A Golden Casserole for the Golden Globes

The high holy season for cinephiles has begun! The Golden Globes are tomorrow night, and I have spent my winter break, as always, trying to watch every nominated film and most of the the tv shows. A friend is inviting a few people 'round to watch the show, and I am making two casseroles for the event: my favorite cavatini, and something I just made up that I'm calling Chicken Chile Relleno Casserole. I think it turned out great!

Chicken Chile Relleno Casserole

vegetable oil

12 corn tortillas

16 oz. prepared salsa verde

2 cups sour cream

1 rotisserie chicken, deskinned, deboned, and shredded

1 teaspoon each paprika, chili powder, cumin, oregano, granulated garlic

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 large onion, thinly sliced or diced

2 cans whole green chiles, drained and sliced

1 lb. shredded colby jack cheese (or Mexican blend)

Heat an inch of vegetable in a large skillet to medium-hot. Fry the corn tortillas in four batches until golden brown, and drain on a paper towel. Set aside. Whisk together the salsa verde and sour cream and set aside. Mix the shredded chicken with all of the spices. Saute the onion in a little of the leftover vegetable oil until tender and starting to color. Reserve.

Assemble: Put a half cup of the salsa verde and sour cream mixture on the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Make a layer of six fried corn tortillas. Top with half the chicken, onions, green chiles, and a cup or so of the sauce. Top with half the shredded cheese. Repeat with a second layer, including the rest of the sauce but minus the cheese.

Cover with tin foil and bake at 350F for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, add the other half of the cheese on top, place the foil back over the dish, and bake for another 15 minutes.

Who knew the Amish ate Velveeta?

In yesterday's post-holiday dolor (your word for today), I fell down a YouTube black hole of Amish cooking videos. And I felt shamefully drawn to this casserole called Yumasetta (obviously gibberish which can't even be a real Pennsylvania Dutch word!), that's made with processed foods and cream o' chemical soup. Nevertheless, I had everything on hand to make it, including gen-u-wine Amish egg noodles, so I gave it a go.

As it turns out, it's not bad. It tastes like this sweet spaghetti that my friend and former roommate, Kim, used to make back in the day, but with egg noodles instead. I would make it again, but I'd swap out the Velveeta-type cheese for a cheddar-mozzarella blend, and I'd cut back a bit on the brown sugar, too. Still, I think this would be a hit at a church potluck.

Yumasetta (Amish Beef and Noodle Casserole)
(inspired by several YouTube video recipes)

2 lbs. ground beef (I used 1 lb. of beef plus a large can of mushrooms--I would keep it to one pound of meat, but use fresh mushrooms next time)
1 onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 can tomato soup (I used tomato bisque, because I'm fancy), undiluted
2 tablespoons brown sugar (I'd cut this back by half)
few shakes of hot sauce, optional
8 oz. Velveeta, sliced or Kraft Singles (I'd use shredded cheddar and mozzarella next time)
16 oz. medium egg noodles, al dente
1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 teaspoon dried parsley, optional (or use fresh if you have it!)

Brown the ground beef with the onions in a large skillet, and drain excess fat. Stir in the mushrooms (if using), and the granulated garlic, seasoned salt, pepper, and tomato soup. Pour this mixture into a 9x13 (sprayed) casserole dish. Layer the cheese on top. 

Meanwhile, cook the noodles until they are a little underdone. Drain, return to the pot, and stir in the cream of chicken soup and the parsley, if using. Top the casserole with the noodle mixture, cover with foil, and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, then let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Surviving the Holidays with Food and Friendship

Christmas/Winter Break is going to be rough for me this year, but thank goodness I have friends who are helping me through it. They don't have to do much except invite me over to sit on the couch and watch something together. And if there are also good eats to share, more's the better! Recently, my friend Sally, who has been one of 2016's very few blessings in my life, invited me over for a fusion meal of chicken lettuce wraps and taco soup with rice while we watched Frozen.

So tonight, I decided to return the favor by trying out a new recipe on her from a Delish video that scrolled through my Facebook feed the other day for Garlicky Shrimp Alfredo Bake. Sally loves shrimp, as do I, and nothing can ever be too garlicky for me, so I declare this dish a real winner, and a cozy casserole to share with dear friends.

Garlicky Shrimp Alfredo Bake
(Source: Delish)

10 oz. penne
3 tbsp. butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. medium or large shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. milk
1/4 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1 c. shredded mozzarella
1/4 c. plus 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan
Freshly ground black pepper
2 large tomatoes, chopped (about 1 cup)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook penne according to package directions until al dente. Drain and return to pot.

Meanwhile, in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add garlic, shrimp, and two tablespoons parsley. Season with salt. Cook until shrimp is pink and no longer opaque, two minutes per side. Transfer shrimp to a plate. (Keep juices in skillet.)

Add remaining two tablespoons butter to skillet to let melt, then add flour and whisk until golden, one to two minutes. Add milk and chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Stir in 3/4 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan until creamy. Season with salt and pepper.

Return shrimp to skillet. Add tomatoes and cooked penne and toss until combined. (Add more milk if mixture is too thick.) Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella and two tablespoons Parmesan and bake until melty, five to seven minutes. Broil two to three more minutes until top is golden (watch it carefully so it doesn't burn!).

Garnish with remaining tablespoon parsley and serve.

The Art of Living...with Cast Mates That Have Food Issues

I am performing in a musical this weekend, and unfortunately, I picked the worst time in the world to get a cold that then developed into a respiratory infection with bronchitis and laryngitis ("Ain't nobody got time for that!"). So while I was at Walmart yesterday waiting for my prescriptions for antibiotics and codeine cough syrup, I wandered around the store and decided I should make a Mexican fiesta for my cast mates before tonight's performance. The problem is, I've got one gluten-free gal, two vegetarians, one person who hates all vegetables, and two who don't do "spicy." Plus, there are another 20 or so more "normal" eaters in the cast and crew, so I had a lot of different mouths to feed. Talk about a complicated order!

So I made two enchilada casseroles: one was vegetarian and gluten-free using corn tortillas, brown rice, both black and chili beans, sauteed onions, garlic, red and yellow peppers, zucchini, and fire-roasted tomatoes, and then cheese and red sauce. The meaty, gluten-filled version was made with flour tortillas, mild Anaheim pepper strips, chicken spiced with cumin, paprika, and chili powder and mixed with sauteed onions and garlic, along with cheese and then mild green enchilada sauce. There was sour cream to cool things down and my friend Jamie's red savina hot sauce to spice them up.

I also served an easy taco-type salad on the side: iceberg/carrot/cabbage mix topped with shredded cheese, black olives, (prepared) corn and black bean salsa, crispy tortilla strips, with (bottled) avocado ranch dressing. I thought everything turned out great, but I came home with a lot of the GF/vegetarian version, and I actually thought that one was slightly better! Oh well, I won't have to cook tomorrow...or the next day!

P.S. And I came up with what I think is an ingenious idea for keeping the casseroles warm throughout the show. I used an extra-large heating pad underneath the two foil lasagna pans. Worked like a charm, except that it shuts off after awhile (safety feature), so you have to check on it and turn it back on every so often. Still, am I not clever??

Gluten-Free/Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole

2 cups uncooked brown rice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion

2 sweet peppers (yellow & red)

1 medium zucchini, shredded

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 can fire-roasted tomatoes, drained

2 teaspoons each: paprika, cumin, chili powder

1 teaspoon each: ground celery, seasoned salt, sugar

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

40 oz. red enchilada sauce

18 small corn tortillas

2 cans beans, drained (I used chili beans and black beans--pinto would also be good)

4 cups shredded Mexi-cheese blend

sour cream and/or hot sauce to garnish

Steam the brown rice and set aside. In a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and sauté the onions, peppers, zucchini and garlic until tender. Pour in the can of tomatoes and stir in the spices and sugar. Set aside.

Assembly: In a 9x13 pan, layer in one quarter of the sauce, corn tortillas, half the rice, half of the beans, half of the veggie mixture, about a cup and a half of shredded cheese, and another quarter of the sauce. Repeat the previous layers, ending with a final layer of tortillas and the last quarter of the sauce.

Bake uncovered for about 45 minutes at 375 until bubbly, hot in the middle, and slightly browned around the edges. Add another cup of cheese on top and put back in the hot oven for five minutes just to melt the cheese.

Green Chicken Chile Bake

deli roaster, skinned, boned and shredded

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions, diced

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 teaspoons each: paprika, cumin, chili powder

1 teaspoon each: ground celery, seasoned salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

40 oz. green enchilada sauce

8-10 medium-sized flour tortillas

1 large can (27 oz. or two small cans) mild Anaheim chiles, drained and ripped into strips

4 cups shredded Mexi-cheese blend

sour cream and/or to garnish

Skin, debone, and shred a deli chicken. Set aside.

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and sauté the onions until tender. Add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes. Mix the onions and garlic and spices to the reserved chicken.

Assembly: In a 9x13 pan, layer in one quarter of the sauce, flour tortillas (cut to fill in spaces), half of the hand-torn pepper strips, half of the chicken mixture, about a cup and a half of shredded cheese, and another quarter of the sauce. Repeat the previous layers, ending with a final layer of tortillas and the last quarter of the sauce.

Bake uncovered for about 45 minutes at 375 until bubbly, hot in the middle, and slightly browned around the edges. Add another cup of cheese on top and put back in the hot oven for five minutes just to melt the cheese.

Cheesy, Hearty, and Polenta-ful!

Something came across my Facebook feed recently from Honest Cooking that looked really comforting and delicious called Cheese and Mushroom Polenta Bake with Greens and Caramelized Onions. This dish can be a very hearty and satisfying meatless entree, and also makes a wonderful side dish. The leftovers are great for brunch topped with a fried egg. Oh, and this is a gluten-free dish!

The only significant change I made to this recipe was to use goat cheese and mascarpone instead of ricotta, as that's what I had on hand. But it was delicious and I would do it that way again. Moreover, when I make this the next time, I will make two more changes: I would add some grated Parmesan cheese to the polenta to enhance the flavor, and most importantly, I would cut the total amount of polenta in HALF! The ratio of toppings to polenta would be much better that way, IMHO.

Cheese and Mushroom Polenta Bake with Greens and Caramelized Onions

(Source: adapted from Honest Cooking)

2 cups polenta (I would cut this to 1 cup)
8 cups water (I would cut this to 4 cups)
1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
4 tablespoons butter 

1/2 cup Parmesan, optional
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
16 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
12 ounces baby spinach or other greens (I used a baby spinach/baby kale mix)
6 oz. log of goat cheese
4 oz. mascarpone
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)

Preheat oven to 375. In a heavy pot, bring six cups (I would just use three cups) water and salt to a boil. Gradually stir in polenta, stirring quickly to avoid lumps. Turn heat to low. When water is completely absorbed, add another half cup of water and continue to stir occasionally. Continue adding water, a half cup at a time, after each time water is absorbed by polenta. Continue to cook for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in butter last (and Parmesan, if using).

In a wide saute pan over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add the onions and stir to coat the onions in oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook over medium low heat until onions are golden and caramelized, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Transfer onions to a bowl and set aside.
Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in the same pan. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook until mushrooms release their liquid and then evaporates. (Also add thyme here if using dried.) Add greens and stir together until just wilted. Return onions to pan and stir to combine.

Spread the polenta on the bottom of a lightly oiled 9 x 13 baking dish. Arrange mushrooms, greens, and onions over the polenta. Mix the goat cheese and mascarpone together, then drop dolloped mounds of the blended cheeses over the vegetable mixture.

Bake for 20 minutes until cheese is melted and soft. Sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves to serve.

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese: Buh-bye, Blue Box of Processed Chemicals!

I used to believe that just the function of boiling eggs was worth the price of the IP, but now I have decided that the sole purpose of this magic pot is to make four-minute macaroni and cheese! WOW!!

I followed the recipe below, but I browned a pound of smoked sausage pieces on Sauté first before adding the pasta and water and stuff, then when the mac and cheese was all done, I stirred in some thawed green peas. (And I did not add the bread crumb topping...this time.)

Oh, and it gets a little lumpy and grainy overnight in the fridge, but it smooths right back out if you stir in a couple/few tablespoons of half-n-half as you reheat.

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
(Source: adapted from Dad Cooks Dinner)

1 pound dried elbow macaroni (I used shells)
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon yellow mustard (I used 1 teaspoon Dijon plus 2 teaspoons yellow)
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon kosher salt (I used about 2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning)
4 cups water
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
16 ounces shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
6 ounces shredded Parmigiano cheese

Bread Crumb Topping (optional)
1 cup panko bread crumbs

Pressure cook the pasta and spices: Stir the macaroni, butter, mustard, hot pepper sauce, salt, and four cups water in the pressure cooker pot. Lock the lid on the pressure cooker and bring the cooker up to high pressure. Cook on high pressure for four minutes, then quick release the pressure and remove the lid.

Stir in the evaporated milk and cheese: Turn the heat under the pot down to low (or turn the electric pressure cooker to simmer), and stir in the evaporated milk. Test a piece of pasta by taking a bite--it should be al dente, but cooked through. If the pasta is still tough in the middle, simmer it for a few minutes, until it is tender. Stir in the cheese one handful at a time, stirring constantly and waiting for the current handful to melt before adding the next handful.

Top with breadcrumbs and broil: Optional step, if you like a toasted bread crumb topping: Pour the macaroni into a 3 quart broiler-safe dish, patting it down to level out the surface. Sprinkle the panko over the macaroni and cheese in an even layer. Broil the macaroni and cheese on high until the bread crumbs are toasted, about 5 minutes. Check the bread crumbs often--they go from pale brown to burnt in a flash.

Notes:

4 cups of water is just enough to cook one pound (16 ounces) of pasta. No draining is necessary; the water will be absorbed by the pasta. If you have a smaller box of pasta--12 ounces and 13.25 ounces are common sizes of whole wheat pasta--cut the water back to three cups. (Everything else can stay the same.)

Low Carb and (Nearly) Gluten-Free...and You'd Never Know It!

I went to Aldi the other day, and they had this GINORMOUS, nine-pound pork shoulder roast on sale for $1.99 a pound. I bought it, split it, and froze half of it for another meal. Then I trolled the internet for recipe ideas (search terms: "crock pot" and "pork roast") and found a good one on Skinny Taste. I used their recipe as a jumping off point, made a some additions and adjustments, and it turned out great! I just love it when the crock pot does most of the work for me.

For a side dish, I saw this loaded cauliflower bake scrolling by on my FB newsfeed recently and thought it looked pretty yummy, despite the fact that I hate cauliflower. My diabetic roommate is still trying to cut carbs (and it wouldn't hurt me, either!), plus, I figured the pulled pork and cauliflower mash would taste yummy together...and I was right! All the flavorful additions would fool the most ardent cauliflower hater like me. This meal is also low carb, and if you used gluten-free soy sauce or coconut aminos (or just omitted the soy sauce), and gluten-free beer or just vegetable broth alone, it would also be gluten-free. So maybe this dinner will help you keep some resolutions while still feeling indulgent.

Crock Pot Balsamic Pulled Pork 

1/2 cup beer
1 teaspoon vegetable soup base
1 onion, slivered
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
pinch of red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil
4-5 lb. boneless pork shoulder roast
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey

Pour the beer into the crock pot, stir in the soup base (or you can just use 1/2 cup of vegetable broth instead), and add the slivered onions, garlic, and red pepper flakes.

In a large skillet on medium, heat the olive oil. Season the pork roast with Cajun seasoning, then brown on all sides. Place the browned roast in the crock pot and pour over the balsamic, Worcestershire, soy sauce, and honey. Cook for about four hours on high (or eight hours on low), or until it's tender enough to pull apart easily with two forks. If you are around the house while it's cooking, flip the roast about once an hour so each side gets to soak up the savory liquid.

When it's tender, pull the pork, and return it to the delicious broth and let it go for at least another half an hour or so on low. Serve over mashed potatoes or cauliflower, or soft polenta for an entree, or make a killer sandwich with it!

Loaded Mashed Cauliflower Bake

1 medium head cauliflower, leaves and core removed, broken into florets
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 cup shredded colby jack or cheddar cheese, divided
2 tablespoons chopped green onions or chives, divided
6 slices of chopped crispy bacon, divided (don't you DARE use "bacon bits")
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
Cajun seasoning and black pepper, to taste

Place the cauliflower florets in a microwave-safe dish with a lid and add the water. Cover and microwave for 12-15 minutes, or until cauliflower is completely tender and mashable. Drain and mash with potato masher or pastry cutter to desired consistency.

Stir in the sour cream, mayo, a half cup of the cheese, one tablespoon of the green onions or chives, and half of the chopped bacon. Season with the granulated garlic, Cajun seasoning, and black pepper. Taste the mixture and make any adjustments you deem appropriate.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Top with the remaining cheese and bacon, and bake for another five minutes until the cheese is completely melted. Remove from the oven and sprinkle on the rest of the green onions or chives.

My Book Club Goes Down Undah

For my book club this time around, we read this terrific book by an Australian author named Liane Moriarty. It was very well done, and a real page-turner. Even though I am in the thick of finals, I still managed to read it in a week. I could hardly put it down! So for our food theme, of course, we headed Down Under.

For an appetizer, I brought a shrimp ring, but I chucked the pre-packaged cocktail sauce, and fashioned a sauce with mayo, BBQ sauce, and hot sauce. Shrimp in a Barbie Sauce, get it?? Ha ha.

Other appetizers included these little puff pastry cups  with baked brie (bottom left) and sausage rolls (bottom right--something a hostess serves at a party in the book). At the top right was some crusty bread spread with a sundried tomato pesto, and also appearing in this photo (top left) was a delicious lamb curry pie that one of the book club members bought at a pie shop in Montreal. It was DELISH!

Because I knew there would be several other meat dishes at this affair, the entree I brought was a vegetarian cottage pie with lentils, butternut squash, and mushrooms. Everyone loved it, and I got several requests for the recipe. I honestly think it would fool carnivores, as it has a very "meaty" flavor and texture. Here's how I made it:








Vegetarian Cottage Pie with Lentils, Butternut Squash, and Mushrooms

Mushroom, Squash and Lentil Filling:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 large carrot, diced
8 oz. sliced crimini (Baby Bella) mushrooms
10 oz. frozen cubed butternut squash
2 cups cooked brown lentils
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons double-concentrated tomato paste
1 generous teaspoon red curry paste
1/2 cup beef gravy (or two tablespoons corn starch, plus one cup of beef broth)

Potato Topping:
3 1/2 to 4 cups mashed potatoes (already prepared on the drier/chunkier side)
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup shredded cheese of your choice (I used an Italian blend)
garlic and herb seasoning, to taste
pinch of paprika
sprinkling of grated parmesan

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and saute the onions, celery, carrots, and mushrooms until the veggies are tender. Stir in the squash, lentils, thyme, pepper, tomato paste, red curry paste, and gravy. (If you don't have gravy, after the initial veggies are tender, stir in two tablespoons of corn starch and a cup of beef stock and cook until thickened, then stir in the rest of the filling ingredients.) Put the filling into an ovenproof baking dish.

Combine the mashed potatoes with cream, shredded cheese, and seasoning. Stir to combine. Spread evenly on the top of the veggie filling, rake all over with the tines of a fork, and sprinkle with paprika and grated parmesan cheese.

Bake at 350 F for about 30 minutes until GB&D.

Here are just some of the dessert offerings (clockwise from bottom left): Anzac biscuits, mini cherry cheesecakes, and some sort of chocolate bars with chopped-up biscuits in them called Hedgehog Slices.

The dessert  brought was a baked rice custard with cinnamon and nutmeg (that all swam to the right because of my wonky oven, no doubt) and orange-infused dried cranberries in place of the traditional (but icky, IMHO) raisins. It was fine, but not mind-blowing or anything.

The real showstopper of the evening was this pavlova (also featured in the book). I look how the chef decorated it with strawberries and kiwis--red and green for Christmas. How festive!

CLCA Day 10: Latin Low Carb

"Cyd's Low-Carb Adventure," Day 10
Breakfast: Scotch Eggs
Lunch: Leftover Spaghetti Squash and Slow Cooker Bolognese
Dinner: Green Chile Chicken Bake (my own low-carb invention)--pictured
Dessert: Ice Cream (or "Carb Smart Dairy Dessert," if you will)
Late-Night Snack: Leftover Chicken Sausages

What to do when you're low-carbing but craving Latin American delicacies? Why, you invent a low-carb green chile chicken enchilada bake using some sort of whole/sprouted grain hippie tortillas from the co-op (just three of them in the whole pan!). Am I a genius, or what? ;-)

Low-Carb Green Chile Bake:
I used the big grainy tortillas (cut in quarters, six pieces to a layer), two cans of whole, fire-roasted green chiles (which I ripped into strips), a deboned/skinned/chunked up rotisserie chicken, shredded cheese, and two cans of green enchilada sauce. I left the top open-faced (normally, I'd add a final layer of tortillas, but we're cutting carbs, right?), then covered with the pan foil and baked at 350 for 30 minutes covered and another 15 uncovered.

Of course, if you want to go fully Paleo on this, just use the green chiles (not ripped into pieces) layered without tortillas and skip the cheese.

Even with all that food, including my tortilla bake, carb count for the day was 53! WOOT!

Dairy Deliciousness

Things are getting so CRAY-CRAY at this point in the semester, that lots of lower-priority tasks have fallen by the wayside. One of those things is dealing with my milk share. I only get a gallon every two weeks, but my whole back fridge is FULL of milk right now!

So I am constantly searching for new ways to use A LOT of milk in recipes. For tonight's pasta dish, I started by making a batch of fresh ricotta, then I fashioned a hearty casserole that was chock full of dairy goodness--more than is even legal in most states (excluding Wisconsin, of course)!

Dairyful Pasta Bake

2 tablespoons bacon fat

1 lb. Italian sausage

1 large onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon Italian herb blend

pinch of red pepper flakes, to taste

2 cups Lacinato kale, stems removed and chopped

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup flour

up to 6 cups whole milk

1 tablespoon chicken soup base

grating of fresh nutmeg
1 cup Parmesan, freshly shredded, divided

1 lb. penne rigate, cooked to al dente and drained

2 cups fresh ricotta

Heat the bacon fat in a large Dutch oven and saute the sausage and onion together until the meat is no longer pink. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two. Stir in the black pepper, Italian herbs, and red pepper flakes. Add the kale and white wine, and cook for a few minutes until kale is wilted and wine is reduced. Sprinkle the flour over everything and stream in a quart of the milk. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. (Add another cup or two of milk if necessary.) Stir in the soup base and nutmeg. Remove from heat and add about half of the Parmesan cheese.

Gently combine the sauce and the pasta along with the ricotta. Pour into a sprayed 9x13 dish and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes until bubbly and starting to turn golden on top. Garnish with extra Parmesan when serving.

Replacing Dishes and Remaking Dinner

I guess this isn't really food-related, but it is food-adjacent, and I'm just SO excited that I must share! I just used a chunk of my tax refund, not on badly-needed home repairs or other bills as I surely should, but on something I've wanted for at least twenty years: Ten full place settings of colorful (SQUARE!) Fiestaware, including dinner, luncheon and salad plates and mugs in six different colors: Flamingo, Tangerine, Peacock, Lemongrass, Sunflower and Turquoise. I blame my dear friend, Jay, for enabling this irresponsible, addictive behavior. (And I thank Macy's for an excellent seasonal sale, an extra 15% off for signing up for email, and for free shipping on heavy dishes.)

Ok, so to turn this back around to recipe talk, I wanted and intended to post about this lovely potato soup that I made in the crock pot last night. But when I got home from work, I was horrified to discover that the soup had turned brown and curdled! I really don't know what happened, as I've made milk-based soups in a slow cooker before and never experienced anything like this. Strange.

In any case, I ended up having to remake dinner last night, and it turned out like a rather clever episode of Chopped. First, I strained the cooked potatoes out of the soup, rinsed and drained them, and then tossed them with some Cajun seasoning. Then I chopped up some leftover smoked brisket. I also found two little half bags of shredded cheese in the fridge and a package of corn tortillas. I warmed the tortillas in the microwave, added some cheese, some chopped brisket and some little chunks of seasoned potato, and rolled them all up. I thought I had enchilada sauce on hand, but I didn't. But after rooting around in the pantry, I found a jar of Alfredo sauce and a some homemade salsa verde. I stirred those together, thinned it out with some fresh cream, poured it over my filled tortillas, and baked uncovered for about 30 minutes at 350, topping with more shredded cheese for the last ten minutes.TA-DAH! Smoked Brisket and Potato Enchiladas with Creamy Verde Sauce! I am a culinary wizard--feign to deny it--and one with pretty new dishes, too!

Heart to Heart

A gang of folks was playing pub trivia Wednesday night as we usually do, but one of our friends who usually joins us was conspicuously absent, as was another friend, Vicky. About halfway through the game, I got a text from Vicky saying that she was not at trivia because she was at the hospital with our other friend--he had had a heart attack! Fortunately, he survived, and they decided he did not need a bypass, but rather a few strategically placed stents (so it was fairly serious).

I am so grateful that he is going to be okay, but of course, he is going to have to make some lifestyle changes, like quitting smoking, exercising for 150 minutes a week, and eating a heart-healthy diet. His wife says that it probably wouldn't be realistic to try and accomplish ALL of these changes at once, so he's going to start with stepping down the smoking and building up the exercise. But when he came home from the hospital today, I wanted to deliver a heart-healthy meal to them for their welcome home dinner.

I sort of followed the model of my favorite cavatini recipe, but making some heart-healthy swap outs that I hoped the recovering cardiac patient wouldn't notice. (It should come as no surprise that he's a very picky eater.)

First of all, I made a big cauldron of sauce, beginning with two pounds of low-fat turkey sausage (one mild, one hot), a large chopped onion, and a whole head of minced garlic. In the spirit of Jerry Seinfeld's wife who hides vegetables in various foods to fool finicky children, I also added a couple of carrots and a small zucchini (both shredded) and 12 oz. of finely-chopped brown mushrooms to the saute. I deglazed the pan with about a half cup of red wine and a couple of tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. Then I stirred in a family-sized jar of chunky garden veggie jarred sauce, a couple of pints of my own home-canned tomato sauce, a big palmful or two of dried Italian herbs, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper (to taste).

Leaving the sauce to simmer, I boiled and drained some multigrain penne (I knew whole wheat pasta would be detectable and rejectable). As I was preparing a double batch of this "recipe," I made one 9x13 pan for the cardiac patient and his wife, and 8x8 pan for me and my roommate, and one additional 8x8 pan for another friend who is the primary caregiver for his mother, who unfortunately is battling cancer and a breathing disorder of some sort.

I built each casserole in disposable foil baking pans with some sauce on the bottom, a layer of cooked pasta, a layer of turkey pepperoni slices (on the two smaller pans, not for the man fresh out of the hospital!), more sauce, and a layer of shredded full-fat mozzarella cheese, because low-fat and no-fat cheese is gross. I repeated this order of ingredients in a second layer, and then baked the pans of pasta at 350 degrees for about a half hour.

I delivered the casseroles to their recipients this evening. Later, via Facebook, I learned that the cardiac patient had several helpings of pasta and was none the wiser about its healthfulness. (BWA-HA-HA, she laughs triumphantly!) And my other friend, the sole caregiver to his frequently hospitalized mother, declared it, "Yummy McYummerston!" Tee hee. I highly recommend this dish for those recovering from health issues, new mothers, those grieving a loss, folks who have just moved, or any time a delivery of a home-cooked meal would be especially appreciated.

Shame on me!

I am embarrassed to even post this "recipe," but in my defense, I've had a long day! It was my first day back to work, and the hours were filled with mind-numbing meetings and multiple syllabi preparations. So when I got home, I sure didn't feel like cooking.  But then I remembered this shameful junk food meal that I saw on Pinterest and thought, PERFECT! The dish is officially entitled Chili Dog Casserole, but one blogger renamed it "Redneck Enchiladas," which I think is quite apt.

I am not even going to type this out like an actual recipe, because it doesn't deserve that much effort. You take one can of chili (I prefer the hot kind without beans for this, but your call) and spread it into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Then get ten taco-sized soft flour tortillas, place a sandwich slice of cheddar cheese on top of each (that was my twist on this dish--more cheese!), then roll up a hot dog in each tortilla (I used lean beef weiners to make this "healthy"--ha ha). Place them seam-side down in the chili (a row of eight and two on the side), then spread a second can of chili evenly on top. Sprinkle with two cups of shredded cheese (I used colby-jack), cover with foil, and bake at 425 for 30 minutes. That's all there is to it, except that I squirted some yellow mustard on mine and sprinkled on some chopped onion as well. You do as you see fit.

Oh well...at least we didn't resort to calling Domino's as we so often do on a Friday night! Plus, we ate healthy last night, so it all balances out, right? ;-)

Vicky's Sixty: An Adirondack Celebration!

My friend Vicky turned SIXTY today, and to celebrate in grand fashion, she rented out an entire campground (Camp Pok-o-MacCready in Willsboro, NY) and invited all of her friends to celebrate her over the weekend in the glorious Adirondacks! My other friends, June and Lee Ann, and I were the party planning committee, mainly in charge of meals. We are expecting as many as 60 people for dinner tomorrow night, and Vicky wanted comforting but elegant dishes served buffet-style.

We decided to let the appetizers be a true potluck from the attendees, and we will also make salads, procure baguettes from Panera, and assemble an ice cream sundae bar (by request from the birthday girl) for dessert. Moreover, each of us food preppers opted to provide a crock pot of soup and two lasagna pans of a particular entrée. Lee Ann's mother-in-law will bring a seafood bisque and Lee Ann is making her popular spinach alfredo pasta. June is bringing her famous pumpkin soup with cran-apple relish (a la Rachael Ray) and making jambalaya.

As for me, I decided to make pasta fagiole in the style of Olive Garden and the world's most involved version of cottage pie that turned out FABULOUSLY, if I do say so myself! First, the beefy vegetable soup. I pretty much followed the recipe below, but instead of canned beans, I started with my beloved Rancho Gordo beans that I cooked in the crock pot overnight in beef broth with a couple of bay leaves. Then when I made the soup, I added some chopped zucchini to the other ingredients, and as it turned out very thick, I thinned it to a desired consistency with a spicy Bloody Mary mix that I happened to have in the fridge. Also, I cooked the pasta separately, and I will stir it in right before serving so that it doesn't go mushy. (The picture below doesn't have the ditalini in it yet.)

Olive Garden Pasta Fagiole
(Source: Top Secret Recipes)

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion diced (1 cup)
1 large carrot, julienned (1 cup)
3 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 15 ounce can red kidney beans (with liquid)
1 15 ounce can great northern beans (with liquid)

1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
1 12 ounce can V8 juice
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 pound ditali pasta

Brown the ground beef in a large saucepan or pot over medium heat, drain off most of the fat. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and saute for ten minutes. Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for one hour. About 50 minutes into simmer time, cook pasta, drain. Add the pasta to the large pot of soup and simmer for five to ten minutes and serve.

This cottage pie may turn out to be my finest creation. It is an EXTRAORDINARY pain in the ___ to make, but lordy, is it GOOD, and certainly worth the effort for a special occasion. Instead of shepherd's pie (which is made with lamb), or a low-rent ground beef version of cottage pie, I opted for chuck roast, like you'd use to make a Sunday pot roast. Also, instead of peas or green beans or what have you, I decided to use roasted root vegetables as a nod to the harvest season. And lastly, to add some color and extra flavor to the mashed potatoes, I threw in a couple of roasted sweet potatoes with the Yukon Golds. I assembled all this, sprinkled it with paprika, and stashed it in the fridge overnight. I will bake it off tomorrow night before the party. I declare this the ultimate meat-and-potatoes comfort food...taken to the next level!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cottage Pie

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 1/2 to 3 lbs. boneless chuck roast
3 teaspoons steak seasoning, divided
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup red wine
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced--divided
bay leaf
1 stem of tarragon
bunch of thyme, tied with string
2 large sweet potatoes
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup beef broth
2 lbs. carrots, peeled and diced
1 lb. parsnips, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced (leaves reserved)
1 large onion, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped celery leaves
4 lbs. potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 tablespoon chicken soup base
1 stick butter
1 cup half-and-half, more or less as desired
1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
salt and pepper, to taste
paprika
 
Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle both sides of the roast with steak seasoning, and brown on both sides. Pour off excess oil, add balsamic and red wine over the meat, and toss in the bay leaves, tarragon, and thyme bundle. Cover and cook in a 350 degree oven for 2 1/2 hours, or until fork-tender. While you are braising the meat, throw the sweet potatoes (unpeeled) in the oven to roast at the same time, for about an hour or until tender.

When the meat is tender, remove it from the Dutch oven. Whisk in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes until thick, then whisk in the balsamic vinegar and beef broth to make a gravy. Shred the reserved meat by hand, removing excess fat, and add the meat back to the pot.

Place the carrots, parsnips, celery and onions on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil and a teaspoon of steak seasoning and roast for about 30 minutes or until tender and slightly browned. Add the roasted vegetables to the meat and gravy, along with the parsley and celery leaves, and gently stir to combine.

In a stock pot, cover the potatoes with cold water and add the chicken soup base. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender all the way through. Drain the potatoes, and add the stick of butter and half-and-half. Peel the roasted sweet potatoes, add those to the pot, and then mash everything to desired consistency. Stir in fresh chives, granulated garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.

Scoop the mashed potatoes on top of the meat and vegetable mixture and smooth the top. Sprinkle with some paprika, and bake for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven (probably 45 minutes to an hour from cold).

 

 

Early Oktoberfest

As much I as ADORE fall, there is one thing that I can't stand about it, and that's the beginning of football season. On Sundays, my roommate commandeers the television to watch her beloved Patriots, and I usually scurry off to the kitchen to catch up on my favorite Sirius Radio shows from the previous week and cook something more elaborate than usual for our Sunday supper.

Last night, I made this interesting casserole that might be more fitting for Oktoberfest than early September, so file this one away for a few weeks. I particularly liked this dish because it made use of some potatoes that were starting to get eyes on them, a half a jar of leftover sauerkraut that was banging about the fridge, and a piece of good Emmenthal cheese that needed to be used up before it spoiled, and some polska kielbasa that I found in the back of the freezer. (Can you tell I'm Frugie McFrugal?)

Oktoberfest Bake

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced
6 medium potatoes, thinly sliced (peeled if you prefer)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
2 cups sauerkraut, drained
1 lb. polska kielbasa, cut in half lengthwise and sliced*
2 cups Emmenthal (or Swiss) cheese, shredded or thinly sliced
1/4 cup whole milk or half-and-half

In a large skillet, melt the butter and olive oil together. Add the sliced onions and stir to coat. Cook on low until deep golden brown, stirring occasionally (30-45 minutes). Set aside to cool.

Coat a 9x13 glass baking dish with cooking spray. Layer in half of the sliced potatoes, overlapping them. Sprinkle with half of the salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Then half the sauerkraut, half the sausage slices, half of the reserved onions, and top with half the cheese. Repeat this process to form the second layer of the casserole. Before you get to the final layer of cheese, pour the milk evenly over the top of everything. Top with cheese, cover loosely with foil, and bake for two hours at 300 degrees.

 

*Note: When I make this again in the future, I might brown the pieces of sausage first before building the casserole.

Cheaters never prosper...or do they?

As my readers well know, under typical circumstances, I favor real ingredients and slow food techniques. But sometimes, even a gourmande such as myself needs some cookies and needs them FAST! I found this recipe on (say it with me now) Pinterest, and I must say, it is super-easy, and makes 24 soft, cakey, luscious cookies. I made lemon poppyseed, but depending on the cake mix and what else you choose to add in, you could make these cookies in infinite variations to please your palate.

Death-by-Butter-Cookies (aka Gooey Butter Cookies)
(Source: Just a Pinch via Pinterest)

1 box Duncan Hines butter recipe cake mix (any cake mix is fine--mine wasn't butter recipe*)
1 stick butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, room temperature
1 egg

Combine all ingredients with electric mixer until well blended. Chill dough for two hours. Roll into balls (about walnut size). Roll balls in powdered sugar. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet in 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar when completely cooled.

*I used a lemon cake mix and added two tablespoons of poppyseed to the dough to make lemon poppyseed cookies. DELISH!

So that takes care of dessert. But what about dinner? There is another recipe that I found on Pinterest called Mexican Sour Cream Rice. I served it with a pork loin roast last night then some margarita-marinated grilled chicken breasts tonight. As the local sweet corn is starting, I used a few small ears instead of canned corn, and the resulting dish was very tasty! I think it would make a nice potluck casserole, too.

Mexican Sour Cream Rice
(Source: adapted from All Recipes via Pinterest)

1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chile peppers
2 cups pepper jack cheese, divided
1 1/2 cups canned, frozen, or fresh corn (steamed in the husks, then cut from the cobs)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro salt and ground black pepper to taste

In a large pot, bring the rice and chicken broth to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 1-1/2 quart casserole dish. In the pot with the cooked rice, mix the sour cream, green chile peppers, one cup cheese, corn, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer to the prepared casserole dish, and top with remaining cheese. Bake uncovered 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned

Put some ZIP in your Hump Day!

Here's another Pinterest classic that is easy, tasty, and perfect for a busy weeknight. My roommate whipped this up while I was teaching my night class tonight, and it was spicy, creamy, cheesy and DEE-LISH! Think of it as grown-up macaroni and cheese...with a kick.

Spicy Sausage Pasta
(Source: adapted from Kevin and Amanda's Recipes via America's Test Kitchen and Pinterest)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 14-ounce package smoked turkey sausage, sliced into rounds
1 1/2 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 10-ounce can Ro-Tel Tomatoes and Green Chiles, Original Style (we used the cilantro and lime variety)
1/2 cup heavy cream (we used about a cup)
8 ounces uncooked penne pasta, about 2 1/2 cups (we used lumaconi)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Thinly sliced scallions (we used fresh chives)
Salt, to taste
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a cast iron skillet (or other oven-safe skillet) until smoking. Add the sausage and onion, and cook until lightly browned, about four minutes. Add in the garlic, and cook for 30 seconds.

Add the broth, Ro-Tel, heavy cream, uncooked pasta, and pepper, and give the mixture a good stir. Bring to a boil, cover the skillet, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until the pasta is tender, about 15 minutes, stirring once or twice while cooking. Preheat the broiler while the pasta is cooking.

Remove the skillet from the heat, and stir in one cup of the cheese. Taste, and add salt as needed. Top with the scallions (or chives) and remaining cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted and lightly browned - about 3 minutes.