal stock may have made it a little richer, but it would have been just as good with homemade chicken stock. Overall, this is the one to make if you had to choose between this recipe and Giada's version. Awesome!
I only made a couple substitutions...bacon in place of pancetta, and I had homemade veal stock instead of chicken stock. I used all my chicken stock up, but thankfully, I found some veal stock in the freezer...problem solved! Also, I added one clove of garlic. I just can't eat dinner without garlic being somewhere in the dish.
Ina's Butternut Squash Risotto
Ingredients:
1 butternut squash (2 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 ounces pancetta, diced (or substitute bacon)
1/2 cup minced shallots (2 large)
1 minced garlic clove (optional)
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (10 ounces)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds, and cut it into 3/4-inch cubes. You should have about 6 cups. Place the squash on a sheet pan and toss it with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing once, until very tender. Set aside.
Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock in a small covered saucepan. Leave it on low heat to simmer.
In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the pancetta, garlic and shallots on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until the shallots are translucent but not browned. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 full ladles of stock to the rice plus the saffron, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir, and simmer until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Continue to add the stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry, then add more stock. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 30 minutes total. Off the heat, add the roasted squash cubes and Parmesan. Mix well and serve.
The Result:
This was, by far, the better risotto. The roasted squash made a huge flavor difference, in a positive way. The husband actually did not complain about squash for dinner again, and even had a second helping! It was that good! I used maple bacon, so it gave the whole dish a hint of sweetness without being overpowering. I think the veal stock may have made it a little richer, but it would have been just as good with homemade chicken stock. Overall, this is the one to make if you had to choose between this recipe and Giada's version. Awesome!
November 1, 2008
Jen's Chicken Confetti Soup Surprise
As I mentioned in my previous corn ravioli post, I had a ton of ravioli filling leftover from a couple days ago. Always the cheapskate and never one to throw things away, I decided to improvise a soup out of the filling. I was not sure if I was going to be able to pull it off, as I did not have any type of game plan until about an hour before it was time to start cooking. I quickly thawed and cooked some chicken breasts, but that was the only prep ahead step that I had thought to do. I knew that we needed some sort of protein in the soup in order for it to be substantial enough to serve for dinner, and I figured that chicken was versatile enough to fill that requirement. I cut the chicken into bite sized cubes, and made the rest up as I went along.
Jen’s Chicken Confetti Soup Surprise
Ingredients:
1 cup of corn ravioli filling (from ‘Corn Star Raviolis with Basil Cream Sauce’ recipe)
2 cooked chicken breasts, diced (broiled & seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder)
1-2 cloves minced garlic
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
1 cup instant white rice
1 Tablespoon of white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon lime juice
2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon of ground mustard
½ teaspoon paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
2-3 teaspoons of corn starch (for thickening)
Directions:
Combine water, chicken stock, and corn ravioli filling into a dutch oven or soup pot. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat to low simmer. Add cooked chicken and rice. Stir to combine, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove 1 cup of liquid to separate bowl and combine with corn starch until thoroughly mixed. Add thickened liquid back to dutch oven and stir to combine. Turn up heat to simmer and let soup thicken; approximately 5 minutes.
Once soup has reached desired consistency, add white wine vinegar, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, ground mustard, paprika, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine, and adjust flavor with any extra seasoning. Serve and enjoy!
Jen's Notes:
Okay, here is the filling part I used as a base (from the other recipe). I thought maybe I should include it here, just in case anyone wants to try this soup without the process of making the ravioli first. I adjusted the quantities to be more accurate for this application.
For Corn Ravioli Filling Base:
Ingredients:
2 ears Fresh sweet corn, shucked and removed from the cob (or use frozen corn)
3 tablespoons Red bell pepper, minced (2 whole peppers)
3 tablespoons sweet onion, diced
1 shallot, diced
1 garlic clove, diced
5 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cups heavy cream
6 ounces ricotta cheese, room temp
6 ounces cream cheese, room temp
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Melt butter in saute pan, add in corn, red bell pepper, shallot, garlic, and onion. Let saute until onion is translucent and corn has released some of it's sugars. Add the basil leaves and a couple of twists of black pepper and salt to taste. Add the heavy cream and let it reduce by half. Set aside to cool. When cool, smash up a bit with a fork, stir in ricotta and cream cheese.
The Result:
Since we have already had dinner, I will spare you the suspense. This soup was fan-freakin'-tastic! My husband actually told me he was impressed! Before dinner, I had purposely set low expectations...just in case my soup went south. My husband was quite happy that it did not suck, and he thought the soup was better than the actual ravioli. Whew! What a total relief. I will definitely make this soup again, especially if I have leftover corn ravioli filling.
Jen’s Chicken Confetti Soup Surprise
Ingredients:
1 cup of corn ravioli filling (from ‘Corn Star Raviolis with Basil Cream Sauce’ recipe)
2 cooked chicken breasts, diced (broiled & seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder)
1-2 cloves minced garlic
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
1 cup instant white rice
1 Tablespoon of white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon lime juice
2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon of ground mustard
½ teaspoon paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
2-3 teaspoons of corn starch (for thickening)
Directions:
Combine water, chicken stock, and corn ravioli filling into a dutch oven or soup pot. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat to low simmer. Add cooked chicken and rice. Stir to combine, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove 1 cup of liquid to separate bowl and combine with corn starch until thoroughly mixed. Add thickened liquid back to dutch oven and stir to combine. Turn up heat to simmer and let soup thicken; approximately 5 minutes.
Once soup has reached desired consistency, add white wine vinegar, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, ground mustard, paprika, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine, and adjust flavor with any extra seasoning. Serve and enjoy!
Jen's Notes:
Okay, here is the filling part I used as a base (from the other recipe). I thought maybe I should include it here, just in case anyone wants to try this soup without the process of making the ravioli first. I adjusted the quantities to be more accurate for this application.
For Corn Ravioli Filling Base:
Ingredients:
2 ears Fresh sweet corn, shucked and removed from the cob (or use frozen corn)
3 tablespoons Red bell pepper, minced (2 whole peppers)
3 tablespoons sweet onion, diced
1 shallot, diced
1 garlic clove, diced
5 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cups heavy cream
6 ounces ricotta cheese, room temp
6 ounces cream cheese, room temp
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Melt butter in saute pan, add in corn, red bell pepper, shallot, garlic, and onion. Let saute until onion is translucent and corn has released some of it's sugars. Add the basil leaves and a couple of twists of black pepper and salt to taste. Add the heavy cream and let it reduce by half. Set aside to cool. When cool, smash up a bit with a fork, stir in ricotta and cream cheese.
The Result:
Since we have already had dinner, I will spare you the suspense. This soup was fan-freakin'-tastic! My husband actually told me he was impressed! Before dinner, I had purposely set low expectations...just in case my soup went south. My husband was quite happy that it did not suck, and he thought the soup was better than the actual ravioli. Whew! What a total relief. I will definitely make this soup again, especially if I have leftover corn ravioli filling.
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