Week Oct 26, 2014

Sun- Mini-Make-Your-Own Pizzas
Mon- Baked Potato Chowder
Tue- All in One Chicken Dinner
Wed- Taco Tater Tot Casserole

Kids' Pizzas

Thur- Penne with Roasted Vegatbles (Food Network)
Fri- Halloween! Mummy Dogs

Mini-Make-Your-Own Pizza

Make Your Own Pizza Bar

Pillsbury recipe using Grand's Biscuits. I like to put out toppings and let the family make their own before baking. The kid's think it's fun!


Baked Potato Chowder
3 tablespoons butter
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 box stock (chicken or veggie), heated
4 large baker potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup sour cream
3 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup minced chives
grated Cheddar Cheese
1/2 lb bacon, cooked crispy and broken up to chunks
Directions
In a large sauce pot, over high heat melt the butter and garlic. Cook over medium heat until fragrant. Add the hot stock and whisk to combine. Add potatoes. Add enough hot water to just cover potatoes. Stir in salt and pepper. Boil until potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, cook bacon. DO NOT DRAIN potato water.
When potatoes are ready, mash in water with a masher. Leaving some lumps depending on how chunky you like your soup. Stir in the milk, cream, sour cream, and 1/2 the chopped bacon. Heat through. Serve in bowls with chives, cheese, bacon pieces and extra sour cream if desired.

Roast Chicken - 30 Minute Chicken (Pampered Chef)

Chicken:

1 whole chicken (3½-4 pounds)

1 tablespoon olive oil

All-in-One Chicken Dinner 

Lightly spray Deep Covered Baker with oil using Kitchen Spritzer. Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken cavity. Rinse chicken with cold water; pat dry with paper towels. Trim excess fat using Kitchen Shears, if necessary. Tie ends of legs together with cotton string. Lift wing tips up toward neck; then tuck under back of chicken. Place chicken on Cutting Board; brush with oil using Chef’s Silicone Basting Brush.

For seasoning mixture, combine ingredients in Prep Bowl; mix well. Completely coat outside of chicken with seasoning mixture. Place chicken, breast side up, in baker.

Combine 1 cup each celery and carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces, and 3 cups red or russet potatoes, cut into 2-inch pieces, in Classic Batter Bowl. Toss with additional seasoning, if desired. Arrange vegetables around chicken. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 35-40 minutes or until Pocket Thermometer registers 165F in thickest part of breast and juices run clear. Remove from microwave. Cover with lid and let rest 10 minutes (temperature will rise to 170F). Remove and use juices to make gravy.

Yield: 4-6 servings. Nutrients: per serving: Calories 490, Total Fat 29 g, Saturated Fat 8 g, Cholesterol 165 mg, Carbohydrate 2 g, Protein 52 g,Sodium 450 mg, Fiber 0 g 

Variations:  Spice rubs and seasoning mixes give alternate flavors to your chicken.

(My) Gravy
drippings/liquid from baker
3-4 tbsp AP flour
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth
Mix drippings and flour in a pan with a whisk until incorperated. Add in chicken broth and heat to a boil. Boil until the gravy comes to the thickness you like (remember it will continue to thicken off the heat for a bit). Taste, add salt and pepper as necessary.

Tater Tot Taco casserole

1 can of condensed nacho cheese OR tomato soup

            (cheese if you want extra cheesey, tomato is you want it more taco flavored)

1 (25-30 oz) bag of tater tots

1 lb ground beef

1 package of taco seasoning (or 3 tbsp of my taco seasoning mix)
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

salt and pepper

1. Crisp tots in oven on a cookie sheet at 425F for 10 minutes. Sprinkle 1 tbsp taco seasoning on ground beef, brown and drain. 

2. Mix taco seasoning with soup.

3. Layer 1/2 the tots, 1/2 the soup, 1/2 beef, 1/2 the beans, and then 1/2 the cheese in a 2 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Repeat. Bake at 350F until warm in center, about 30 minutes.

NOTE: you can also use salsa instead of condensed soup and taco seasoning, for a less rich, lower calorie dinner.

Week of Oct 19, 2014

Sun - Ground Beef Tacos Salad
Mon - Zuppa Tuscana
Tue - Fried Pork Dumplings
Wed - Hamburgers
Thur - Pork Chops
Fri- Spaghetti Marinara (boxed and jarred, according to directions)

Taco Salad

1 (about 11 oz) sack Doritos or any corn tortilla chips

1-2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (using left over from roast chicken) OR 1 lb Ground Beef, browned, crumbled and drained

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped (optional)

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 package taco seasoning

1 cup lettuce or cabbage

3 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 can black beans

Handful cilantro leaves, chopped

Juice of 1 lime

Beef Taco Salad

2 cups each shredded Monterey Jack and sharp Cheddar cheese

Salsa and sour cream or salad dressing (optional)

Sprinkle chicken with taco seasoning. Heat chicken and beans, on stove or microwave until hot. Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, remaining onions, jalapenos, cilantro, and the juice of the lime in a large bowl. 

Layer salad: chips on bottom, then meat mix, veggie mix, handful of lettuce or cabbage, top with cheese, and salsa and sour cream or salad dressing.

Zuppa Tuscana

Zuppa Tuscana2 cups chopped kale
1 lb hot italian sausage
1 tbsp olive oil (if needed)
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 box stock (chicken or veggie), heated
3 large baking potatoes, sliced
1 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper

In a large sauce pot, over medium heat cook sausage, chop into chunks. When no longer pink, remove meat but leave oil in pan.  Add garlic, and oil if there is less then 2 tbsp of fat in the pan. Cook over medium heat until fragrant. Add the hot stock and whisk to combine. Add potatoes. Add enough hot water to cover potatoes. Stir in salt and pepper. Boil until potatoes are tender. DO NOT DRAIN potato water.

When potatoes are almost done, add the kale and cook until kale and potatoes are tender. Stir in the milk and cream. Return sausage. Heat through. Serve immediately. (If left to simmer the potatoes will begin to turn into mush and disappear in the liquid.)

Pan Fried Pork Chops

4-6 (about 1 1/2 lb) pork chops

3/4 + 1/4 cup  milk

1 egg

3/4 cup bread crumbs (I use Progresso Italian)

Oil to coat the bottom of the pan (veg or canola)

flour coating:

1/2 cup AP flour

1 tbsp seasoning salt (such as Johnny's)

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp garlic salt

To bread the chops you will need: 2 bowls, 2 paper plates, 1 non-stick cooling rack, a fork. Set up the assembly line: bowl with 3/4 cup of milk, paper plate with flour coating, bowl with 1 egg and 1/4 cup milk beaten together, paper plate with bread crumbs, and last the cooling rack. Put all the chops in the 1 st bowl. let set in the milk for 5 minutes. One chop at a time, place on the flour and coat with the coating. Dip in the egg mix. the place on the bread crumbs and coat the chop. Lay on the cooling rack until all chops are breaded.

To cook the chops, heat the oil in a large skillet (with a lid) on med-high heat. Add chops one at a time, being careful not to splatter yourself. Cover, and cook for 5-10 minutes or until the bottom side is golden brown and top is starting to turn from pink to white. Turn and cook until done. Middle of chop should reach 160F. Let rest 5 minutes on the cooling rack to drain oil. Serve with mashed potatoes and milk gravy (recipe follows).

Milk Gravy

About 1 tbsp Pan drippings from meat (chops, bacon, sausage, ect)

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp leftover flour coating (or AP flour + seasoning salt)

salt and pepper to taste

3 cups milk

Scrap the pan and get the chucks out. Melt the butter in the pan on high heat. using a whisk, add the flour coating mix to the pan, turn down the heat to low and stir for 2 minutes or until it smells nutty. Turn the heat back up to high and add the milk, constantly whisking. Boil until the gravy comes to the thickness you like (remember it will continue to thicken off the heat for a bit). Taste, add salt and pepper as necessary.

Week of Oct 12, 2014

Fried Rice, Egg Roll, Cream Cheese Ragoons

Sat - Baked Chicken and Dumpling Pie
Sun - Fried Rice and Egg Rolls
Mon -  Penne with Cream Sauce (Food Network)
Tue -  Mexajita Chicken (Slow Cooker Food Network Recipe)
Wed - Chicken Stuffing Casserole (Stove Top)
Thur & Fri - MOVING! Eating out

Baked Chicken and Dumpling Pie

chicken and veggies

1 lb cooked, diced chicken or turkey

1 can cream of celery or chicken soup

2 stalks of celery, diced

2 cloves of garlic, pressed

1/2 medium onion, diced

1 small bag of frozen mixed veggies

1 1/2 can of water

salt and pepper

Sauté the onion, celery and garlic until onion is translucent. Meanwhile, mix soup, water, salt and pepper in a 9x13 baking pan. Add all other ingredients, and mix together.

Baked Chicken and Dumplings

 dumplings - drop biscuits

2  cups flour

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

4 tbsp soft butter

4 tbsp shortening

3/4 cup butter milk (to make butter milk - add 1 tsp of white vinegar to 3/4 cup milk, let sit 2 minutes)

 Mix dry ingredients, butter and shortening in a large mixing bowl with a fork or pastry bender. Until it resembles peas. Add butter milk mix until it forms a dough. Scoop small dumplings out of the mix and drop into the pan on top of the chicken/veg mix.

Bake at 375 uncovered until the dumplings are golden brown and done all the way through. About 30-40 minutes.

Chicken Fried Rice and Egg Rolls
Egg Rolls:
1 lb ground pork or chicken/turkey
1 bell pepper
1/2 medium onion
1 cup fine shredded cabbage
1 carrot
2 tbsp Asian Seasoning Mix
Salt and Pepper
Egg Roll wrappers
In a food processor  shred bell pepper, onion, carrot, and cabbage. Sprinkle ground meat with Asia Seasoning Mix, salt and pepper. Cook ground meat and shredded veggies in a skillet, over med-high heat until meat is browned and veggies are soft. Use a spatula to crumble the meat and veg into very small pieces. (I prefer to cook meat prior to rolling to ensure it is done)
Use the directions on the egg roll wrappers on how to roll these together. Allow to cook in freezer for 5 minutes before frying at 365F until golden brown on both sides 3-5 minutes. keep warm in oven if necessary.
Rice:
1 lb cooked, diced chicken
3 cups cooked white rice
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp oil
1/2 cup peas and carrots frozen mix
2 eggs
Scramble eggs, warm up carrots and peas. In a non-stick skillet heat oil, vinegar and soy sauce on high - med-high. Add in rice. Stir until incorporated. Stir in eggs and carrots peas.

Stove Top Chicken Stuffing Casserole
1-2/3 cups hot water
1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1-1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of mushroom soup or cream of chicken
1/3 cup Sour Cream
Cook:
HEAT oven to 400ºF.
ADD hot water to stuffing mix; stir just until moistened.
PLACE chicken in 13x9-inch baking dish. Mix soup and sour cream until blended; pour over chicken. Top with stuffing.
BAKE 30 min. or until chicken is done.
kraft kitchens tips:
SERVING SUGGESTION: Serve with a steamed green vegetable, such as broccoli, and cold glass of fat-free milk.
SPECIAL EXTRA Top chicken with 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables before covering with soup mixture.
VARIATION Substitute 2-qt. casserole for the baking dish.

Week of Oct 5, 2014

Navy Bean Soup

Sun - Pizza
Mon - Navy Bean Soup (Ham and Beans)
Tue - Chicken Fajitas
Wed - Piroshki (Russian Meat Pies)
Thur - Chicken Stir Fry Noodles
Fri - Beef-a-roni

Navy Bean Soup

1 ham bone

1 pound navy beans, rinsed, sorted, soaked overnight and drained

2 (32 oz) boxes of stock (veggie, pork or chicken)

2 carrots, diced fine

1 celery, diced fine

1/2 onion, diced fine

4 cloves garlic, pressed

1 tbsp olive oil

2 bay leaves

salt and pepper to taste

In a large stock pot, on medium heat saute onion, carrot, garlic and celery in oil until fragrant. Add stock, heat to a boil (high heat). Add ham bone and bay leaves. Simmer for at least 3 hours on medium-low heat, stirring and checking liquid level and skimming fat off the top often. When beans are cooked, and the meat has fallen off the bone, the soup is done. Remove bone, leaves, and any large pieces of fat or cartilage. Continue boiling on high until thickness desired is reached. Add pepper and salt to taste. Serve.

If desired, you can put all ingredients in a slow-cooker for 8 hours on low, 4-6 hours on high, instead of on the stove.

NOTE: I will be making dough for "Grandma Long's rolls", using 1/2 the recipe (12 rolls) for dinner Monday and the rest of the dough Wednesday.

Prioshki

rolls

Beef and Onion Filling:
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, diced
1 tbsp butter
1 each salt and fresh cracked black pepper, + 1/2 tsp salt
2 cups shredded provolone or swiss cheese 
Season beef with salt and pepper. Melt butter in large skillet, and onion add 1/2 tsp salt. Cook until translucent. Add beef, chop/crumble with spatula to get very small peices. mix with cheese.
Flatten dough (from Monday's rolls), and make into 12 squarges. Fill with scoop of filling and close. See video to see how to close.
OTHER FILLING OPTIONS

Beefaroni

1 lb ditalini or  macaroni

1 lb ground beef, sprinkled with seasoning salt

15 oz tomato sauce

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp brown sugar

salt and pepper to taste

Sprinkle ground beef with seasoning salt. Brown over medium heat. Drain. If pan is very greasy, use paper towel to clean out (about 1 tbsp of grease is okay). Return meat to pan.  Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package. Drain, keep warm. Mix tomato sauce, sugar and seasonings together. Stir sauce with meat in pan over medium heat. Stir in pasta. Mix until all pasta is covered and sauce is warm. Taste, add salt and pepper as needed.

Stir Fry 
1 lb of your favorite stir fry meat sliced thin (chicken, pork, whole shrimp, beef, etc)
2 tbs of Asian seasoning OR 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, 1 tsp garlic powder
2 tbs soy sauce
2 tbsp hoisin sauce (found in Asian isle at grocery store)
1 tbsp honey
2 tbs oil for cooking meat
1 tbsp fresh ground ginger
1 bell pepper, sliced

1/2 medium onion, sliced

1/2 lb snow peas

1 can water chesnuts, drained

2 carrots,sliced

2 (3 oz) packages Ramen noodles - discard seasoning packets

Add oil into large skillet or wok. Add veggies and cook until almost done on medium heat, add meat and raise heat to medium-high, cook until cooked through. 

Meanwhile, cook noodles in boiling water from 3 mintues, drain.  

Add seasoning and noodles to meat/veggies. Stir and heat through. Serve.