My daughter is a spaghetti fanatic. She'd probably eat it every day if I'd let her. Unfortunately, the rest of us don't feel the same way! So, to accommodate her desire, I've started making big batches and freezing them in thermos-size portions for her school lunches. The easiest and quickest way for me to do this is with the Instant Pot. I've tried a couple of recipes but none came out with thick enough sauce for her, and after some experimenting I've finally come up with a winner!
1 T. olive oil
1/2 to 1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. pepper
16 ounce package spaghetti noodles
1 24-ounce jar spaghetti sauce
1 24.5-ounce container crushed tomatoes
3 c. water
With the Instant Pot on the saute setting, brown the ground beef, onion, and garlic in the olive oil. Once cooked, turn off the pot. Carefully drain grease if necessary. Add seasonings and stir with the meat mixture.
Break the noodles into desired length and sprinkle into the pot (don't put them in in solid handfuls or they'll clump together when they cook). Pour the spaghetti sauce and crushed tomatoes over, then pour the water over all of that. Make sure the noodles are submerged in the liquid.
Seal the Instant Pot and cook on manual for 9 minutes. After cooking, use the manual pressure release. Remove the lid and stir thoroughly to make sure that everything is incorporated evenly. Serve immediately, or freeze in single-serve portions to eat later.
Enjoy!
Showing posts with label main dishes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label main dishes. Show all posts
Thursday, November 29, 2018
Thursday, February 02, 2017
Not Quite Minestrone Soup
I made this soup for dinner the other night and everyone thought it was delicious. I think my daughter (the zucchini hater) is even planning to take the leftovers in her thermos for lunch today.
It's not quite minestrone, since I'm pretty sure minestrone is always vegetarian, and I put meat in it (my family requires meat in almost all things). Not a lot of meat, though, just a little.
I started with this recipe and tweaked it to suit our tastes.
Easy Meaty Not Quite Minestrone Soup
2 links sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
1 small onion, diced
2 large carrots, diced (I didn't bother to peel them)
2 celery ribs, diced
2 T. minced garlic (or four cloves)
2 c. shredded zucchini
2 c. diced tomatoes (I actually used six whole frozen tomatoes, peels removed)
4 c. chicken broth
1 12-oz bag frozen spinach
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 T. dried Italian seasoning
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c. dried orzo pasta
shredded parmesan cheese, for serving
In a six-quart pot, break up sausage. Add onion, carrots, and celery, and cook five minutes over medium heat until sausage is cooked through and vegetables are soft. Add remaining ingredients except orzo and parmesan. Bring just to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer 30 minutes. Add orzo pasta and cook an additional 10-12 minutes or until pasta is cooked. Serve topped with shredded parmesan cheese.
Makes six large servings,
It's not quite minestrone, since I'm pretty sure minestrone is always vegetarian, and I put meat in it (my family requires meat in almost all things). Not a lot of meat, though, just a little.
I started with this recipe and tweaked it to suit our tastes.
Easy Meaty Not Quite Minestrone Soup
2 links sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
1 small onion, diced
2 large carrots, diced (I didn't bother to peel them)
2 celery ribs, diced
2 T. minced garlic (or four cloves)
2 c. shredded zucchini
2 c. diced tomatoes (I actually used six whole frozen tomatoes, peels removed)
4 c. chicken broth
1 12-oz bag frozen spinach
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 T. dried Italian seasoning
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c. dried orzo pasta
shredded parmesan cheese, for serving
In a six-quart pot, break up sausage. Add onion, carrots, and celery, and cook five minutes over medium heat until sausage is cooked through and vegetables are soft. Add remaining ingredients except orzo and parmesan. Bring just to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer 30 minutes. Add orzo pasta and cook an additional 10-12 minutes or until pasta is cooked. Serve topped with shredded parmesan cheese.
Makes six large servings,
Saturday, September 19, 2015
Italian Chicken and Cabbage
I've had this recipe on the menu so many times, but I never made it! Mainly because it's definitely a weekend recipe, because it takes a good hour and a half or longer to cook. I finally made it today, and loved it. In true Karen fashion, however, I modified it a little bit. Here's my version.
Italian Chicken and Cabbage
1 large onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 T. olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
3 - 5 cloves garlic, minced
3 T. Italian seasoning
1 t. paprika
1/2 t. chipotle powder
2 T. dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste
28 ounce can crushed tomatoes, with juice
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
2 T. white wine vinegar
1 T. brown sugar
12 ounce package chicken tenderloins
1/2 head savoy cabbage, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 cup sliced mushrooms
hot cooked pasta, such as egg noodles
In a large skillet, saute onions and bell pepper until onions are soft, about five minutes. Add wine, garlic, and seasonings and cook for two minutes more. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, vinegar, sugar, and chicken. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 40 minutes.
Remove chicken from the sauce. Add cabbage and mushrooms and simmer for 30 more minutes. Meanwhile, shred the chicken using two forks. After 30 minute cooking time is up, return the chicken to the pan and cook for five more minutes. Serve over hot cooked noodles.
Italian Chicken and Cabbage
1 large onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 T. olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
3 - 5 cloves garlic, minced
3 T. Italian seasoning
1 t. paprika
1/2 t. chipotle powder
2 T. dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste
28 ounce can crushed tomatoes, with juice
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
2 T. white wine vinegar
1 T. brown sugar
12 ounce package chicken tenderloins
1/2 head savoy cabbage, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 cup sliced mushrooms
hot cooked pasta, such as egg noodles
In a large skillet, saute onions and bell pepper until onions are soft, about five minutes. Add wine, garlic, and seasonings and cook for two minutes more. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, vinegar, sugar, and chicken. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 40 minutes.
Remove chicken from the sauce. Add cabbage and mushrooms and simmer for 30 more minutes. Meanwhile, shred the chicken using two forks. After 30 minute cooking time is up, return the chicken to the pan and cook for five more minutes. Serve over hot cooked noodles.
Monday, January 20, 2014
Pizza Pockets
Today I got to be home alone from 7:30 to 3:30. That happens, oh, I don't know, once a year? On MLK Day, which my husband doesn't have as a holiday and I do. Normally I'd keep my daughter home from daycare to save the money and spend some time together, but I haven't had a day to myself in a long time so I decided I'd just stick with her regular Monday schedule.
I had a great day! Watched whatever I wanted on TV, caught up on the laundry folding, and had time to make something special for dinner (Mondays are swimming lessons so we're usually eating hot dogs or frozen lasagna or something else that literally takes less than 15 minutes to put together. I was thinking about making pasta from scratch, but my kitchen's a bit of a disaster at the moment. Then I thought about making a chili and cornbread casserole, but wasn't really in the mood for chili. I went out to the freezer to see what inspired me, and I noticed the bag of frozen roll dough that I bought a long, long time ago. I wonder what I was going to do with that, anyway???
I grabbed the bread dough and a package of chicken Italian sausage and knew exactly what I was going to make. And it was GOOD!!!! The best part? It made enough for dinner tonight and to freeze for another meal. Yay!
The filling for these is as variable as pizza itself. I just used what I had on hand, and normally I would use fresh mushrooms and garlic. Remember you don't want the filling to be too juicy or they will leak everywhere.
Pizza Pockets
makes 24
24 frozen bread roll balls
1 pound Italian sausage
1/4 medium onion, diced small
1 2.25-ounce can sliced olives, drained and roughly chopped
1 4-ounce can sliced mushrooms, drained and roughly chopped
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
6 slices provolone cheese, quartered
Place frozen roll dough on two greased or parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets. Cut two sheets of plastic wrap long enough to cover the pans. Spray plastic wrap with cooking spray and cover the dough balls. Let thaw two hours or until pliable, but not fully risen.
In a large skillet, brown Italian sausage and onion (if you're using chicken or other lowfat sausage, you may need to add a bit of oil). Break up the sausage into small pieces (a potato masher works well for this!). Add remaining ingredients except cheese. Cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes.
When dough is thawed, press each out into a 4-inch circle (I prefer to do this one at a time). Place a piece of cheese and approx. two tablespoons of the meat filling into the center of each circle. Bring up all the edges, pressing to seal, forming a ball. Place on the baking sheet, seam side down. When finished, cover again with plastic wrap. Let rise 30 minutes, or put in the fridge for several hours.
If you choose to put them in the fridge, remove them about 45 minutes before baking so they come back to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove plastic wrap and bake, uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Enjoy!
I had a great day! Watched whatever I wanted on TV, caught up on the laundry folding, and had time to make something special for dinner (Mondays are swimming lessons so we're usually eating hot dogs or frozen lasagna or something else that literally takes less than 15 minutes to put together. I was thinking about making pasta from scratch, but my kitchen's a bit of a disaster at the moment. Then I thought about making a chili and cornbread casserole, but wasn't really in the mood for chili. I went out to the freezer to see what inspired me, and I noticed the bag of frozen roll dough that I bought a long, long time ago. I wonder what I was going to do with that, anyway???
I grabbed the bread dough and a package of chicken Italian sausage and knew exactly what I was going to make. And it was GOOD!!!! The best part? It made enough for dinner tonight and to freeze for another meal. Yay!
The filling for these is as variable as pizza itself. I just used what I had on hand, and normally I would use fresh mushrooms and garlic. Remember you don't want the filling to be too juicy or they will leak everywhere.
Pizza Pockets
makes 24
24 frozen bread roll balls
1 pound Italian sausage
1/4 medium onion, diced small
1 2.25-ounce can sliced olives, drained and roughly chopped
1 4-ounce can sliced mushrooms, drained and roughly chopped
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
6 slices provolone cheese, quartered
Place frozen roll dough on two greased or parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets. Cut two sheets of plastic wrap long enough to cover the pans. Spray plastic wrap with cooking spray and cover the dough balls. Let thaw two hours or until pliable, but not fully risen.
In a large skillet, brown Italian sausage and onion (if you're using chicken or other lowfat sausage, you may need to add a bit of oil). Break up the sausage into small pieces (a potato masher works well for this!). Add remaining ingredients except cheese. Cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes.
When dough is thawed, press each out into a 4-inch circle (I prefer to do this one at a time). Place a piece of cheese and approx. two tablespoons of the meat filling into the center of each circle. Bring up all the edges, pressing to seal, forming a ball. Place on the baking sheet, seam side down. When finished, cover again with plastic wrap. Let rise 30 minutes, or put in the fridge for several hours.
If you choose to put them in the fridge, remove them about 45 minutes before baking so they come back to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove plastic wrap and bake, uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Enjoy!
Saturday, November 09, 2013
Irish Sundaes
I have been eating Irish Sundaes for as long as I can remember. They're one of those quick, flexible meals that I almost always have the ingredients on hand for, so they're fast to put together on a weeknight (or a lazy Saturday, like today). I'll put my basic recipe below (though it's not much of a recipe!), but you can adapt it with your favorite meats, veggies, and other toppings as you prefer. When I was a kid, I remember having this topped with Campbell's Condensed Nacho Cheese Soup. I have no idea if that even still exists but I bet it would still be good!
Irish Sundaes
Serves 4
4 medium baking potatoes, scrubbed and pricked
1 head broccoli, chopped (peel the stem if it's tough)
1 pound bulk sausage (chicken, pork or turkey, Italian or breakfast style, whatever you prefer).
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cups sliced mushrooms
sliced olives
sour cream
shredded cheese (or the aforementioned soup)
pickled sliced jalapenos
1. Bake the potatoes in the microwave or oven, as you prefer.
2. Steam the broccoli for 20 minutes or until al dente.
3. Meanwhile, cook the sausage in a large skillet until nearly cooked through. Add onions and mushrooms and continue cooking until vegetables are soft.
4. When everything is ready, put potato on the plate and slice open. Top with remaining ingredients and serve.
5. Enjoy!
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Spinach and Artichoke Pasta
I have no idea where I got the original version of this recipe. It's a printout in my recipe binder, not from the internet, just from a Word document. No documentation. I'm sure I pulled it off the internet somewhere...At any rate, I've tweaked it a bit, as usual!
Spinach and Artichoke Pasta
1/2 lb. dry pasta (rigatoni, rotini, bowties, etc.)
2 T. butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 8-oz package neufchatel cheese (light cream cheese)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup light sour cream
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 14-oz can artichoke hearts, chopped
1 10-oz box frozen spinach, thawed, with as much water squeezed out as possible
12 oz. sweet Italian sausages, previously cooked, sliced into 1/4" rounds
Cook pasta in salted water to al dente, according to package directions. Drain and set aside. While the pasta cooks...
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and mushrooms, sauteeing until onions are soft. Add garlic and continue cooking just until garlic is fragrant. Add neufchatel cheese and cook until melted. Add milk, sour cream, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes. Stir to combine. Stir in artichokes, spinach, and sausage; continue cooking until spinach is heated through.
Add drained pasta, toss, and add additional salt and pepper to taste before serving.
Spinach and Artichoke Pasta
1/2 lb. dry pasta (rigatoni, rotini, bowties, etc.)
2 T. butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 8-oz package neufchatel cheese (light cream cheese)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup light sour cream
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 14-oz can artichoke hearts, chopped
1 10-oz box frozen spinach, thawed, with as much water squeezed out as possible
12 oz. sweet Italian sausages, previously cooked, sliced into 1/4" rounds
Cook pasta in salted water to al dente, according to package directions. Drain and set aside. While the pasta cooks...
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and mushrooms, sauteeing until onions are soft. Add garlic and continue cooking just until garlic is fragrant. Add neufchatel cheese and cook until melted. Add milk, sour cream, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes. Stir to combine. Stir in artichokes, spinach, and sausage; continue cooking until spinach is heated through.
Add drained pasta, toss, and add additional salt and pepper to taste before serving.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Baked Chicken Taquitos
By request...
I made these for dinner the other night. It's been a long time - so long I'd forgotten all about them until I was leafing through a stack of old recipe printouts looking for my potsticker recipe. I didn't have all the ingredients called for in the original, so I improvised with what I had, and it came out even better than before.
The number this recipe makes all depends on the size of your tortillas. I used fajita-size flour tortillas and got about 12.
Baked Chicken Taquitos
4 oz. lowfat cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. salsa
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. chili powder
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 T. minced onion
3T. chopped fresh cilantro or parsley (yes, I realize they are completely different animals. I didn't have cilantro so I used parsley and it worked out just fine).
3 scallions, chopped
2 c. chopped or shredded cooked chicken
1 1/2 c pepperjack cheese, shredded
flour or corn tortillas (the smaller the better).
vegetable oil
kosher or coarse salt
Preheat the oven to 425. Lightly grease a 10x13 baking dish.
Combine cream cheese, salsa, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and minced onion until well combined. Add cilantro or parsley and scallions. Stir in chicken and cheese until everything is well mixed.
In a dry skillet, warm the tortillas, one at a time, until pliable. Fill with 2 -3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture, then roll tightly and place seam side down in the baking dish.
Once all taquitos are rolled, lightly brush the tops with vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt.
Bake 15 - 20 minutes or until golden brown.
I made these for dinner the other night. It's been a long time - so long I'd forgotten all about them until I was leafing through a stack of old recipe printouts looking for my potsticker recipe. I didn't have all the ingredients called for in the original, so I improvised with what I had, and it came out even better than before.
The number this recipe makes all depends on the size of your tortillas. I used fajita-size flour tortillas and got about 12.
Baked Chicken Taquitos
4 oz. lowfat cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. salsa
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. chili powder
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 T. minced onion
3T. chopped fresh cilantro or parsley (yes, I realize they are completely different animals. I didn't have cilantro so I used parsley and it worked out just fine).
3 scallions, chopped
2 c. chopped or shredded cooked chicken
1 1/2 c pepperjack cheese, shredded
flour or corn tortillas (the smaller the better).
vegetable oil
kosher or coarse salt
Preheat the oven to 425. Lightly grease a 10x13 baking dish.
Combine cream cheese, salsa, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and minced onion until well combined. Add cilantro or parsley and scallions. Stir in chicken and cheese until everything is well mixed.
In a dry skillet, warm the tortillas, one at a time, until pliable. Fill with 2 -3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture, then roll tightly and place seam side down in the baking dish.
Once all taquitos are rolled, lightly brush the tops with vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt.
Bake 15 - 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Pizza...semi-healthy style
Uh..Blogger went and totally reformatted things on me. So if this post looks a little weird, it's because my whole posting screen looks a little weird!
My daughter asked me for pizza today. "Sure!" I said. After all, we often pick up a take-and-bake on Sundays. Then I remembered the crap I've been letting her eat the past few days. On Thursday, I asked my coworker "does it make me a bad mom if I serve my kid hot dogs for dinner two nights in a row???" "Nah, it just makes you realistic," was her reply. This is how life has been lately. Normally I'm all about getting my family a decent meal for dinner, but I've just been flat out exhausted the last few weeks, and they're lucky to get anything made at home at all (in my defense, we ALWAYS have our vegetables. We're big salad people around here).
So I decided to make pizza at home. That way I know I can dump a ton of veggies on it. I also decided to seek out a new crust recipe. I've been using the one from The Complete Tightwad Gazette for years, but lately I haven't been so enamored with it. It's simple, and quick, and doesn't take a full yeast rising, which makes it appealing most days. But today, I had time, so I decided to make a full-on yeast crust. I pinned this recipe a while back, and decided to see if I could substitute some whole wheat flour and make it a success. I was quite pleased - it was a good mix of chewy and crunchy, and my hubby didn't pick up on the fact that it was half whole wheat. I'd call that a success!
Whole Wheat Pizza Crust
Adapted from Sugar Cooking
1 3/4 cup warm water, divided
2 1/4 tsp. (1 envelope) active dry yeast
3 T. olive oil, divided
2 c. white whole wheat flour
2 c. bread flour
2 t. kosher salt
1/4 cup cornmeal
In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over 1/2 cup warm water. Let stand five minutes, or until it "blooms". Add remaining water and 2 T. of the olive oil.
Meanwhile, put the flour and salt in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. While running on low speed, slowly add the liquids. Once it is mixed, switch out the paddle for the dough hook. Knead on low speed for five minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Pour the remaining oil into a deep bowl. Pull your dough out of the mixer, form it into a ball, and swirl it around in the oil until it is completely covered. Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled, about two hours.
Once your dough has fully risen, preheat your oven to 475 degrees, making sure your rack is in the bottom third of the oven. If you're using a pizza stone or cast iron pizza pan, make sure it's in when you turn the oven on.
Divide the dough into two pieces. If you need two pizzas, work with them one at a time, keeping the other covered, or just freeze the second piece if you only want one pizza. Form dough into balls and let rest 10 - 15 minutes.
After resting, spread the cornmeal on your pizza peel (if you're using a regular metal pizza pan, you can forgo this step and roll out your crust right onto the pan. Whatever you're used to doing). Take one piece of the dough and press it out into a circle right on the peel, checking occasionally to make sure it doesn't become stuck to the peel (there's nothing more frustrating than trying to get a pizza from the peel to the pizza stone when it's stuck tight!). Add your toppings, and bake until the crust is brown and the cheese is bubbly - about 10 - 14 minutes. Remove from the oven, let rest a few minutes, slice and serve!
Now, usually when I make pizza at home, I make barbecue chicken pizza. Today, I wanted something different. So, our toppings were:
tomato sauce
Italian seasoning
sliced garlic
sweet Italian chicken sausage, cooked and crumbled
red bell peppers
mushrooms
onions
Italian-blend cheese
Best pizza I've had in a long, long time. I'll definitely be making it again!
My daughter asked me for pizza today. "Sure!" I said. After all, we often pick up a take-and-bake on Sundays. Then I remembered the crap I've been letting her eat the past few days. On Thursday, I asked my coworker "does it make me a bad mom if I serve my kid hot dogs for dinner two nights in a row???" "Nah, it just makes you realistic," was her reply. This is how life has been lately. Normally I'm all about getting my family a decent meal for dinner, but I've just been flat out exhausted the last few weeks, and they're lucky to get anything made at home at all (in my defense, we ALWAYS have our vegetables. We're big salad people around here).
So I decided to make pizza at home. That way I know I can dump a ton of veggies on it. I also decided to seek out a new crust recipe. I've been using the one from The Complete Tightwad Gazette for years, but lately I haven't been so enamored with it. It's simple, and quick, and doesn't take a full yeast rising, which makes it appealing most days. But today, I had time, so I decided to make a full-on yeast crust. I pinned this recipe a while back, and decided to see if I could substitute some whole wheat flour and make it a success. I was quite pleased - it was a good mix of chewy and crunchy, and my hubby didn't pick up on the fact that it was half whole wheat. I'd call that a success!
Whole Wheat Pizza Crust
Adapted from Sugar Cooking
1 3/4 cup warm water, divided
2 1/4 tsp. (1 envelope) active dry yeast
3 T. olive oil, divided
2 c. white whole wheat flour
2 c. bread flour
2 t. kosher salt
1/4 cup cornmeal
In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over 1/2 cup warm water. Let stand five minutes, or until it "blooms". Add remaining water and 2 T. of the olive oil.
Meanwhile, put the flour and salt in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. While running on low speed, slowly add the liquids. Once it is mixed, switch out the paddle for the dough hook. Knead on low speed for five minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Pour the remaining oil into a deep bowl. Pull your dough out of the mixer, form it into a ball, and swirl it around in the oil until it is completely covered. Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled, about two hours.
Once your dough has fully risen, preheat your oven to 475 degrees, making sure your rack is in the bottom third of the oven. If you're using a pizza stone or cast iron pizza pan, make sure it's in when you turn the oven on.
Divide the dough into two pieces. If you need two pizzas, work with them one at a time, keeping the other covered, or just freeze the second piece if you only want one pizza. Form dough into balls and let rest 10 - 15 minutes.
After resting, spread the cornmeal on your pizza peel (if you're using a regular metal pizza pan, you can forgo this step and roll out your crust right onto the pan. Whatever you're used to doing). Take one piece of the dough and press it out into a circle right on the peel, checking occasionally to make sure it doesn't become stuck to the peel (there's nothing more frustrating than trying to get a pizza from the peel to the pizza stone when it's stuck tight!). Add your toppings, and bake until the crust is brown and the cheese is bubbly - about 10 - 14 minutes. Remove from the oven, let rest a few minutes, slice and serve!
Now, usually when I make pizza at home, I make barbecue chicken pizza. Today, I wanted something different. So, our toppings were:
tomato sauce
Italian seasoning
sliced garlic
sweet Italian chicken sausage, cooked and crumbled
red bell peppers
mushrooms
onions
Italian-blend cheese
Best pizza I've had in a long, long time. I'll definitely be making it again!
Wednesday, November 02, 2011
Pork and Potato Casserole with Mushrooms and Caraway
I made this up on the fly today because I had some ground pork that needed to be used up (it was the sole victim of the freezer not being closed all the way - we got lucky!). This is the "convenience food" version because I was a little short on time. I'm sure in the future I'll work on a full-blown "from scratch" version with white sauce and sauteed mushrooms.
Pork and Potato Casserole with Mushrooms and Caraway
Serves 4 - 6
4 medium potatoes, diced (and peeled if you prefer).
1/2 - 1 pound ground pork
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 can sliced mushrooms
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 tsp. caraway seeds
1/4 cup french fried onions (such as Durkee)
Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan. Cover with water and cook until just tender. Drain and place in a large mixing bowl.
Meanwhile, in a skillet, brown the pork with the chopped onion. When the meat is just browned, add the garlic, salt and poultry seasoning. Continue to cook until you can just smell the garlic.
Add meat mixture to the mixing bowl. Then add the mushrooms, soups, and caraway seed. Stir to combine and pour into a 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle the french fried onions over the top and bake an addition five minutes.
 |
| Didn't think to take a picture until we'd already dished it up! |
Serves 4 - 6
4 medium potatoes, diced (and peeled if you prefer).
1/2 - 1 pound ground pork
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 can sliced mushrooms
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 tsp. caraway seeds
1/4 cup french fried onions (such as Durkee)
Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan. Cover with water and cook until just tender. Drain and place in a large mixing bowl.
Meanwhile, in a skillet, brown the pork with the chopped onion. When the meat is just browned, add the garlic, salt and poultry seasoning. Continue to cook until you can just smell the garlic.
Add meat mixture to the mixing bowl. Then add the mushrooms, soups, and caraway seed. Stir to combine and pour into a 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle the french fried onions over the top and bake an addition five minutes.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Homemade Chicken Bake
Whenever I have the opportunity to eat a meal at Costco (which isn't often, since I'm a horribly compulsive grocery shopper and therefore forbidden to have my own card), I always go for the "Chicken Bake". Basically a calzone, it's chickeny, bacony, cheesy good. A month or two ago my mom took me shopping there, and I discovered Chicken Bake in the freezer section. I immediately snatched up a box for eating at home.
Last week we ate the last of our Chicken Bakes, but, when asked what my daughter wanted to eat for dinners this week, that was her request. "CHICKEN BAKE!!!" Strange, because she didn't seem all that enamored of it when we had them for lunch, but of course I was happy to oblige and figure out a way to make them myself.
There are no measurements in the assembly because, in my typical pizza fashion, I just sprinkled things on till it looked right.
Homemade Chicken Bake
makes 4 large calzones
2 tubes pizza crust in a can (could also substitute homemade pizza dough - I was in a hurry so I used the prebought).
Caeser dressing, ranch dressing, or alfredo sauce
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken
1/2 pound bacon, diced and fried
2 green onions, chopped
shredded parmesan cheese
shredded mozzarella or Italian blend cheese
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper or a Silpat.
Divide each pizza crust in half. Roll out into a rectangle, about 6 inches by 8 inches. You want to be looking at it the long way, not the tall way (i.e. "landscape", not "portrait", if we were talking about printing).
Spread dressing or sauce over crust, stopping about 1/2 inch from the edges.
Spread toppings in a 4-inch-wide strip down the middle of the crust, stopping about 1 inch from the top and bottom. Keep a little extra parmesan cheese for the top.
Fold left and right edges over; pinch the ends together and tuck under. Place seam side down on your baking sheet. Repeat with remaining three pieces of crust.
Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Spread a little bit of additional dressing or sauce on top, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake an additional 5 - 8 minutes until cheese is melted and brown.
Excellent served with salad on the side.
If you want to make this in the morning, just assemble it and put it in the fridge until time to make dinner. Add an additional 5 minutes to your initial baking time.
Last week we ate the last of our Chicken Bakes, but, when asked what my daughter wanted to eat for dinners this week, that was her request. "CHICKEN BAKE!!!" Strange, because she didn't seem all that enamored of it when we had them for lunch, but of course I was happy to oblige and figure out a way to make them myself.
There are no measurements in the assembly because, in my typical pizza fashion, I just sprinkled things on till it looked right.
Homemade Chicken Bake
makes 4 large calzones
2 tubes pizza crust in a can (could also substitute homemade pizza dough - I was in a hurry so I used the prebought).
Caeser dressing, ranch dressing, or alfredo sauce
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken
1/2 pound bacon, diced and fried
2 green onions, chopped
shredded parmesan cheese
shredded mozzarella or Italian blend cheese
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper or a Silpat.
Divide each pizza crust in half. Roll out into a rectangle, about 6 inches by 8 inches. You want to be looking at it the long way, not the tall way (i.e. "landscape", not "portrait", if we were talking about printing).
Spread dressing or sauce over crust, stopping about 1/2 inch from the edges.
Spread toppings in a 4-inch-wide strip down the middle of the crust, stopping about 1 inch from the top and bottom. Keep a little extra parmesan cheese for the top.
Fold left and right edges over; pinch the ends together and tuck under. Place seam side down on your baking sheet. Repeat with remaining three pieces of crust.
Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Spread a little bit of additional dressing or sauce on top, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake an additional 5 - 8 minutes until cheese is melted and brown.
Excellent served with salad on the side.
If you want to make this in the morning, just assemble it and put it in the fridge until time to make dinner. Add an additional 5 minutes to your initial baking time.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Meatball Casserole
I haven't actually made this - I saw it on an old episode of "Oliver's Twist" and I loved the idea. Don't want to forget it, so I thought I'd post it!
Quick tomato sauce:
olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans crushed tomatoes (I'm guessing he used the smaller cans, not the 28 ounce).
1 handful fresh basil
Saute the onion in some olive oil until soft. Add garlic and cook until you can smell it (careful not to burn it!). Add tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in fresh basil and let it wilt.
For the casserole:
1 batch Italian-style meatballs (use your favorite recipe)
sliced fresh mozzarella
shredded parmesan cheese
Spoon the tomato sauce into the bottom of a medium-size casserole dish. Cover the sauce with meatballs, then top with sliced fresh mozzarella and sprinkle with parmesan.
Bake at 350 degrees until cheese is bubbly and meatballs are cooked through. Serve with pasta on the side.
Quick tomato sauce:
olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans crushed tomatoes (I'm guessing he used the smaller cans, not the 28 ounce).
1 handful fresh basil
Saute the onion in some olive oil until soft. Add garlic and cook until you can smell it (careful not to burn it!). Add tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in fresh basil and let it wilt.
For the casserole:
1 batch Italian-style meatballs (use your favorite recipe)
sliced fresh mozzarella
shredded parmesan cheese
Spoon the tomato sauce into the bottom of a medium-size casserole dish. Cover the sauce with meatballs, then top with sliced fresh mozzarella and sprinkle with parmesan.
Bake at 350 degrees until cheese is bubbly and meatballs are cooked through. Serve with pasta on the side.
Cranberry Pork Chops
It appears that I have somehow missed posting this, one of my favorite pork recipes of all time, on either of my blogs. Time to remedy that situation!
This recipe can be made ahead or done at the last minute. If you don't want to deal with cooking the cranberry sauce, feel free to substitute a can of whole berry cranberry sauce for the cranberries, juice, and sugar.
Cranberry Pork Chops
serves 4
4 thick-cut pork chops, either bone in or boneless
1 T olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries, picked over for bad berries and rinsed
1/2 cup orange or apple juice
3/4 cup sugar
Salt and pepper
Place the pork chops in a 9x13 baking dish (or an 8x8 if they'll fit). Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in a large skillet, over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute until soft, about five minutes. Add berries, juice, and sugar, stirring until combined. Lower the heat to medium and, stirring frequently, simmer until the berries have burst and sauce is thickened, about 10 - 15 minutes.
Pour sauce over the pork chops. At this point, if you're making it in the morning, you can stick it in the fridge until it's time to bake it. Start it out in a cold oven and add five or so minutes to your cooking time.
Bake at 350 degrees until cooked through - 30-35 minutes for boneless chops, 40 - 45 for bone in. Enjoy!
This recipe can be made ahead or done at the last minute. If you don't want to deal with cooking the cranberry sauce, feel free to substitute a can of whole berry cranberry sauce for the cranberries, juice, and sugar.
Cranberry Pork Chops
serves 4
4 thick-cut pork chops, either bone in or boneless
1 T olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries, picked over for bad berries and rinsed
1/2 cup orange or apple juice
3/4 cup sugar
Salt and pepper
Place the pork chops in a 9x13 baking dish (or an 8x8 if they'll fit). Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in a large skillet, over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute until soft, about five minutes. Add berries, juice, and sugar, stirring until combined. Lower the heat to medium and, stirring frequently, simmer until the berries have burst and sauce is thickened, about 10 - 15 minutes.
Pour sauce over the pork chops. At this point, if you're making it in the morning, you can stick it in the fridge until it's time to bake it. Start it out in a cold oven and add five or so minutes to your cooking time.
Bake at 350 degrees until cooked through - 30-35 minutes for boneless chops, 40 - 45 for bone in. Enjoy!
Monday, March 15, 2010
Crockpot Beef Stroganoff
I'm making this up as I go along today - hopefully it will turn out well!
1 pound stew beef, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. Cajun seasoning
2 T. olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 T. minced garlic
1 cup beef broth (I use Better than Bouillon)
2 T Worcestershire sauce
1 cup sour cream
Cooked egg noodles
In a frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Meanwhile, mix the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and Cajun seasoning. Dredge the meat in the flour and saute in the oil until browned.
Layer the onions, mushrooms, and garlic in the crock pot. Put browned beef on top, then add the Worcestershire sauce over all. While the frying pan is still hot, add the beef broth and stir to loosen up the browned bits on the bottom. Pour into crock pot. Stir to combine all.
Cook on low for six hours. Just before serving, stir in sour cream and heat till warmed through. Serve over noodles.
Edit: I originally wrote this recipe to have two cups of liquid. It was way, way too much - it hadn't even finished reducing on the stove by the time the noodles cooked! So I'm cutting out the water and just using beef broth - and I may even reduce the amount of that next time. But there will definitely be a next time - this was full of beefy goodness!
1 pound stew beef, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. Cajun seasoning
2 T. olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 T. minced garlic
1 cup beef broth (I use Better than Bouillon)
2 T Worcestershire sauce
1 cup sour cream
Cooked egg noodles
In a frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Meanwhile, mix the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and Cajun seasoning. Dredge the meat in the flour and saute in the oil until browned.
Layer the onions, mushrooms, and garlic in the crock pot. Put browned beef on top, then add the Worcestershire sauce over all. While the frying pan is still hot, add the beef broth and stir to loosen up the browned bits on the bottom. Pour into crock pot. Stir to combine all.
Cook on low for six hours. Just before serving, stir in sour cream and heat till warmed through. Serve over noodles.
Edit: I originally wrote this recipe to have two cups of liquid. It was way, way too much - it hadn't even finished reducing on the stove by the time the noodles cooked! So I'm cutting out the water and just using beef broth - and I may even reduce the amount of that next time. But there will definitely be a next time - this was full of beefy goodness!
Monday, February 15, 2010
sausage and pepper penne
Made this for dinner tonight. Unlike my last attempt at sausage and peppers, where I basically just threw some stuff together that sounded like it might work (it wasn't bad, just not great), this one was goooooooooooood. I got the recipe out of Parents magazine and tweaked it a bit...
1 T. canola oil
4 raw Italian sausage links
1 medium onion, chopped
2 red bell peppers, sliced into strips
1 cup water
1 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes, with juice
1 T. basil
1 t. oregano
1 t. garlic powder
few cranks of black pepper
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 lb. mini-penne pasta
Over medium high heat, brown sausages in oil. Add onions and peppers, continue to cook for five minutes or until onions are transluscent. Add water, tomatoes, and spices. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove sausages, slice them, and return them to the pan. Continue to cook over medium heat until the sauce is very, very thick, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the penne according to the package directions. Before draining, stir two ladles-full of pasta cooking water into the sauce. Drain the pasta, stir into sauce, and cook an additional five minutes.
Serve with parmesan cheese.
1 T. canola oil
4 raw Italian sausage links
1 medium onion, chopped
2 red bell peppers, sliced into strips
1 cup water
1 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes, with juice
1 T. basil
1 t. oregano
1 t. garlic powder
few cranks of black pepper
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 lb. mini-penne pasta
Over medium high heat, brown sausages in oil. Add onions and peppers, continue to cook for five minutes or until onions are transluscent. Add water, tomatoes, and spices. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove sausages, slice them, and return them to the pan. Continue to cook over medium heat until the sauce is very, very thick, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the penne according to the package directions. Before draining, stir two ladles-full of pasta cooking water into the sauce. Drain the pasta, stir into sauce, and cook an additional five minutes.
Serve with parmesan cheese.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Pad Thai
I made this for dinner tonight. The original recipe came from Hungry Monkey, but I tweaked it a bit so here's my version.
Sauce (makes enough for two batches):
12 T tamarind concentrate (sour soup base)
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup canola oil
6 T fish sauce
1 T rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
If your tamarind concentrate is free of seeds, just mix all the ingredients together, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
If your tamarind still has some seeds (mine did), put it in a wire mesh strainer over a bowl and pour the water through it. Press it through the sieve with the back of a spoon, scraping the underside frequently, until all of the tamarind has been strained and just the seeds remain. Mix in remaining ingredients, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
The remaining sauce can be frozen.
Pad Thai (serves 4)
2 large chicken breasts, diced
1/4 cup canola oil
8 ounces pad Thai rice noodles
2 large eggs
1/2 recipe pad Thai sauce
1 T. minced garlic
3 scallions, sliced
1 cup bean sprouts, blanched for 1 minute in boiling water
lime wedges
chopped peanuts
Soak the noodles in hot tap water for 30 minutes, then drain. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute chicken in 2 T. oil until cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside, and add remaining 2T. oil to the pan. Add eggs and scramble. Add noodles, chicken, sauce, garlic, scallions, and bean sprouts and stir well until all the sauce has absorbed.
Serve with lime juice squeezed over and peanuts sprinkled on top.
Sauce (makes enough for two batches):
12 T tamarind concentrate (sour soup base)
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup canola oil
6 T fish sauce
1 T rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
If your tamarind concentrate is free of seeds, just mix all the ingredients together, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
If your tamarind still has some seeds (mine did), put it in a wire mesh strainer over a bowl and pour the water through it. Press it through the sieve with the back of a spoon, scraping the underside frequently, until all of the tamarind has been strained and just the seeds remain. Mix in remaining ingredients, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
The remaining sauce can be frozen.
Pad Thai (serves 4)
2 large chicken breasts, diced
1/4 cup canola oil
8 ounces pad Thai rice noodles
2 large eggs
1/2 recipe pad Thai sauce
1 T. minced garlic
3 scallions, sliced
1 cup bean sprouts, blanched for 1 minute in boiling water
lime wedges
chopped peanuts
Soak the noodles in hot tap water for 30 minutes, then drain. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute chicken in 2 T. oil until cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside, and add remaining 2T. oil to the pan. Add eggs and scramble. Add noodles, chicken, sauce, garlic, scallions, and bean sprouts and stir well until all the sauce has absorbed.
Serve with lime juice squeezed over and peanuts sprinkled on top.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Slow-cooker chicken soft tacos
Made these for dinner last week. They could easily be turned into enchiladas by using the sauce on top and baking them!
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 4-ounce can chopped green chilies
1/2 onion, chopped
2 T. Worchestershire sauce
2 T. chili powder
1 T. cumin
1 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. salt
flour tortillas
shredded cheddar
shredded lettuce
sliced olives
salsa
sour cream
Put the chicken in a small crock pot. In a bowl, mix the tomato sauce, chiles, onion, Worchestershire sauce, and spices. Pour over the chicken. Cook on low for three hours or until the chicken is cooked. Remove chicken from pot, chop or shred, return to pot and let rewarm for five minutes.
Serve on tortillas with toppings (these or your personal favorites!).
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 4-ounce can chopped green chilies
1/2 onion, chopped
2 T. Worchestershire sauce
2 T. chili powder
1 T. cumin
1 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. salt
flour tortillas
shredded cheddar
shredded lettuce
sliced olives
salsa
sour cream
Put the chicken in a small crock pot. In a bowl, mix the tomato sauce, chiles, onion, Worchestershire sauce, and spices. Pour over the chicken. Cook on low for three hours or until the chicken is cooked. Remove chicken from pot, chop or shred, return to pot and let rewarm for five minutes.
Serve on tortillas with toppings (these or your personal favorites!).
Monday, June 22, 2009
Pizza Casserole
Made this for dinner tonight. Even hubby liked it. It's nice because it's the kind of thing you can easily personalize to suit your own tastes. I pulled a recipe out of Parenting magazine and made it my own.
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 loaf good crusty bread, cubed
2 cups shredded mozzarella (about 8 ounces)
1/4 pound pork sausage, cooked
1/2 cup pepperoni, chopped
1 small can sliced olives
1 can diced tomatoes (I used fire roasted ones because I like the flavor)
5 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
fresh basil, shredded (optional)
grated parmesan cheese (optional)
Saute onion, garlic, and mushrooms until softened. Place in a bowl with bread, cheese, meats, olives, and tomatoes. Mix to combine. Place in a greased 9x12 casserole dish.
In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, milk, basil, and oregano. Pour evenly over the bread mixture in the casserole dish. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
About 20 minutes before baking time, pull the pan out of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the cover and bake for 45 minutes or until brown on top.
Serve with fresh basil and grated parmesan, if desired.
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 loaf good crusty bread, cubed
2 cups shredded mozzarella (about 8 ounces)
1/4 pound pork sausage, cooked
1/2 cup pepperoni, chopped
1 small can sliced olives
1 can diced tomatoes (I used fire roasted ones because I like the flavor)
5 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
fresh basil, shredded (optional)
grated parmesan cheese (optional)
Saute onion, garlic, and mushrooms until softened. Place in a bowl with bread, cheese, meats, olives, and tomatoes. Mix to combine. Place in a greased 9x12 casserole dish.
In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, milk, basil, and oregano. Pour evenly over the bread mixture in the casserole dish. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
About 20 minutes before baking time, pull the pan out of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the cover and bake for 45 minutes or until brown on top.
Serve with fresh basil and grated parmesan, if desired.
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Stuffed Flank Steak
Golly, it's been a long time since I posted a recipe! Apparently I've been falling down on the job...
Anyway, I made this tonight for dinner and it was pretty good. Not spectacular, but a keeper, I think. No measurements for the ingredients because it's all dependent on how big your meat is (those of you who need to can go take your Beavis and Butthead moment now and return when you're ready to proceed!).
Flank steak
shredded parmesan cheese
baby spinach
shredded fontina cheese
steak seasoning
bamboo skewers
Soak the bamboo skewers for at least 20 minutes before proceeding with this recipe (that way they won't burn when you cook it). Prepare your pan by spraying a cooking sheet with nonstick spray and then sprinkle it lightly with steak seasoning.
Using a very sharp knife, butterfly the flank steak, without cutting it all the way through (you want to be able to open it up to make a larger steak). Cut with the grain (the knife blade should be parallel to the grain of the meat). Open the meat. Put on a layer of shredded parmesan, then a layer of baby spinach, then a layer of fontina. Roll up the meat very tightly and secure it with the skewers.
Make small steak rolls by cutting the meat in between the skewers. Lay each roll flat on your prepared pan. Sprinkle the tops with steak seasoning.
Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes or until it reaches desired doneness. Remove from the oven and cover the pan with foil. Let stand for five minutes, and enjoy!
Anyway, I made this tonight for dinner and it was pretty good. Not spectacular, but a keeper, I think. No measurements for the ingredients because it's all dependent on how big your meat is (those of you who need to can go take your Beavis and Butthead moment now and return when you're ready to proceed!).
Flank steak
shredded parmesan cheese
baby spinach
shredded fontina cheese
steak seasoning
bamboo skewers
Soak the bamboo skewers for at least 20 minutes before proceeding with this recipe (that way they won't burn when you cook it). Prepare your pan by spraying a cooking sheet with nonstick spray and then sprinkle it lightly with steak seasoning.
Using a very sharp knife, butterfly the flank steak, without cutting it all the way through (you want to be able to open it up to make a larger steak). Cut with the grain (the knife blade should be parallel to the grain of the meat). Open the meat. Put on a layer of shredded parmesan, then a layer of baby spinach, then a layer of fontina. Roll up the meat very tightly and secure it with the skewers.
Make small steak rolls by cutting the meat in between the skewers. Lay each roll flat on your prepared pan. Sprinkle the tops with steak seasoning.
Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes or until it reaches desired doneness. Remove from the oven and cover the pan with foil. Let stand for five minutes, and enjoy!
Saturday, November 24, 2007
My new favorite meal
All I have to say is, YUM!
Swedish Meatballs and Spaetzle
To make the spaetzle:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 t. nutmeg
dash pepper
3/4 t. salt
1/3 cup milk
3 eggs, beaten
4 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 large onion, chopped
In a medium-size bowl, mix the flour, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Gradually mix in milk and eggs, blending until smooth. Bring the chicken broth to a boil. Pour the dough into a colander with large holes. Using a wooden spoon, press the dough through the colander holes into the chicken broth, a little at a time. Reduce the broth to a simmer. Let cook three to four minutes, then remove the spaetzle with a slotted spoon and press another batch through the colander. Note: keep your colander on a plate in between batches, as the dough will run through it a little bit.
Once all the spaetzle has cooked, set aside the chicken broth - you'll need a cup of it for the meatballs.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt, and cook until the onions are soft, about five minutes. Add the spaetzle and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about five more minutes. Serve hot.
Swedish Meatballs
1 2/3 cup evaporated milk, divided
1/4 cup minced onion
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. allspice
pinch pepper
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup cold water
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Combine 2/3 cup milk, onion, breadcrumbs, salt, allspice, pepper and beef, mix well. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Form the meat mixture into small balls (about 1 1/2 inches) and brown in the butter. Add chicken broth (reserved from the spaetzle, if you make them the same day). Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 12 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the water and flour to make a slurry. Remove meatballs from the skillet. To the chicken broth in the pan, add the remaining cup of evaporated milk and the water/flour slurry. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and boils. Add the lemon juice. Return the meatballs to the pan, warming them through before serving.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Chicken and Dumplings
This is the perfect meal for a day or two after you've eaten a roasted chicken. Save the carcass and keep it in the fridge till you're ready for it (no more than four days or so though!).
If you don't have a chicken carcass, just skip the stock-making step and use six or so cups of chicken broth.
To make the Stock:
1 leftover chicken carcass
8 cups water
1 carrot, cut in 1-inch chunks (peeling not necessary, just scrub it well)
2 ribs celery, cut in 1-inch chunks
1 small onion, cut in 1-inch chunks
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons salt
5 - 7 whole black peppercorns
Pick as much meat off the carcass as you can, and set it aside (you'll add it back in later). Break the carcass up into chunks (you'll want it fairly flat in the pan), and put it in a large pot. Add the remaining ingredients, and pour the water over the top (if it's not enough to cover, just keep adding more water till it is). Cover and simmer on medium-low heat for two hours.
After two hours, strain it into a bowl using a fine-mesh strainer to catch all the little herb bits (don't worry if some remain, it doesn't have to be completely clean, just make sure you at least get all the peppercorns out!). If there is a lot of fat, skim it off the top (you can use the fat in place of the butter in the dumplings). Pour it back into the pan and return it to the heat.
To make the soup:
2 carrots, sliced (peeled if desired)
2 celery ribs, sliced
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
2 cups chopped cooked chicken (use what you pulled off the carcass)
1 cup frozen peas
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 can evaporated milk, divided (I use evaporated skim milk)
salt and pepper to taste
Add the vegetables and poultry seasoning to the stock. Cover and let simmer 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
Meanwhile, make a roux: in a small skillet, melt the butter. Add the flour, stirring constantly. Cook for two minutes. Open the evaporated milk and measure out one cup. Set this aside (you'll need it for the dumplings). Add the remaining milk to the butter and flour mixture, stirring until the mixture thickens.
When the vegetables are done, stir in the chicken, peas, and roux. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. Cook, stirring constantly, until the roux is dissolved. The mixture will thicken slightly, but will remain fairly soupy (if you like a thicker base, just make more roux). Cover and let simmer while you make the...
Dumplings
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 cup evaporated milk
3 tablespoons butter
In a medium-size bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and parsley. Melt the butter and stir in the milk (this is the milk you reserved earlier). You can do this in the microwave or on the stovetop, doesn't matter. You just want the mixture to be warm, not hot. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture all at once, stir just to combine.
Drop by spoonfuls onto the soup. Cover and cook over low heat for 17 minutes, or until dumplings feel firm when you press on them. Don't take off the lid while they cook! They rely on the steam to cook the tops.
If you don't have a chicken carcass, just skip the stock-making step and use six or so cups of chicken broth.
To make the Stock:
1 leftover chicken carcass
8 cups water
1 carrot, cut in 1-inch chunks (peeling not necessary, just scrub it well)
2 ribs celery, cut in 1-inch chunks
1 small onion, cut in 1-inch chunks
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons salt
5 - 7 whole black peppercorns
Pick as much meat off the carcass as you can, and set it aside (you'll add it back in later). Break the carcass up into chunks (you'll want it fairly flat in the pan), and put it in a large pot. Add the remaining ingredients, and pour the water over the top (if it's not enough to cover, just keep adding more water till it is). Cover and simmer on medium-low heat for two hours.
After two hours, strain it into a bowl using a fine-mesh strainer to catch all the little herb bits (don't worry if some remain, it doesn't have to be completely clean, just make sure you at least get all the peppercorns out!). If there is a lot of fat, skim it off the top (you can use the fat in place of the butter in the dumplings). Pour it back into the pan and return it to the heat.
To make the soup:
2 carrots, sliced (peeled if desired)
2 celery ribs, sliced
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
2 cups chopped cooked chicken (use what you pulled off the carcass)
1 cup frozen peas
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 can evaporated milk, divided (I use evaporated skim milk)
salt and pepper to taste
Add the vegetables and poultry seasoning to the stock. Cover and let simmer 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
Meanwhile, make a roux: in a small skillet, melt the butter. Add the flour, stirring constantly. Cook for two minutes. Open the evaporated milk and measure out one cup. Set this aside (you'll need it for the dumplings). Add the remaining milk to the butter and flour mixture, stirring until the mixture thickens.
When the vegetables are done, stir in the chicken, peas, and roux. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. Cook, stirring constantly, until the roux is dissolved. The mixture will thicken slightly, but will remain fairly soupy (if you like a thicker base, just make more roux). Cover and let simmer while you make the...
Dumplings
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 cup evaporated milk
3 tablespoons butter
In a medium-size bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and parsley. Melt the butter and stir in the milk (this is the milk you reserved earlier). You can do this in the microwave or on the stovetop, doesn't matter. You just want the mixture to be warm, not hot. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture all at once, stir just to combine.
Drop by spoonfuls onto the soup. Cover and cook over low heat for 17 minutes, or until dumplings feel firm when you press on them. Don't take off the lid while they cook! They rely on the steam to cook the tops.
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