Classic Chili

Well, I have to admit something. I have been slacking in the posting department because...well....I can't seem to remember to take a photo before we eat all of whatever it is I've made. (The photo I used is courtesy of Better Home & Gardens, where the recipe came from in the first place.)

I make this chili every few weeks and every time it seems to vanish before I blink! So it must be good, right? It is! I wanted a "normal" chili recipe that didn't call for ingredients like cinnamon or beer, and this one is primo! The recipe below is doubled (except for the beans). Trust me. Just go ahead and double it.


Classic Chili

2 lbs. ground beef (for the best flavor I use 1 lb. 93/7 and 1 lb. 80/20)
1 large or 2 small green peppers, chopped (1 cup)
1 cup chopped yellow onion
8 cloves of garlic, minced
2 15-oz. cans tomato sauce
2 14.5-oz. cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 15-0z. can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
4-6 tsp. Leslie's Chili Mix or chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried basil, crushed
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Optional toppings: corn chips, shredded cheese, onion, sour cream

1) In a large pot cook the beef, onion, green pepper, and garlic until meat is done. Drain.
2) Add all other ingredients and simmer at least 1 1/2 hours for best flavor. Serve with cornbread, if desired, and any toppings.

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Chicken and Leek Stroganoff

Cooking food from scratch — that's what I like to do. Although I haven't been good at keeping things fresh lately...but small steps will help me get back into my cooking groove.

I recently found my groove when I picked up this cookbook. After flipping through it I immediately felt inspired and ready to get back into the game. Jamie Oliver is our real-life Ratatouille's Gusteau "Anyone can cook!" His recipes are easy and fresh = healthy. I don't think I'll be rifling through cookbooks for awhile dreaming of the perfect dinner...this cookbook will do.

My first recipe was for Chicken and Leek Stroganoff and we loved it...I've made it twice actually (it's so easy to prepare).

 

What You'll Need

sea salt

1/4 cup long grain or basmati rice (I used basmati)
1 large leek

a big handful of crimini or oyster mushrooms (I used pre-sliced white mushrooms)

2 chicken breasts
olive oil

a pat of butter

a glass of white wine

freshly ground black pepper

a bunch of fresh parsley

1 3/4 cups heavy cream

1 lemon (I tried both lime and lemon and found that lime added a better flavor)


What To Do

1. Pour boiling water from the kettle into a 2 quart saucepan, place on a high heat and add a pinch of sea salt. Add your rice, bring back to a boil, then turn the heat down slightly. Cook for the length of time given in the instructions on the package.
2. Cut both ends off the leek, quarter lengthwise, slice across thinly, then wash well under running water. Slice the mushrooms. Slice the chicken breasts into little finger-size pieces.
3. Put a large frying pan on a high heat and add a good lug of olive oil and a pat of butter. Add the leek to the pan with the white wine, a small glass of water, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Let it bubble away for 5 minutes, covered loosely with a piece of aluminum foil. Meanwhile, finely chop the parsley, stalks and all. Remove the foil and add the chicken strips, most of the parsley, the cream, and the mushrooms. Stir, bring back to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. 
4. Drain your rice. Just before serving, cut your lemon in half and squeeze the juice of one half into the stroganoff. Season to taste.
5. Spoon some rice onto each plate and top with the stroganoff. Scatter with the rest of the chopped parsley. Serve with the other lemon half, cut into wedges.

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The joys of a well-stocked freezer

A few weeks ago, I was feeling the crunch. The 4-6 p.m. crunch, in which my toddler is at her neediest, the dog is begging to be walked and fed, the phone is ringing, and my husband is getting home and trying to accomplish some basic home improvement tasks. And of course, there's dinner -- something that we take very seriously around here. We don't eat out, and -- with the exception of the Indian entrées from Trader Joe's -- we don't do processed food.

So I decided to go against some of my beliefs about how fresh, healthy food is supposed to be prepared the day you eat it . . . and I checked this book out of the library.

And my life changed.

(For the better.)

Now, you might be thinking, "But it's just going to be casseroles, right? I can't feed my family casseroles every day." I understand; I could never do that, either. This book offers a surprisingly varied menu of recipes, only some of which are actually casseroles. Waiting for me in my freezer right now are: four different chicken entrees, an enchilada bake, feta-spinach rolls, honey-spice pork kabobs, and vegetable chili.

I'm not pulling out a freezer meal every day. But it's so nice to have all these entrées ready to go -- just in case I can't pull off dinner, or I get sick, or in case a neighbor has an emergency appendectomy and I want to take dinner to her family. Or in case I just want to relax and play with my little girl and keep the kitchen clean.

It does take time to prepare these meals; they use the same fresh ingredients that I usually cook with, just in larger quantities. But I find that afternoon naptimes are usually long enough to put 3-6 meals in the freezer, depending on how involved they are. Plus, for me at least, it is easier to free up a Saturday and cook all day than it is to cook every night, six days a week.

Recently, my friend and I gathered at my house on a Saturday morning for a cooking marathon. Our husbands watched the kids and within seven hours we had cooked and packaged 37 meals and cleaned up after ourselves. This may seem like a lot of time spent cooking. But on average, this means that we prepared 5.2 meals per hour, which is more efficient than I could ever dream to be otherwise.

Prior to our cooking marathon, my friend went on a bit of a shopping spree at a warehouse club. Again, this took time and effort -- but again, the savings were worth it. Including the ziplocs and foil pans and extra pantry ingredients that we continue to use weeks later, we spent an average of $7 for each dish (feeding 4-8 people*). Not bad.

The dinnertime rush doesn't have to be so stressful, I've learned. This book (and the general concept behind it) has really helped me to eliminate this rush and I hope you find similar ways to cut the stress at this time of day.

*A note about serving sizes: Fix, Freeze, Feast assumes that you are feeding teenage farmhands who must each consume upwards of 3/4 of a pound of meat at each meal. No, not really -- but we felt that the meat portions were overly generous for our families. So, instead of dividing our meals into three entrées, we often divided them into four or six to better serve our families' needs. If you have a large family, or are feeding ravenous teenagers, the portion sizes in this book are for you.

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Roasted eggplants with spring onions

We grew eggplants for the very first time this year -- in a five-gallon bucket! The plant itself is beautiful, with its broad, purple-veined leaves, and we've been amazed at how much our little plant, with only five gallons of soil to sustain its roots, can produce.

an eggplant blossom in July

Here's a dish we recently prepared with the bounty of our modest container garden. It's a variation on a recipe from Best-Ever Curry Cookbook by Mridula Baljekar. I've modified the original version to allow for Asian eggplants. I also substituted olive oil for vegetable oil, yellow mustard seeds for black, and some random kind of hot pepper growing in my backyard for the red chili pepper.

Served over brown jasmine rice, it was delicious and nourishing.

Roasted eggplants with spring onions

Serves 4

Brown jasmine rice

2 large eggplants (or 5 of the small, long Asian variety)

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. yellow mustard seeds

1 large bunch spring onions (bigger is actually better in this case), finely sliced

4 oz. button mushrooms, halved

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 fresh red chili (or equivalent amount of any hot pepper you have on hand)

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground coriander

1/4 tsp. ground turmeric

1 tsp. salt

14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro, plus a few extra sprigs to garnish

*Note: brown jasmine rice takes a while (40-45 minutes) to cook, so you might want to start the rice ahead of the rest of the dish*

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place eggplants on a baking sheet and brush with 2 Tbsp. of the oil. Prick each one with a fork, then roast until soft (about 15 minutes for the small Asian variety; 30-35 minutes for large conventional eggplants).

2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil and the mustard seeds in a large skillet for about 2 minutes on medium-high heat (the seeds may start to splutter). Add the onions, mushrooms, garlic, and chili pepper, and stir fry for 3-4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

3. While the tomatoes are simmering, cut the eggplants in half and scoop out the soft flesh into a bowl. Mash the flesh with a fork.

4. Add the eggplant flesh to the pan with the chopped cilantro. Bring to a boil and simmer for five minutes until the sauce thickens. Serve over brown jasmine rice, garnished with cilantro.

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Ground Beef Grand Style

Back when our grandmothers and great-grandmothers were young wives and mothers, they cooked for their families every day, restaurants were a rarely-indulged-in luxury, and cooks didn't have to specify that they made something "from scratch," because how else would you make it anyway? Back in those days, women helped their own hamburger; they didn't go to the store to buy something in a box to do it for them. I'm not knocking Hamburger Helper--after all, don't we all rely on shortcuts from time to time? But the next time you think about reaching for that box, instead try this recipe my grandmother passed down to my mother who then passed it down to me.

What You Need

1 can refrigerator biscuits (or make your own; but at this stage of my life, refrigerator biscuits is one of those shortcuts I'm glad to take!)

1 lb. ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese

1 can (10 and 1/2 oz.) cream of mushroom soup

1/4 c. milk

1/4 c. ketchup (I use a little more)

1/3 c. sliced green olives (I love olives, so I usually use more than this)

1 tsp. salt (I usually omit this because the olives add enough salt)

What You Do

Brown ground beef; drain, if necessary. Add onions, and cook a few minutes. Add all other ingredients (except biscuits), and continue cooking until heated through and mixed well. Meanwhile, bake biscuits; and when done, place them on top of casserole. Makes 5-6 servings.

A nice accompaniment to this dish is Ceci's Cucumber and Tomato Salad; that, along with some fresh cantaloupe, is what I served with this casserole tonight for our supper.

Happy helping! (Your hamburger, that is...)

The best way to serve meals is with a smile.

~ from Country Home Cooking

by Marjorie Rohrer

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Chicken Korma

I am a creature of habit, and one of the areas in which this is visible is my ordering habits in restaurants. When I find something I like, I stick with it. After all, wouldn't it be a shame to launch out and try something new and not like it, when I could have ordered what I know I like and been perfectly content? :)

Because of my habit of ordering what I know I like, Chicken Korma is what I ALWAYS get when we go to a certain Indian restaurant in our town; but we don't go there very often so I decided to look for a Chicken Korma recipe to make at home. I found one on Food Network, and I'll definitely be making this again! That ol' creature-of-habit thing is cropping up again. :)

What You Need

4 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 tsp. julienned ginger

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. turmeric

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 pound chicken, cooked

1 c. water

1 & 1/2 tsp. garam masala, or to taste

1/4 pint heavy cream

2 tsp. finely chopped coriander

What You Do

Heat oil in large deep frying pan, adding chopped onions, and fry for 4-5 minutes on a medium heat until the onions are slightly brown. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for a further 1-2 minutes. Add the salt, turmeric, and ground cumin.

Turn up the heat and further cook for another minute, then add the chicken. It is very crucial that spices are mixed within the pan at this point and stirred to ensure that the chicken cooks with texture and flavor. Add water after stirring the chicken into the spices. Turn down the heat slightly and stir in the garam masala and cream. Cook for a further 5 minutes. Serve sprinkled with green coriander.

* I didn't follow the recipe exactly. For one thing, I used ground ginger, because that's what I had on hand. For another thing, I didn't cook the chicken first, but just cubed the raw chicken and cooked it in the spices. Obviously it took a little longer that way, but otherwise, it worked out fine. I also omitted the coriander because I didn't have any. I served this over my favorite rice: jasmine rice.

Without rice, even the cleverest housewife cannot cook.

~ Chinese proverb

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Meatloaf

Several weeks ago, my dad turned 70. If you don't know our family and if you haven't read about our living situation, I'll just briefly mention that we're blessed to live in my parents' old home (the house in which I grew up), and my parents live right down the hill from our house. Consequently, they come for dinner almost every evening. My dad's birthday was no exception; and as I thought about what to make for such a special occasion, I settled on meatloaf.

Meatloaf isn't grand, I know; but it is good and hearty and filling and can be moist and delicious and it is a favorite of my dad's (although he likes everything...except avocado...but he'll even eat that uncomplainingly if it's served to him), but I rarely remember to make it! On the night of his birthday, I used a recipe for Pot Roast Meat Loaf from Country Home Cooking by Marjorie Rohrer; but I made two changes to it so that I could combine my three favorite meatloaf features. Here is the original recipe:

What You Need

1 lb. ground beef

2/3 c. canned milk

1/3 c. cracker crumbs

1/4 c. ketchup

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

3 potatoes

3 onions

3 carrots

What You Do

Mix first seven ingredients together in a bowl. Shape into a loaf. Place in center of a 9 x 13 pan. Wash potatoes, onions, and carrots; and chop into chunks. Place veggies around meat in pan. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper and parsley. Cover tightly with foil. Bake 1 hour at 375 degrees. Uncover and bake 20 more minutes to brown meat.

I used this recipe because it included one of my favorite parts of a good meatloaf: the veggies around the edges that absorb the grease :) and all the yummy flavor. But there were two more things I wanted to do with it. One was to include a layer of cheese in the middle of the meatloaf; that's how I remember my mother making it--almost like a cheeseburger meatloaf--so as I put the meat mixture into the baking pan, I simply put half down, added some cheese on top, then placed the rest of the meat mixture on top of that. The third aspect of a delicious meatloaf, in my opinion, is a ketchup-based topping, so I mixed 1 cup ketchup, 2 tsp. mustard, and 2 tbsp. brown sugar, then spread that over the top of the meat. And then, finally, it was ready to bake, with all three of my favorites included. :)

Happy loafing!

I feel a recipe is only a theme, which an intelligent cook can play each time with a variation.

~ Madam Benoit

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Moroccan Chicken

Chicken - you just gotta love it. For versatility, it can't be beat since there are so many ways to fix it. If you're looking for a different twist, try this recipe which is fairly healthy, inexpensive, quick, and easy. I think "easy" is the common denominator in all the recipes I post! :)

What You Need

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 c. chicken broth

1 c. dried apricots (halved) or raisins

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. black pepper

1/2 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. cumin

What You Do

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Combine chickpeas, broth, and apricots or raisins in baking dish. Arrange chicken on top of chickpea mixture. Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, cinnamon, and cumin. Cover and bake about 25 minutes until chicken is done.

Food Talk

When was the last time you said somebody didn't know beans about something or said the fog was as thick as pea soup?

We really take the cake when it comes to using foods as a figure of speech. For example, when things go right, they are in apple pie order, and life is a bowl of cherries. But when they go wrong, we're in a pickle.

If a man is important, he's top banana. If he's clumsy, he's butterfingered. If he's cowardly, he's chicken livered. If he's poised, he's cool as a cucumber. If he talks too much, he spills the beans, and if he doesn't talk, he clams up.

Moreover, he doesn't earn money, he earns dough, or he brings home the bacon. If he's working for peanuts, his wife may egg him on to butter up the boss.

If something is good, it's a peach. If it's bad, it's a lemon, or some will say it's just sour grapes.

If you're not worth your salt, you may wind up eating humble pie...and that would be getting your just desserts.

And now, just to ice the cake, I want to say that you may take most of these claims with a grain of salt.

~ from Country Home Cooking

by Marjorie Rohrer

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Creamy Spinach Doodles

My family joined a CSA (community supported agriculture) this year, so we have a small share at an organic farm just north of here in Perry County. Every Tuesday, we get a box full of goodies, and it's always a surprise as to exactly what will be in season and available. So, I especially appreciate that each box also includes several recipes that incorporate at least some of the ingredients provided in the box.

Last Tuesday our box contained lots of greens -- yummy lettuces and spinach. There was also a recipe for a pasta that incorporated spinach that I thought my husband and I would enjoy, as well as our 10-month old. It was delicious! He's actually warming up the leftovers as I type!

What you need:
1 lb. fusilli pasta, cooked al dente (I used whole wheat penne simply because I didn't have fusilli.)
1 bunch of spinach, chopped fine
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced, plus 1 tbsp. spring onion minced (omitted the onion)
1 cup half and half
1/4 cup grated carrot (could add more)
1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper, freshly ground
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or 1/2 cup parmesan (I used cheddar but would consider using BOTH next time. Yep, I'm just that crazy!.

What to do:
Cook the pasta and drain. In the same pot you cooked the pasta in, melt 1/4 cup butter, add the garlic and onion, and cook five minutes on low. Add the spinach and carrots and stir often over high heat until just wilted. Add the salt and pepper. Toss with the pasta. Turn heat to very low, add the half and half and cheese; stir until warm. Serve hot.

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Poulet rôti à la normande

If there were a blog or a film entitled Dulcimer & Julia -- and I assure you neither is forthcoming anytime soon -- it wouldn't be about me carefully following her recipes to the letter over the course of a year. I am neither disciplined nor obedient enough for that kind of endeavor. Rather, it would consist of me making substitutions, blunders, and shortcuts to try to achieve Julia-esque results with a little less fuss and slightly clearer instructions

So here's my version of her poulet rôti à la normande. Instead of trussing the chicken with a mattress needle, I tied it up modern-home-cook style. And, because I am lazy and I couldn't figure out how to do it safely, I didn't turn the chicken on its side as it roasted. And instead of tarragon and thyme, I seasoned the stuffing with herbes de Provence. Finally, instead of using chicken livers and other organs for stuffing, I used . . . drumroll, please . . . bacon. I know, it may have been overly decadent. But you can't go wrong with bacon.

Or can you?

You should be warned that, although I've simplified this recipe a bit, it still requires some serious basting action. You'll want to make sure that you can stay by the oven for more than an hour, as you will be basting every eight to ten minutes. But the taste is worth it.

Poulet rôti à la normande

Stuffing

1/2 to 3/4 pound bacon (thick-cut or slab bacon would be nice here), cut into chunks

1 shallot or 2 Tbsp green onions

2/3 cup coarse fresh breadcrumbs

4 Tbsp cream cheese

1 Tbsp butter

1 tsp herbes de Provence, or a combination of thyme and tarragon

2-3 Tbsp minced fresh parsley

In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon. When it's beginning to look somewhat cooked (but not crispy yet), add the shallot or green onions and sauté until softened and slightly brown around the edges. Leaving most of the bacon fat in the skillet, pour the bacon and onion mixture into a mixing bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, cream cheese, 1 Tbsp of the butter, and herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Chicken

3 pound roaster chicken, whole

2-3 Tbsp butter

several teaspoons of kosher salt

a few pieces of cut-up carrots, celery, and onions (whatever you have on hand)

3 Tbsp chicken stock

1 cup heavy cream

lemon juice to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Rub the chicken cavity lightly with salt and loosely fill with the stuffing. Bend and tuck wings behind the chicken's back (when the breast is up, the chicken's back will be resting on the wings). Tie legs together tightly. If any "tail" meat or skin is hanging down, tuck it up under the legs. This will keep moisture (and the stuffing)inside the chicken.

Pat the chicken dry, and rub all over with 1 Tbsp butter, then follow with kosher salt. Place chicken in a roasting pan and scatter cut-up vegetables around it (these will help to flavor the sauce). Roast at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and brush with more butter (when juices begin to accumulate in the pan, you can baste with these, but until that happens you need to baste with butter or olive oil).

Continue roasting for 55 to 65 minutes, basting every 8 to 10 minutes. About 10 minutes before the end of the estimated roasted time, begin basting with 2 to 3 tablespoons of cream every 3-4 minutes until the chicken is done. Remove pan from oven and transfer chicken to a carving board. Loosely tent with foil and let chicken rest for at least 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, add chicken stock and bring pan juices to a boil on the stove. Boil rapidly for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping up any brown bits. Just before serving, remove from heat and stir in additional cream (if desired). Add a small amount of lemon juice to taste.

Serve chicken with a small amount of stuffing on the side and sauce poured on top. Sautéed mushrooms and peas are a wonderful accompaniment to this dish.

Adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle, and Simone Beck

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Vietnam Fried Rice

This recipe is originally from the More with Less cookbook and a favorite dish in our house. I always have the ingredients on hand so it's an easy fix to the it's-4:00-and-I-need-to-make-something-for-dinner problem. If you so chose, you can make it meat-free. After having made this many, many times, I am posting it the way I like to make it, which includes doubling the soy sauce mixture.

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp. olive oil
3/4-1 lb. meat (beef, chicken pork, and/or shrimp), chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 cups cooked/leftover rice
2 cups frozen, mixed veggies (I precook them in the microwave until crisp, tender.)
2 eggs, beaten (I partially scramble in a separate pan.)

How to Make It:

1) Heat oil in wok. Stir fry meat, onion, and garlic until meat is done. (Do not drain.) Prepare salt, pepper, sugar, and soy sauce in separate bowl; mix well, then add to meat in skillet. Continue to stir fry for another minute.
2) Add cooked rice. Stir fry for 5 minutes. Add veggies, mixing well. Add scrambled egg and stir fry for another 1-2 minutes.

Serve with salad and fruit and this will feed 4-6 people.

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Chinese Savory Beef

We love this recipe from the More With Less Cookbook.  Brief history: My hubby and I adopted our 2nd daughter from China in 2007.  So we have a heart for Chinese food.  We broke down and bought sticky rice from the local Chinese restaurant so we could eat with chopsticks.  He even picked up my favorite, fried noodles.  My Chinese daughter does not like Uncle Ben's rice, but loves sticky rice.  :-)  Our 6 yr old loves to eat with chopsticks, so this was a treat for all of us to eat this meal entirely with chopsticks.  Definitely cheaper than going out for Chinese.  So enjoy!

2 Tbsp Oil
2 lb Lean Beef, cut in 1 1/2" squares
3 scallions, chopped or 1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 thin slices ginger (opt)
1/2 c. Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
1/8 tsp Pepper
3 c. Water

Heat the oil in a skillet and then add the beef.  Brown the beef, once browned add the following: scallions, garlic, & ginger.  Then add the rest of the ingredients.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 3 hrs.  Add more liquid if needed.  Just before serving thicken with small amount flour if desired.  Serve over rice or noodles.

Alterations: FYI: if you don't have scallions or ginger on hand, you can still make this delicious recipe.  There are many times the kids are craving Chinese, or mom is, and I still make this recipe anyways.  I also cooked some stir-fry veggies on the side and then mixed everything together before dinner.

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Mom's Sloppy Joes

Ok...so this isn't the most glamorous or creative recipe. But, it is delicious!

I've been in a bit of a cooking funk lately. I'm feeling rather uninspired, despite all the delicious recipes here on The Foodie Spot and in the bazillion cookbooks that I own. So, it was time to revisit a classic.

Actually, I think I'm using up all my creative cooking energy making baby food for my little girl. She's eating like a queen -- purees like carrot-cauliflower-tomato-basil and chicken with sweet potatoes and apples. For lunch the other day she had whole wheat pasta with steamed broccoli, a pad of butter, and parmesan cheese. That same day I'm pretty sure I had a bowl of Cheerios!

Anyhow, here's a great recipe for sloppy joes. They're quick, easy, and as mentioned, delicious!

What you need:

1 pound ground meat (I usually use 90% lean)
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup catsup
1 tbsp. vinegar
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. mustard

What you do:

Brown the meat with the onion. Add seasonings if you like. (Every once and awhile I go crazy and sprinkle some cajun seasoning in there, but usually I don't add any seasonings...even though I'm a hard core recipe follower!)

Mix other ingredients together and add to browned meat. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Serve on rolls (whole wheat is best!) with a side of sweet potato fries. Yum!

Recipe from my very cute mom.

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Baked Crab Cakes

Crabcakes are a real treat our house. So, when I found crab on sale a few weeks ago, I was excited at the prospect of whipping these up! I know a sign of a quality crabcake is if it doesn't have any filler. Well, these have some filler, but I still think they're especially delicious. I'm willing to bet you won't be disappointed.

What you need
Nonstick cooking oil spray
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
1 small green or red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. Old Bay Seasoning
1 large egg or 2 large whites, beaten
1 pound crabmeat, picked over for cartilage
1 cup dried breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking oil spray.

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, jalapeno, and garlic and cook, stirring often until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool completely.

Mix the mayonnaise, parsley, mustard, seasoning, and egg to combine. Add the crabmeat and 1/4 cup of the breadcrumbs and mix lightly until just combined. Form the mixture into 8 cakes. Place the remaining breadcrumbs in a shallow dish and dredge the cakes in them. (Prepare for sticky hands!) Arrange the cakes on the baking sheet and spray with cooking oil spray.

Bake 10 minutes. Carefully the turn the cakes and spray again with oil. Bake until the cakes are crisp, about 10 minutes more.

From "Back to the Table: The Reunion of Family and Food."

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Lasagna

According to All Recipes this is the "World's Best Lasagna," and I have to say it's the best I've ever had. I like recipes that are quick and easy, but this is not one of them. However, it was well worth the effort. The recipe below is how it was originally posted. Of course, I can never follow a recipe exactly, so I posted my alterations at the bottom.

World's Best Lasagna

Ingredients:
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
3/4 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
12 lasagna noodles
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

How to Make It:

1) In a large pot, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

2) Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

3) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

4) To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.

5) Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

My alterations:
Used 1 lb. ground beef and twice the garlic
Left out: fennel seeds and the 1 Tbsp. salt
Used shredded Italian cheese blend instead of mozzarella slices
This makes so much sauce that I actually ended up using 18 lasagna noodles and next time I'll increase the ricotta mixture by about 50%.

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Pepperoni Pizza Twist

I got this out of the Pampered Chef  Season's Best Recipe Collection Fall/Winter 2002 book.  I thought I would broaden my horizons and make some new dishes.  This was one of them.  Next time I will put something like sausage in the center, which is better liked by my children.  If you are looking to mix up your pizza night, then try this tasty recipe.

1 package (3.5 oz) Pepperoni slices, diced
1 can (3.25 oz) pitted ripe olives, drained & chopped
2 TBSP snipped fresh parsley
1/2 c. shredded Mozzarella cheese
2 TBSP all purpose flour
1 Garlic clove, pressed
2 packages (11 oz. each) refrigerated French bread dough
1 Egg
1 tsp Italian Seasoning mix
2 TBSP Parmesan cheese
1 can (15 oz.) pizza sauce, warmed (optional)

In a bowl combine the pepperoni, olives, parsley, mozzarella cheese, flour, & garlic.  Mix well.

Place bread dough, seam side up, on a cutting board or whatever cookie sheet/Pampered Chef stone you want. Slice each loaf lengthwise, end to end, cutting halfway through to the center of the loaf.  Spread open flat.  Using a roller, roll dough crosswise to a 4" width, creating a well down the center of the loaf.  Spoon the mixture, you set aside in your bowl, down the center of the two loafs.  Gather up the edges over filling, pinching firmly to seal.  Place loaves, seam side down, in an "X" pattern.  Crisscross ends of dough to form a large figure "8".

In another bowl or 2 c. measuring cup, separate egg , discard yolk or set aside for another recipe, Beat egg white and seasoning mix; lightly brush over dough.  Cut 3" slits in each of the top sections of the twist revealing the filling.  Grate Parmesan cheese over the loaf.  Bake at 375 for 30-32 minutes.  Serve with warm pizza sauce, if desired.

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Chicken Imperial

Before I had children, I worked in food sales at Shady Brook Farms, before Cargill took over and it just became turkey sales and not chicken sales.  I got to try a lot of different varieties of turkey and chicken.  This is one of my favorite chicken recipes that I got when I worked at Shady Brook Farms.  It is so easy and requires very little effort.



6 Chicken breasts, boneless/skinless
1-2 sticks of Butter, melted
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 TBSP Garlic Powder
1/2 c. Parmesan Cheese
1/4 c. Parsley, chopped
1 c. Bread crumbs

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl.  Melt the butter.  Then proceed dipping the chicken in butter, then in dry mixture, then place on 9x13 dish.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

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Ham-Swiss Ring Around

This is a recipe that my mother makes, but I have no idea where it came from originally. It looks at lot more complicated than it is. So don't be afraid to try it! You won't be disappointed.

Ham-Swiss Ring Around

Ingredients:
1 cup broccoli florets
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
2 Tbsp onion, finely chopped
2 tsp mustard
1 Tbsp butter, softened
1 tsp lemon juice
3/4 cup (3 oz.) swiss cheese, grated
1 can Hormel chunk ham, drained
1 8 oz. can crescent rolls
Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/4 cup)

How to Make It:
1) Cook and drain broccoli. Mix parsley, onion, mustard, butter, and lemon juice.
2) Add cheese, broccoli, and ham. Mix lightly. Set aside.
3) Separate rolls on well-greased cookie sheet. Arrange triangles with the points outside, overlapping the base a little bit.

4) Spoon filling evenly around the base.

5) Fold points over top and tuck under bases. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
6) Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

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Chicken Sate with Rice and Peas

Several years ago, my friend Jamie made this meal for lunch when I was visiting her, and I loved it and raved about it until she shared the recipe. Now this is a favorite meal at my house.

If you like Thai food or you're a sucker for peanut sauces (like me), I'm pretty sure you'll really enjoy this dinner.


1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup reduced-fat creamy peanut butter
1 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 cups instant brown or white rice
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed

Saute chicken in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown on all sides and cooked through, about 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

In a small saucepan, combine broth, peanut butter, and soy sauce. Simmer 2 minutes, until hot, stirring with a wire whisk.

Cook rice according to package directions. Remove from heat and stir in peas. If desired, season with salt and pepper.

Serve chicken strips with peanut sauce, rice mixture on the side.

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Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Pineapple and Jalapeno Chilies

Alright, so this wasn't the best or tastiest dish that I ever made. It didn't have nearly enough "kick" for my taste. Perhaps I don't know to buy jalapenos?

But, even with more sweet than spice, my husband and I both thought it was good enough to share. (If you try this and have success "taking it up a notch," please share a comment about how you did it!)

What you need:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 pounds)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
12-ounce package of fresh pineapple chunks (1 3/4 cups)
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. brown sugar
2 jalapeno chilies, seeded and minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsps. chopped cilantro (not big fans at our house, so I omitted this)

Arrange chicken breasts in a single layer on work surface and cover with plastic wrap. Using a heavy skillet or rolling pin, pound them until flattened to about 1/2 inch thick.

In a shallow dish, combine the flour, salt, and pepper. Dredge both sides of each breast in the seasoned flour.

In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat the oil and butter. Add the chicken breasts and cook until they are well browned on both sides and no longer pink at the center, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer them to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Do not clean the skillet.

While the chicken breasts are cooking, drain the juice from the pineapple into a measuring cup. Add enough orange juice to total 3/4 cup. Stir in the cornstarch, then set aside.

Return the skillet to the stove over medium-low. Add the drained pineapple and brown sugar. Cook, stirring constantly, until the pineapple begins to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chilies and garlic and stir until the garlic is beginning to color, 1 to 2 minutes.

Stir in the reserved juice. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook until thickened and reduced slightly, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the cilantro, then serve, spooned over the chicken breasts.

Recipe from the February 17, 2010 Harrisburg Patriot-News.

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