Corny Game Night Food

In 24 hours' time, we have gone from 50 degrees, to a foot of snow, back down to 13 below. Despite the winter madness, one must do something to stave off cabin fever, so I stoked the fire, turned on a space heater, left the kitchen tap trickling, and headed across town to play cards with some friends last night. I had a fun time playing a rummy-type game called Phase Ten. Like Monopoly, it takes FOREVER, so at 3am (still not having completed Phase Nine), we called it quits and declared the fellow in the lead the winner.

Of course, I never like to go to an event empty-handed, so I Googled “game night snacks” and I found this delicious-looking Pinterest favorite, bacon corn dip. It was easy to throw together and very tasty! I made a few changes based on what I had on hand, but it turned out well and was well-received by my fellow card sharps. I recommend this dish for your next informal gathering.

Bacon Corn Dip 

(Source: Adapted from Damn Delicious)

12 slices bacon 

6 cups corn kernels, frozen, canned or roasted

1 cup diced onion

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper (I used jarred roasted red peppers)

1-2 jalapeños, seeded and diced (I used 5-6 pickled jalapeno slices)

8 ounces cream cheese, cubed

4 tablespoons milk, or more, to taste

*I added one cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

4 green onions, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons sugar, or more, to taste

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. When cool, chop into pieces. Drain excess fat from the pan, reserving one tablespoon.

Add corn, onion, bell pepper and jalapeño(s) to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in cream cheese and milk until well combined, about two to three minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add more milk as needed until desired consistency is reached. Stir in sugar; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve immediately, sprinkled with green onions and bacon.

*To reheat, bake for 15-20 minutes at 325 degrees F, or until completely heated through.

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.

Ina Makes Pasta, So I Make Pasta

Ina Garten is my spirit animal, and she prepared a lemon cream pasta on her show recently that inspired me to make something similar. Unlike Ina, I topped mine with some succulent smoked salmon that I brought home from St. John, New Brunswick, where I spent part of my summer vacation. What a fabulous combination! (Any seafood would be great with this pasta.)

Lemon Cream Angel Hair Pasta

In a medium hot skillet, melt 4 tablespoons butter and add:
1 hot pepper, seeded and minced
2 large shallots, peeled and minced

Saute until the veggies are tender.

Add:
zest and juice of two lemons
3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper, to taste

Combine the sauce with one pound of angel hair pasta, cooked al dente and drained. Gently mix in chunks of smoked salmon. Garnish with 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley.

YO! Philly Cheesesteak Pasta in the Instant Pot

I tried something new in my magic pot tonight, an adaptation of another one of those recipe videos that was going around Facebook, called Philly Cheesesteak Pasta. It turned out well, but it basically tastes like Beef Stroganoff. (That's okay. I like Beef Stroganoff. Tee hee.)

Instant Pot Philly Cheesesteak Pasta
(Source: Adapted from Twisted Food)

Brown in a large skillet over medium heat in two tablespoons olive oil:
1 3/4 lbs. stew meat (I used chuck)
1 teaspoon seasoned salt

Add browned meat to the IP. In the pan drippings plus one tablespoon butter, cook until tender:
1 large onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced (I prefer a Cubanelle)
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

Add the sauteed veggies to the pot, plus:
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Cook on stew mode for 35 minutes, then let release naturally.

Leave pot on warm and add:
1 lb. penne, cooked to al dente and drained
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
salt and pepper, to taste

Taken In by Another Social Media Cooking Video

I saw a recipe making the rounds on Facebook called Creamy Sundried Tomato Parmesan Chicken that looked good, so I tried it tonight. And it was delish! Of course, I changed a few things in the recipe, as is my way. I used bone-in thighs (skin removed), because that's what I had on hand. And as they were thicker cuts, I had to brown them in a skillet, then finish cooking them in the oven. I also used a bag of "Heavenly" cocktail tomatoes from Trader Joe's that I needed to use or lose and then just half the amount of sun dried called for in the original recipe. And I used light cream for the sauce and no corn starch. I did use the optional dried Italian herbs, but I omitted the fresh basil--though that would have been lovely if I had any and/or the will to go to the store during the latest arctic blast.

Creamy Sundried Tomato Parmesan Chicken
(Source: Adapted from Cafe Delites)

For the chicken:

2 large boneless and skinless chicken breasts, halved horizontally to make 4 fillets (I used bone-in thighs, skin removed)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt (I used a spicy soul seasoning blend)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For the sauce:
2 tablespoons reserved sun dried tomato oil (or olive oil)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
7 oz jarred sundried tomato strips in oil, drained (reserve 2 tablespoons of oil for cooking)
8 oz sliced mushrooms
11/2 cups milk (or half-and-half or light cream)
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of milk**
1/3 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese (do not include for dairy free option)
2 teaspoons Italian herbs (optional for added flavour)
2 tablespoons fresh shredded basil, to serve

1. In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Dredge in the flour mixture; shake off excess and set aside.
2. Heat one tablespoon of the reserved oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Fry the chicken until golden on each side, cooked through and no longer pink (about 5-6 minutes each side, depending on the thickness of your chicken). Transfer onto a warm plate. (I transferred them to a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes until the thighs were cooked through.)
3. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet; sauté the garlic until fragrant (about one minute). Add the sundried tomatoes and mushrooms; fry until the mushrooms are just soft. (I chopped up a bag of cocktail tomatoes and threw them in as well.)
4. Reduce heat to low-medium heat, add the milk (or cream if using) and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to your taste and add the milk/cornstarch mixture to the centre of the pan. Continue to simmer while quickly stirring the mixture through until the sauce thickens. (Only use cornstarch if using milk for your sauce.)
5. Add in the parmesan cheese; allow sauce to simmer for a further minute until cheese melts through the sauce. Add the chicken back into the pan; sprinkle with the fresh basil and a little extra pepper (optional), and serve over pasta, rice or steamed vegetables.

A Man Called Ove Eats a Scandinavian Feast

My book club met last night, and we read a wonderful book entitled A Man Called Ove. I saw the movie when I was in Sweden last summer, and it was really good, but the book was even better! And of course, we had to have a full Swedish smorgasbord to accompany our lively discussion. Everything was as delicious as the charming and poignant novel.

Jaime cured her own salmon gravlax and served it with a mustard sauce, shaved fennel, and brown bread.

Back: Kathy made a Persian chicken and rice dish like a Ove's Iranian neighbor, Parvaneh, shared with him.

Front: Janice made a delicious potato gratin called Flødekartofler, which I think is actually Danish, but oh well. It was yummy!

Clockwise, from bottom left: Shann made Västerbottensost-Oliver, these little cheesy dough-wrapped olives.

Our lovely hostess, Katie, made the ubiquitous cucumber salad that is served with everything in Sweden.

Kathy made potato dumplings filled with bacon and onions called kroppkaka.

I tried to replicate one of the best things I tasted in Sweden, at a proper smorgasbord at the Grand Hotel in Stockholm: A Västerbotten Creme Topped with Strawberry-Rhubarb Preserves which I served with multigrain crispbread. (Västerbotten is a hard, salty cheese, kind of like Swedish Parmesan. A hunk of it was one of the few "souvenirs" that I brought home in my carry-on.)

Katie's cucumber salad.

Janice's gratin.

Kathy's Persian Chicken and Rice.

Kathy's dumplings and my Västerbotten spread.

Janice made another type of potato dish. I think it was also of Danish origin and is called Hasselback Kartofler.

My delicious Scandinavian dinner!

The Swedish stew (kalops) that I made and served with steamed new potatoes and dill.

Domenica made a chocolate kladdkaka (cloud cake) topped with vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, and--OF COURSE--a Swedish fish!

Adirondack Game Night

This past summer, my friend Vicky was on the hunt to find an old-fashioned, hand-cranked, ice cream machine to make ice cream with her little grandson, but she struck out. So for Christmas, I found one online and made a gift of it. Last night, she decided that she wanted to give it a test run--in the middle of winter, no less--and have a few people over to her cozy cabin deep in the Adirondack woods for game night and homemade ice cream. FUN!

Vicky dishing up the good stuff!

Old-fashioned wooden ice cream bucket, as befits her cabin-in-the-woods lifestyle.

Mmmmmm....hand-cranked ice cream with real vanilla beans!

We were asked to bring our favorite ice cream toppings. Our friend Mia brought sprinkles!

Vicky and her beautiful Mennonite stove.

My friend Sally insisted that we pose in front of the stove for a selfie.

Mia the Care Bear (and youngest in our group) won the 80s Trivial Pursuit game.

More games! More fun! YAY!

Instead of bringing an ice cream topping as assigned, I decided to bring broccoli cheese soup that I made in my magic pot, sort of an homage to Panera's Broccoli-Cheese Soup. It looks a little thin in this photo, because I added some extra broth for travel out to Vicky's house, as I knew it would thicken up en route. And indeed, it was quite thick and hearty when I reheated it on the wood stove and we finally ate it. Also, I blended it almost smooth because I was hiding the vegetables from one of the finicky guests. But feel free to leave it chunkier if you prefer.

Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 cup julienned carrots

1 (16-ounce) package frozen broccoli

3 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups half-and-half

8 ounces (2 cups) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

16 oz. sharp cheddar-flavored Velveeta, cubed

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 

Add the olive oil to the IP insert on sauté mode and cook the onions for a few minutes until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in the julienned carrots, frozen broccoli, and broth. Cook on soup mode for five minutes. 

Meanwhile, on the stove top in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute or two. Slowly whisk in the half-and-half, and keep whisking and cooking until thick and smooth. 

Do a quick release when the vegetables are done cooking. Using a stick blender, purée the soup to desired level of chunkiness or smoothness. Stir in the prepared white sauce and both the shredded cheddar and cubed Velveeta. Turn the pot on low sauté, and keep stirring occasionally until the cheeses have completely melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

P.S. PLEASE don't start about the Velveeta! If you don't like it, don't use it. I would use four cups of shredded cheddar (total) instead, though of course, it won't have the same consistency. Your choice.

Golden Globes Supper: Extra Shroomy!

Last night, I watched and live-blogged the Golden Globes on Facebook (as is my way). And for my special awards night supper, I created the best Alfredo dish I've ever made: Mushroom Pesto Alfredo with Three-Cheese Tortellini, Balsamic Mushrooms, and Fresh Spinach. MMM!!!

This is going to be a little hard to recreate because of one ingredient. Like an episode of Co-Op Chopped, I ended up with local mushrooms and spinach in my basket the other day, and something from the 50% off markdown bin (always a trove of tasty treasures!)--mushroom pesto. Of course, you may omit that in the Alfredo sauce, but it won't be as lusciously earthy and shroomy. Good luck finding some, though. Try your fancy food stores and/or health food stores. Or make your own!

Mushroom Alfredo Tortellini with Fresh Spinach

Mushroom Pesto Alfredo:
4 tablespoons butter
2 oz. cream cheese
1 1/2 cups half-and-half (up to 2 cups)
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
pinch of cayenne
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons prepared mushroom pesto

Balsamic Mushrooms:
2 tablespoons bacon fat
1/2 onions, thinly sliced or diced
1 lb. crimini mushrooms, washed and cut into chunks (or thickly sliced)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste

1 family-sized package refrigerated three-cheese tortellini

1 (or 2) cups chopped fresh spinach

In a medium sauce pan on low heat, melt butter and cream cheese. Add the half-and-half and granulated garlic and whisk until smooth. Cook over low heat, whisking frequently, for about 15 minutes or until the mixture has thickened. Add the seasoned salt, pepper, cayenne, and Parmesan. Whisk until smooth, and cook on low for a few more minutes, whisking frequently. Remove from heat and whisk in the mushroom pesto. (Thin the sauce with more half-and-half or milk if it gets too thick.)

Meanwhile, to a large skillet over medium heat, add the bacon fat (or butter or olive oil or a mix of the two), then saute the onions and mushrooms until tender and the mushrooms start to brown. Add the minced garlic and dried thyme and cook for another couple of minutes. Deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar and season the cooked mushrooms to taste with salt and pepper.

Lastly, cook the tortellini according to package instructions and drain. Mix the pasta with the Alfredo sauce, the balsamic mushrooms, and the spinach. Garnish with more Parmesan before serving.

Nooks & Crannies Bagels

RUN--do not walk--to your nearest grocery establishment and acquire these freaky bagel/English muffin hybrids! They are so light and fluffy and crispy when toasted--they are the muffins the angels in heaven would eat!

And they make the best brunch EVAH! Behold: Toasted Nooks and Crannies Bagel with Mayo, Avocado Mashed with Lemon and Garlic, Baked Ham and Cheese Omelette, and a Drizzle of Sriracha

Dinner and a Movie: Bridget Jones's Diary

I was recently horrified to learn that several of my dearest friends had never seen Bridget Jones' Diary, so I made it my personal crusade to rectify this abominable situation. I gave one of said friends the dvd and the even more entertaining novel as Christmas gifts, and tonight, we watched the movie together with a bunch of good friends, and I prepared a special themed buffet dinner. This was the menu I envisioned, and echoing Bridget's words, "Have sneaking suspicion am somewhat of a genius in the kitchen as well."

Cocktail Gherkins
Orange Marmalade Dip with Crackers
Blue Soup (Leek and Potato)
Turkey Curry with Jasmine Rice
Baked Ham and Cheese Omelette

The pickles on sticks and turkey curry were inspired by Bridget's mother Pam's New Year's Turkey Curry Buffet. And the blue soup, omelette, and orange marmalade dip were an homage to the tragic birthday dinner that Bridget tried to cook for her friends.

The appetizers included little cornichons on toothpicks (I didn't even bother to take a picture, but see above), and an unusual orange marmalade-topped cream cheese dip with crackers. In the movie, Bridget attempts to create a dessert called Orange Pudding in Sugar Cages, but you see them scooping the finished product up with crackers, and one of her friends describes it as tasting like marmalade.

At first, I was just going to serve orange marmalade with crackers, but that sounded pretty boring. Then I thought I might spread the crackers with cream cheese and top it with orange marmalade, but that sounded like a lot of busy work and still not very exciting.

So I did a Google search and found this recipe for a dip that turned out to be the surprise hit of the party! Many of my young friends are not very adventurous eaters, and they were surprised that something which seemed weird to them at first was so tasty. I took the picture below before I topped the dip with the toasted almonds, because it was prettier. The next time I make this, I think I might mix the almonds into the dip and let the marmalade be the only topping, because it would look nicer.

Orange Marmalade Dip
(Source: adapted from Food.com)

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise 
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
8 large scallions, chopped
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
few dashes hot sauce, to taste
3/4 cup orange marmalade
1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted and cooled

Mix the cream cheese, mayo, cheese, scallions, pepper, and hot sauce. Spread into an 8x8 dish, top with the marmalade and spread in a thin layer. Sprinkle on the almonds. Serve with crackers.

In the movie, Bridget tries to make a soup flavored with leeks, and she's supposed to tie the leeks together with kitchen twine. She does not have the proper twine, so she uses some blue string she finds that, of course, ends up turning the soup blue.

So I decided to make a leek and potato soup with the help of my trusty magic pot. It was quick and easy in the Instant Pot (only five minutes!), and it turned out velvety and luscious and DELICIOUS! Of course, you don't have to dye it blue to enjoy this leeky, potatoey goodness.

Instant Pot Leek and Potato Soup

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large leeks, tough outer leaves removed, halved, washed thoroughly and thinly sliced
3 large stalks celery, thinly sliced 
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground celery
4 medium to large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
4 cups vegetable (or chicken) stock
1 cup cream
salt and pepper, to taste

On sauté mode, add the butter and olive oil to the pot and cook the leeks, celery, and garlic until the veggies are tender and just starting to brown. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and let continue to cook for a few minutes until the wine has almost evaporated. Stir in the thyme, granulated garlic, ground celery, potatoes, and vegetable or chicken stock. 

Cover with the lid and cook on soup mode for five minutes. Let the pressure come down for about ten minutes before doing a quick release. Using a stick blender, purée the soup until very smooth. Add the cream (or half-and-half or whole milk) and blend one more time. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

*If you're making this for a Bridget Jones dinner, add a little blue food coloring...but no string! 

For the first of two entrees, I prepared a curry with turkey and vegetables and served it over steamed jasmine rice (made in the IP, of course--three cups rinsed rice, three cups water, good pinch of salt, in the sprayed insert, on manual for four minutes, ten minutes rest then release). I couldn't find a recipe for the turkey curry, so I just made it up, and it turned our GREAT! Even one of the guests who swears she doesn't enjoy curry liked it!

Pamela Jones' Turkey Curry 
(as imagined by me)

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 lb. turkey breast cut into one-inch chunks
1 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon granulated garlic, divided
3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided

1 large onion, diced
1-2 chili peppers, seeded and diced (to taste)
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into large dice
2 medium potatoes, peeled (or not) and cut into one-inch chunks
1 cup chicken (or turkey) broth
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon ground celery
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 can coconut milk

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

steamed jasmine rice

To a large skillet over medium-high, add two tablespoons of olive oil, add the chunks of turkey, sprinkle with a half teaspoon each of salt and granulated garlic and a quarter teaspoon of pepper, and cook the turkey until golden brown. Remove the pieces to a plate and reserve.

To the same skillet, add two more tablespoons of olive oil, and saute the onions and pepper(s) until tender. Add the garlic and cook another minute or two. Add the carrots, potatoes, and chicken stock, partly cover, and simmer for about five minutes or until the carrots and potatoes are tender. 

Stir in the curry powder, ginger, ground celery, cumin, turmeric, coriander, and the remaining half teaspoon of granulated garlic, then cook for another couple of minutes until the spices are very fragrant. Turn off the heat and stir the coconut milk, the remaining teaspoon of salt and half teaspoon of pepper (or to taste), the reserved turkey, and the chopped fresh cilantro.

Serve over steamed jasmine rice.

In the movie, nothing Bridget tries to cook turns out right, so Mark Darcy to the rescue! For the entree, he suggests they make omelettes and serve it with the "congealed green gunge" (caper berry gravy) that Bridget has produced. Since I was cooking for about eight people, I didn't want to be standing at the stove making individual omelettes for everyone.

So I found a recipe for a big ham and cheese pan omelette that you bake in the oven, and I also siphoned some of the eggs and cheese mixture off before adding the ham and made an individual portion in a ramekin for one vegetarian guest. What a terrific brunch dish, and of course, you can add whatever ingredients you have that please you. (I doubled the recipe that follows and baked it in a 9x13 casserole dish.)

Baked Ham and Cheese Omelette
(Source: All Recipes)

8 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
3 ounces cooked ham, diced

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon dried minced onion

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease one 8x8 inch casserole dish and set aside.

Beat together the eggs and milk. Add seasoning salt, ham, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, and minced onion. Pour into prepared casserole dish.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until eggs are set. (The individual one-cup ramekin took 15-20 minutes.)

For dessert, I suggest you pass around a few pints of Ben and Jerry's and a bunch of spoons. And to wash everything down with, I suggest that you choose vodka...and Chaka Khan!

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.

A Cheesy Treat for Your Sportsy Gatherings

I didn't have time yesterday to make a big spread of football food, because I was hosting a birthday luncheon today at school for my dear friend and office mate, Lee Ann, and I was cooking stuff for that. But here is a quick and easy cheeseburger dip--it really tastes just like a cheeseburger--that's not all that attractive, but it makes a flavor touchdown! (See what I did there?)

Here is the dip after the ingredients are mixed together and baked until brown around the edges and bubbly.









You might choose to top your dip with green onions and crumbled bacon as the recipe below suggests, but I went with finely-diced sweet onion and a crowning layer of guacamole. The recipe says to serve with pita chips, but I used regular tortilla chips. YUMMY!

Cheeseburger Dip
(Source: adapted from French's)

1 lb. ground beef (seasoned with 1 t Cajun spice, 1/2 t black pepper and 1 t granulated garlic)

1 (8 oz. pkg.) cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (the original recipe called for 1/2 cup American "cheese")
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
2 tablespoons dill pickle relish (I used my homemade green tomato relish)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon hot sauce, optional 
Brown meat in skillet; drain and set aside. Combine all other ingredients in deep pie dish. Fold in meat. Heat in 350°F oven for 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Garnish with bacon crumbles and green onions , if desired. Serve with pita chips. 

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.