I've been MIA for awhile. With sickness circling through our house (several times each person), trip to Vegas and Thanksgiving, there hasn't been much cooking going on (unless Kraft Mac & Cheese counts). So, it's back to the grind and I made a new dish tonight. One that I think will become a staple in our house. And the best part about this dish, is you can add all different types of fillings!! It's perfect!
I found a crustless spinach quiche recipe from Cooks.com, but I modified it... I added 2 more eggs. It called for 3 eggs and that just didn't seem like enough eggs for a quiche. So I made it with 5 eggs.
Here's the recipe:
Ingredients
5 eggs, beaten
1 cup flour
1 cup and 2 tbsp milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 box frozen spinach, thawed
8 oz Cheddar cheese, shredded
8 oz Pepperjack cheese, shredded
Parmesan cheese, shredded (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine eggs and milk in a large mixing bowl. Add flour, baking powder and salt (I used garlic salt instead of regular salt) gradually to egg and milk mixture. Add cheese and thawed spinach (make sure to squeeze out the excess water from the spinach with your hands); mix well.
3. Pour into a well greased 13x9 pan (I used nonstick cooking spray to grease my pan). Sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese. Bake 30-35 minutes.
4. Cool for a half hour, cut into squares.
Side Notes:
1. Recipe called for 16 oz shredded Cheddar cheese. I used half Pepperjack and half Cheddar. I loved the taste the Pepperjack brought to the dish.
2. Instead of baking in a 13x9 baking dish, you can also cook in two round pie dishes.
3. This dish is perfect for breakfast, brunch or dinner!
Give it a try! Hope you enjoy it!
Monday, November 29, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Potato Casserole
I'm jumping around with my postings, but I decided to post my potato casserole that has become a popular favorite amongst my friends. I made this potato dish for my women's group yesterday and all the women raved about it. It's perfect as a breakfast or dinner dish. You can serve it with eggs, ham, chicken, beef... anything really. This is my aunt's recipe (one of my FAVORITE dishes growing up), but I've modified it a bit.
Here's the recipe:
Ingredients
1 bag frozen shredded hash browns, thawed
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
8 oz light sour cream
4-8 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 small can diced green chiles
Splash of milk (about 1 tbsp)
Generous shake of Ground Cumin (probably about 2 tsp)
Generous shake of Garlic Salt (probably about 1-2 tsp)
2 cups crushed corn flakes
2 tbsp butter, melted
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Mix all ingredients, except corn flakes and butter, in a large mixing bowl. Transfer to baking dish and press down so potato mixture is even.
3. Top with crushed corn flakes (make sure mixture is completely topped). Pour melted butter over corn flakes, starting with the edges first, then drizzling in the center.
4. Bake, uncovered, about 40 minutes, or until bubbly. Let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.
Side Notes:
1. I suggested 4 - 8 oz of sharp cheddar cheese, because it depends on how cheesy you like your dishes. I like to use a little more cheese, but sometimes if I'm low on cheese, I just use what I have. The dish tastes great either way. Try using jack cheese, pepperjack cheese, or colby cheese. All taste great with this dish.
2. You can use Healthy Request cream of mushroom soup to make this dish healthier.
3. If you don't have corn flakes, you can substitute bread crumbs. Top with melted butter.
4. You could add meat (such as ham, sausage, chicken) to this dish to make it a complete meal.
5. My aunt always made this as a breakfast side, it went great with her homemade quiche!
I hope this side dish quickly becomes a favorite in your house, as it is in ours!
Here's the recipe:
Ingredients
1 bag frozen shredded hash browns, thawed
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
8 oz light sour cream
4-8 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 small can diced green chiles
Splash of milk (about 1 tbsp)
Generous shake of Ground Cumin (probably about 2 tsp)
Generous shake of Garlic Salt (probably about 1-2 tsp)
2 cups crushed corn flakes
2 tbsp butter, melted
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Mix all ingredients, except corn flakes and butter, in a large mixing bowl. Transfer to baking dish and press down so potato mixture is even.
3. Top with crushed corn flakes (make sure mixture is completely topped). Pour melted butter over corn flakes, starting with the edges first, then drizzling in the center.
4. Bake, uncovered, about 40 minutes, or until bubbly. Let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.
Side Notes:
1. I suggested 4 - 8 oz of sharp cheddar cheese, because it depends on how cheesy you like your dishes. I like to use a little more cheese, but sometimes if I'm low on cheese, I just use what I have. The dish tastes great either way. Try using jack cheese, pepperjack cheese, or colby cheese. All taste great with this dish.
2. You can use Healthy Request cream of mushroom soup to make this dish healthier.
3. If you don't have corn flakes, you can substitute bread crumbs. Top with melted butter.
4. You could add meat (such as ham, sausage, chicken) to this dish to make it a complete meal.
5. My aunt always made this as a breakfast side, it went great with her homemade quiche!
I hope this side dish quickly becomes a favorite in your house, as it is in ours!
Monday, November 1, 2010
Texas-Style Chili
Last Wednesday I made Texas-Style Chili. This one is probably not for kids (I say this because my children who eat just about anything couldn't eat this). It's got some heat. So, if you are a lover of spicy foods, this is a good recipe to try. Denis absolutely loved this chili. I will for sure make it again! I would advise to make this on a weekend when you've got some time on your hands. I made this on a Wednesday and it took just way to long. We didn't eat until 7:30pm (and started at 4pm). This recipe came from the Food Network Kitchens cookbook. I actually checked this cookbook out from the library... did you know you could check cookbooks out from the library?!?! I didn't... I'm extremely excited about this!!!!! :-D
This chili was good, but if you've got a sensitive tongue, make sure you've got a gallon of milk handy!!
Here's the recipe:
Ingredients
7 ripe medium tomatoes (about 4 lbs)
2 medium onions, quartered through the root end
2 poblano chiles
2 jalapenos
8 cloves garlic
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, chopped
1 tbsp dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (preferably Mexican cinnamon)
1/4 tsp ground cloves
4 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1/2 cubs
1 1/2 tbsp kosher salt, plus additional for seasoning
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 chili powder, plus 2 tsp
1/4 cup ground cumin, plus 2 tsp
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 12 oz bottles Mexican lager-style beer
2 cups water
Garnishments - sour cream, shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, chopped scallions, and/or salsa
Directions
1. Position a rack about 6 inches from the broiler and preheat to high. Line a broiler pan with foil. Spread the tomatoes, onions, poblanos, jalapenos and garlic on the pan and broil, turning until charred on all sides. Cool slightly. Stem the roasted chiles, catching the juices and seeds that run onto the pan, and put them in a food processor with the tomatoes, onions, garlic and chipotles. Pulse until coarsely textured; add the oregano, cinnamon and cloves and pulse briefly.
2. Spread the meat out on a sheet of aluminum foil, pat dry, and season generously with salt. Heat some of the oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy bottom pot over high heat and brown some of the meat well on all sides, taking care not to crowd the pot. Transfer the cooked meat to a plate and repeat until all of the meat is cooked.
3. Whisk the 1/3 cup chili powder, 1/4 cup cumin and the flour into the meat drippings to make a paste. Whisk in the beer. Return the meat to the pot along with the collected juices, the tomato mixture, the water and the 1 1/2 tbsp salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Uncover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender and the sauce is thick, about 1 hour.
4. Just before serving, stir in the remaining 2 tsp each of chili powder and cumin.
Side Notes:
1. I bought a big beef chuck roast and cut it myself into 1/2-inch cubes. This saved A LOT of money. It's time consuming, but worth the money. Plus - you can shave off a lot of the fat that way.
2. Ground cloves are VERY expensive. A small container ON SALE was $10.00. I would suggest buying the ground cloves in a bulk section. I know Sprouts and Winco carries spices in their bulk sections. Any store that has a bulk section, probably has ground cloves. I got 1 oz of ground cloves for $.71 as opposed to paying $10 for 2 oz.
3. The recipe says to save the seeds... I knew this dish was going to be spicy enough, so I discarded the seeds. That's where a lot of the heat is in chiles. If you like spicy, keep the seeds.
4. I used regular oregano and cinnamon. Couldn't find Mexican spices in the regular grocery store. If you have a Mexican market near you (there are several in LaHabra for those of you in North OC) they will have the Mexican oregano and cinnamon.
5. I served with homemade cornbread. Cornbread is the obvious side dish to chili and it helped cut some of the heat too.
If you like heat, I hope you give this chili a try. It really was tasty! And if you've got a cold, it'll clear you sinus' too! LOL
This chili was good, but if you've got a sensitive tongue, make sure you've got a gallon of milk handy!!
Here's the recipe:
Ingredients
7 ripe medium tomatoes (about 4 lbs)
2 medium onions, quartered through the root end
2 poblano chiles
2 jalapenos
8 cloves garlic
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, chopped
1 tbsp dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (preferably Mexican cinnamon)
1/4 tsp ground cloves
4 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1/2 cubs
1 1/2 tbsp kosher salt, plus additional for seasoning
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 chili powder, plus 2 tsp
1/4 cup ground cumin, plus 2 tsp
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 12 oz bottles Mexican lager-style beer
2 cups water
Garnishments - sour cream, shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, chopped scallions, and/or salsa
Directions
1. Position a rack about 6 inches from the broiler and preheat to high. Line a broiler pan with foil. Spread the tomatoes, onions, poblanos, jalapenos and garlic on the pan and broil, turning until charred on all sides. Cool slightly. Stem the roasted chiles, catching the juices and seeds that run onto the pan, and put them in a food processor with the tomatoes, onions, garlic and chipotles. Pulse until coarsely textured; add the oregano, cinnamon and cloves and pulse briefly.
2. Spread the meat out on a sheet of aluminum foil, pat dry, and season generously with salt. Heat some of the oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy bottom pot over high heat and brown some of the meat well on all sides, taking care not to crowd the pot. Transfer the cooked meat to a plate and repeat until all of the meat is cooked.
3. Whisk the 1/3 cup chili powder, 1/4 cup cumin and the flour into the meat drippings to make a paste. Whisk in the beer. Return the meat to the pot along with the collected juices, the tomato mixture, the water and the 1 1/2 tbsp salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Uncover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender and the sauce is thick, about 1 hour.
4. Just before serving, stir in the remaining 2 tsp each of chili powder and cumin.
Side Notes:
1. I bought a big beef chuck roast and cut it myself into 1/2-inch cubes. This saved A LOT of money. It's time consuming, but worth the money. Plus - you can shave off a lot of the fat that way.
2. Ground cloves are VERY expensive. A small container ON SALE was $10.00. I would suggest buying the ground cloves in a bulk section. I know Sprouts and Winco carries spices in their bulk sections. Any store that has a bulk section, probably has ground cloves. I got 1 oz of ground cloves for $.71 as opposed to paying $10 for 2 oz.
3. The recipe says to save the seeds... I knew this dish was going to be spicy enough, so I discarded the seeds. That's where a lot of the heat is in chiles. If you like spicy, keep the seeds.
4. I used regular oregano and cinnamon. Couldn't find Mexican spices in the regular grocery store. If you have a Mexican market near you (there are several in LaHabra for those of you in North OC) they will have the Mexican oregano and cinnamon.
5. I served with homemade cornbread. Cornbread is the obvious side dish to chili and it helped cut some of the heat too.
If you like heat, I hope you give this chili a try. It really was tasty! And if you've got a cold, it'll clear you sinus' too! LOL
Chicken Pot Pie Bubble Bake
Well, once again I'm behind again in my blogging... sorry! I was going to catch up this weekend, but Dayne and I had a rough weekend. We were both really sick! Thankfully Denis took great care of us!! He even cooked both days and made homemade candy apples (delicious). I'll blog his candy apple recipe too (it's Alton Brown's recipe), but first I've got to get caught up with my recipes.
Last Monday I made Chicken Pot Pie Bubble Bake. This recipe came from my Pillsbury Pot Pies & Casseroles magazine (can you tell I'm making my way through this magazine???). It turned out really delicious. It's definitely a do-again!
Here's the recipe:
Ingredients
1 can (10 3/4oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 1/3 cups milk
1 tsp Italian seasoning
2 cups refrigerated cooked potato wedges (this can be found in the produce section near the bags of shredded carrots and butternut squash)
3 cups cubed deli rotisserie chicken (without skin)
1 bag (1lb) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1 can (12oz) Pillsbury Grands! Jr. Golden Layers biscuits
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (2oz)
Directions
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 13x9 glass baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix soup, milk and Italian seasoning. Stir in potatoes, chicken and vegetables.
2. Separate dough into 10 biscuits, cut each biscuit into quarters; add to potato mixture. Stir gently to mix well; spoon into baking dish.
3. Bake uncovered 35 to 40 minutes or until top is golden brown and biscuits are no longer doughy inside. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 4 to 6 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.
Side Notes:
1. I didn't use the pre-cooked potatoes. It's much cheaper to buy a couple of red potatoes and cook them yourself in the microwave. This is what I did. I bought 3 medium sized red potatoes (it's about 2 cups), cut into small wedges. Placed cut potatoes into a microwave safe bowl, sprinkle with garlic salt. Add 1tsp of water and cover with a damp paper towel. Cook in microwave for 3 minutes. Check potatoes. Microwave another 2 minutes if they are not soft enough. Viola... you've got yourself cooked red potatoes!
2. To save more money, you could use left over chicken you might have from another dish, or cook your own chicken instead of buying a rotisserie chicken. Just depends on how much time you have. I used the rotisserie chicken because I had forgotten to thaw out my chicken.
3. I couldn't find the Jr. Grands (and I've never even heard of them). So I just used the Grands Layers (which is 8 biscuits) and cut those into 6th's (instead of quarters). I'm assuming it turned out the same.
4. If you don't have frozen mixed veggies... use whatever frozen veggies you have; green beans, broccoli, corn, carrots, cauliflower. Or try using fresh veggies, and saute them up just a bit to soften them. These recipes are so versatile... get creative and use what you like.
5. I didn't continue cooking the additional 4 to 6 minutes because my dish was already bubbling after 35 minutes (my oven is possessed and never bakes according to recipes). I just sprinkled the cheese on after I pulled it out, let it set 5 minutes. Cheese was melted and ready to serve.
6. This dish would be perfect for a holiday potluck. :-)
Hope you give it a try and enjoy it as much as we did!
Last Monday I made Chicken Pot Pie Bubble Bake. This recipe came from my Pillsbury Pot Pies & Casseroles magazine (can you tell I'm making my way through this magazine???). It turned out really delicious. It's definitely a do-again!
Here's the recipe:
Ingredients
1 can (10 3/4oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 1/3 cups milk
1 tsp Italian seasoning
2 cups refrigerated cooked potato wedges (this can be found in the produce section near the bags of shredded carrots and butternut squash)
3 cups cubed deli rotisserie chicken (without skin)
1 bag (1lb) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1 can (12oz) Pillsbury Grands! Jr. Golden Layers biscuits
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (2oz)
Directions
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 13x9 glass baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix soup, milk and Italian seasoning. Stir in potatoes, chicken and vegetables.
2. Separate dough into 10 biscuits, cut each biscuit into quarters; add to potato mixture. Stir gently to mix well; spoon into baking dish.
3. Bake uncovered 35 to 40 minutes or until top is golden brown and biscuits are no longer doughy inside. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 4 to 6 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.
Side Notes:
1. I didn't use the pre-cooked potatoes. It's much cheaper to buy a couple of red potatoes and cook them yourself in the microwave. This is what I did. I bought 3 medium sized red potatoes (it's about 2 cups), cut into small wedges. Placed cut potatoes into a microwave safe bowl, sprinkle with garlic salt. Add 1tsp of water and cover with a damp paper towel. Cook in microwave for 3 minutes. Check potatoes. Microwave another 2 minutes if they are not soft enough. Viola... you've got yourself cooked red potatoes!
2. To save more money, you could use left over chicken you might have from another dish, or cook your own chicken instead of buying a rotisserie chicken. Just depends on how much time you have. I used the rotisserie chicken because I had forgotten to thaw out my chicken.
3. I couldn't find the Jr. Grands (and I've never even heard of them). So I just used the Grands Layers (which is 8 biscuits) and cut those into 6th's (instead of quarters). I'm assuming it turned out the same.
4. If you don't have frozen mixed veggies... use whatever frozen veggies you have; green beans, broccoli, corn, carrots, cauliflower. Or try using fresh veggies, and saute them up just a bit to soften them. These recipes are so versatile... get creative and use what you like.
5. I didn't continue cooking the additional 4 to 6 minutes because my dish was already bubbling after 35 minutes (my oven is possessed and never bakes according to recipes). I just sprinkled the cheese on after I pulled it out, let it set 5 minutes. Cheese was melted and ready to serve.
6. This dish would be perfect for a holiday potluck. :-)
Hope you give it a try and enjoy it as much as we did!
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Vegetable Soup
This past week has been cozy, soup weather. I finally invested in a large stockpot... so I decided to make Vegetable Soup tonight. I love making soup, because you can put WHATEVER you want in it! You can use whatever you have in the fridge and pantry. Next time I make vegetable soup, I'll probably end up using completely different vegetables. My favorite soup to make is Chicken Tortilla Soup, but I didn't have what I need to make it to it's tastiest potential. I think this week I'll be making Chicken Tortilla Soup, so stay tuned for that recipe. I am going to list out exactly how I made tonight's soup, but feel free to add or omit whatever type of veggies suit your taste buds.
Here's the recipe:
Ingredients
1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1lb bag carrots - peeled, chopped
6 stalks celery, chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tomato, chopped
1 can green beans, drained
1 can sweet & crisp corn, drained
2 cans diced tomatoes, Mexican style (do not drain)
3 potatoes - peeled, cut in small pieces
2 - 32oz low-sodium, fat free containers of chicken broth
4 cups water
Garlic Salt
Pepper
Ground Cumin
Chili Powder
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Directions
1. Heat olive oil on a medium-high heat in a large 12qt stock pot. Add onion, carrots and celery. Saute for about 3-5 minutes. Veggies should be starting to turn tender.
2. Add broth, water and diced tomatoes with juice.
3. Add corn, green beans, chopped tomato and potatoes.
4. Add all the seasonings to taste. Start off with 2 tsp of each (except pepper - only 1 tsp for pepper). Taste your broth and add more to the liking of your taste buds. I use more Ground Cumin and Chili Powder because I really like those flavors.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low (simmer) and cover. Cook for about an hour or until all veggies are tender.
Side Notes:
1. Other veggies that would be great in this dish are mushrooms, squash, zucchini, parsnips, fresh green beans, broccoli.
2. Beef broth would also make a great base for this soup.
I'm serving our soup with salad and biscuits. This soup is great as a meal itself or start to a meal. Have fun with this soup! Hope you enjoy it!!
Here's the recipe:
Ingredients
1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1lb bag carrots - peeled, chopped
6 stalks celery, chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tomato, chopped
1 can green beans, drained
1 can sweet & crisp corn, drained
2 cans diced tomatoes, Mexican style (do not drain)
3 potatoes - peeled, cut in small pieces
2 - 32oz low-sodium, fat free containers of chicken broth
4 cups water
Garlic Salt
Pepper
Ground Cumin
Chili Powder
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Directions
1. Heat olive oil on a medium-high heat in a large 12qt stock pot. Add onion, carrots and celery. Saute for about 3-5 minutes. Veggies should be starting to turn tender.
2. Add broth, water and diced tomatoes with juice.
3. Add corn, green beans, chopped tomato and potatoes.
4. Add all the seasonings to taste. Start off with 2 tsp of each (except pepper - only 1 tsp for pepper). Taste your broth and add more to the liking of your taste buds. I use more Ground Cumin and Chili Powder because I really like those flavors.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low (simmer) and cover. Cook for about an hour or until all veggies are tender.
Side Notes:
1. Other veggies that would be great in this dish are mushrooms, squash, zucchini, parsnips, fresh green beans, broccoli.
2. Beef broth would also make a great base for this soup.
I'm serving our soup with salad and biscuits. This soup is great as a meal itself or start to a meal. Have fun with this soup! Hope you enjoy it!!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Chocolate Chip Cookies
I was feeling blah today... and with the weather as gloomy as it was, I decided it was time to bust out some homemade cookies. Growing up, my mom and I always made cookies on cold, rainy days, such as today. My mom spent the afternoon with the boys and I, so I invited her to stay and make cookies with Dylan and I. This is her recipe, I cannot claim it as my own. You can use chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips... basically any flavor "chip" they make. I prefer the good old fashioned chocolate chip cookie, with a glass of cold milk. Yum!
Here's the recipe:
Ingredients
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
3/4 granulated sugar
3/4 light brown sugar, packed
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 package chocolate chips (12oz bag)
1/2 cup nuts (walnuts, pecans), chopped (optional)
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Mix together. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, add butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract. Beat with a mixer until smooth.
4. Add eggs one at a time, mixing completely with butter, sugar and vanilla. This mixture should be very creamy when both eggs are beaten in.
5. Slowly add in the flour mixture, spoonfuls at a time, until all is added and mixed well.
6. Mix in quick oats, chocolate chips and nuts by hand.
7. Place cookies by spoonfuls onto baking sheet. Should be able to fit 12 cookies on each baking sheet. Bake 9-11 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.
8. Should yield about 3 dozen cookies (depending on spoonful sizes).
Side Notes:
1. I use whole wheat flour, rather than all-purpose flour. It doesn't change the taste or texture of the cookie and adds lots of nutrients that the white flour does not contain.
2. I like to sometimes split my batter before I add the chocolate chips and nuts. I will mix half the batter with one type of chip and the other half with another type.
3. Adding coconut is a great flavor booster too. It goes especially well with chocolate chip and butterscotch chip cookies. To bad Denis like coconut! :-( I love it!
Hope you enjoy the cookies!!! :-)
Here's the recipe:
Ingredients
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
3/4 granulated sugar
3/4 light brown sugar, packed
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 package chocolate chips (12oz bag)
1/2 cup nuts (walnuts, pecans), chopped (optional)
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Mix together. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, add butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract. Beat with a mixer until smooth.
4. Add eggs one at a time, mixing completely with butter, sugar and vanilla. This mixture should be very creamy when both eggs are beaten in.
5. Slowly add in the flour mixture, spoonfuls at a time, until all is added and mixed well.
6. Mix in quick oats, chocolate chips and nuts by hand.
7. Place cookies by spoonfuls onto baking sheet. Should be able to fit 12 cookies on each baking sheet. Bake 9-11 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.
8. Should yield about 3 dozen cookies (depending on spoonful sizes).
Side Notes:
1. I use whole wheat flour, rather than all-purpose flour. It doesn't change the taste or texture of the cookie and adds lots of nutrients that the white flour does not contain.
2. I like to sometimes split my batter before I add the chocolate chips and nuts. I will mix half the batter with one type of chip and the other half with another type.
3. Adding coconut is a great flavor booster too. It goes especially well with chocolate chip and butterscotch chip cookies. To bad Denis like coconut! :-( I love it!
Hope you enjoy the cookies!!! :-)
Natalie's Spaghetti
Tired of the same 'ol boring ground beef and tomato sauce spaghetti? Try adding fresh veggies and turkey sausage to your standard spaghetti recipe.
Spaghetti has always been a family favorite of ours. I love that I can add whatever I want to it, and it turns out great every time. One standard ingredient that I always like to use is turkey sausage. It adds an incredible flavor to the sauce. Tonight I had fresh veggies on hand and I popped those in the spaghetti pot as well. I will list specifically how I make my spaghetti, but you can use whatever type of meat, noodles and sauce you like.
Here's the recipe:
Ingredients
1 lb turkey sausage (hot or sweet flavors)
1 lb ground turkey
1 medium yellow onion, chopped finely
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 package sliced crimini mushrooms
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped finely
1 red bell pepper, chopped finely
1 green bell pepper, chopped finely
2 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp Italian herb seasonings
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large can whole, stewed tomatoes
1 jar spaghetti sauce (whatever type you like, I used Trader Joe's tomato basil sauce)
1 can of large black olives, drained (optional)
1 lb whole wheat spaghetti noodles
1/2 tbsp olive oil
salt
Parmesan cheese
Directions
1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and onion and saute for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add mushrooms and mix well with onions, heat for another 2 minutes.
3. Add peppers and mix with other veggies. Continue sauteing the veggies for another 3-4 minutes. Sizzle in pan should dull and peppers should give off some juice.
4. Add the turkey sausage (remove from casings) and ground turkey. Add garlic salt and Italian herb seasonings. Brown meat completely.
5. Add can of whole, stewed tomatoes and chop up with spatula, add jar of spaghetti sauce and olives.
6. Cover and lower heat to simmer.
7. While sauce is simmering, fill a large pot with water, add 1/2 tbsp of olive oil and sprinkle of salt. Bring to a boil.
8. Cook noodles according to package.
9. Fill a plate with spaghetti noodles, top with meat and veggie sauce. Top with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and enjoy!!!!!
I served the spaghetti with a fresh garden salad, fresh baked bread (from the store, not by me) and butter.
Side Notes:
1. You can omit the meat and make just a veggie spaghetti or vice versa.
2. You can use all types of veggies, such as eggplant, tomatoes, asparagus, squash, zucchini, etc.
3. Whole wheat noodles have more texture than regular noodles and are naturally al dente tasting. If you want to try a healthier noodle, but don't want to go the extreme of 100% whole wheat, try using a multi-grain noodle. They have a great taste and texture and have more nutrients than the plain white noodles.
Give it a try, doctor up your spaghetti with flavor and good for you ingredients! Hope it becomes a family favorite, just like it is in our house!
Spaghetti has always been a family favorite of ours. I love that I can add whatever I want to it, and it turns out great every time. One standard ingredient that I always like to use is turkey sausage. It adds an incredible flavor to the sauce. Tonight I had fresh veggies on hand and I popped those in the spaghetti pot as well. I will list specifically how I make my spaghetti, but you can use whatever type of meat, noodles and sauce you like.
Here's the recipe:
Ingredients
1 lb turkey sausage (hot or sweet flavors)
1 lb ground turkey
1 medium yellow onion, chopped finely
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 package sliced crimini mushrooms
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped finely
1 red bell pepper, chopped finely
1 green bell pepper, chopped finely
2 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp Italian herb seasonings
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large can whole, stewed tomatoes
1 jar spaghetti sauce (whatever type you like, I used Trader Joe's tomato basil sauce)
1 can of large black olives, drained (optional)
1 lb whole wheat spaghetti noodles
1/2 tbsp olive oil
salt
Parmesan cheese
Directions
1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and onion and saute for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add mushrooms and mix well with onions, heat for another 2 minutes.
3. Add peppers and mix with other veggies. Continue sauteing the veggies for another 3-4 minutes. Sizzle in pan should dull and peppers should give off some juice.
4. Add the turkey sausage (remove from casings) and ground turkey. Add garlic salt and Italian herb seasonings. Brown meat completely.
5. Add can of whole, stewed tomatoes and chop up with spatula, add jar of spaghetti sauce and olives.
6. Cover and lower heat to simmer.
7. While sauce is simmering, fill a large pot with water, add 1/2 tbsp of olive oil and sprinkle of salt. Bring to a boil.
8. Cook noodles according to package.
9. Fill a plate with spaghetti noodles, top with meat and veggie sauce. Top with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and enjoy!!!!!
I served the spaghetti with a fresh garden salad, fresh baked bread (from the store, not by me) and butter.
Side Notes:
1. You can omit the meat and make just a veggie spaghetti or vice versa.
2. You can use all types of veggies, such as eggplant, tomatoes, asparagus, squash, zucchini, etc.
3. Whole wheat noodles have more texture than regular noodles and are naturally al dente tasting. If you want to try a healthier noodle, but don't want to go the extreme of 100% whole wheat, try using a multi-grain noodle. They have a great taste and texture and have more nutrients than the plain white noodles.
Give it a try, doctor up your spaghetti with flavor and good for you ingredients! Hope it becomes a family favorite, just like it is in our house!
Chicken Fajita's
So Tuesday was Taco Tuesday and I wanted to do something different other than regular ground turkey tacos. So, I baked some chicken (I use Barefoot Contessa's trick of drizzling just a tad of olive oil and sprinkling Lawry's salt over the chicken - the olive oil keeps the chicken MOIST!) to make chicken fajitas. I also made my Spanish rice and doctored up refried beans. Please refer back to September's postings, those recipes are listed there. The fajitas were soooo simple and such a great change to our normal Taco Tuesday menu.
Here's how I made the fajita's:
Ingredients
1 medium white onion, sliced in long thin strips
1 red bell pepper, sliced in long thin strips
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced in long thin strips
1 green bell pepper, sliced in long thin strips
1 tomato, sliced thinly
2 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
Directions
1. In a medium skillet, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and saute for 3 minutes or so.
2. Add all the pepper slices and saute until tender.
3. Add the tomato and saute 2 more minutes.
4. Turn heat off, cover and let sit while you get the rest of your taco fixings ready.
Other Fixings:
1. Chicken (shred once it's cool enough to handle)
2. Cheese (freshly grated)
3. Sour Cream
4. Salsa
5. Microwave warmed tortillas
Assemble tacos with chicken, cheese, fajitas, sour cream and salsa. Serve with homemade Spanish rice and doctored refried beans.
This dish was so simple to make, incredibly healthy and super tasty! Hope you give it try and enjoy it as much as we did!
Here's how I made the fajita's:
Ingredients
1 medium white onion, sliced in long thin strips
1 red bell pepper, sliced in long thin strips
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced in long thin strips
1 green bell pepper, sliced in long thin strips
1 tomato, sliced thinly
2 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
Directions
1. In a medium skillet, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and saute for 3 minutes or so.
2. Add all the pepper slices and saute until tender.
3. Add the tomato and saute 2 more minutes.
4. Turn heat off, cover and let sit while you get the rest of your taco fixings ready.
Other Fixings:
1. Chicken (shred once it's cool enough to handle)
2. Cheese (freshly grated)
3. Sour Cream
4. Salsa
5. Microwave warmed tortillas
Assemble tacos with chicken, cheese, fajitas, sour cream and salsa. Serve with homemade Spanish rice and doctored refried beans.
This dish was so simple to make, incredibly healthy and super tasty! Hope you give it try and enjoy it as much as we did!
Monday, October 18, 2010
Chicken and Noodles Alfredo
Tonight I'm making Chicken and Noodles Alfredo from my Pillsbury magazine. We haven't eaten dinner yet, but I just sampled it, and I think this may be my favorite dish yet (from this magazine). I'm serving it with Pillsbury Grand Biscuits and marinated tomatoes (cut tomatoes marinated in balsamic vinaigrette).
Here's the recipe:
Ingredients
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, but into 3/4 inch pieces
1 can (14oz) artichoke hearts, drained, cut into quarters
1 jar (16oz) Alfredo pasta sauce
1 cup water
1/2 cup chopped dry-pack sun-dried tomatoes
3 cups uncooked medium egg noodles (6oz)
2 tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese
Directions
1. Spray 3 to 4 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In slow cooker, mix chicken, artichokes, Alfredo sauce and water.
2. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 5 to 6 hours.
3. About 25 minutes before serving, stir tomatoes and uncooked noodles into chicken mixture. Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook 15 to 20 minutes longer or until noodles are tender. Sprinkle individual servings with Parmesan cheese.
No side notes - I'm happy with it as is! :-)
Here's the recipe:
Ingredients
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, but into 3/4 inch pieces
1 can (14oz) artichoke hearts, drained, cut into quarters
1 jar (16oz) Alfredo pasta sauce
1 cup water
1/2 cup chopped dry-pack sun-dried tomatoes
3 cups uncooked medium egg noodles (6oz)
2 tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese
Directions
1. Spray 3 to 4 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In slow cooker, mix chicken, artichokes, Alfredo sauce and water.
2. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 5 to 6 hours.
3. About 25 minutes before serving, stir tomatoes and uncooked noodles into chicken mixture. Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook 15 to 20 minutes longer or until noodles are tender. Sprinkle individual servings with Parmesan cheese.
No side notes - I'm happy with it as is! :-)
Chocolate Raspberry Dessert
Last Friday we went over to Amy and Brennan's for dinner and I brought dessert. I always let Denis go through my dessert book's and let him pick out what I should make. I wanted to make something chocolate and from scratch, so I had him choose from my Hershey's Recipe Collection book. He chose Chocolate Raspberry Dessert. It's very good, but VERY rich. A small square is all you really need. I actually think this dessert would be great served at a bridal or baby shower, cut into small squares served in small candy cups (that is how rich this dessert is). If it was a baby shower for a boy, you could substitute the raspberry liqueur (or preserves) for blueberry, making the center filling blue rather than pink.
Here is the recipe:
The Cake
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter, softened
1/4 tsp baking powder
4 large eggs
16oz can HERSHEY'S Syrup
Raspberry Cream Center
Ingredients
2 cups powdered sugar
1 stick butter, softened
2 tbsp raspberry liqueur (or 1/4 cup raspberry preserves mixed with 1 tsp water)
Few drops red food coloring - optional
Chocolate Glaze
Ingredients
6 tbsp butter
1 cup HERSHEY'S Special Dark or Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Directions
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13x9x2 baking pan.
2. Combine flour, sugar, butter, baking powder and eggs in a large bowl; beat until smooth. Add syrup; blend thoroughly. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool Completely in pan on a wire rack.
4. Combine powdered sugar, softened stick of butter and raspberry liqueur (or preserves) in a medium bowl; beat until smooth.
5. Spread Raspberry Cream Center on cake.
6. Refrigerate and chill cake and center for at least 2 hours.
7. Melt 6 tbsp of butter and 1 cup chocolate chips over very low heat. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
8. Pour Chocolate Glaze over chilled dessert.
9. Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Cover; refrigerate leftover dessert.
Side Notes:
1. If you are a chocolate lover, this is a dessert for you.
2. I used the preserves, rather than the liqueur, because it was cheaper to buy raspberry preserves, rather than a $20 bottle of alcohol. Although, I would imagine that the liqueur is quite tasty.
3. You could substitute the raspberry for any flavor, boysenberry, orange, apricot, apple, strawberry. I would think all would taste great.
4. Making this dish is a little time consuming because it's a 3 step process and you need to include time to chill the dish in between steps, but it's worth it.
Hope you give this dessert a try, it's quite tasty! :-)
Here is the recipe:
The Cake
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter, softened
1/4 tsp baking powder
4 large eggs
16oz can HERSHEY'S Syrup
Raspberry Cream Center
Ingredients
2 cups powdered sugar
1 stick butter, softened
2 tbsp raspberry liqueur (or 1/4 cup raspberry preserves mixed with 1 tsp water)
Few drops red food coloring - optional
Chocolate Glaze
Ingredients
6 tbsp butter
1 cup HERSHEY'S Special Dark or Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Directions
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13x9x2 baking pan.
2. Combine flour, sugar, butter, baking powder and eggs in a large bowl; beat until smooth. Add syrup; blend thoroughly. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool Completely in pan on a wire rack.
4. Combine powdered sugar, softened stick of butter and raspberry liqueur (or preserves) in a medium bowl; beat until smooth.
5. Spread Raspberry Cream Center on cake.
6. Refrigerate and chill cake and center for at least 2 hours.
7. Melt 6 tbsp of butter and 1 cup chocolate chips over very low heat. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
8. Pour Chocolate Glaze over chilled dessert.
9. Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Cover; refrigerate leftover dessert.
Side Notes:
1. If you are a chocolate lover, this is a dessert for you.
2. I used the preserves, rather than the liqueur, because it was cheaper to buy raspberry preserves, rather than a $20 bottle of alcohol. Although, I would imagine that the liqueur is quite tasty.
3. You could substitute the raspberry for any flavor, boysenberry, orange, apricot, apple, strawberry. I would think all would taste great.
4. Making this dish is a little time consuming because it's a 3 step process and you need to include time to chill the dish in between steps, but it's worth it.
Hope you give this dessert a try, it's quite tasty! :-)
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Gingered Broccoli Chicken
Last Wednesday I made another new dish from my Pillsbury magazine, Gingered Broccoli Chicken served over white rice. This was better than I thought it was going to be. I was a bit leery of putting frozen peaches in the dish, but the peaches actually dissolve to make a sweet sauce more than anything else. I make rice in my rice cooker (white and brown), but you can use any type of rice you like and can make it any way you like (instant, microwaveable, over the stove, rice cooker, etc).
Here is the recipe:
Ingredients
2 boneless skinless chicken pieces, cut into 2-inch pieces (about 1 1/4 lb)
2 tbsp fresh grated gingerroot
1 medium sweet onion, cut into thin wedges
1 bag (16 oz) frozen peaches, thawed
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
3/4 cup water
5 cups frozen broccoli florets (from 22oz bag), thawed
2 tbsp cornstarch
Directions
1. Spray 3 to 4 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place chicken in slow cooker; top with gingerroot, onion and peaches. In small bowl, mix teriyaki sauce and 1/2 cup of the water; pour over chicken mixture.
2. Cover, cook on Low heat setting 6 to 7 hours.
3. Stir broccoli into chicken mixture. In small bowl, mix remaining 1/4 cup water and the cornstarch; stir into chicken mixture. Increase heat setting to High; cover and cook 15 minutes longer or until sauce is slightly thickened.
4. Serve over steamed white rice.
Side Notes:
1. I have never grated gingerroot before, so I actually looked up how to do so. Here is what I found: Cut off knobs of gingerroot, using a peeler, peel gingerroot, rinse, pat dry and then grate. If you have excess gingerroot, peel and rinse remaining gingerroot and seal tight in a freezer safe plastic baggie. Gingerroot will stay fresh for about 3-4 months. The website said that frozen gingerroot is actually easier to grate.
2. I prefer a little extra flavor, so next time I make this dish, I would add minced garlic and an extra tbsp of gingerroot. The dish was good, but lacked just a tad on the flavor side (for me at least).
If you make this dish, let me know what you think of it and if you added anything extra for flavor. Enjoy!
Here is the recipe:
Ingredients
2 boneless skinless chicken pieces, cut into 2-inch pieces (about 1 1/4 lb)
2 tbsp fresh grated gingerroot
1 medium sweet onion, cut into thin wedges
1 bag (16 oz) frozen peaches, thawed
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
3/4 cup water
5 cups frozen broccoli florets (from 22oz bag), thawed
2 tbsp cornstarch
Directions
1. Spray 3 to 4 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place chicken in slow cooker; top with gingerroot, onion and peaches. In small bowl, mix teriyaki sauce and 1/2 cup of the water; pour over chicken mixture.
2. Cover, cook on Low heat setting 6 to 7 hours.
3. Stir broccoli into chicken mixture. In small bowl, mix remaining 1/4 cup water and the cornstarch; stir into chicken mixture. Increase heat setting to High; cover and cook 15 minutes longer or until sauce is slightly thickened.
4. Serve over steamed white rice.
Side Notes:
1. I have never grated gingerroot before, so I actually looked up how to do so. Here is what I found: Cut off knobs of gingerroot, using a peeler, peel gingerroot, rinse, pat dry and then grate. If you have excess gingerroot, peel and rinse remaining gingerroot and seal tight in a freezer safe plastic baggie. Gingerroot will stay fresh for about 3-4 months. The website said that frozen gingerroot is actually easier to grate.
2. I prefer a little extra flavor, so next time I make this dish, I would add minced garlic and an extra tbsp of gingerroot. The dish was good, but lacked just a tad on the flavor side (for me at least).
If you make this dish, let me know what you think of it and if you added anything extra for flavor. Enjoy!
Roasted Red Potatoes
Last Tuesday I made turkey meatloaf, which I already have posted (see back to September's postings). Instead of mashed potatoes, I made my roasted red potatoes, a classic favorite in our house. They are super simple to make, healthy and delicious.
Here's the recipe:
Ingredients
5-6 medium red potatoes, rinsed (do not peel) and cut into halves and then each half cut into 4 equal pieces (should end up with around 40 potato pieces)
About 1-3 tbsp of olive oil
1-2 tsp garlic salt
About 1 - 1 1/2 tsp of fresh rosemary (or dried rosemary, or another fragrant herb of your choice)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place cut potato pieces onto a clay baking dish (or a cookie sheet lined with foil).
3. Drizzle oil over potatoes evenly (you do not want the potatoes soaking in oil, it's a light drizzle).
4. Sprinkle garlic salt and herbs over potatoes.
5. Bake for 30 minutes and then check on potatoes. Potatoes should be starting to brown. Stir potatoes and continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft.
6. Serve warm!
Side Notes:
1. These potatoes go great with meatloaf, baked chicken, egg dishes, grilled fish, steak, pork chops... basically anything.
I hope you enjoy this great potato side dish as much as we do! :-)
Here's the recipe:
Ingredients
5-6 medium red potatoes, rinsed (do not peel) and cut into halves and then each half cut into 4 equal pieces (should end up with around 40 potato pieces)
About 1-3 tbsp of olive oil
1-2 tsp garlic salt
About 1 - 1 1/2 tsp of fresh rosemary (or dried rosemary, or another fragrant herb of your choice)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place cut potato pieces onto a clay baking dish (or a cookie sheet lined with foil).
3. Drizzle oil over potatoes evenly (you do not want the potatoes soaking in oil, it's a light drizzle).
4. Sprinkle garlic salt and herbs over potatoes.
5. Bake for 30 minutes and then check on potatoes. Potatoes should be starting to brown. Stir potatoes and continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft.
6. Serve warm!
Side Notes:
1. These potatoes go great with meatloaf, baked chicken, egg dishes, grilled fish, steak, pork chops... basically anything.
I hope you enjoy this great potato side dish as much as we do! :-)
Chicken Pot Pie with Flaky Crust
I haven't blogged in a while, it's been such a crazy hectic week. I did however make several new dishes from my Pillsbury Pot Pies & Casseroles magazine. Last Monday I made Chicken Pot Pie for the first time. It turned out really delicious, despite all the trouble I had making it. Denis thinks the recipe calls for to much thyme leaves, so if you are not a fan of thyme, I would suggest omitting the thyme altogether. I'll explain my troubles below in the side notes section.
Here is the recipe:
Ingredients
1 sheet frozen puff pastry (from 17.3oz package), thawed
1 tbsp olive oil
3/4 lb skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 cup quartered ready-to-eat baby cut carrots (5 to 6 oz)
3/4 cup frozen sweet peas (from 12oz bag)
1 jar (12oz) chicken gravy
1/2 cup light sour cream
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/4 tsp pepper
1 egg beaten, if desired
Directions
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. On lightly floured surface, unroll puff pastry. With rolling pin, roll pastry into 11-inch square. Cut off corner to make an 11-inch round. Cut slits or small designs in several places in pastry; set aside.
2. In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in oil about 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until no longer pink in center. Add onion and carrots; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until crisp-tender. Remove from heat; stir in peas.
3. In medium bowl, beat remaining ingredients, except egg with wire whisk until well blended. Stir into chicken mixture in skillet. Spoon into 9-inch deep-dish glass pie plate. Place pastry over filling, allowing pastry to hang over edge.
4. Bake 20 minutes. Brush crust with beaten egg. Cover edge of crust with strips of foil to prevent excessive browning.
5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Side Notes:
1. I used Big & Flaky Crescent Rolls instead of the puff pastry. I couldn't find the Pillsbury brand puff pastry and the Pepperidge Farm brand was over $6. It worked out fine, it was just harder to roll with the rolling pin and lay across the top of the dish. It worked out fine as a crust and it was delicious.
2. I also didn't have a 9-inch deep-dish glass pie plate (thought I did when I was at the store). I had a round 8-inch casserole dish. It worked out fine, however it was hard to lay out the crust and it didn't bake according to the directions.
3. My dish only lasted a total of 25 minutes in the oven. Although I attempted to cover the edges of the crust with foil, the foil didn't stick and the edges cooked to long and were overly brown. I pulled the dish out and let it set on my warm cook top. Everything was bubbly and cooked thoroughly inside, so it worked out fine, but I'm guessing if I would have had the proper ingredients and cookware, it would have take the entire 45 minutes to cook.
4. The dish actually turned out really tasty, but Denis didn't like the thyme in it. I didn't mind it. So, if you are sensitive to thyme, I would suggest omitting it altogether, or finding another herb you would prefer to use.
5. I served the chicken pot pie with homemade mashed potatoes and salad. It was the perfect additions to this all American classic.
If you try it, let me know how your dish turns out! Hopefully you have more success the first time around than I did.
Here is the recipe:
Ingredients
1 sheet frozen puff pastry (from 17.3oz package), thawed
1 tbsp olive oil
3/4 lb skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 cup quartered ready-to-eat baby cut carrots (5 to 6 oz)
3/4 cup frozen sweet peas (from 12oz bag)
1 jar (12oz) chicken gravy
1/2 cup light sour cream
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/4 tsp pepper
1 egg beaten, if desired
Directions
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. On lightly floured surface, unroll puff pastry. With rolling pin, roll pastry into 11-inch square. Cut off corner to make an 11-inch round. Cut slits or small designs in several places in pastry; set aside.
2. In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in oil about 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until no longer pink in center. Add onion and carrots; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until crisp-tender. Remove from heat; stir in peas.
3. In medium bowl, beat remaining ingredients, except egg with wire whisk until well blended. Stir into chicken mixture in skillet. Spoon into 9-inch deep-dish glass pie plate. Place pastry over filling, allowing pastry to hang over edge.
4. Bake 20 minutes. Brush crust with beaten egg. Cover edge of crust with strips of foil to prevent excessive browning.
5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Side Notes:
1. I used Big & Flaky Crescent Rolls instead of the puff pastry. I couldn't find the Pillsbury brand puff pastry and the Pepperidge Farm brand was over $6. It worked out fine, it was just harder to roll with the rolling pin and lay across the top of the dish. It worked out fine as a crust and it was delicious.
2. I also didn't have a 9-inch deep-dish glass pie plate (thought I did when I was at the store). I had a round 8-inch casserole dish. It worked out fine, however it was hard to lay out the crust and it didn't bake according to the directions.
3. My dish only lasted a total of 25 minutes in the oven. Although I attempted to cover the edges of the crust with foil, the foil didn't stick and the edges cooked to long and were overly brown. I pulled the dish out and let it set on my warm cook top. Everything was bubbly and cooked thoroughly inside, so it worked out fine, but I'm guessing if I would have had the proper ingredients and cookware, it would have take the entire 45 minutes to cook.
4. The dish actually turned out really tasty, but Denis didn't like the thyme in it. I didn't mind it. So, if you are sensitive to thyme, I would suggest omitting it altogether, or finding another herb you would prefer to use.
5. I served the chicken pot pie with homemade mashed potatoes and salad. It was the perfect additions to this all American classic.
If you try it, let me know how your dish turns out! Hopefully you have more success the first time around than I did.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Natalie's Chicken Enchiladas & Cilantro Rice
Last Sunday we celebrated my parents 31st wedding anniversary. I told my parents I would make them anything they wanted and they chose my chicken enchiladas accompanied by cilantro rice and black beans (we are HUGE Mexican food lovers). I also made them a special cake, but that will be a separate blog. Everything turned out great and we had a wonderful time celebrating their anniversary with them!
Here are the recipes:
Chicken Enchiladas
(This will make 2 - 13x9 pans of chicken enchiladas)
Ingredients
3 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
4 cups fancy shredded Mexican style cheese (2 - 8oz bags of cheese)
1 large can (28oz) green chile enchiladas sauce
1 can of sweet corn, drained
1 small onion, chopped and sauteed
Dash of ground cumin
24 corn tortillas
Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Spray both 13x9 pans with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Saute your chopped onion with nonstick cooking spray first. Add a little cumin to season up the onions. Cook until onions are soft.
3. Place tortillas in a large Ziploc bag and heat in the microwave for about 2 minutes. This will soften up the tortillas and make them easy to roll (and not break).
4. Place all ingredients in bowls in front of you, so it's easy to assemble your enchiladas. To assemble the enchiladas; take a warm tortilla, add a small spoon full of corn, onions and chicken. Roll the tortilla and place in pan, folded side down. Repeat until you use up all your ingredients. Should be about 12 enchiladas per pan.
5. Pour 1/2 of the can of green chile enchiladas sauce over one pan, pour the other half over the other pan.
6. Top with 2 cups of cheese per pan.
7. Cover with foil and bake about 35 minutes, or until enchiladas are bubbly and the cheese has completely melted. Once done, take out of oven and let set at least 10 minutes.
Cilantro Rice
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups packed cilantro leaves (about 3oz)
3 medium garlic cloves
1 medium serrano chile, halved lengthwise and seeded
3 1/3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup yellow onion, minced
2 cups long-grain white rice
1 tbsp kosher salt
Directions
1. Combine cilantro, garlic, chile and 2 cups broth in a blender and process until smooth; set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add onion and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
3. Add rice and salt stir to coat in oil and cook until rice becomes opaque, about 2 minutes.
4. Carefully pour the cilantro mixture and the remaining 1 1/3 cups broth into rice and stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to low so rice is at a simmer.
5. Cover and cook until rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Turn off heat and let rice rest covered about 5 minutes.
6. Fluff with fork and serve.
Black Beans - I've blogged this recipe before. See Taco Tuesday.
Natalie Notes:
1. You can omit the chicken and add shredded beef or pork to the enchiladas, or just use all cheese inside.
2. You can add diced green chiles and black olives inside the enchiladas or on top when baking.
3. You may substitute red enchiladas sauce for the green (we just prefer the green sauce).
I hope you enjoy these enchiladas as much as we did. They are a staple in our house! :-)
Here are the recipes:
Chicken Enchiladas
(This will make 2 - 13x9 pans of chicken enchiladas)
Ingredients
3 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
4 cups fancy shredded Mexican style cheese (2 - 8oz bags of cheese)
1 large can (28oz) green chile enchiladas sauce
1 can of sweet corn, drained
1 small onion, chopped and sauteed
Dash of ground cumin
24 corn tortillas
Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Spray both 13x9 pans with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Saute your chopped onion with nonstick cooking spray first. Add a little cumin to season up the onions. Cook until onions are soft.
3. Place tortillas in a large Ziploc bag and heat in the microwave for about 2 minutes. This will soften up the tortillas and make them easy to roll (and not break).
4. Place all ingredients in bowls in front of you, so it's easy to assemble your enchiladas. To assemble the enchiladas; take a warm tortilla, add a small spoon full of corn, onions and chicken. Roll the tortilla and place in pan, folded side down. Repeat until you use up all your ingredients. Should be about 12 enchiladas per pan.
5. Pour 1/2 of the can of green chile enchiladas sauce over one pan, pour the other half over the other pan.
6. Top with 2 cups of cheese per pan.
7. Cover with foil and bake about 35 minutes, or until enchiladas are bubbly and the cheese has completely melted. Once done, take out of oven and let set at least 10 minutes.
Cilantro Rice
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups packed cilantro leaves (about 3oz)
3 medium garlic cloves
1 medium serrano chile, halved lengthwise and seeded
3 1/3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup yellow onion, minced
2 cups long-grain white rice
1 tbsp kosher salt
Directions
1. Combine cilantro, garlic, chile and 2 cups broth in a blender and process until smooth; set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add onion and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
3. Add rice and salt stir to coat in oil and cook until rice becomes opaque, about 2 minutes.
4. Carefully pour the cilantro mixture and the remaining 1 1/3 cups broth into rice and stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to low so rice is at a simmer.
5. Cover and cook until rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Turn off heat and let rice rest covered about 5 minutes.
6. Fluff with fork and serve.
Black Beans - I've blogged this recipe before. See Taco Tuesday.
Natalie Notes:
1. You can omit the chicken and add shredded beef or pork to the enchiladas, or just use all cheese inside.
2. You can add diced green chiles and black olives inside the enchiladas or on top when baking.
3. You may substitute red enchiladas sauce for the green (we just prefer the green sauce).
I hope you enjoy these enchiladas as much as we did. They are a staple in our house! :-)
Deep-Dish Lasagna Pie
Tonight's dinner was Deep-Dish Lasagna Pie. I bought the Pillsbury Pot Pies & Casseroles magazine last week and I'm very excited to try their dishes, my first dish I made was the Deep-Dish Lasagna Pie. I feel like I make the same recipes over and over and over again... so I'm very excited to try new recipes. The meal was good and everyone liked it. It's a make-again dish. I also made a garden salad to go along with the lasagna.
Here is the recipe:
Ingredients
1 lb mild Italian pork sausage
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups tomato pasta sauce
1 tsp Italian seasonings
1 large egg
1 container (15 oz) park-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8oz)
2 cans (13.8 oz each) Pillsbury refrigerated classic pizza crust
Directions
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray 13x9 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In a large nonstick skillet, cook sausage, onion and garlic over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sausage is no longer pink; drain well. Stir in tomato pasta sauce and Italian seasonings; cook until thoroughly heated. In medium bowl, beat egg. Stir in ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese and 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella cheese.
3. Unroll dough for 1 pizza crust. Press in bottom and 1 inch up sides of baking dish. Spread cheese mixture over dough in bottom of dish. Spread sausage mixture over cheese mixture. Unroll dough for second pizza crust; place over sausage mixture and press edges to seal. Cut 4 slits in top crust.
4. Bake uncovered 15 minutes. Cover with foil to prevent excessive browning. Bake 9 to 11 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown. Top with remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Natalie's Notes:
1. Recipe did not call for garlic, but I added garlic. Who's ever heard of an Italian dish without garlic?
2. My oven is electric and bakes way faster than normal ovens. If your oven is the same way, I suggest turning the temp down to 400 degrees and checking the pie after about 11 minutes. Mine was starting to burn after 15 minutes.
3. You could add mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, zucchini or any other veggie you like to the dish. Or make it vegetarian altogether.
Hope you enjoy it! :D
Here is the recipe:
Ingredients
1 lb mild Italian pork sausage
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups tomato pasta sauce
1 tsp Italian seasonings
1 large egg
1 container (15 oz) park-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8oz)
2 cans (13.8 oz each) Pillsbury refrigerated classic pizza crust
Directions
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray 13x9 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In a large nonstick skillet, cook sausage, onion and garlic over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sausage is no longer pink; drain well. Stir in tomato pasta sauce and Italian seasonings; cook until thoroughly heated. In medium bowl, beat egg. Stir in ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese and 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella cheese.
3. Unroll dough for 1 pizza crust. Press in bottom and 1 inch up sides of baking dish. Spread cheese mixture over dough in bottom of dish. Spread sausage mixture over cheese mixture. Unroll dough for second pizza crust; place over sausage mixture and press edges to seal. Cut 4 slits in top crust.
4. Bake uncovered 15 minutes. Cover with foil to prevent excessive browning. Bake 9 to 11 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown. Top with remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Natalie's Notes:
1. Recipe did not call for garlic, but I added garlic. Who's ever heard of an Italian dish without garlic?
2. My oven is electric and bakes way faster than normal ovens. If your oven is the same way, I suggest turning the temp down to 400 degrees and checking the pie after about 11 minutes. Mine was starting to burn after 15 minutes.
3. You could add mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, zucchini or any other veggie you like to the dish. Or make it vegetarian altogether.
Hope you enjoy it! :D
Friday, September 24, 2010
Ooey Gooey Lemon Butter Cake
Thankfully all is right with the world and TV is good again! Last night was the premiere of Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice. Yesterday was also one of my best friend's birthday. So, to celebrate her birthday and kick off the return of some great shows I asked her to go through my Cake Doctor book and select any cake she wanted me to make. She selected the Lemon Chess Gooey Butter Cake. I've been calling it the Ooey Gooey Lemon Butter Cake for weeks now, so it kind of stuck, and honestly I like the name Ooey Gooey much better. :-) This dessert turned out divine. It almost tastes like a lemon bar, with a buttery crust. If you do not own any of the Cake Doctor books, I highly suggest investing in one. They are amazing recipes using a box of cake mix and "doctoring" up the recipe. I've made some of the best desserts using this book. Seriously, these recipes make even the most novice baker look like Martha Stewart.
Here is the recipe:
Crust
Ingredients:
1 package plain yellow cake mix
8 tbsp (1 stick) of butter, melted
1 large egg
Filling
Ingredients:
2 large lemons
1 package (8oz) cream cheese, at room temperature
2 large eggs
8 tbsp (1 stick) butter, melted
2 tbsp white or yellow cornmeal
3 3/4 cups confectioner's sugar
Directions:
1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Set aside an ungreased 13x9 pan.
2. For the crust, place the cake mix, melted butter and egg in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 2 minutes. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. The batter should come together in a ball. With your fingertips, pat the batter evenly over the bottom of the pan, smoothing it out with your fingers until the top is smooth. Set the pan aside.
3. For the filling, rinse and dry the lemons well. Grate the zest from the lemons and set aside; you should have about 2 teaspoons. Cut the lemons in half, and squeeze the juice into a small; you should have about 6 tablespoons. Set the juice aside.
4. Place the cream cheese in the same mixing bowl that was used to make the crust, and with the same beaters (no need to clean either) blend with an electric mixer on low speed until fluffy, 30 seconds or so. Stop the machine and add the lemon juice, lemon zest, eggs, melted butter and cornmeal and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and add the confectioners' sugar (1 cup at a time). Beat on medium speed until the sugar is well incorporated, 1 minute more. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the filling onto the crust and spread with the rubber spatula so that the filling covers the entire surface and reaches the sides of the pan. Place the pan in the oven.
5. Bake the cake until it is well browned but the center still juggles when you shake the pan, 45-47 minutes (I suggest checking at 30 minutes, especially if your oven bakes fast). Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool, 30 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.
Store this cake, covered with foil, at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Or freeze it, wrapped in foil, for up to 6 months. Thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
When I first read the recipe I thought it sounded a little involved, but it really wasn't difficult to execute. I hope you give this recipe a try and enjoy it as much as the birthday girl and the rest of us did.
Here is the recipe:
Crust
Ingredients:
1 package plain yellow cake mix
8 tbsp (1 stick) of butter, melted
1 large egg
Filling
Ingredients:
2 large lemons
1 package (8oz) cream cheese, at room temperature
2 large eggs
8 tbsp (1 stick) butter, melted
2 tbsp white or yellow cornmeal
3 3/4 cups confectioner's sugar
Directions:
1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Set aside an ungreased 13x9 pan.
2. For the crust, place the cake mix, melted butter and egg in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 2 minutes. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. The batter should come together in a ball. With your fingertips, pat the batter evenly over the bottom of the pan, smoothing it out with your fingers until the top is smooth. Set the pan aside.
3. For the filling, rinse and dry the lemons well. Grate the zest from the lemons and set aside; you should have about 2 teaspoons. Cut the lemons in half, and squeeze the juice into a small; you should have about 6 tablespoons. Set the juice aside.
4. Place the cream cheese in the same mixing bowl that was used to make the crust, and with the same beaters (no need to clean either) blend with an electric mixer on low speed until fluffy, 30 seconds or so. Stop the machine and add the lemon juice, lemon zest, eggs, melted butter and cornmeal and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and add the confectioners' sugar (1 cup at a time). Beat on medium speed until the sugar is well incorporated, 1 minute more. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the filling onto the crust and spread with the rubber spatula so that the filling covers the entire surface and reaches the sides of the pan. Place the pan in the oven.
5. Bake the cake until it is well browned but the center still juggles when you shake the pan, 45-47 minutes (I suggest checking at 30 minutes, especially if your oven bakes fast). Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool, 30 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.
Store this cake, covered with foil, at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Or freeze it, wrapped in foil, for up to 6 months. Thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
When I first read the recipe I thought it sounded a little involved, but it really wasn't difficult to execute. I hope you give this recipe a try and enjoy it as much as the birthday girl and the rest of us did.
Cheesy Enchiladas Casserole
Last night's dinner was so simple and yet oh so delicious. I usually make enchiladas casserole with a lot of goodies, but since I haven't been grocery shopping in a while, I was really lacking in the goodies department. I basically made cheese enchiladas, but layered like a casserole. It was a HUGE hit with the family and there were NO left overs after this simple dish.
Here is the recipe!
Ingredients:
8 oz Pepperjack Cheese, shredded
8 oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1 small can of diced black olives
1 medium size can of green enchiladas sauce
16 corn tortillas
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 13x9 pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Take 4 of the corn tortillas and cut them in half. Layer the bottom of the baking pan with the halved tortillas, cut side touching the edge of the pan.
3. Drizzle a little bit of the green sauce over the tortillas.
4. Top with 1/3 of the cheese (both Pepperjack and Cheddar). Top with 1/2 of the chopped olives.
5. Take 8 tortillas and cut into small strips. Layer over the cheese. Drizzle more green sauce over tortilla strips. Layer with another 1/3 of cheese and remaining olives.
6. Take remaining 4 tortillas and cut in halves. Layer the tortillas on top of cheese just like you did with the bottom tortillas. Top with remaining cheese and green sauce.
7. Cover with foil and bake about 35-40 minutes. Casserole should be bubbly and cheese completely melted. Let stand about 10 minutes before serving.
Side Notes
Some of my usual casserole add-ons:
1. Seasoned ground turkey (already cooked) to the layers.
2. 1 can of corn, drained
3. 1 can of whole black beans, drained
4. Sauteed onion and garlic
This casserole is so easy and can be modified any which way you like. I've made veggie enchiladas casserole before too. That was an excellent version of the 'ol stand by. I added squash, celery, carrots, onion and garlic. It was quite tasty. Have fun with this recipe and make it your own. :-)
Enjoy!
Here is the recipe!
Ingredients:
8 oz Pepperjack Cheese, shredded
8 oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1 small can of diced black olives
1 medium size can of green enchiladas sauce
16 corn tortillas
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 13x9 pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Take 4 of the corn tortillas and cut them in half. Layer the bottom of the baking pan with the halved tortillas, cut side touching the edge of the pan.
3. Drizzle a little bit of the green sauce over the tortillas.
4. Top with 1/3 of the cheese (both Pepperjack and Cheddar). Top with 1/2 of the chopped olives.
5. Take 8 tortillas and cut into small strips. Layer over the cheese. Drizzle more green sauce over tortilla strips. Layer with another 1/3 of cheese and remaining olives.
6. Take remaining 4 tortillas and cut in halves. Layer the tortillas on top of cheese just like you did with the bottom tortillas. Top with remaining cheese and green sauce.
7. Cover with foil and bake about 35-40 minutes. Casserole should be bubbly and cheese completely melted. Let stand about 10 minutes before serving.
Side Notes
Some of my usual casserole add-ons:
1. Seasoned ground turkey (already cooked) to the layers.
2. 1 can of corn, drained
3. 1 can of whole black beans, drained
4. Sauteed onion and garlic
This casserole is so easy and can be modified any which way you like. I've made veggie enchiladas casserole before too. That was an excellent version of the 'ol stand by. I added squash, celery, carrots, onion and garlic. It was quite tasty. Have fun with this recipe and make it your own. :-)
Enjoy!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Spanish Rice
Tonight I am making tacos, because it is Taco Tuesday! In addition to the tacos and beans that I made last week (please see my blog about Taco Tuesday if you need those recipes) I'm making homemade spanish rice. I'm pretty sure this is Dayne's favorite side dish, the kid can't get enough of the rice when I make it. :-) I like to use the left over rice the next day and make rice and cheese burritos. It's super tasty! This is a recipe I wrote down years ago (can't even remember from where), but have modified the heck out of it.
Here's the recipe:
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup white rice
1 15oz can diced tomatoes (mexican style or with green chiles) - DO NOT DRAIN
1 4oz can diced green chiles (mild)
4 tbsp taco seasoning
3 1/3 cup water
1/2 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasonings
Nonstick cooking spray
Optional:
2 celery stalks, diced small
1 can corn, drained
2 cans of chicken broth (instead of water)
Directions:
1. Heat a large pot and add the nonstick cooking spray. Saute the onion and garlic. Add the celery (if using celery), saute until celery is almost tender.
2. Add the rice and saute until rice is opaque.
3. Add the water (or chicken broth), can of tomatoes, diced green chiles, corn, taco seasoning and Mrs. Dash Chipotle Seasonings. Use as much or as little of the Chipotle seasonings, this is up to you and how much heat you like. I just give a good sprinkle.
4. Bring pot to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer (low heat) and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, stir rice and let stand about 5 minutes.
Side Notes:
1. I love to use celery if I have it in the house. It just adds a little more flavor to the rice.
2. I also love using corn in the rice too, if I have it on hand, again, adds a little extra flavor.
3. I like to top the rice with a sprinkle of shredded cheese.
4. You can substitute the white rice for brown rice, but allow extra cooking time. Anywhere from 15-30 minutes. Brown rice does not get as soft as white rice, so your spanish rice might be a tad al dente if using brown rice. I personally prefer using white rice when making spanish rice.
5. The green chiles do not add heat to the rice, they only add flavor. Mild diced green chiles (such as Ortega) do not have any heat to them, they are pure flavor!
6. If you don't have taco seasoning on hand, use a combination of ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, garlic salt and chili powder. It will give you basically the same flavors.
Hope you enjoy this tasty side dish!
Here's the recipe:
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup white rice
1 15oz can diced tomatoes (mexican style or with green chiles) - DO NOT DRAIN
1 4oz can diced green chiles (mild)
4 tbsp taco seasoning
3 1/3 cup water
1/2 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasonings
Nonstick cooking spray
Optional:
2 celery stalks, diced small
1 can corn, drained
2 cans of chicken broth (instead of water)
Directions:
1. Heat a large pot and add the nonstick cooking spray. Saute the onion and garlic. Add the celery (if using celery), saute until celery is almost tender.
2. Add the rice and saute until rice is opaque.
3. Add the water (or chicken broth), can of tomatoes, diced green chiles, corn, taco seasoning and Mrs. Dash Chipotle Seasonings. Use as much or as little of the Chipotle seasonings, this is up to you and how much heat you like. I just give a good sprinkle.
4. Bring pot to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer (low heat) and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, stir rice and let stand about 5 minutes.
Side Notes:
1. I love to use celery if I have it in the house. It just adds a little more flavor to the rice.
2. I also love using corn in the rice too, if I have it on hand, again, adds a little extra flavor.
3. I like to top the rice with a sprinkle of shredded cheese.
4. You can substitute the white rice for brown rice, but allow extra cooking time. Anywhere from 15-30 minutes. Brown rice does not get as soft as white rice, so your spanish rice might be a tad al dente if using brown rice. I personally prefer using white rice when making spanish rice.
5. The green chiles do not add heat to the rice, they only add flavor. Mild diced green chiles (such as Ortega) do not have any heat to them, they are pure flavor!
6. If you don't have taco seasoning on hand, use a combination of ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, garlic salt and chili powder. It will give you basically the same flavors.
Hope you enjoy this tasty side dish!
Monday, September 20, 2010
Meatloaf Monday... With Cheesy Toasted Onion Mashed Potatoes
Two posts in one day... I'm on a roll! Tonight I am making meatloaf... done Natalie style. I use ground turkey and lots of deliciousness to make this one tasty loaf. This is a huge hit with the family, especially the hubby, it's his favorite meal. I am also making cheesy toasted onion mashed potatoes. I'm cheating on the veggies, I'm just warming up a SteamFresh bag of veggies. :-)
Here's the recipe:
Meatloaf
Ingredients:
2 pounds ground turkey
1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of bread crumbs Italian style
1/2 quick oats
1 package toasted onion soup mix & dip mix
1/2 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 large eggs
6 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
6 tsp spicy brown mustard
1 1/2 cups ketchup
Cooking Spray
Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. Warm a medium skillet and spray with nonstick cooking oil. Once warm, add your onion and garlic and saute until tender. Remove from heat.
3. Prep your baking dish before mixing ingredients together. Use a 13x9 baking pan and line with foil. Spray foil with nonstick cooking oil.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combined all ingredients, but reserve 1/2 cup of ketchup and 2 tsp of spicy brown mustard (this will go on top of the meatloaf). Add the sauteed garlic and onions to mixing bowl as well. Combined all ingredients well with your hands. Transfer meat mixture to baking dish and shape into a loaf shape. Top with remaining ketchup and spicy brown mustard.
5. Line the top of dish with foil and bake about 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Juices should be bubbling.
Cheesy Toasted Onion Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
6 large russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
4 tbsp butter
1 cup milk (or heavy cream)
2 cups cheddar cheese
1 package toasted onion soup mix & dip mix
Directions:
1. Place potatoes into a large pot, cover potatoes with water and boil over a medium-high heat until potatoes are tender. Drain and return to pot.
2. Add butter and milk and mix well with a potato masher until potatoes are mashed well.
3. Add toasted onion dip mix and cheese. Mix well.
Side Notes:
1. I like to saute the garlic and onions before adding them to the meat because they have a better flavor, and the onions don't always cook fully in the oven if they are raw. I don't like crunchy raw onions in my meatloaf.
2. Potatoes will be a little sticky because of the cheese. If you like creamier potatoes, add more butter and milk until you've reached your desired texture.
3. I use ground turkey, but you could use 2 pounds of ground beef if you prefer.
4. If you are not cooking for as many big eaters as I do, you can reduce all the ingredients in half and make a smaller meatloaf. Cooking time would be about an hour.
5. If you have left over meatloaf, it makes an excellent sandwich the next day! Sourdough bread and mozzarella melted on top, it's a perfect way to do lunch!
I hope you enjoy the meatloaf and mashed potatoes as much as we do!
Here's the recipe:
Meatloaf
Ingredients:
2 pounds ground turkey
1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of bread crumbs Italian style
1/2 quick oats
1 package toasted onion soup mix & dip mix
1/2 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 large eggs
6 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
6 tsp spicy brown mustard
1 1/2 cups ketchup
Cooking Spray
Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. Warm a medium skillet and spray with nonstick cooking oil. Once warm, add your onion and garlic and saute until tender. Remove from heat.
3. Prep your baking dish before mixing ingredients together. Use a 13x9 baking pan and line with foil. Spray foil with nonstick cooking oil.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combined all ingredients, but reserve 1/2 cup of ketchup and 2 tsp of spicy brown mustard (this will go on top of the meatloaf). Add the sauteed garlic and onions to mixing bowl as well. Combined all ingredients well with your hands. Transfer meat mixture to baking dish and shape into a loaf shape. Top with remaining ketchup and spicy brown mustard.
5. Line the top of dish with foil and bake about 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Juices should be bubbling.
Cheesy Toasted Onion Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
6 large russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
4 tbsp butter
1 cup milk (or heavy cream)
2 cups cheddar cheese
1 package toasted onion soup mix & dip mix
Directions:
1. Place potatoes into a large pot, cover potatoes with water and boil over a medium-high heat until potatoes are tender. Drain and return to pot.
2. Add butter and milk and mix well with a potato masher until potatoes are mashed well.
3. Add toasted onion dip mix and cheese. Mix well.
Side Notes:
1. I like to saute the garlic and onions before adding them to the meat because they have a better flavor, and the onions don't always cook fully in the oven if they are raw. I don't like crunchy raw onions in my meatloaf.
2. Potatoes will be a little sticky because of the cheese. If you like creamier potatoes, add more butter and milk until you've reached your desired texture.
3. I use ground turkey, but you could use 2 pounds of ground beef if you prefer.
4. If you are not cooking for as many big eaters as I do, you can reduce all the ingredients in half and make a smaller meatloaf. Cooking time would be about an hour.
5. If you have left over meatloaf, it makes an excellent sandwich the next day! Sourdough bread and mozzarella melted on top, it's a perfect way to do lunch!
I hope you enjoy the meatloaf and mashed potatoes as much as we do!
Homemade Gnocchi and Mushroom Ragu
So, last night I really tried something out of my comfort zone. I've never made homemade dough before, and dough in general has always kind of frightened me. Not sure why, it's just flour. I've been really wanting to start making homemade pies, and I thought making gnocchi might actually motivate me to learn how to work with dough. So, I did it. And, gosh darn it, I'm pretty good at following a recipe! The homemade gnocchi with mushroom ragu was really delicious and I think it will be staple in our house for years to come. I wish this recipe was my own, but I got it from the September 2010 Issue of the Food Network Magazine. I do have to warn you though, if you are going to attempt this recipe, allow yourself a good 3 1/2 hours from start to finish to make this meal. It's most definitely a labor of love and NOT a weekday meal. That's why I attempted this recipe on a Sunday.
*Vegetarian Friendly
Here is the recipe:
How to Make Homemade Gnocchi
Ingredients:
4 large russet potatoes
1 large egg, beaten
2 tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
salt & pepper
1 cup plus 2 tbsp of all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
Directions:
1. Bake the potatoes at 425 degrees, until tender (about an hour). Cool slightly then halve and scoop the flesh into a ricer or food mill; press into a bowl (NATALIE NOTE: you can also mash well with a fork or potato masher - I used a potato masher and just put some arm muscle behind it - turned out fine).
2. Add the egg, cheese, butter, 1 tsp salt, and pepper to taste, stir with a fork until combined. Add the flour and stir to make a rough dough, then mix by hand until smooth. Add more flour if it's sticky. NATALIE NOTE: You do not want sticky dough, if the dough is sticky, the dough will dissolve when you cook it. Add as much flour as you need to make the dough unsticky!
3. Gather the dough into a ball on a floured surface and divide into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a 12-inch-long, 1/2-inch-thick log with your hands (looks like a snake).
4. Cut the logs into 1-inch pieces. Freeze on floured baking sheets until ready to cook. (Once frozen, store up to 1 month in a sealed container).
How to Make Mushroom Ragu with Gnocchi
Ingredients:
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced
2 small carrots, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
2 pounds wild mushrooms, stemmed and diced if large
Kosher salt and ground pepper
1/4 pound cremini mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup canned whole tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground fennel seeds
Pinch of red pepper flakes (if you want heat)
1 tbsp fresh thyme
1 1/2 pounds fresh gnocchi
Mascarpone and/or fresh mint for topping
Directions:
1. Heat half of the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add half of the wild mushrooms and cook until golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then push to the edges of the pot. Add the remaining olive oil and wild mushrooms and cook 3 to 5 more minutes. Add the cremini mushrooms and cook 1 more minute. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, about 2 minutes. Add the wine; cook, scraping up any browned bits, about 2 more minutes. Add the tomatoes, 1 cup water, the bay leaves, coriander, fennel, red pepper flakes (optional), thyme, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper to taste. Simmer over medium heat, about 30 minutes (thin with water if needed). Season with salt and pepper.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi, stir and cook for 1 minute after they float, about 3 minutes total (gnocchi should be tender). Transfer with a slotted spoon to the pot with the sauce and gently stir over low heat. Serve topped with mascarpone and/or mint.
Side notes:
1. Make sure to add enough salt to your gnocchi dough. I didn't add enough salt. If you can, taste your dough before rolling to make sure it's salted enough for your liking.
2. You can use any type of mushrooms you like in the ragu. I used shitake, cremini and regular white mushrooms. Turned out very tasty. Portabello mushrooms would be good too.
3. I topped the ragu with parmesan cheese and mint.
4. Make sure you have GROUND coriander and fennel. I did not have ground coriander or ground fennel, I had whole of both seasonings, and every once in a while you got a whole piece of each seasoning.
This was a perfect meal to kick Autumn off with, it's thick like a stew and warms your belly.
Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
*Vegetarian Friendly
Here is the recipe:
How to Make Homemade Gnocchi
Ingredients:
4 large russet potatoes
1 large egg, beaten
2 tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
salt & pepper
1 cup plus 2 tbsp of all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
Directions:
1. Bake the potatoes at 425 degrees, until tender (about an hour). Cool slightly then halve and scoop the flesh into a ricer or food mill; press into a bowl (NATALIE NOTE: you can also mash well with a fork or potato masher - I used a potato masher and just put some arm muscle behind it - turned out fine).
2. Add the egg, cheese, butter, 1 tsp salt, and pepper to taste, stir with a fork until combined. Add the flour and stir to make a rough dough, then mix by hand until smooth. Add more flour if it's sticky. NATALIE NOTE: You do not want sticky dough, if the dough is sticky, the dough will dissolve when you cook it. Add as much flour as you need to make the dough unsticky!
3. Gather the dough into a ball on a floured surface and divide into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a 12-inch-long, 1/2-inch-thick log with your hands (looks like a snake).
4. Cut the logs into 1-inch pieces. Freeze on floured baking sheets until ready to cook. (Once frozen, store up to 1 month in a sealed container).
How to Make Mushroom Ragu with Gnocchi
Ingredients:
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced
2 small carrots, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
2 pounds wild mushrooms, stemmed and diced if large
Kosher salt and ground pepper
1/4 pound cremini mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup canned whole tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground fennel seeds
Pinch of red pepper flakes (if you want heat)
1 tbsp fresh thyme
1 1/2 pounds fresh gnocchi
Mascarpone and/or fresh mint for topping
Directions:
1. Heat half of the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add half of the wild mushrooms and cook until golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then push to the edges of the pot. Add the remaining olive oil and wild mushrooms and cook 3 to 5 more minutes. Add the cremini mushrooms and cook 1 more minute. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, about 2 minutes. Add the wine; cook, scraping up any browned bits, about 2 more minutes. Add the tomatoes, 1 cup water, the bay leaves, coriander, fennel, red pepper flakes (optional), thyme, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper to taste. Simmer over medium heat, about 30 minutes (thin with water if needed). Season with salt and pepper.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi, stir and cook for 1 minute after they float, about 3 minutes total (gnocchi should be tender). Transfer with a slotted spoon to the pot with the sauce and gently stir over low heat. Serve topped with mascarpone and/or mint.
Side notes:
1. Make sure to add enough salt to your gnocchi dough. I didn't add enough salt. If you can, taste your dough before rolling to make sure it's salted enough for your liking.
2. You can use any type of mushrooms you like in the ragu. I used shitake, cremini and regular white mushrooms. Turned out very tasty. Portabello mushrooms would be good too.
3. I topped the ragu with parmesan cheese and mint.
4. Make sure you have GROUND coriander and fennel. I did not have ground coriander or ground fennel, I had whole of both seasonings, and every once in a while you got a whole piece of each seasoning.
This was a perfect meal to kick Autumn off with, it's thick like a stew and warms your belly.
Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Chile Relleno Burgers & Homemade French "Fries"
Tonight's dinner menu was Chile Relleno Burgers and Homemade French "Fries". I tried a new recipe tonight from The Food Network magazine (September 2010 issue). I'm not a huge fan of beef, and rarely use it, but this recipe called for ground beef chuck (which is just ground beef with only 7% fat - according to the meat man at Stator Bros.) and I like to follow first time recipes to the T (and then modify the next time if I feel like it). The "fries" are my own recipe. They are french fries, but a healthier version of fries by baking them in the oven.
The burgers were a hit, and even my 18 month old ate his burger (less the bun) with the roasted tomatoes, garlic and onions stuffed in it. But, please don't base my 18 month old eating habits to your own child, my child consumes anything and everything (including spicy salsa), well everything except for milk. Go figure!
So, with all that being said, here's the recipe!
Ingredients
Chile Relleno Burgers:
2 large poblano peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
2 plum tomatoes or 1 large tomato, cored and halved
1 small onion, quartered
3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
Kosher salt
4 hamburger buns, split open
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 lbs ground chuck (93% lean ground beef)
6 slices cheese (I'm going to use pepperjack)
French "Fries"
4 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into small, lengthwise strips
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2-3 tsp of Lawry's seasoning salt
Directions
For the Burgers:
1. Preheat the broiler. Put the poblanos cut-side down on a foil-lined pan. Add the tomatoes, onion and garlic and broil until charred (recipe says it will take 7-8 minutes to char the veggies, it took me more than 30 minutes, so be careful to watch your veggies). Good rule of thumb - the peppers should be bubbly and the peel should look waxy, that means they will be easy to peel (I learned my lesson the hard way tonight). Cool slightly, then peel the garlic. Chop the garlic, onion and tomatoes; toss in a bowl with salt to taste. Peel the poblanos and cut each in half.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush the bun tops with the egg white. Mix the oregano, cumin and chili powder, sprinkle on the bun tops and put the tops and bottoms on a baking sheet. Bake 5 minutes.
3. Heat a large cooking skillet over medium-high heat. Shape the beef into four 3/4-inch thick patties; make an indentation in the centers. Sprinkle the skillet with salt, then cook the burgers until browned on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Flip, then top each burger with some of the tomato mixture and cheese. Cover and cook for about 10 more minutes (this should leave the center just slightly pink). Serve on the spiced buns with the poblanos and the remaining tomato mixture.
For the "Fries":
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place cut potatoes into a large mixing bowl with olive oil and 1 tsp of seasoning salt. Coat all potato pieces well with oil and seasoning salt. (Tonight I also sprinkled a pinch of cumin over the fries for matching flavors with the burgers, but it's optional).
2. Line potato pieces on a cookie sheet (or clay cooker, if you have one), sprinkle with remaining seasoning salt and bake about 30 minutes - or until desired crispness.
3. Serve with ketchup and/or ranch dressing.
We really enjoyed this recipe, and I hope you do too!
The burgers were a hit, and even my 18 month old ate his burger (less the bun) with the roasted tomatoes, garlic and onions stuffed in it. But, please don't base my 18 month old eating habits to your own child, my child consumes anything and everything (including spicy salsa), well everything except for milk. Go figure!
So, with all that being said, here's the recipe!
Ingredients
Chile Relleno Burgers:
2 large poblano peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
2 plum tomatoes or 1 large tomato, cored and halved
1 small onion, quartered
3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
Kosher salt
4 hamburger buns, split open
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 lbs ground chuck (93% lean ground beef)
6 slices cheese (I'm going to use pepperjack)
French "Fries"
4 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into small, lengthwise strips
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2-3 tsp of Lawry's seasoning salt
Directions
For the Burgers:
1. Preheat the broiler. Put the poblanos cut-side down on a foil-lined pan. Add the tomatoes, onion and garlic and broil until charred (recipe says it will take 7-8 minutes to char the veggies, it took me more than 30 minutes, so be careful to watch your veggies). Good rule of thumb - the peppers should be bubbly and the peel should look waxy, that means they will be easy to peel (I learned my lesson the hard way tonight). Cool slightly, then peel the garlic. Chop the garlic, onion and tomatoes; toss in a bowl with salt to taste. Peel the poblanos and cut each in half.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush the bun tops with the egg white. Mix the oregano, cumin and chili powder, sprinkle on the bun tops and put the tops and bottoms on a baking sheet. Bake 5 minutes.
3. Heat a large cooking skillet over medium-high heat. Shape the beef into four 3/4-inch thick patties; make an indentation in the centers. Sprinkle the skillet with salt, then cook the burgers until browned on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Flip, then top each burger with some of the tomato mixture and cheese. Cover and cook for about 10 more minutes (this should leave the center just slightly pink). Serve on the spiced buns with the poblanos and the remaining tomato mixture.
For the "Fries":
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place cut potatoes into a large mixing bowl with olive oil and 1 tsp of seasoning salt. Coat all potato pieces well with oil and seasoning salt. (Tonight I also sprinkled a pinch of cumin over the fries for matching flavors with the burgers, but it's optional).
2. Line potato pieces on a cookie sheet (or clay cooker, if you have one), sprinkle with remaining seasoning salt and bake about 30 minutes - or until desired crispness.
3. Serve with ketchup and/or ranch dressing.
We really enjoyed this recipe, and I hope you do too!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Taco Tuesday!
Welcome to my new blog. I started this blog because for about a year now I post what I cook each night for my family on Facebook. As the months have gone by, I have had several people tell me that my dinners sound delicious and they love reading what I cook. I honestly didn't think I had a "following" of people that enjoyed my dinner posts, but I actually got a request from two very kind ladies last night asking me to start a blog. So, I thought, what the heck. So, going forward I will blog what I make each night and post the recipe here for you to try (if you like). Most of my meals are family friendly, easy to make and very affordable. I'm not a fancy gourmet cook, I am just a regular gal cookin' for her family. I try to make my meals healthy (or healthier) by using ground turkey (instead of beef), chicken, whole wheat pasta, olive oil, etc. Some of my dinners are recipes I find out of magazines or cookbooks and some are my own creations. My secret ingredient to all my meals is Love! I know, I know, a little cheesy, but if you love cooking for your family, then the meal will be that much better! :-)
A little bit about me: I was born and raised in Brea, CA. I married my high school sweetheart when I was 18 years old and we have been married for 11 years. We have two sons together, Dylan - 9 1/2 and Dayne 18 months. I am a full time mom and also work from home as an Accounting Manager for a staffing and recruiting company. I love my family very, very much!
Alright, now for the fun stuff! Tonight's dinner is something anyone can make, and it's really not that inventive, but it's Taco Tuesday night at the Long's. Here is how I make my tacos:
Ingredients:
The Meat:
2 lbs ground turkey
1 small onion - chopped
3 garlic cloves - minced
Taco Seasoning (see below)
Non-stick cooking spray
Taco Seasoning:
Ground Cumin
Chili Powder
Garlic Salt
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning
- I do not have exact measurements, but I just sprinkle over the meat while it's cooking and taste as I go. Good rule of thumb is to start with 1tsp for each seasoning and add as needed. Don't go to heavy on the Mrs. Dash Chipotle Seasoning, unless you like your meat with some extra heat (I have to be careful with this seasoning because of the 18 month old). Of course you can always use store bought taco mix too, it's just cheaper to season yourself. For 2 pounds of meat you would use 2 taco seasoning packets.
Refried Beans:
2 cans refried beans (we like Rosarita's Lowfat Black Beans, but you can use any type or flavor)
1/2 cup of shredded cheese
1 tsp garlic salt
The Rest:
Corn tortillas (warmed in a plastic baggie in the microwave - good rule of thumb, if you are warming 1-2 corn tortillas microwave on high for 10 seconds, for each additional tortilla add 5 seconds).
Shredded Pepperjack and Colby cheese (for tacos I like to freshly shred my cheese, it melts better than the bagged shredded cheese from the store)
Salsa
Dollop of Light Sour Cream
Chopped tomatoes
Cooking Directions:
Meat: Chop onion and mince garlic while warming a large cooking skillet. Spray with non-stick cooking spray (I like non-stick olive oil spray). Add onion and garlic and saute. Add the ground turkey and cook. While ground turkey is cooking, add your taco seasonings. Remember, ground turkey is poultry, so do not taste test your meat until the turkey is fully cooked!
Beans: Warm a medium cooking pot and add your two cans of refried beans. Warm about 1 minute, then add shredded cheese and garlic salt. Mix well and warm until the cheese is completely melted.
- I like to add cheese and garlic salt to the beans to boost the flavor and texture of the canned beans.
The Rest: Warm the tortillas, shred the cheese, chop a tomato or two (depends on much you like tomatoes) and get ready to prep your tacos.
Fill your warm tortilla with the taco meat, top with shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes, salsa and dollop of light sour cream. Use the beans as a side dish.
Side note: I cook for a family of 4 (3 of the members being male and large eaters). If your family is smaller or doesn't consume as much food, only make 1 lb of ground turkey and 1 can of beans.
Hope you enjoy these tacos as much as our family does! Happy Taco Tuesday!
A little bit about me: I was born and raised in Brea, CA. I married my high school sweetheart when I was 18 years old and we have been married for 11 years. We have two sons together, Dylan - 9 1/2 and Dayne 18 months. I am a full time mom and also work from home as an Accounting Manager for a staffing and recruiting company. I love my family very, very much!
Alright, now for the fun stuff! Tonight's dinner is something anyone can make, and it's really not that inventive, but it's Taco Tuesday night at the Long's. Here is how I make my tacos:
Ingredients:
The Meat:
2 lbs ground turkey
1 small onion - chopped
3 garlic cloves - minced
Taco Seasoning (see below)
Non-stick cooking spray
Taco Seasoning:
Ground Cumin
Chili Powder
Garlic Salt
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning
- I do not have exact measurements, but I just sprinkle over the meat while it's cooking and taste as I go. Good rule of thumb is to start with 1tsp for each seasoning and add as needed. Don't go to heavy on the Mrs. Dash Chipotle Seasoning, unless you like your meat with some extra heat (I have to be careful with this seasoning because of the 18 month old). Of course you can always use store bought taco mix too, it's just cheaper to season yourself. For 2 pounds of meat you would use 2 taco seasoning packets.
Refried Beans:
2 cans refried beans (we like Rosarita's Lowfat Black Beans, but you can use any type or flavor)
1/2 cup of shredded cheese
1 tsp garlic salt
The Rest:
Corn tortillas (warmed in a plastic baggie in the microwave - good rule of thumb, if you are warming 1-2 corn tortillas microwave on high for 10 seconds, for each additional tortilla add 5 seconds).
Shredded Pepperjack and Colby cheese (for tacos I like to freshly shred my cheese, it melts better than the bagged shredded cheese from the store)
Salsa
Dollop of Light Sour Cream
Chopped tomatoes
Cooking Directions:
Meat: Chop onion and mince garlic while warming a large cooking skillet. Spray with non-stick cooking spray (I like non-stick olive oil spray). Add onion and garlic and saute. Add the ground turkey and cook. While ground turkey is cooking, add your taco seasonings. Remember, ground turkey is poultry, so do not taste test your meat until the turkey is fully cooked!
Beans: Warm a medium cooking pot and add your two cans of refried beans. Warm about 1 minute, then add shredded cheese and garlic salt. Mix well and warm until the cheese is completely melted.
- I like to add cheese and garlic salt to the beans to boost the flavor and texture of the canned beans.
The Rest: Warm the tortillas, shred the cheese, chop a tomato or two (depends on much you like tomatoes) and get ready to prep your tacos.
Fill your warm tortilla with the taco meat, top with shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes, salsa and dollop of light sour cream. Use the beans as a side dish.
Side note: I cook for a family of 4 (3 of the members being male and large eaters). If your family is smaller or doesn't consume as much food, only make 1 lb of ground turkey and 1 can of beans.
Hope you enjoy these tacos as much as our family does! Happy Taco Tuesday!
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