BLT Pasta

I have meltdowns every so often.  It happens when I am overtired, overly busy and stressed.  I am not sure why I choose to make a new recipe when I am already having those kinds of obstacles, but the first time I made this recipe - I made it much more complicated than I should have because I skimmed the recipe and didn't actually read it before making this dish.  I almost always read recipes all the way through, but of course being overwhelmed with life made me skip that step and caused further issues.  I had a total meltdown in the while cooking when I realized I skipped a step/ingredient.  In the end it still turned out tasty, but it caused more headaches then I needed.  Master always loves walking into the kitchen with a hysterical crying slave (that was sarcasm).  Anyway, I am seriously happy I tried this recipe again after the meltdown because I really love the flavor of this dish. It is so pretty to look at as well as eat. We have had it several time and every time we have it, I am amazed by the flavor.

6 strips bacon, diced
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup leeks, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
9 oz dry spaghetti noodles
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves

Garlic Croutons  - made mine but store bought would work

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Saute the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat.  Cook until crisp, then set aside on paper towel.   Reserve 2 tablespoons bacon drippings, and drain off remaining oil.

Caramelize the tomatoes and sugar in the bacon drippings in large and deep skillet or sauce pan, over medium heat.  Cook until tomatoes begin to soften and brown, approximately 3 minutes.  Add the leeks and cook for an additional 3 minutes, or until leeks soften.

Deglaze with wine and allow sauce to simmer until the wine is nearly evaporated and sauce is thick.  Add the broth, vinegar, and pepper flakes.  Simmer until reduced by 1/3, approximately 5 minutes.

Add the spinach, and bacon to the sauce, then add the cooked pasta.  Toss lightly until pasta is well coated with sauce and tomato mixture is incorporated.  Season with salt as needed.  Top each serving with garlic croutons.

Makes 4 servings.

NOTES:
* Although I think deglazing always makes flavor more deep sometimes I skip deglazing steps and really in this case I think the caramelizing adds the depth of flavor to the tomatoes.  So if you don't want to deglaze - you could up the chicken broth just a bit and skip the deglazing step.  Need to up the broth, because if you skip the wine step you still need a little more liquid for sauce in the recipe.

* I am leaving 2 cups of spinach in the recipe, but I will say the last few times I have made this I have upped the spinach to 3 cups and like having more green in it.  Really doesn't change flavor - just getting more green in the diet.

* If you don't have leeks, green onions work in a pinch too.

Philly Steak Stuffed Peppers

2 large bell peppers

8 oz thinly sliced roast beef

8 slices provolone cheese

1 medium sweet onion - sliced

1 cup mushrooms - sliced

Preheat oven to 400◦. Slice peppers in half lengthwise removing ribs and seeds. Sauté until onions and mushrooms are nice and caramelized. Slice roast beef into thin strips and add onion/mushroom mixture. Cook 5-7 mins. Line the inside of each pepper with provolone cheese and fill each with meat mixture until they are overflowing. Top each pepper with another slice of provolone cheese and bake for 15-20 mins until cheese is golden brown. 

Southwest Egg Rolls

2 cups cubed boneless skinless chicken  (or one large chicken breast - I had a little under 2 cups and it still worked well)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup of finely chopped red bell pepper (optional - I just wanted a little more color)
1 can (7 oz) green chilies
1/4 cup of finely chopped green onions
1 cup frozen corn
1 can (14.5-15 oz) black beans - drained and rinsed
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 1/2 cups cheese (I like it a little spicy so I used all pepper jack, but if you don't like it too spicy - I would use half pepper jack and half cheddar)
1 package egg roll wrappers - 20 wrappers


Toss the chicken with seasonings. Make sure they are coated with the mixture. If  it isn't - add a little more cumin and chili powder.  In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil or olive oil on medium. Add in the chicken and saute for 5 minutes. Stir in the red pepper and cook until the chicken is cooked through.  Stir in green chilies, green onion, corn and black beans.  Add the spinach.  Cook until spinach is wilted. Remove from heat and add cheese..

Preheat over to 400 degrees. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray.

Using a spoon or scoop a heaping tablespoon of filling onto the wrapper. Follow the directions on the back of the egg roll package for folding. Position an egg roll wrapper out like a diamond with one tip pointing towards you. Scoop the filling near the center of the egg roll wrapper. Pick up a corner on your left pull it over the filling. Pick up the corner opposite and bring it over the filling.  Take a corner pointing down towards you and start rolling it up around the egg filling.  Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling. Place on baking sheet seam side down, not allowing egg rolls to touch.  If you are having problems with them staying shut - slightly wet the edges with your fingers as you roll them.

Brush the egg rolls with olive oil or coat with cooking spray so that they crisp up in the oven. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until crispy.

Serve with or without a dipping sauce.  I used 2 different dipping sauces - Guacamole mixed with some sour cream and salsa mixed with sour cream. About a 1 to 1 ratio.

Sunday Brunch Frittata

Frittata is a really hard recipe to write because it can be anything. You can add almost anything to it. The base component of a Frittata is eggs. But you can add veggies, cheese, meat and seasoning to it.  It is just finding a combination that works for you. I love this because it is so great with left overs.  When I put it on the menu it is usually because I have left over veggies in my fridge I want to use up. Last night I made one with mushrooms, onions, red peppers, broccoli, a little pepper jack cheese, potatoes and then some sliced deli turkey slices (chopped the slices into thin strips) I threw in too at the last moment. I used smoked paprika and black pepper as my only seasonings and it was fantastic.  

The one in the photo below, I used for brunch when I had left over roasted peppers and mushrooms. I threw in potatoes and breakfast sausage. A Frittata is great meatless too - I have done cheese, potatoes and spinach and loved it.  I like potatoes in mine because I like the structure of the egg around the potato. But they are good without potatoes too.  

Sunday Brunch Frittata
4 small to medium sized russet potatoes - sliced and cooked - I just boil in the microwave
1/4 cup of bell peppers
1/2 cup of mushrooms
1/4 cup of onions
1 to 2 cups ground breakfast sausage
1 cup shredded cheese
10 eggs
3 tablespoons milk (cream or half-n-half will work too)
Seasonings - your preference - this one I did rosemary, pepper and thyme


Heat oven to 400

In a medium bowl mix eggs, milk and seasonings. Set aside.

In a 10-in. or 12 in. ovenproof skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until browned and almost cooked through. Drain grease and  add in bell peppers, mushroom and onions.  (You could add in potatoes and cook them now too, but I like mine done ahead.) Cook until veggies are tender. Remove from heat and add in cheese. Pour egg mixture over veggies and sausage. Stir once before putting it in the oven.

Cook for 15 to 20 mins until eggs are set.  Cool for 10 mins and cut into wedges to serve.

NOTE
* You can up the veggies to 1/2 cup or 1 cup - I just added what I had left and again that is what is great about a Frittata you really can't go wrong with just adding whatever is in the fridge left over from the previous meals.

Book Review: You've Got It Made: Deliciously Easy Meals to Make Now and Bake Later

 When I have checked a book out from the library more than 3 times, I think it is time to just go ahead and buy the book.  This book is one I should just accept, I need it among my other cookbooks.  This book's concept is right in the title make it now and bake it later.  It isn't necessarily a freezer recipe cookbook, but many of the recipes in do have freezer instructions. But some recipes are just to make and bake a few days later which helps when you know your week is going to be busy.

The main reason I keep going back to this book is that it has such a variety of recipes that are different.  Most of the make now and bake later type cookbooks seem to be making a big batch of something and then dividing it up and sending it to the freezer or the recipes use similar ingredients and base all the recipes off those main ingredients.  This book just gives you good recipes and tells you what to do to freeze it or just bake it later.  Every recipe in the book to me is guest ready too. Meaning it is perfect to serve for company or give as a gift to someone that ill or just busy and not able to whip up a good home cooked meal.  Many recipes do have a basic recipe and then variations, but still they are so different from what I normally read in these type of cookbooks.  It also has DIVA notes all along the way to give extra tips in making each dish. 

Fagioli Casserole -
Didn't work the way the recipe was written.
By improvising, it ended up being really good.

What I don't like about this cookbook, not every recipe has worked how written for me.  I have had the majority of recipes work, but a few that I had to improvise to make them work.  This cookbook also doesn't have photos which is typical of Diane Phillips cookbooks.  I wish there were photos, but I do know it is cheaper for publishers to not to have them, but I would really love to see how some look before making. 

Overall again, I think this is a book I want even though I have had some adventures in working out a few recipes, the majority are great. 

Often the recipes say use a 9 x 13 and I just use two 8 x 8 since there is only 2 of us and bake one right away and freeze the other for later.  It has worked out really well for me.  

This recipe I am going to share is one that I make quite a bit and also have given away as gifts during the holidays as well as given to friends   who were just coming home from the hospital.  It is always given really good reviews and it is so easy to change it up and use different ingredients. 

The books original recipe is for an Egg Strata and then offers many variations such as one called Roasted Tomatoes & Mozzarella Strata.  Basically I have taken that recipe and made variations of it now many time. 

So here is my adaptation of the Egg Strata....

Roasted Tomato & Chicken Strata

8 large eggs
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
8 cups torn bread
2 cups grated or shredded cheese
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 cups roasted tomatoes
1 cup cooked chicken, shredded



Coat the inside of a 9”x13” (or 2 - 8"x8")  freezer safe baking dish with cooking spray.   

In a large bowl, beat the eggs, milk, water and salt and pepper.  Place your bread in the egg mixture and toss to coat evenly.  

Transfer half the bread mixture into the baking dish.  Top with tomatoes, chicken and 1 1/2 cups cheese.  Place the rest of the bread mixture on cheese.  Sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and drizzle with 3 tablespoons melted butter.   

Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days or freeze up to 2 months. 

TO BAKE and SERVE:

Thaw in refrigerator overnight if taking from freezer.  Let set out at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour before baking.  Bake at 350*.   Bake for 40 to 50 minutes.  The strata should be puffy, golden and set in the center when done.  Let stand for 5 to 10 mins before serving. 

VARIATIONS:

* ham, Gruyere, spinach

* all veggie - mushrooms, peppers, spinach, tomatoes

* chicken and broccoli with Swiss cheese 

MY NOTES:

*  I have left off the Parmesan cheese and drizzled butter and it has still tasted good

*  In the above recipe I use mostly mozzarella cheese, but have also used all Parmesan. And have even left the cheese out completely.

* In the original recipe it calls for the bread to have the crusts cut off of it. But not sure I have ever seen the need of that and when I made it each way - really doesn't make much of a difference. 

*Stratas are good for breakfast, brunch or dinner. But I almost always serve for dinner. I add a big leafy green salad as a side. 

* I mostly use French or Italian bread, but in a note in the book it just suggests any bread that isn't spongy. A bread with some structure. 

*Once I needed to make it with less milk because the people I was giving it too limit their dairy intake. So I upped the eggs by 2 and did 1/2 cup of water and 2 tablespoons milk. It worked just as well as the original recipe. 

Slow Cooker Meatball Soup

I didn't add any extra seasonings to this soup and it had amazing flavor. The tomatoes with the basil, garlic and oregano plus my homemade meatballs have Italian seasonings - those were giving it all the seasoning it needed. This was easy and quick to put together and tasted really good.

1 bag (16 oz) frozen cooked Italian meatballs, thawed or cooked homemade meatballs
2 cups beef broth
1 3/4 cup water
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano, undrained
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (19 oz) cannellini beans or great northern, drained
1 cup frozen carrots
1 cup frozen green beans
1 cup cooked pasta - made just before serving
Shredded Parmesan cheese - garnish

In 4 quart slow cooker, mix all ingredients except pasta and cheese. Cover and cook on low heat setting 6 to 7 hours. The carrots and green beans can become mushy in a slow cooker so add after 4 hours or 4 1/2 hours instead. Add pasta just before serving.

Garnish individual servings with Parmesan cheese.

What to do with all those delicious turkey leftovers

In our house there is never a shortage of food for the thanksgiving table, or any holiday that we host for that matter.  Himself and I really enjoy cooking, so we are always sure to share that plentiful bounty with others.  That leaves us, however, with the question of what to do with the leftovers.  No one in our home is a big fan of just re-heating the same foods.  So I am always in search of creative recipes that can use up our left overs without making them seem like left overs at all.  This year I found the recipe below and I know it's going to be a hit with the family.

Sour Cream Turkey Enchiladas

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced (or you can use 1 tbsp already minced garlic from a jar)
• 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and minced
• 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 can diced tomatoes (28 ounce can), drained
• 1 cup sour cream (we prefer lowfat sour cream)
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (we prefer sharp cheddar)
• 2 cups cubed or shredded cooked turkey
• 4 flour tortillas (8 inch) in size
• 1 can black olives sliced

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x12-inch baking dish.

Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook the garlic and onion until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes; stir in the jalapeno pepper and flour. Stir a few times to mix in the flour. Stir in the chicken stock, about 1/4 cup at a time; cook until thickened, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Mix in the tomatoes and bring the mixture to a simmer.

While the sauce is simmering, combine sour cream, 1/2 cup of Cheddar cheese, and turkey in a bowl. Place a tortilla down onto a work surface, and spoon 1/4 of the turkey mixture onto the tortilla in a line down the center. Roll the tortilla around the filling; place into the prepared baking dish with seam side down. Repeat with the other tortillas. Pour the tomato sauce over the filled tortillas. Sprinkle the casserole with black olives and 1 tablespoon of Cheddar cheese as garnish.

Bake uncovered in the preheated oven until the cheese topping is browned and the casserole is bubbling, about 30 minutes.

Great Goulash with Potato Dumplings

This recipe is from the book I reviewed yesterday - The 150 Best Slow Cooker Recipes. I adapted it slightly, but don't think the outcome would be much different if doing the original   The potato dumplings are a really delicious choice for this goulash, but if you are pressed for time, serve goulash on top of wide noodles or mashed potatoes.

Great Goulash with Potato Dumplings
adapted from the recipe in The 150 Best Slow Cooker Recipes.  
serves 6

For the goulash:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 1/2 pounds stew meat, cut in large chunks
2 cups onions, diced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon  dried marjoram
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup flour
1 small can tomato paste
1 1/2 cups beef stock
1/2 cup sour cream

For the potato dumplings:
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubes
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

In a large saute pan over medium high heat add the olive oil and brown the stew meat in batches. Transfer to slow cooker.

In the same pan, reduce the heat to medium and add onions and garlic and saute for 3 - 4 minutes. Add paprika, marjoram  pepper, and flour and cook for an additional minute. Add tomato paste and stir well. The mixture will be thick. Add beef broth and cook, stirring, for a minute or two.

Transfer mixture to slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 - 5 hours. The beef will be very tender and shred easily.

About an hour before dinner time, make the potato dumplings. Cook potato chunks in a large pot of water until tender. Drain and mash until smooth. Add bread crumbs, egg, and salt and mix well. Form into 2 inch balls. Set aside.

Stir sour cream into goulash. Top with potato dumplings, spooning some of the sauce over them. Cover and cook on HIGH for about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve. 

Beef Stroganoff

1 1/2 pound beef stew meat or steak cubed and trimmed
1 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 (8-ounce) package sliced mushrooms (about 2 cups)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup beef broth - low sodium
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup half -n- half
1/2 cup sour cream 
salt and pepper to taste
Serve over cooked egg noodles


1. Place steak, onion, dijon, Worcestershire sauce, mushrooms, garlic and beef broth in slow cooker; stir well. Cook on low for 8 hours or until steak is tender.  

2. Place cornstarch in a small bowl; gradually add half-n-half, stirring with a whisk until blended. Add mixture to slow cooker; stir well. Cook on high-heat setting 30 mins until sauce starts to thicken.  Turn off slow cooker and stir in sour cream. Serve stroganoff over noodles.


Notes:
Sometimes I will cut into strips like I did in photo - other times I will do cubes. London Broil is my favorite to use in beef stroganoff.  If sauce isn't saucy enough or too thick, just add more beef broth or some water. 

Cream of Potato Soup

6 large potatoes - chopped or sliced
1 to 1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 - 32 ounce carton of stock or 4 cups homemade stock
8 slices bacon - cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup cornstarch or flour
2 cups half and half or milk
optional: 1 cup cheese - your choice -  I have used cheddar, colbyjack, gouda
salt and pepper to taste

optional toppings: paprika, green onions, chives, sour cream, cheese, potato chips, crumbled bacon


Place potatoes, carrots, onion and bacon in the crock-pot and pour the stock over it.

Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.  Or high for 2 to 3.

Scoop out  1/2 cup to 1 cup of your potatoes (if you get bacon or carrots in there, don't worry about it - it is okay) and mash slightly. Pour the mashed potatoes back into crock-pot.

Mix cornstarch and 1/4 of cup of water or some of the half and half in a small bowl. Stir that into your potato soup.  Add the rest of the half and half and cheese and stir.

Do a taste test and add salt if needed or pepper.  Cook for another 30 to 40 mins on low and then serve in bowls with toppings if wanted.


NOTES:
* I like how the veggies cook when completely covered with stock/liquid. So if when I add the stock it isn't completely covered with the stock, I will add some water or more stock to it cover
* Sometimes I skip the cheese and it slightly alters the taste, but still creamy and good.
* I  never have added salt because often stock has salt (even the low sodium ones still have salt) and the bacon adds salt to it too. But I do add pepper probably about 1 to 2 teaspoons.
* As I said in the directions above - do not worry if when mashing the potatoes there is carrots or bacon in there. It is okay. You are just slightly mashing them and mixing them back on so everything ends back up in the pot so it fine.
* If it is too thick and creamy, add more liquid - water or stock.

Crock-pot Meat Sauce

1 pound ground Italian sausage or ground beef/turkey
2  -  14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes with juice
1  - 8 ounce can tomato sauce
1  -  6 ounce can tomato paste
1 cup chopped onion
1 green bell pepper chopped (approximately 1 cup - it is fine if you go over that)
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
dash ground red pepper or red pepper flakes (optional)

Preparation:

In a large skillet, cook meat over medium heat until no longer pink.

Add meat crockpot, along with all remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on LOW setting for 8 to 10 hours or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours.

Serves 8 to 10. Sauce can be frozen.

Community Shared Agriculture - Week 3

It's been so wonderful so far and we are only in week 3.  The weather has been fantastic for growing all sorts of delicious greens, tomatoes, sweet onions, herbs, and berries.  We've had just enough rain in NJ that everything is growing nice and easy and early.  It's making for fantastic boxes for this year's CSA.  We were blessed with another jar of honey from the farm this week, along with more berries, asparagus, onions, tomatoes, red and yellow beets, lots of greens (bib, leaf, spinach, escarole, collards, and argugala), along with carrots, and a basil plant.

With all of last week's delicious produce, my family ate some wonderful healthy foods.  I will share some of those yummy recipes with you at the end of this post.  One of the things I enjoy about the CSA is all the helpful tips for saving produce for future use that the farmer shares with the members of the CSA.  This week is no exception.  This week I learned that one of the best ways, besides pickling, to put up beets for future eating is to scrub, steam, or roast the beets.  Peel them, and cut them into uniform pieces, and then freeze them.  I use my foodsaver to freeze my produce as it lasts longer in the freezer that way, but if you don't own a food saver appliance, just be sure to get out as much air from the freezer bag as possible prior to freezing.  Saving your beets this way allows them to be used in later recipes or salads without them going bad or to waste for not using them timely.  It also helps lock in the nutrients of these delicious vegetables.

I hope you are enjoying all of the produce of the current season.  Remember to eat local as often as possible to help lower your carbon footprint.  

Asparagus and Mushroom Salad

• 1 pound asparagus
• 1/2 pound mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley and chives 1 cup arugula
• 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (to taste)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 small garlic clove, minced or pureed
• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 ounce slivered Parmesan

Steam the asparagus for three to five minutes, depending on how thick the stalks are. It should be tender but still have some bite. Rinse with cold water, and drain for a minute on a kitchen towel. Cut into 1-inch lengths. Place in a salad bowl, and toss with the mushrooms, herbs and arugula.
Whisk together the lemon juice, salt and pepper, garlic and olive oil. Toss with the asparagus mixture and the slivered Parmesan, and serve. 

Tuscan Bean and Wilted Arugula Salad (see side note)

• 3/4 cup dried white kidney beans
• 1 bay leaf
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 5 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 6 cups trimmed baby arugula 3/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

Sort and wash beans; place in a large bowl. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; cover and let stand 8 hours or overnight. Drain beans. Place beans in a large saucepan. Cover with water to 3 inches above beans; add bay leaf. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 1 hour and 15 minutes or until tender. Drain beans; discard bay leaf. Place beans in a large bowl; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Let stand 5 minutes. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil; toss gently to coat.

Heat 4 teaspoons of oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; sauté 45 seconds or just until garlic begins to gently brown. Remove from heat; stir in juice. Place arugula in a large bowl; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add warm bean mixture, garlic

mixture, and onion; toss gently to combine. 

**note**  my family did not enjoy this recipe.  My children were not fans of argula or the white beans.  I think that if you enjoy this type of green and beans you will definitely enjoy this recipe, but for us this is not a keeper.

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light Magazine

Macerated Strawberries in Honey, Vanilla and Orange Liqueur

• 1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced 2- 3 T local honey
• 2 T. orange liqueur
• 1⁄2 t. vanilla extract

Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour, until a syrup forms. 

**note**  I served this one over freshly baked angel food cake, but it would be equally delicious over frozen ice cream or yogurt, or pound cake.  You also don't need to bake your own, store bought works equally wonderful with this.  You can also serve with some fresh whipped cream for added decadence.

Tacos a New Way

We really enjoy eating Mexican or Tex-Mex type food here. So I always keep my eye out for new ways to do something we normally eat - like tacos.  I found this recipe all over Pinterest but I used the recipe on Plain Chicken for Taco Cupcakes.

Taco Cups

1 lb ground beef or turkey
1 packet taco seasoning 
2/3 cup water
1 can black beans, drained
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
36 wonton wrappers
your favorite taco toppings - salsa, cheese, sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, etc
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375.

Brown the meat in a skillet and drain off fat. Return the meat to the skillet; add the taco seasoning, water and black beans.  Mix and simmer for 7-10 minutes, until water is absorbed.

Spray 18 regular muffin pan cups with cooking spray.  Place one wonton wrapper in each muffin cup.  Divide half of the taco meat between muffin cups.  Sprinkle half of the cheese over the cupcakes.  Repeat layers - wonton, taco meat and cheese.  Bake at 375 for 20 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and wontons are golden brown.  Top with your favorite taco toppings.

NOTES:
* I actually made 20 so I don't think I filled them all quite as full as maybe I should have but they all were still very full.

* I find that wontons wrappers can dry out quickly so I did 6 at a time. I put 6 muffin tins with the bottom layer of wontons, filled them meat mixture and then added the next wonton layer topping with the meat layer and cheese. Then moved on to the next 6 so that the wontons wouldn't dry out.  

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30 Minute Meals - March Question Month

Jan asked, "I would like to know what is your go to dishes that you can make in 30 minutes for dinner? I have a full-time job, kids, serving Master and I just need some quick go to dinners."

I think a big part of being able to make wonderful dinners in a short period of time is in the planning. Once per month I try and purchase items in bulk and do as much prep ahead as I can. I always try to keep cooked ground beef in the freezer so that I can add that quickly into sauces, soups, pastas, tacos, or whatever other areas I might use ground beef (or turkey or chicken). I also try to keep diced peppers & onions on hand (both in the refrigerator and freezer). This helps for less prep work during the week. I also clean and cut up all fruits that need prepping when I purchase them, so that they are on hand for whenever I want to add them to a dinner or provide a healthy snack for my kids.

I also am a big believer in utilizing my crockpot and rice cooker. Nothing more wonderful than popping something into the crock pot and then only having to add a salad or side dish to call it a complete meal at the end of the day.

My quick go to meals during the week (when I would need a 30 minute meal the most) are:

1. Chicken Ceasar salad. You can grill up extra chicken ahead of time when making it for another dinner and set it aside for one of those busy week night meals. Then just add it to the salad, toss dressing in, and go. Dinner is ready in about five minutes flat. For those who aren't calorie counters, it's nice to pair this with some fresh bread & honey butter.

2. Cheeseburger Pie. (my kids love this one, as does Himself).
1lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef ( I prefer to use either 93% lean beef, or turkey for this one). I also usually use one of the packets I have already browned and crumbled in the freezer. Just defrost and use.

1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz) (we like extra sharp cheddar but any will do)
1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix ( I use the reduced fax bisquick)
1 cup milk (I use fat free milk)
2 eggs

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray.
2. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain. Stir in salt. Spread in pie plate. Sprinkle with cheese.
3. In small bowl, stir remaining ingredients with fork or wire whisk until blended. Pour into pie plate.
4. Bake about 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

I serve this with a side of steamed vegetables (such as broccoli or cauliflower) and a side salad. You could also serve it with french fries or another potato type.

Also if you are using the precooked beef, then just sauté the onion in a pan, add beef at the last two minutes, and drain. then add to pie dish.

Pork Roast (crockpot cooking)
Cut up sweet potatoes into quarters (I use one potato per person who will be eating). Place these on the bottom of your crockpot. Place a pork roast on top of the potatoes. Next layer in a bag of mini carrots on top. Add one can of whole berry cranberry sauce on top. Cover and cook in crockpot for 8 to 10 hours on low heat. Before serving, you can either slice up the roast and serve in slices, or you can pull the pork and mix with BBQ sauce for pulled pork sandwiches.

I serve this with a green vegetable and a side salad.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza
For a quick homemade pizza, this one is super easy. I use pizza crust that I usually have on hand in the freezer (but you can also use pillsbury pizza crust in a pinch). Use chicken that you have cooked earlier in the week for another meal such as a roast chicken (I always try to cook once to eat twice to save time). Take the precooked chicken and dice it up (or pull it into pieces). Mix with ranch dressing and hot sauce (Use however much hot sauce you like -- we like it spicy). Spread a thin layer of cream cheese onto pizza crust. Top with chicken mixture, cover with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees until chicken is heated through and cheese is melted.

Serve with celery & carrot sticks (my kids love these) or a side salad.
Simple, easy, and filling.

You can make a lighter version of this by using reduced fat cheese, fat free cream cheese, and reduced fat or fat free ranch dressing.

I also love Rachel Ray's 30 minute meal cookbooks. I think I have 3 or 4 of them. She has some great meal ideas and its fun to try new things.

But for me the biggest time saver is always in cooking once and eating twice, or prepping in bulk.

enjoy!

March Question Month: 30 Minute Meals

Jan asked, "I would like to know what is your go to dishes that you can make in 30 minutes for dinner? I have a full-time job, kids, serving Master and I just need some quick go to dinners."


I don't have kids but it seems lately I have so much is on my plate that those quick meals are my mainstay. I would say half of my go-to quick dinners are  prepped-ahead and half is just pulling from the pantry right in he moment.

Prep and Make Ahead

I have been trying to do some more make ahead meals so that I can take them from the freezer the night before so they are thaw and ready to pop in the oven for dinner.  No prep often allows me the luxury of 30 to 40 mins baking.  I usually do cooking for 2 to 3 meals on one day for the make-ahead type meals.  Or try to make a double batch of something so we can eat one and freeze the other.

When I come home from shopping, I also like to try to prep a little so that helps me save time in the long run. Such as if I get big family size package of hamburger - 3 to 5 lbs then I brown some of it right away to use in a casserole or tacos (I often brown burger in the microwave), or bake meatballs, or make hamburger patties. Freeze them so I can pull it out and use without much prep.  Sometimes even defrosting in the microwave to use in minutes.  Boneless skinless chicken breasts are another thing I prep at times - I put what I would need for a meal in ziplock and cover it with a marinade and then freeze. I take them out the night before I plan on using and let them marinade while defrosting. I also bake or grill up a few, chop and add to a labeled ziplock so I can use for chicken tacos , on baked potatoes, in soup, or added to a pasta.

I am going to also share that I have a cheat that makes no matter what I make - look like a real meal.  I can serve a salad or soup from a can but because I often make homemade bread with it - it looks like a nicer meal even though it was quick and easy. I use Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.  It is making up a big batch of dough and then using just some of the dough to make a loaf of bread.  It does usually take more then 5 minutes as it doesn't add in the rise time. But it still is fairly quick with little work.

I also use my crockpot a lot so that things can be added in the morning and done for dinner.  I know a lot of time crockpot produces a liquid but I always make sure I add some to begin with too - just so it won't be dry by the end of the day.

Quick and Easy Dinner on the spot

When I need a meal that is going to be quick and easy, I use the microwave and grill.

Such as I want roasted potatoes but normally that would take 40 minutes to an hour to roast in the oven. I chop the potatoes and place in a bowl with some water and microwave so that I am boiling them. I then drain the water, toss with some olive oil and seasonings to add to the oven.

Or I boil sliced potatoes in the microwave to use in a frittata. I do layers of potatoes, veggies and sometimes bacon or ham. I mix up some eggs and pour it over top and bake it.

I microwave baked potatoes too - to help speed up baking time.  I wash them, pierce several times with a fork, wrap in a paper towel and  microwave for 4 to 7 minutes - depending on size of potatoes. After I have microwaved then I bake them for just a bit. I coat them with some olive oil and sea salt, wrap in tinfoil and bake for 15 to 20 mins in the oven.

I steam most veggies in the microwave.  I use frozen veggies often - easy to keep in the freezer and use for meals.

My easiest meals:
* Grilled chicken breasts, baked potatoes, steamed veggies.  Frozen chicken breasts can be thawed in the microwave in minutes.  While thawing those, I prep my potatoes.  After they are thawed, I might marinade for 10 mins while my potatoes or in the microwave. I get the grill warming up.  Then after the potatoes are in the oven, I put the chicken breasts on the grill and add veggies to steam in the microwave.

* Really meat, potato and veggie is my go to easiest meal - I grill burgers, steak,  porkchops or chicken breasts and add a potato and veggies and we have a meal.

* Burritos, nachos or tacos - I either use some ground beef or turkey already browned and ready to go in the freezer or I brown some in a pan or in the microwave.  I drain the meat after browned and then add a can of tomatoes with chili (such as Rotel), heat a can of refried beans up, get cheese and sour cream out and any other fixings .

* Pasta -

• Spaghetti and Meatballs - I usually bake up meatballs ahead of time so I can pull from the freezer to use.  But even making meatballs and baking them in the moment doesn't take too long.  Boil pasta, add meatballs and toss it all with sauce - heat through. If you want some veggies do a side of steamed veggies or add a side salad. 
• Pasta, chicken and pesto - Chicken even if it is not cooked ahead - grill it, chop it up and mix with cooked pasta and then toss it all with pesto. Heat it all through in minutes on the stovetop.   Add in some steamed veggies in with it or as a side.  
• Pasta, white beans, seasoned diced tomatoes - Cook the pasta, drain and then tossed with a can of white beans that are drained and rinsed, a can of seasoned diced tomatoes (such as the Italian or basil and garlic) - heat through and then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. It has good flavor and is quick. Add in some steamed veggies in with it or as a side.  
• Italian sausages, pasta and sauce  - I microwave Italian sausage to get them cooked through and then toss on the grill for a few minutes or pan fry so the outside browned,  keep whole or slice them and toss with some pasta and sauce or just a can of diced tomatoes. Add in some steamed veggies in with it or as a side.  

* Salads - making a big thing of salad up and using it for lunches and as a side dish for dinner but I also do them for dinner as the main entree. I add some grilled chicken to salad and serve with some bread - it is dinner.

* Variations of Grilled Cheese - I do grilled cheese with sloppy joe mixture, taco mixture, sliced turkey breast from the deli, apples or pears,  or sauteed veggies - adding in any cheese I have on hand - basically taking what I have available in my fridge and making it into a grilled cheese.  On the same note - sloppy joes or taco joes - ground meat on a burger with any topping you desire.

* Breakfast for dinner - eggs, sausage and toast, scrambled eggs with veggies and/or ham, or pancakes and sausage. I add some fruit and that is dinner. We like breakfast for dinner.

*  I do a variation of Martha Stewart's Cheesy Hash Brown Bake. Instead of making chili - I just take 2 cans of chili beans. Those are the kind of beans that have chili sauce in them so they are seasoned and ready to add to chili.  I add browned ground beef to it and mix up so incorporated well pour into a 9 x 13 pan. I don't do the individual pans. I sprinkle cheese on top of the chili mixture and then add the hash browns. I have used frozen hash browns before and they just don't brown up as well but still are cooked and taste good with the chili that is cheesy and bubbling underneath.

* Sloppy Joe Skillet -  Empty contents of one box of cornbread stuffing in a bowl and add 1 2/3 cups hot water. Mix until just moistened and set aside. Brown 1 lb. ground beef, add 1 to 1 1/2 cups veggies (such as chopped mixed bell peppers, sliced mushroom and chopped onions)  and when they are getting soft and the onions translucent.  Add a couple dashes of Worcestershire sauce, a small can of tomato paste, 3/4 cup water, 1 can of  diced tomatoes (don't drain add the liquid in the skillet too) - simmer for about 5 mins until mixture is well incorporated and thick. Then add the stuffing on the top of the mixture and simmer for 3 more minutes covered.  Serve.  I serve with a side salad or steamed broccoli or cauliflower.  This a variation of Kraft's Sloppy Joe Skillet.

I am stopping there but those are on my list of go-to quick dinners. I need them when are so busy with work and I also a chronic illness that makes it at times impossible for me to think about what am I going to make for dinner so going to this list of things - is the best option for me.

30 Minute Meals - March Question Month

Jan asked, "I would like to know what is your go to dishes that you can make in 30 minutes for dinner? I have a full-time job, kids, serving Master and I just need some quick go to dinners."

I imagine some of the other writers will chip in here too, but here are my ideas and philosophies for quick meals.

First, I believe as a general rule we make food way more complicated than it needs to be most of the time.  I like a big production of a meal when time allows but for everyday: simple, healthy, and fast is the way I prefer.

If you have a crock pot / slow cooker.  Find some recipes your family loves and use that thing to death.  I make lots of soups and roasts in mine and love coming home to a house that smells like yummy food when I've done hardly any work.

With that being said here are our favorite meals:

Chicken Taco Salads: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Saute cubed chicken breasts sauteed with onions and green peppers.  Add some water and taco seasoning, letting the water evaporate and leaving you with seasoned chicken meat.  Cut corn tortillas into wedges and spread onto a baking sheet, spray the wedges with olive oil or cooking spray.  Cook in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes until crisp and just starting to brown.  Divide the tortilla wedges among your plates, top with seasoned chicken meat, lettuce, salsa, cheese, sour cream, etc.  Alternatively you could just use store-bought tortilla chips instead of baking the corn tortillas. You could also add some reheated black or pinto beans to the salads to bulk it up more.

Pan Fried Meat & Roasted Asparagus: Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Trim rough ends from asparagus and spread out onto a cookie sheet.  Drizzle the asparagus spears with olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Using your hands coat the spears with the oil.  Bake in the preheated oven for about 12 minutes, until tender.  While the asparagus roasts cook up some pork chops, steaks, or chicken breasts in a pan over high heat.  Simple, healthy, and filling.

Bean & Cheese Quesadillas: Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a bowl mix together a can (or two depending on how many you're serving) of refried beans with some salsa - just enough to get it all moving together.  On a baking sheet place a few flour tortillas, spread each tortilla with a layer of the bean and salsa mixture, sprinkle some shredded cheese on top of that.  Top with another flour tortilla and bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until tortillas is browning and cheese is melted.  Serve with more salsa, sour cream, cheese, etc.  Add a salad and you have a quick and filling meal.

Hope that helps and gives you a few ideas!

Post Holiday Left Overs

If your house is anything like our house, then you are finding yourself in the post holiday daze, with too many left overs in your refrigerator and and uncertainty on how to use them up creatively. Himself does not like to eat left overs. Our littles aren't fans of left overs either. So while I have a fond spot in my heart for the reheated ham and lasagna (especially in the middle of the night), they simply won't have any parts of it.

So in order not to waste the precious foods of yesterday, I turn to some new recipes (and some tried and true ones) to turn those left overs into new meals.

Here are a few successful dishes for you to try:

If you have ham left over --

You can always go with a ham and cheese omelet, or a western omelet, or the tried and true egg strata. But I also like to change it up a bit and use the following recipe:

Ham and Potato Soup (I originally got this recipe out of an old better homes and gardens magazine and have changed it up a bit over the years)

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup diced cooked ham
3 1/4 cups water
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk

Directions

Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.
In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.
Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.

If you have turkey left over:

Turkey Pot Pie


Ingredients:
1 recipe pastry for a (10 inch) double crust pie
4 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, minced
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, diced
3 tablespoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
2 cubes chicken bouillon
2 cups water
3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 1/2 cups cooked turkey, cubed
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Roll out bottom pie crust and place in the 10 inch pie pan and set aside.
Place 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet. Add the onion, celery, carrots, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until the vegetables are soft. Stir in the bouillon and water. Bring mixture to a boil. Stir in the potatoes, and cook until tender but still firm.
In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in the turkey and flour. Add the milk, and heat through. Stir the turkey mixture into the vegetable mixture, and cook until thickened. Pour mixture into the unbaked pie shell. Roll out the top crust, and place on top of filling. Flute edges, and make 4 slits in the top crust to let out steam.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue baking for 20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

Or if you are like me, simply slip down to the quiet of the kitchen in the middle of the night, have a glass of wine, and enjoy picking at the left over ham or turkey or perhaps a simple sandwich. But no matter how you enjoy your left overs, simply enjoy the season.

Happy Holidays!