Stuffed Peppers

In my house we do stuffed peppers a lot.  They require a little bit of prep work, but they are hearty comfort food that still can be healthy.  I like to serve these gems with a light salad, or maybe some crusty bread in front of a good movie (cartoon, of course).  The kids even enjoy these because cooking the pepper a little brings down the sharp flavor.  So, let's get cooking:


Ingredients:

• 4 bell peppers (any color can be used)
• 1 lb. ground beef (turkey or pork can also be used)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1-14.5 oz can chopped tomatoes (not drained)
• 4 oz frozen corn
• 1 c cooked white rice
• 2 c mozzarella cheese, separated
• kosher salt and pepper

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  First, let's take on the bell peppers.  What you want to do is cut the top off (just enough to take off the stem and create an open cavity).  Then, reach into the pepper and pull out all the seeds and as much of the veins as you can.  If you need to use a small knife to get more out just be careful not to cut yourself.  Now, in a small Pyrex dish arrange the peppers so they stand up straight.  You may have to shave a little off the bottom if one is uneven.  When I go to buy the peppers at the store I look for something that is pretty stable on it's own. 

2.  To make the filling, brown the meat in a hot skillet.  Add the chopped onion and saute about 3 minutes until soft.  Add the canned tomatoes and corn and simmer all together about 15 minutes.  The mixture will thicken a little, but don't let it get too dry.

You want to use "no salt"
so you are in control of how much salt is
in the finished product.

3.  Add the rice to the mixture and one cup of the cheese.  Season the filling with kosher salt and pepper to taste.  Then, with a large spoon, fill each bell pepper with as much of the mixture as you can stuff in there.  Top each pepper with a mound of the leftover cheese.  You should use about 1/4 cup for each pepper.  Add a small amount, about 1/4 cup of water to the bottom of the Pyrex dish.  Bake, uncovered, in the oven for 30 min, or until nice and browned on top.  ENJOY!!

Side Note:  This meal can easily be made vegetarian by omitting the meat and adding more vegetables like maybe some spinach, or even eggplant.  

Quickly...

Cranberry Rice

This recipe is super easy and I love it.  I use pre-packaged wild and white rice mix because it's quicker and I like the combo of white and wild rice.  The original recipe called for just wild rice.

Ingredients:

• package wild and white rice mix (I use Uncle Ben's)
• 1/2 c dried cranberries
• 4 scallions
• 1 oz. walnuts, roasted

1.  Make rice according to the package instructions.  Let it cool a little because you don't want the cranberries to be rehydrated. 

2.  Mix in the cranberries, and the walnuts.  Slice the white part of the scallions and mix into the rice.  Slice the green part of the scallion and sprinkle on top for color.  Serve at room temperature.  ENJOY!!

Apple Pie

I have never been much of a baker before.  I have always stuck to savory cooking mainly because I am lazy with the measuring.  Well, I have found a recipe for Apple Pie that is really easy to make and remember.  Remind me to never make three in one day again, though.  One might think that cooking in bulk would not be that much harder, but it was!

Let me start this off by saying I do not make my own crust.  I fear that doing this would really mess up my easy dish.  There are good products out there to use instead.  If you like to make your own crust, by all means, go ahead.  I will try to tackle that later.  Also, about the apples.  I have heard that Grammy Smith are the only apples good enough for pie.  I agree...almost.  I use half Granny Smith and half Golden Delicious.  The green apples stand up to cooking much better then the red ones, but I like the two textures and the way the red apples melt in your mouth.  Now that we have those two points out of the way, let's make some pie!

Ingredients:

• 2 ready-to-bake pie crusts for 9 in pies
• 8 small-medium apples (4 green, 4 red)
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 c white sugar
• 1 Tbsp flour
• 2 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• pinch kosher salt
• cinnamon sugar mixture (for serving)

1.  Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  Take pie crusts out of the fridge and let them sit in a semi-warm place while you prepare the filling.  Peel the apples and cut around the core (like the bell peppers) to get all the meat off.  Slice the apple into small slices and toss in a large bowl.  Add the lemon juice, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to the bowl and stir together.  (I like to let the mixture sit while I make the crust.)

2.  Remove one crust from the packaging and unfold it onto the counter.  If there are any tares in the dough just press them back together.  Lay this bottom crust into the pie pan and press, carefully, into the bottom corners.  If the dough ripples on any of the sides of the dish just press flat.  Pour the apple mixture into the dish and get working on the lattice top.

3.  The lattice top is hard to explain, easy to do, but hard to explain.  There is a diagram below.  Basically, you take out the other pie crust and roll it onto a flat surface (counter).  Take a ruler, or I us the side of the box, and cut strips about 3/4 in thick.  Remove every other one and lay them starting with the smallest across the pie.  Now, unroll every other strip and lay another strip parallel to the previous strips.  Make sure the strip you choose to lay down reaches the length of the pie.  Lay the strips that you rolled up back down and roll up the other strips that were down before.  Lay another parallel strip and cover back up.  Repeat this until the whole pie is covered.  If you choose another topping feel free to ignore this past paragraph.

I made one on the counter so it might be easier to see.

Pillsbury.com

4.  Now to make the edges.  I cut off all the excess dough that has formed around the pie.  Just take a pair of clean scissors and cut everything that is hanging over the edge.  Take your fingers in your right hand and make an almost touching "V".  Place your left index finger in between and push.  This is how you will form the edges.  Just take a small amount of the edge, lift it off the lip of the dish and press in between your fingers.  It should look like this:

Not my picture, but I can't do that and
 take the pic at the same time!

5.  Place the pie on a sheet pan in the oven and bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes.  Take the pie out and cover the edges with strips of foil.  Put the pie back in the oven and continue baking for additional 15 minutes.  Pull the pie out and let it rest for 2 hours.  ENJOY!!

Fish Tacos

I know, I know, I have been slacking big time!  I am going to try to give you three recipes in one day.  If I only get to two please don't stone me.  When the kids get up from their nap I have to go. 

My first recipe is for Fish Tacos.  At my house we eat Tex-Mex at least once a week!  We try to do Taco Tuesday (We eat tacos in our jamas in front of a movie) every week, but I often get bored with the same beef tacos over and over again.  So, sometimes it is Enchilada Tuesday, or Fajita Tuesday, but I always keep it close to the theme.  This recipe is very simple...almost too simple to blog, but I wanted to get it out there anyway.  I find that you really can use any type of fish you like as long it is white and flaky.  Meatier fish like salmon and tuna will have a different mouth feel and flavor.  Also, this meal is pretty inexpensive if you stay along the lines of tilapia or even catfish.  Let's get started...

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless white fish (I used tilapia)
• 1 Tbsp Cajun seasoning
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 8 corn tortillas
• 1 c. shredded cabbage
• 1/2 c. chopped tomatoes
• 1 lime (in wedges)
• handful cilantro
• 2 green onions (sliced thin)
• 4 oz. sour cream
• 4 oz. cilantro ranch (recipe follows)

1.  Pat the fish dry with a paper towel.  Season with the Cajun seasoning.  In a hot skillet over the stove add the olive oil and cook the fish until opaque all the way through (about 3 min per side).  Remove the fish from the pan and let it rest on a plate in a warm spot. 

Assorted Toppings

2.  While cooking the fish, wrap the tortillas in foil and let them sit in a 200 degree oven to get warm.  When the fish is finished separate it among each tortilla and use any combination of the toppings you would like.  ENJOY!!

YUMMM!!!

Cilantro Ranch:

• 3 oz. ranch
• handful cilantro
• 1/2 lime (juiced)
• Kosher salt and pepper

1.  In a food processor, or blender combine all ingredients.  Cover the mixture with lid and turn it on!  Blend until nice and smooth.  If there is not enough liquid to make it a sauce you can add a little more lime, or even some water.  (Just enough to loosen it up.)  Taste mixture often to help with the seasonings.  ENJOY!!

Update...

I know...I haven't given you a recipe in over a week.  I have been busy with the kid's stuff and not really been making anything too interesting.  Here's what I am going to do about it...  Everyone knows Thanksgiving is comeing up next week.  Well, I have three dinners to make food for, so I am going to post the 6 recipes I will be fixing.  I have to make one appetizer, two vegetable sides, one dessert and two cocktails.  I promise, it will be a lot of food.  I cannot at this time guarantee there will be pictures for all the recipes, but I will try my best.  Don't be mad, just be patient...it's going to be good!

Gumbo

Everybody has their own version of what they like to call a good gumbo.  Some like it hot, some like it with just chicken, some don't like okra.  There are many different ways to make gumbo and my way might not be your liking, but I love it when it starts to get a little cold outside.  The one thing that makes all good gumbo alike is definitely the roux.  The roux is the base for the gumbo and really needs to take time and effort in order to do right.  Without a good base, there is "no soup for you"!

There are a few things that make my gumbo mine.  One, I use chicken, beef and fish in my gumbo.  I kind of use it like a "clean out my fridge" gumbo.  Whatever I have available will go in.  Two, I put some fresh tomatoes in to stew with the gumbo.  I feel like it gives it more body, and I love lots of variety in my gumbo.  The more vegetables, the better!  Three, and this may surprise some people, but I use lemon juice to finish it off.  I find that the lemon gives the gumbo a light feeling...even though it's a heavy comfort food.  And last, but not least, I use a touch of Mrs. Dash for the seasoning.  I saw a lady from Louisiana do it on television once, so I tried it and liked it.  That's the only reason.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 lb. butter
• 1/2 c four
• 3 chicken leg quarters
• kosher salt and pepper
• 14 oz. smoked sausage (cut into 1/4 in. slices)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped, seeds removed
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
• 3 c stock (any kind will work)
• 3 Tbsp good Cajun seasoning
• 2 tsp Mrs. Dash, table blend
• 3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1 bag frozen, sliced okra
• 2 lb. shrimp, peeled, tail removed
• 1 lb. crawfish tails
• 1 lemon
• white rice, for serving

1.  To make the roux...get yourself a large, shallow pan and start to heat it up slowly on the stove.  Melt the butter and add the flour in.  At first, it will be a light yellow color:



 Then, it will start to turn a peanut butter color:

When it gets to a rich chocolate color, you are finished.  This should take about 30 min of constant whisking.  Don't be discouraged though, you can always make this ahead of time and store it in the fridge.

2.  While the roux is cooking away, season the chicken with salt and pepper and sear it off in a large Dutch oven.  When it is nice and brown, remove it to rest on a plate.  While that is resting, sear off the sausage...the same way.  When the chicken is cooled off enough to touch, take all the meat off the bone and set it aside with the sausage.

3.  In the same Dutch oven, saute the onion and the bell pepper until nice and soft, about 5 minutes.  Throw in the garlic for an additional min. 

4.  When the roux is done, add it to the pan with the peppers and onions.  Mix that together a couple of times and slowly add the stock.  You should get a thick sauce-like soup at this point.  Add all the seasonings and down to the tomatoes.  Add the chicken and the sausage and bring it up to a boil.  Cover the pot and let it simmer for one hour.

5.  After the hour, add the okra, shrimp and crawfish to the pot.  Bring this up to a boil long enough until the shrimp is nice and pink. 

6.  Finish off the gumbo by squeezing the lemon over the top.  Serve with some hot white rice and homemade cornbread.  ENJOY!!

Chicken Curry

I know, I know, I have been slacking, but with Halloween and my best friend's wedding coming up (not to mention three kids...) I have been a little busy.  This next recipe is one that I have recently grown to really love.  I was never a huge fan of curry before, mainly because I thought it tasted like it smelled, but this recipe really works for me and my family.  I originally found it on the Martha Stewart website and as almost every recipe I use decided to change it up per my family.  Basically I like this the most because it is a stewed item...something that can just sit and get yummy on the stove top.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 lbs. chicken thighs (I use bone-in)
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1 small onion (chopped)
• 3 cloves garlic (I like lots of garlic)
• 4 carrots
• 3 Tbsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 c beer
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 package frozen peas
• cooked white rice (about 2 cups)

1.  In a large dutch oven, heat the oil over medium high heat until just smoking.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper and sear off all sides, about 5 min per side.  Do this in small batches as to not overcrowd the pan.  Take the chicken out and let it rest on a plate.

2.  Add the chopped onion to the oiled pan and sweat until soft and browned a little.  Now, peel the carrots and slice them about 1/2 in. thick.  Add them to the pan and cook about 5 min stirring often.  Throw in the garlic and continue to cook another minute.  I like to just smash the garlic and throw it in whole, them remove it later before I serve the dinner.  Feel free to mince the garlic before it goes in, or even use one spoonful of the jar garlic from the store. 

3.  Add the curry and the thyme and stir them in quickly.  Then deglaze the pan with the beer.  Make sure to get all the good bits off the bottom of the pan.  Add the coconut milk and the reserved chicken with all it's juices.  Bring to a boil and then turn down the heat to a simmer.  Place the lid on and let it cook slowly for 30 minutes.  Open the lid and check to make sure you are not boiling the chicken.  It should be simmering. 

4.  Check to make sure the carrots are cooked through and your chicken reads 165 degrees.  If it does not, simmer for some more time.  If it is ready, turn off the heat and mix in the frozen peas.  The heat of the sauce should be enough to cook the peas through.  If not, turn the heat back on until the peas are just finished. 

5.  Serve this over some rice and you should have a complete meal!  ENJOY!

Meatloaf

I know a lot of people have this misconception that meatloaf is not good and that "mommy" forced you to eat it when you were little along with nasty Brussels sprouts and gross spinach.  Well, while a lot of people still don't like Brussels sprouts, spinach and meatloaf have come a long way.  This recipe has been used in my family since I can remember and there have never been leftovers!  This will be really simple to make and will be a new favorite in your house.  (The ketchup helps the kids to love it.)

I have been slacking with taking pictures, so I don't have any today.  As I thought more about it, though, you might not need to see any since this is so easy and quick.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef (ground round is best because you want a little bit of fat...not too much)
• 1 small onion (chopped)
• 1 egg
• 4 oz. saltine crackers (one package from the box, crushed)
• 8 oz. tomato sauce (small can)
• kosher salt and pepper
• ketchup

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Using a large bowl, mix the first five ingredients together with your hands.  Go ahead and get messy, but remember to either have the water running, or a paper towel close to clean yourself off. 

2.  Season the mixture heavily with salt and pepper.  (I would suggest about 1 tsp. of each.) 

3.  Press the meat mixture into a loaf pan.  Keeping the dish uncovered, put it into the oven and bake for 1 hour.

4.  When the meatloaf is done, check the temp with a thermometer.  You want to see at least 165 degrees.  (It will probably be higher.)  Let the meatloaf rest for 15 min. 

5.  Now, I use a metal spatula to remove my portion from the pan.  It probably will not be a solid piece, but it will taste much better then your typical dense meatloaf.  Top each slice with a generous serving of ketchup.  ENJOY!!

P.S.-  I have made this recipe with ground turkey, but remember not to use the leanest meat at the grocery store or your meatloaf will be dry.

Beef Pasta

This is my version of a deconstructed Hamburger Helper.  I like to make this when it starts getting a little cooler outside.  Since I usually keep all these ingredients (except ground beef) in my pantry, this is a really inexpensive meal for us.  Let's get started...

Ingredients

• 1/2 small onion (chopped)
• 1 lb ground beef (turkey or pork could be substituted)
• 1/4 c red wine
• 1 packet onion soup mix
• 1 c water
• 1 Roma tomato (chopped)
• 4 chopped scallions
• 4 c cooked pasta (about 1 1/2 c raw)

1.  Saute the ground beef in a large skillet until browned and cooked through.  Break up the meat with a wooden spoon as you go.  This should take about 5 minutes on medium heat.  Throw in the onion and saute until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. 

2.  Deglaze the pan with the red wine and scrape all the good bits off the bottom of the pan.  Then add the soup mix and the water and mix well to get all the lumps out.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens.

3.  Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper if needed.  The soup mix is condensed and pretty salty, so you probably won't need it.

4.  Turn off the heat and add the tomatoes and scallions.  If you would like to cook these ingredients it's up to you, but I like freshness of them being just heated through.

5.  Pour the meat sauce over some cooked noodles and serve with a nice salad and some garlic bread.  ENJOY!!

How to truss a chicken (without string)

Many people have their different ways to prepare a chicken for that sunburn in the oven, but I think my way is quick and simple. 

First off, I start my basic roast chicken by letting it swim in yummy juices over night.  In a large, freezer size Ziploc bag squeeze the juice from 3 lemons, add 1/2 c of olive oil, kosher salt, cracked black pepper, a small amount of water and 4 sprigs (large) of rosemary.  I take the rosemary and fold the bunch in two and kind of squeeze and twist to release some of the oils. 

One I have unpacked my chicken, taken out any giblets and/or neck, and rinsed it clean I let it rest for a min on a plate, or in the clean sink.  There is no real need to pat the skin dry at this point because you are marinating.  Shove that big bird in the Ziploc bag and zip it up.  I usually marinate it over night, turning it over once in the morning. 

Now to the trussing...  When you remove the bird from the marinade you want to pat the skin dry with paper towels.  This will help your seasoning stick better.  First thing you want to do is get that bird into your baking dish.  I use a medium size dish with high sides.  The chicken fits just perfect inside. 

Take the wing tips into your hand and fold them back behind the shoulder like if the chicken was scratching it's back.  This will keep your tip from burning and the wing close to the body.  Do this to both sides.

On to the legs...  What you want to do is grab the big flap of skin that is under the leg connected to the thigh.  With a paring knife, stab a small hole in the middle of it and use your fingers to pull it bigger.  If one side breaks or does not tear big enough just use the other side.  Take the leg from the opposite side of the tear and punch it through the hole.  Then take the other leg and do the same criss-crossing the legs inside of the hole. 





Now the chicken is ready to be roasted.  Wash your hands well before touching anything else.  Cover the baking dish with foil and place into a preheated 350 degree oven.  Bake for 1 1/2 hours until almost cooked through.  At this point, take the foil off and raise the temperature to 450 degrees.  Continue to bake for another 15-20 minutes.  Make sure a meat thermometer inserted into the thigh reads 165 degrees before you start carving.  ENJOY!!

Slop, Slop, Sloppy Joes!!

We have sloppy joes a lot in our house.  The kids eat them up and I think I make them pretty healthy compared to some pre-packaged brands.  Now, we do eat them a little differently then one would think.  Instead of sandwiching the wonderful meat mixture in between two hamburger buns we pile it high on soft white bread and top it with shredded cheese.  Quick note, my daughter does not like onions or bell pepper and she has never even noticed they are in this recipe.

Let's get started...

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef (you can also use pork or turkey if you prefer)
• 1 small white onion (coarsely chopped)
• 1 med bell pepper (seeds removed, chopped)
• 1-28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp. steak seasoning (I use Harley's)
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• kosher salt
• black pepper
• white bread
• shredded cheddar cheese

Note: I don't use any oil in this recipe because the meat should give off enough.  If you are using turkey, or a very lean beef you might want to lightly coat the bottom of the pan with some oil before step #2.


1.  Brown the meat in a hot saute pan.  I use a deep dish saute pan so I can finish the entire meal in it.  Break the meat up with a wooden spoon (can also be plastic) so the meat cooks quickly and evenly.  Using a slotted spoon drain the meat onto a plate covered with a paper towel.  This allows some of the grease to drain a little.

2.  In the same pan the meat was just in add the onion and bell pepper and sweat a little, about 5 min.  Real quick...an easy way that I like to chop bell peppers is to cut around the middle seed pods.  This way I don't have to use my hands to pull seeds out and cleanup is a lot easier.

3.  Add the meat back into the pan with the onion and peppers and heat up a little.  Add the next three ingredients and let simmer for a while...about 5 min.  Now is time to taste!  I would recommend adding a small amount of salt and pepper before and then just check for seasoning. 

4.  Here I usually cover the pan and let it simmer for about 15 min.  Just like a good soup, or stew this helps the ingredients to marry together. 

5.  Now the fun part!!  Place one piece (or two like my husband) of white bread down on your plate.  Smother the bread with at least two spoonfuls of the sloppy joe mixture.  Top with shredded cheese. 

**As you can see from the finished product we like to enjoy our meal with some yummy green beans (out of the can, of course).  ENJOY!!

Busy....

I was too busy today to post my menu from last night...  I will post tomorrow.

Chicken Parmesan

I am going to start this food blog with a very simple chicken parmesan recipe.  The chicken can also be substituted with eggplant, veal, or even turkey.  I like to make this often because my husband likes it, and like I said, it is simple. 

I would like to make a quick note and mention the importance of salt.  I tell my husband all the time, salt is used to bring out the flavor of food...not to make your food taste like salt!  I like to use kosher salt, mainly because it is what was used when I worked in restaurants, but also because it has better flavor.  If you have never tried it before I would recommend you pick some up from the grocery store.  You can literally taste it raw and it does not have that stinging bite that iodized salt does.  Kosher salt should be used two to one to iodized salt. 

I also like to use fresh cracked pepper.  Once a spice is ground it starts to loose it's flavor much like an opened bottle of wine.  Test it for yourself...taste the pepper in your shaker, and then taste fresh cracked...totally different!

Back to the chicken parmesan...

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (you can use breast, but thigh meat is much cheaper and goes farther)
• 2 c flour
• 3 eggs
• 2 c Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/4 c olive oil
• 1/2 jar prepared tomato sauce (I use Hunts, 4 cheese)
• 1 c mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 c parmesan
• kosher salt
• cracked pepper

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Take each piece of chicken and pound it out with a mallet, or heavy object.  (I use a can from the pantry.)  Make sure to lay down plastic wrap so you don't mess up the counter.  I like to place the chicken inside a large Ziploc bag and then use the same bag later to flour my chicken.

2.  Crack the eggs into a dish with sides and whisk them until smooth.  You can add a small amount of water here to thin it out if you would like.  Put the flour into that Ziploc bag with lots of salt and pepper.  (Two to three large pinches.)  Don't worry about the amount...you always want to over season your flour.  Add the bread crumbs to another dish and make an assembly line...four, egg, bread crumbs.  (Some people also like to add a little parmesan cheese to the bread crumbs...make sure and use grated.)

3.  Pour the olive oil into a large saute pan on the stove and get that heated up.  It needs to be pretty hot because you don't want your chicken to stick, but you don't want it quite smoking.

4.  Remove each piece of chicken, one by one, from the four and shake off any excess you can.  You don't want there to be too much flour because it won't taste good.  Dip the chicken into the eggs and shake off excess and then dip into the bread crumbs.  Completely cover the chicken so that no flour is visible.  I like to do at least three pieces of chicken before I start placing in the pan so that there is not a long time period between each piece. 

5.  Now it is time to cook!  Sear each piece of dredged chicken about 4 min per side until they become lightly browned.  Don't worry about the doneness because they will be going back into the oven.  When finished drain them on a paper towel.  This will make the finished product less greasy.

6.  When all of your chicken has been seared off lay each piece into a baking dish (I use a glass Pyrex) so they overlap each other just a tad.  Take the tomato sauce you have and pour it down the middle of each piece of chicken.  Top the tomato sauce with the mozzarella and parmesan cheese. 

7.  Place the baking dish into the oven, uncovered, and bake for 30 min, or until the cheese is nice and bubbly.  If you pounded the chicken out thin this will be more then enough time to bring it up to temperature.  Always check chicken with a thermometer before eating...it should be 165 degrees. 

8.  I serve this along side some pasta that has been topped with the extra sauce I have from the meal and some roasted broccoli.  ENJOY!!