week of Sept 11 2017

taco salad

Mon Biscuits and Sausage Gravy
Tue - Taco Salad
Wed - Roasted Sausage Ragu
Thur - Teriyaki Chicken and Noodles (Kikkoman Recipe)
Fri - Fried Rice

Biscuits and Gravy

Biscuits:

2  cups Bisquick mix (OR all purpose flour, add another 1/4-1/2 milk)

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

4 tbsp softened butter

4 tbsp shortening

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

Cooking Biscuits: 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. For drop biscuits, use a scoop or a spoon and spoon out onto greased cookie sheet. For rolled biscuits, knead dough into ball. Roll out to 3/4 inch thick. Cut with biscuit cutter and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Making Gravy: Scrap the pan and remove the big chucks. Leave 3 tbsp of drippings in pan, add melted butter to the pan if you do not have 3 tbsp of drippings. Mix the flour and seasonings (except salt and pepper). On high heat, using a whisk, add the flour mix to the pan. Stir until incorporated, then turn down the heat to low and stir for 1-2 minutes or until it smells nutty. Turn the heat back up to high and slowly 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). Mix in sausage. Taste, add salt and pepper as necessary.

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

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.

Roasted Sausage Ragu

1 lb Italian Sausage
2 zucchini, sliced
2 yellow squash, sliced
2 Japanese eggplant, cubed
2 red bell peppers, sliced
2 red onions, chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes
olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Italain Seasoning

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

shredded Parmesan cheese

oil a cookie sheet (or 2, if needed). spread cut veggies and sausages on sheets. drizzle with a little bit more oil. Sprinkle salt, pepper and seasoning on top. roast at 350F for 20 minutes, or until sasuage is cooked thru and the veggies are tender. Do no allow to burn.

Slice sausages when done. Serve over pasta with the fresh herbs and cheese.

bacon Fried Rice

Fried Rice without the bacon

1 lb bacon, diced and browned
3 cups cooked white rice
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 cup peas and carrots frozen mix
2 eggs
Scramble eggs, cook. Warm up carrots and peas and veggie mix. In a non-stick skillet heat oil, vinegar and soy sauce on high - med-high. Add in rice. Stir until incorporated. Stir in eggs, bacon, and veggies. Serve.

week of Sept 4, 2017

Sun Deep Dish Pizza
Mon - French Dip
Tue Chili Bake (DCB)
Wed - Swedish Meatballs
Thur-Sun out of town

Homemade Pepperoni Pizza
dough (for 2 pizzas):
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp salt2 tbsp olive oil plus 2 tsp to bush on crust
3/4 warm (about 100-110F) water
1 tsp (about 1/4 oz or 1 packet) dry active yeast
2 cups AP flour (or 1 cup AP and 1 cup Whole Wheat)
corn meal for dusting pan
toppings (for 2 pizzas):
2 cups pizza or pasta sauce
2 cup pepperoni slices
3-4 cups shredded mozzerella cheese
2-4 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Place yeast, sugar and warm water in a small bowl. Stir. Allow the yeast to work, let stand 5 minutes or until a foam forms on top. (NOTE: If this does not happen after 10 min, the yeast may have been bad, or the water may have been to hot so the yeast may be dead, or if water is too cold it doesn't activate.) 
.Place flour and salt in a bowl of a mixer. Stir together Using the paddle attachment. Add the oil to the yeast mixture., Start the mixer on low and mix until the dough just comes together, forming a ball. Lube the hook attachment with cooking spray. Attach the hook to the mixer and knead for 15 minutes on medium speed. Take out of  bowl. Roll into a ball. Grease a large, clean, mixing bow. Place the dough in the greased bowl, cover, and allow to rest and rise for an hour.

Separate the dough into 2 halves. If not baking the remaining pizza immediately, spray the inside of a ziptop bag with cooking spray and place the dough ball into the bag. Refrigerate for up to 6 days. Knead the dough for 5-15 minutes, or until it is stretchy and does not break easy.

Preheat oven to 475F. Roll out the dough, either by stretching it with your hands, or if your not that brave, use a rolling pin. Roll/stretch the dough until it is thin as you like. Lay on parchment paper. Dress and bake the pizza immediately for a crisp crust or rest the dough for 30 minutes if you want a chewy, bread-like texture.

Brush the rim of the pizza with olive oil. Spread the pizza sauce evenly onto the pizza. Put on toppings. Slide the pizza onto the pizza stone or pan, bake for 7 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown. 

PAN PIZZA (pic above)- push the dough into a greased 9 inch pie plate. Sauce, top, and bake as above, except bake for 20 minutes or until crust on sides are golden brown. Serve in pan or pull out of pan and cut.

French Dip Sandwiches

Au Jus: 2 cans beef consomme or beef broth

1 1/2 pounds deli sliced roast beef

Grill seasoning blend for steak, such as Montreal Steak Seasoning Blend, or, coarse salt and pepper

4 sandwich rolls, split (something chewy and crusty)

4-8 slices of swiss cheese (optional)

Sprinkle meat with grill seasoning or salt and black pepper. To assemble sandwiches, cut rolls in half, lay cheese slices on one side of rolls (1-2 slices). Then using a pair of kitchen tongs, dip meat into au jus sauce and pile into rolls. Set ramekins or cups with extra dipping sauce along side the sandwiches.

Swedish Meatballs

EASY Swedish Meatballs
1 (32 oz) package frozen meatballs, thawed (not Italian)
2 (10 oz) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 package dry powdered onion soup mix
2 soup cans full of milk
1/2 cup sour cream
in a large skillet brown meatballs, then remove. Add in soups, sour cream, and milk to skillet and mix. Return meatballs and heat on med-high heat until hot. Serve over Minute Rice or egg noodles prepared according to package.
CROCK-POT RECIPE: brown meatballs in oven, toaster oven or skillet before adding to crock pot. Mix soups, sour cream, and milk in crock pot, mix. Add in meatballs. 4-6 hours on medium. Serve over Minute Rice or egg noodles prepared according to package.