* 1 package tortellini (I used Buitoni whole wheat cheese, found in the refrigerated section)
* 1 jar spaghetti sauce
* 1 box chicken broth
* 1 bag of frozen mixed veggies
* 1 can creamed corn
* 1 T dried minced onion (you could also use half an onion, sauteed in olive oil)
* 1/2 tsp garlic salt
* 1 tsp Trader Joe's 21 Salute Seasoning (or any good seasoning blend)
Toss it all in the pot, bring to a boil for 5-10 minutes, simmer for 20 minutes to an hour. Serve topped with parmesan cheese and a good chunk of bread, preferably
Tastefully Simple Bountiful Beer Bread. Enjoy!
Friday, February 1, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Meat Loaf in Progress
Here's the hodge podge recipe, still to be perfected!!
2 lbs of ground meatloaf mix (usually beef, pork, veal)
1 small onion, diced
1 large carrot, finely diced or processed
2 tsp minced garlic
2 slices of fresh bread, processed to crumbs
2 egg whites
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
various shakes of onion powder, garlic powder, beef roast seasoning
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
Sautee onion, carrot & garlic until softened about 5 minutes. Combine all ingredients in large bowl, taking care not to over knead the meat, as this will lead to a tougher loaf. Line a broiler pan or cooling rack with aluminum foil & poke drain holes in it. Set this in a larger pan.* Free form loaf & place atop foil. Combine ketchup and brown sugar (reserve half) and brush on top of loaf. Can re-baste half way thru cooking. Insert a meat thermometer in center. Start out baking at 425 for 15 minutes to sear, retain moisture & form crust, then switch to a 350 degree oven until thermometer reads 160 degrees (about 45 min to 1 hr+). Take meatloaf out to rest & tent with foil. Ideally an hour, but at least 20 minutes. Brush with more ketchup & serve. Makes good leftover sandwiches too.
*I've also heard of placing it on a few slices of bread to absorb the fat.
2 lbs of ground meatloaf mix (usually beef, pork, veal)
1 small onion, diced
1 large carrot, finely diced or processed
2 tsp minced garlic
2 slices of fresh bread, processed to crumbs
2 egg whites
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
various shakes of onion powder, garlic powder, beef roast seasoning
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
Sautee onion, carrot & garlic until softened about 5 minutes. Combine all ingredients in large bowl, taking care not to over knead the meat, as this will lead to a tougher loaf. Line a broiler pan or cooling rack with aluminum foil & poke drain holes in it. Set this in a larger pan.* Free form loaf & place atop foil. Combine ketchup and brown sugar (reserve half) and brush on top of loaf. Can re-baste half way thru cooking. Insert a meat thermometer in center. Start out baking at 425 for 15 minutes to sear, retain moisture & form crust, then switch to a 350 degree oven until thermometer reads 160 degrees (about 45 min to 1 hr+). Take meatloaf out to rest & tent with foil. Ideally an hour, but at least 20 minutes. Brush with more ketchup & serve. Makes good leftover sandwiches too.
*I've also heard of placing it on a few slices of bread to absorb the fat.
Broccoli Casserole
...or another way for Kristine to use up her 9 cans of Cream of Mushroom soup!
2 cups herb seasoned croutons or stuffing, slightly crushed
3 Tbl butter, melted
2 10 oz. packages of frozen chopped broccoli (could always sub fresh)
1 cup water
1 tsp salt
4 oz shredded cheddar cheese or Velveeta
1 10.5 oz can cream of mushroom soup
Toss croutons & butter and set aside. Place broccoli, water and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil, separating pieces with a fork. Remove from heat, drain well and set aside.
Place cheese in saucepan with soup. Cook over medium heat until cheese melts, stirring frequently. Stir in broccoli. Pour into greased, shallow 1.5 quart baking dish. Sprinkle crouton mixture around edge of dish. Bake in 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until bubbly and hot.
2 cups herb seasoned croutons or stuffing, slightly crushed
3 Tbl butter, melted
2 10 oz. packages of frozen chopped broccoli (could always sub fresh)
1 cup water
1 tsp salt
4 oz shredded cheddar cheese or Velveeta
1 10.5 oz can cream of mushroom soup
Toss croutons & butter and set aside. Place broccoli, water and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil, separating pieces with a fork. Remove from heat, drain well and set aside.
Place cheese in saucepan with soup. Cook over medium heat until cheese melts, stirring frequently. Stir in broccoli. Pour into greased, shallow 1.5 quart baking dish. Sprinkle crouton mixture around edge of dish. Bake in 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until bubbly and hot.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Pizza Quiche
I got this out of a Southern Living cookbook close to 20 years ago. I have modified it to make it a tad bit healthier. And I know it sounds like a weird combo of things, but honestly this is one of our favorite meals around here!
½ lb hot or mild Italian sausage (I use turkey Italian sausage)
Pastry for double crust 9” pie, divided (I use the Pillsbury refrigerated ones)
1 c ricotta or cream style cottage cheese (I part skim ricotta)
3 eggs (you could use egg substitute; I usually do 2 eggs and 1/4 c egg substitute)
1 c shredded mozzarella cheese
1 3oz pkg sliced pepperoni, chopped (you could do turkey pepperoni)
1/3 c grated parmesan cheese
2 T milk
Commercial pizza sauce
- I have left out the pepperoni and used about 1/3 of a 10oz pkg of frozen chopped spinach, too. I know other people who have put in mushrooms or other veggies.
- I have taken about 1/3 of a bag of fresh baby spinach and layered it on the bottom of the quiche, after I prebake the crust. This is my favorite modification.
Remove casings from sausage. Cook sausage in medium skillet until brown. Stir to crumble, drain, set aside.
Line a 9-inch pie plate with ½ of pastry. Bake at 450 for 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temp to 350.
Combine eggs and ricotta cheese and mix well. Add other cheeses, meats, and veggies if using. Spoon into partially baked pie shell. Roll out remaining pastry and cut into 6 or 8 wedges. Arrange on top of the filling. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Brush with milk. Cook an additional 20 minutes or until golden. Let cool 10 minutes. Serve with warmed pizza sauce
Monday, January 14, 2008
Chocolate Brownie Hearts from King Arthur Flour
(original recipe found here)
Let’s get to the heart of the matter here—the chocolate heart, that is! Use a cookie cutter to cut baked brownies into heart shapes, top with chocolate ganache, and you’ve got a Valentine’s or other special-occasion dessert worth swooning over!
2 1/4 cups (15 3/4 ounces) sugar
1 1/4 cups (3 3/4 ounces) Dutch-process cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups (6 1/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 cups (12 ounces) chocolate chips
1 teaspoon espresso powder
To drizzle with ganache:
2/3 cup (4 ounces) chocolate chips
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) heavy cream
1/2 tablespoon light corn syrup
To coat with ganache:
1 1/3 cups (8 ounces) chocolate chips
3/4 cup (6 ounces) heavy cream
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets. to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan. Line with parchment, and grease the parchment. While this step isn’t strictly necessary, it makes getting the brownies out of the pan a whole lot easier.
In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, or in a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar and stir to combine. Return the mixture to the heat (or microwave) briefly, just until it's hot (about 110°F to 120°F), but not bubbling; it'll become shiny looking as you stir it. Heating this mixture a second time will dissolve more of the sugar, which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies.
Stir in the cocoa, salt, baking powder, and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs, stirring until smooth; then add the flour, chips, and espresso powder, again stirring until smooth. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake the brownies in a preheated 350°F oven for 28 to 30 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. The brownies should feel set on the edges and in the center (barely). Remove them from the oven and cool on a rack for 20 minutes before turning them out of the pan. Loosen the edges; use a spatula or turner to loosen the bottom as much as possible; then flip the pan over onto another sheet of parchment or waxed paper. Peel the parchment off the bottom of the brownies. Let them cool completely.
Use a 2" heart cutter to cut 3 dozen hearts out of the brownies. (Or use a smaller or larger cutter to cut more or fewer hearts.) Place the hearts on a rack set over a piece of parchment or waxed paper.
Decide whether you want to drizzle the hearts with ganache, or coat them completely. You’ll make the lesser amount of ganache for drizzling, the greater amount for glazing.
Combine the chips, cream, and corn syrup in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat until the cream is very hot. Stir the mixture until the chips melt, then drizzle over the brownie hearts, or spread to cover completely.
Yield: 3 dozen 2" hearts.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Sesame Chicken
It's not gourmet, but it is very fast and easy and so yummy
Sesame Chicken Recipe #44321
This recipe really satisfies my craving for Chinese food. I serve it over rice and steamed vegetables on the side. I usually double the sauce to make it especially decadent.
by Jenny White
6 servings
21 min 5 min prep
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Cut chicken breast into 1 inch strips.
Heat a large non-stick skillet that has been sprayed with Pam, over medium-high heat.
Cook chicken strips for about 6 minutes until no longer pink.
Mix together honey, soy sauce, water, corn starch, ginger and red pepper flakes.
Whisk until no corn starch lumps appear.
Pour sauce mixture into skillet with chicken.
Cook until sauce thickens slightly.
You can add more water if sauce is too thick.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until chicken starts to soak up the sauce.
Sesame Chicken Recipe #44321
This recipe really satisfies my craving for Chinese food. I serve it over rice and steamed vegetables on the side. I usually double the sauce to make it especially decadent.
by Jenny White
6 servings
21 min 5 min prep
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Cut chicken breast into 1 inch strips.
Heat a large non-stick skillet that has been sprayed with Pam, over medium-high heat.
Cook chicken strips for about 6 minutes until no longer pink.
Mix together honey, soy sauce, water, corn starch, ginger and red pepper flakes.
Whisk until no corn starch lumps appear.
Pour sauce mixture into skillet with chicken.
Cook until sauce thickens slightly.
You can add more water if sauce is too thick.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until chicken starts to soak up the sauce.
Easy Meatballs
Easy Meatballs
From Linda Larsen,Your Guide to Busy Cooks.Stay up to date!
This simple recipe can be flavored any way you like, or just make it plain.
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 egg
2 Tbsp. water
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup minced onion
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
PREPARATION:Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl combine egg, water, bread crumbs, onion, salt and pepper and combine. Add ground beef, broken into chunks, and mush with your hands to combine. Form into meatballs about 1" in diameter and place on a broiler pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until meatballs are no longer pink in center. Cool and freeze, or use in your favorite meatball recipe
From Linda Larsen,Your Guide to Busy Cooks.Stay up to date!
This simple recipe can be flavored any way you like, or just make it plain.
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 egg
2 Tbsp. water
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup minced onion
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
PREPARATION:Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl combine egg, water, bread crumbs, onion, salt and pepper and combine. Add ground beef, broken into chunks, and mush with your hands to combine. Form into meatballs about 1" in diameter and place on a broiler pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until meatballs are no longer pink in center. Cool and freeze, or use in your favorite meatball recipe
BRAINLESS BANANA PANCAKES
BRAINLESS BANANA PANCAKES
Serves: 3
So yummy and sweet ... you don't even need syrup!
INGREDIENTS
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 banana, mashed
1-1/4 cups soy milk
1 tbsp sweetener
sliced fresh fruit (garnish)
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, sift the flour and baking powder together.
2. In a small bowl, mash the banana with a fork and add 1/4 cup of
the milk, mixing together until there are no lumps. Add the banana,
sweetener, and remaining soy milk to the dry mix and stir together
until "just mixed."
3. Portion out about 3/4 to 1 cup of batter onto a hot non-stick pan
or a lightly oiled frying pan and cover with a lid. Let sit on medium
heat until the center starts to bubble and become sturdy. Flip
pancake over and cook other side until golden brown. Repeat process
until all the batter is gone.
4. Garnish with fresh fruit and maple syrup.
Reprinted with permission from HOW IT ALL VEGAN! by Tanya Barnard and
Sarah Kramer (www.GoVegan.net), Arsenal Pulp Press.
NUTRITION INFO
Calories: 247
Fat: 2.6 g
Carbohydrates: 48.4 g
Protein: 9.3 g
Serves: 3
So yummy and sweet ... you don't even need syrup!
INGREDIENTS
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 banana, mashed
1-1/4 cups soy milk
1 tbsp sweetener
sliced fresh fruit (garnish)
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, sift the flour and baking powder together.
2. In a small bowl, mash the banana with a fork and add 1/4 cup of
the milk, mixing together until there are no lumps. Add the banana,
sweetener, and remaining soy milk to the dry mix and stir together
until "just mixed."
3. Portion out about 3/4 to 1 cup of batter onto a hot non-stick pan
or a lightly oiled frying pan and cover with a lid. Let sit on medium
heat until the center starts to bubble and become sturdy. Flip
pancake over and cook other side until golden brown. Repeat process
until all the batter is gone.
4. Garnish with fresh fruit and maple syrup.
Reprinted with permission from HOW IT ALL VEGAN! by Tanya Barnard and
Sarah Kramer (www.GoVegan.net), Arsenal Pulp Press.
NUTRITION INFO
Calories: 247
Fat: 2.6 g
Carbohydrates: 48.4 g
Protein: 9.3 g
Caramel popcorn
Ingredients:
1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place popcorn in a very large bowl
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla. Pour in a thin stream over popcorn, stirring to coat.
3. Place in 2 large shallow baking dishes and bake in preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool completely before breaking into pieces.
- 1 cup butter
- 2 cups brown sugar
- ½ cup corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 quarts popped popcorn
1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place popcorn in a very large bowl
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla. Pour in a thin stream over popcorn, stirring to coat.
3. Place in 2 large shallow baking dishes and bake in preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool completely before breaking into pieces.
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