Week of Sept 21, 2014

Sun - Ham Pie

Spaghetti alla Margherita (blended sauce)

Mon - Spaghetti alla Margherita 
Tue - Slow Cooked Chili
Wed -Coconut Thai Chicken
Thur - Game Day Chili Dogs
Fri - Chicken and Rice Casserole

Ham Pie

Crust: (use pre-made, fresh pie crust if desired)

2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

8 tbsp butter

8 tbsp Crisco shortening

1 tsp white vinegar

2 tbsp - 1/4 cup water

Filling:

2 cup diced ham

1 can condensed cream mushroom soup

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

4 pats of butter

1 can whole corn

Pie

To make crust: using a fork or a pastry blender, mix butter, shortening, salt, and flour together until it looks like small beads. Add vinegar and 2 tbsp water and mix until dough forms. If it is too dry to mix add water, a tbsp at a time until it comes together. Roll into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest 20 minutes (can be refrigerated for up to 3 days). After resting, roll out into 2 circles for your pie.

To make pie: Put 1 circle of crust in the bottom of the pan. Add 1/2 the ham to the bottom, then 1/2 the cheese and 1/2 of the corn. Spread 1/2 the soup on top. Repeat 1 more time. Put the butter on, then the top crust on. Make sure to slit a few hole on top for venting. Brush with egg wash. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until crust is golden brown. Let rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

Spaghetti alla Margherita 
2 cups cherry tomatoes
3 garlic cloves in skin
1/2 cup loosely packed, fresh basil
1 tbsp fresh, Italian parsley
1 cup diced or shredded mozerrella
1 lb spaghetti pasta
Sauted Mushrooms (see below)Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Preheat oven to 425F. Top, cut in half, and seed tomatoes. Lay out tomatoes and garlic on a sheet pan, coat with a few tablespoons of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in oven until tomatoes are soft and shriveled, and garlic is browning but not burnt/black, 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool 5 minutes. Remove garlic skin by squishing with a fork.
Cook pasta according to package. (Retain 1 cup of pasta water if blending sauce) Chop basil and parsley. Dice or shred cheese. Mash garlic.
You can either eat as is or blend sauce. AS IS: Stir ingredients together with spaghetti and balsamic vinegar, enjoy. BLENDED SAUCE: blend tomatoes, garlic, 1 tbsp olive oil, balsamic vinegar together. Add water 2 tbsp at a time until desired thickness. Mix with pasta. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and herbs, enjoy.

Hearty Oven Chili (pampered chef recipe)
NOTE: I will be doing this in the slow cooker on low for 8 hours, instead of in the oven. just replace "baking bowl" with slow cooker. If you are baking it, use a casserole dish with a lid.
INGREDIENTS

3 pounds boneless beef chuck pot roast (arm, blade, chuck eye or shoulder) or 2 1/2 pounds boneless beef stew meat
4 garlic cloves, pressed
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups onions, coarsely chopped
2 cups green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
3 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
2 cans (15.5 ounces) kidney, pinto or black beans, drained and rinsed  
Optional Toppings: such as shredded cheddar cheese, sliced ripe olives, sliced green onions, chopped white onions, and/or sour cream
DIRECTIONS
1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Trim excess fat from meat with Chef’s Knife. Cut meat into 1/2-inch cubes. Place in Stoneware Baking Bowl. Press garlic over meat using Garlic Press. Sprinkle with seasonings; stir to coat meat. Chop onions and bell pepper using Food Chopper. Add to Baking Bowl along with tomatoes, tomato sauce and beans. Cover Bowl with Deep Dish Baker. Bake 2 1/2 hours or until meat is tender. Carefully remove Deep Dish Baker from Baking Bowl, lifting away from you. Using Magic Mop™, skim any fat from top of chili. Top with desired toppings when served (optional).
Yield: 12 servings of 1 cup. Nutrients per serving: Calories 340, Fat 10 g, Sodium 570 mg, Dietary Fiber 6 g

Game Day Chili Dogs
8 hot dogs (the kids and I like cheese dogs! Husband likes all beef)
8 whole wheat hot dog buns
1 cup shredded Cheddar
1/2 onion, chopped
Sour Cream, for topping - optional
Directions
Heat hot dogs follwoing package directions OR if you have a George Foreman Grill, use to cook until hot.  About 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and place each hot dog in a bun. Top with a generous serving of the chili. Top with cheese, onion, and sour cream, if desired.

Chicken and Rice Casserole
4 skinless, boneless breast filet
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I perfer Campbell's Healthy Choice)
1 1/2 cans of water
2 cups dry Long Grain White Minute Rice
2 tsp+ each Salt and Pepper
1 tsp Garlic Salt
Grease a 9x13 pan with butter. Sprinkle Chicken Breasts with salt and pepper - both sides. Mix rice, salt, pepper, garlic, soup and water in the pan. Evenly spread out rice. Place chicken on top. Cover with foil. Bake in 350F oven for 40-60  minutes, or until rice is done and chicken is no longer pink and liquid is adsorbed. Serve with a vegetable or salad.