Coq au Vin 5.31.09

Coq au Vin

2 thick slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 chicken, cut up
Salt & Pepper
1 onion, coarsley chopped
1 red bell pepper, coarsley chopped (I used half red and half green)
1 cup mushrooms, cut into halves (if you must - I don't like 'em so I left them out!)
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp dried thyme
2 cups red wine (I used Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon)
2 cups chicken broth
Chopped Parsley
Hot cooked noodles

Cook the bacon in a Dutch Oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove and set aside. Season the chicken pieces with a bit of salt & pepper and add to the hot bacon fat, a few pieces at a time (don't crowd them!) and cook until well browned, turning occasionally.

Add onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, garlic, thyme, wine and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for about 2 hours.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken from the pot and keep warm. Combine 1/4 cup flour with about 1/4 cup of the broth from the pot and stir until smooth. Whisk back in to the remaining broth in the pot and simmer about 5 minutes or until thickened. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if necessary. Top with reserved bacon and parsley and serve over the hot noodles with a Green Salad on the side.

This was excellent and will definitely be made again many times! Original recipe is in the "Great American Brand Name Cookbook".

Omelets 5.30.09

For me, Ham, Swiss and Chives. John's had Onions, Peppers, Mushrooms and Ham.

Basic Three Egg Omelet

1 tbsp butter
3 eggs
1 tbsp half & half
Salt & Pepper to taste
Filling ingredients of your choice

Prepare your filling ingredients (for me, tonight I used about 2 tbsp minced ham, 1 slice of swiss cheese torn into small strips and 1 tsp chives). Beat the eggs, half & half, salt and pepper with a fork until thoroughly combined.

Melt the butter in a 6-inch omelet pan over medium heat until foamy, tilting the pan to completely coat the bottom with the butter. Pour in the eggs. As they cook, lift the edges with a spatula and tilt the skillet to allow the uncooked egg mixture to run to the bottom. When all is of an even consistency, place filling ingredients of your choice down the center of the eggs. Put a lid on the pan and cook a minute or so until filling is hot. Using a spatula, fold the omelet 1/3 of the way over the filling, then (using spatula and tilting the pan) flip it over the rest of the way and slide out onto a warm plate.

John's omelet (and the only way he'll eat one) is called a Denver Omelet. Same directions as above except use 4 eggs, and once you have the butter melted, cook about a half cup total of chopped onions, bell peppers, mushrooms and diced ham until hot. Pour the egg mixture over the ham and veggies and proceed as directed above.

Serve with hot, buttered toast and crisp bacon.

Lima Beans with Pork 5.29.09

For dinner tonight we are having an old stand-by, which I make at least once a month, in one form or another. Lima Beans are a favorite at my house, but this recipe is also good with any type of white, dried beans.

Lima Beans with Pork

1 lb bag dried lima beans, washed
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
1 handful shredded carrots, chopped
1 can Cream of Onion soup
1 large carton Chicken Broth
1 lb boneless pork chops, cut into cubes or strips
Water, if necessary
Pepper (I love McCormick's Smokehouse Black Pepper, so I'm using that this time)
Salt, if needed and to taste
Hot, cooked Buttered Rice

Combine the beans, onion, celery, carrots, Cream of Onion Soup and Chicken Broth in a crockpot and stir to combine. Add the pork, pepper and enough water (if necessary) to completely cover the ingredients by about 2 inches. Cook about 8 to 9 hours on low. Place a mound of hot, buttered rice in the middle of each serving plate and surround with the beans and pork. Very tasty garnished with chopped parsley and some crumbled, cooked bacon.

Note: This is even better if you brown the pork in a skillet before adding it to the crockpot. The chopped vegetables also add a layer of flavor if you take the time to saute them first. This isn't necessary, but I usually do this if I have more time (like today!)

Sausage Chicken Creole 5.27.09

This is very good! (From Great American Favorite Brand Name Cookbook)

Sausage-Chicken Creole

1 can (14.5 oz) whole tomatoes, undrained and cut up (I used Diced Fire-Roasted Tomatoes)
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1/2 cup hot water
2 tsp Hot Sauce
1/4 tsp garlic powder (I used closer to 1 tsp)
1/4 tsp dried oregano (I used 1 tsp)
16 oz bag frozen vegetable combination (broccoli, corn & red peppers), thawed and drained
1 c (2.8 oz) can French's French Fried Onions, divided
4 chicken thighs, skinned (I used boneless, skinless, pre-cooked chicken tenderloins)
1/2 lb (I used a whole pound) of skinless smoked sausage, cut into bite-sized slices and cooked
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

Preheat oven to 376 degrees. In a 12x8-inch baking dish, combine tomatoes, rice, hot water, Hot Sauce, garlic powder and oregano. Bake, covered, 10 minutes. Stir vegetables and half the Fried Onions into rice mixture; top with chicken and cooked sausage. Bake, covered, 40 minutes or until chicken is done. Top chicken with remaining Fried Onions; bake, uncovered 3 to 5 minutes or until onions are golden brown. Yummy!

I couldn't find a bag of Broccoli, Corn & Red Peppers at my Publix, so I used a 12 oz bag of whole kernel corn with peppers and a half a bag of Broccoli with Mushrooms and Water Chestnuts.

Steak with Bleu Cheese Butter and Accordian Potatoes 5.26.09

Steak with Bleu Cheese Butter

2 New York Strip steaks, 1" thick
Olive Oil
Garlic Salt
Onion Powder
Smokehouse Pepper
2 tbsp butter, softened
3 tbsp crumbled bleu cheese
1 tsp. fresh chives, chopped

Combine the softened butter, bleu cheese and chives in a small bowl and set aside.

Rub the steaks with olive oil. Season with Garlic Salt, Onion Powder and Smokehouse Pepper to taste. Cook on a hot grill (or grill pan) 5-7 minutes per side (or until medium rare). Top with a dollop of the bleu cheese butter and serve immediately.

Accordian Potatoes

2 large baking potatoes
2 tbsp butter, melted
Garlic Salt
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Slice the potatoes in thin slices, but not all the way through, leaving slices attached at the bottom. Place in a shallow baking dish. Brush with half the melted butter and sprinkle with Garlic Salt. Bake, uncovered, at 400^ for 30 minutes. Brush with remaining butter bake 20 minutes more or until done. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired and bake 5 more minutes. Serve hot.

Steak, baked potatoes and a salad. My favorite meal!

Chicken Breasts in Caper Cream Sauce 5.24.09

Chicken Breasts in Caper Cream Sauce

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 tsp lemon pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried dill weed
1 tsp garlic powder
3 tbsp butter
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed

Season chicken with lemon pepper, salt, dill and garlic powder. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Place chicken breasts in skillet, and increase heat to medium-high. Turn chicken frequently, until brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, until breasts are cooked through. Remove chicken to a warm serving platter and cover with foil. Keep warm.

Return skillet to stove, increase heat to high. Whisk in whipping cream, whisking continuosly until reduced to sauce consistency, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in capers. Pour sauce over chicken and serve. From allrecipes.com

I was disappointed in this dish, which I served over hot, cooked vermicelli. It was bland. I added a teaspoon of lemon juice and a handful of parmesan trying to give it some extra flavor, but that didn't help much.

Quick Oriental Pork & Peppers 5.22.09

Quick Oriental Pork & Peppers

1.25 lbs ground pork
Garlic Powder
Black Pepper
1 onion, cut into wedges
1/2 each red, yellow and green bell peppers, cut into strips
4 oz Hoisin Sauce
1/4 cup Lite Soy Sauce
1 tsp Five Spice Powder
8-oz can Pineapple Tidbits
3 tsp Chinese Hot Mustard
3 tsp Duck Sauce
1 tbsp crystallized ginger
2-3 tbsp honey
1 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar

Brown the pork in a wok with garlic powder and pepper to taste. Add the onions and peppers and cook 10 minutes stirring often. Add the remaining ingredients and cook until everything is thoroughly hot. Serve over hot, cooked rice.

Quick, easy and tasty!

Spaghetti & Meatballs 5.19.09

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Frozen Meatballs (enough for 4-6 servings)
Water
1 jar (24-32 oz) spaghetti sauce (tonight I used Barilla Roasted Garlic)
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes (I used oregano & basil flavored)
1 handful of grated Parmesan cheese
1-2 tsp minced garlic
1/2-1 tsp dried oregano
1/2-1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp fennel seed
1/2-1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Pinch sugar

Cover the meatballs with water in a large pot and bring to a boil and cook about 10 minutes. Drain. Combine the remaining ingredients in the pot until well blended. Add the meatballs and simmer for at least 1/2 hour. Serve over hot, cooked spaghetti.

This is my basic spaghetti sauce recipe and it's (imho) REALLY good! Since it tastes even better reheated, I often make a double batch and freeze half for another meal.

Cinnamon Baked Sweet Potatoes 5.19.09

For dinner tonight we had Smoked Pork Chops, Cinnamon Baked Sweet Potatoes and Cole Slaw with Pineapple and Almonds. Here's the potatoes:

Cinnamon Baked Sweet Potatoes

Scrub you sweet potatoes. Rub the skins with soft butter until well coated and sprinkle generously with cinnamon. Wrap in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven until done (about 1 hour for large potatoes). Split open and serve hot with butter and a sprinkle of brown sugar if desired.

Love these! And they smell so good baking!

Cheesy Un-Stuffed Peppers 5.17.09

Cheesy Un-Stuffed Peppers
1 pkg Meat Loaf Mix (ground chuck & ground pork)
Garlic salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp sage 1
1 chopped onion
Generous splash of Worcestershire Sauce
1 cup uncooked instant white rice
1 small can tomato paste
1/4 cup diced sweet banana peppers or 4oz chopped green chiles
1 can (19 oz) Progresso Hearty Tomato Soup
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar or colby cheese
3 large bell peppers, sliced

In a large skillet, fry the meat with the seasonings and onion. When browned, drain and then add Worcestershire sauce, rice, tomato paste, banana peppers or chiles, soup and water. Heat. Add Peppers and 1 cup cheese. Pour into 9x13 pan or casserole dish. Top with 1/2 cup cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350~ for about 40 minutes (till rice is done and peppers are cooked).

This is delicious and much easier and faster than real Stuffed Peppers.

Texican Chicken with Chile-Cream Rice Casserole 5.16.09

Texican Chicken with Chile Cream Rice Casserole

CHICKEN:
½ cup mayonnaise
½ envelope Ranch dressing mix
¼ cup buttermilk
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp cumin
4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 ½ cups tortilla crumbs

CHILE-CREAM RICE CASSEROLE:
1 (4-oz) can chopped green chiles
2 cups long grain rice
4 cups water
1 tbsp instant chicken bouillon
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can Petite Diced tomatoes with Jalapenos
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 (11-oz) can Mexicorn
1 cup sour cream


Preheat oven to 350^. Spray a 9x13” pan generously with Pam. Combine mayonnaise, Ranch dressing mix, buttermilk, chili powder and cumin until smooth in a shallow bowl. Roll each chicken breast in the Ranch dressing mixture and then coat with tortilla crumbs. Place in the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.

Combine all the first 4 rice ingredients in your Rice Cooker and cook until rice is done. Stir in remaining ingredients and turn into a lightly greased casserole. Bake about ½ hour. Serve with chicken and a salad.

Oven Fried Chicken, Garlic Herb Mashed Potatoes & Lemon Pepper Peas 5.15.09

One of my favorite easy meals:

Oven Fried Chicken
2 cups crushed cornflakes
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 envelope buttermilk Ranch dressing mix (or the whole thing if you like salt)
4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup melted butter

Combine the cornflakes, parmesan and Ranch dressing mix in a shallow dish. Dip chicken in butter; dredge in cornflake mixture. Place in a lightly greased 9x13" pan. Bake at 350^ for 30 to 45 minutes or until done. I always line the pan with aluminum foil first....makes cleanup easier. And don't overcook the chicken!

Garlic-Herb Mashed Potatoes
1 lb (6 medium) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 (4-oz) pkg Rondele Garlic and Herb Spreadable Cheese
1/4 to 1/3 cup half & half
2 tbsp butter
Salt & Pepper
Shredded cheddar, if desired

Cover the potatoes with lightly salted water and bring to a boil; reduce heat and cook 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and return potatoes to hot pan. Cook over medium heat about 30 seconds to dry the potatoes out a bit. Remove from heat. Add cheese, half & half, butter and salt & pepper to taste. I always use a hand masher because I like lumps in my mashed potatoes, but the original recipe (and I can't remember where I found it) said to use an electric mixer until smooth. Spoon the potatoes into a buttered casserole dish. Sprinkle with a handful of shredded cheese if desired, and bake at 350^ for 15 minutes. These are good and garlicky!

Baby Peas with Lemon-Pepper and Honey
1 bag (1-lb) frozen Green Giant baby sweet peas
2 tsp honey
1 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp lemon pepper
1/4 tsp salt

Cook peas as directed on bag. Drain; return to saucepan. Add honey, butter, lemon pepper and salt and toss to coat.

Spicy Black Beans and Tomato Salad 5.14.09

Spicy Black Beans
2 lbs beef short ribs
1 lb dried black beans
1 large onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
2-3 tbsp ground chipotle chile pepper
2 tsp ground cumin
32 oz carton beef broth
Water
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 can stewed tomatoes

Put the first 7 ingredients in a crockpot. Add enough water to cover all ingredients by about 2 inches. Cover and cook on low all day (or until beans are done). Add salt and pepper to taste and the stewed tomatoes and continue to cook another hour. Serve over rice with the short ribs. (I added cumin and chipotle powder to the water I cook my rice in for this meal).

Tomato Salad
1/4 cup minced sweet onion (or red onion)
2 large, ripe tomatoes, chopped
Salt & Pepper to taste
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
Juice from 1/2 lime
2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp. minced jalapeno
Lettuce leaves, if desired

Combine the onion, tomatoes, salt, pepper, vinegar, oil, lime juice, sugar and jalapeno. Refrigerate for about a half hour. Serve on lettuce leaves (John's fav) OR spoon it over your beans and rice like I do and top it all with a dollop of sour cream! This is SO GOOD!!!

Skillet Lasagna 5.11.09

Skillet Lasagna
1 lb ground chuck
2 tbsp dehydrated minced onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
24oz jar tomato and basil spaghetti sauce
16 oz pkg Campanelle pasta, cooked al dente as directed on package
12-oz low fat cottage cheese
8-oz Neufchatel cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp dried parsley flakes
1 cup shredded Italian blend cheese
1/4 cup sliced green onions

Brown the beef in a 12-inch oven proof skillet over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked, stirring freqently. Drain. Reduce heat to medium. Preheat the broiler. Add onion, garlic, salt, pepper and worcestershire to beef; cook 5 to 8 minutes or until onion is tender; stirring occasionally.

In a large bowl, combine cottage cheese, Neufchatel, parmesan, and parsley flakes; mix well.

Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the cooked, drained Campanelle until well combined. Spoon the cheese mixture over top of the noodles and sprinkle with the Italian Blend Cheese and the sliced green onions. Broil, about 8 inches from heating element for about 6-8 minutes or until the cheese begins to turn a bit golden.

Let stand about 5 minutes before serving.

My opinion: Kind of ugly, but it tastes really good!

Make Ahead French Toast with Strawberry Sauce 5.10.09

Here's a tasty recipe for brunch....it's quite good, but took longer to bake than the original recipe stated. And it's really a Bread Pudding and bears no resemblance whatsoever to French Toast!

Make Ahead French Toast with Strawberry Sauce

1 (16-oz) challah bread loaf, cubed
1 (8-oz) pkg cream cheese, cubed
6 large eggs
4 cups half & half
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
1 (10-oz) jar strawberry preserves

Arrange half of challah bread in a lightly greased 9x13" pan. Sprinkle with cheese pieces, and top with remaining bread.

Whisk together eggs and next 3 ingredients; pour over bread mixture, pressing bread cubes to absorb egg mixture. Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight.

Bake, covered, at 350^ for 25 minutes. Uncover and back 20 more minutes. (Mine took almost twice as long as this recipe states before it was golden brown and done. Test with a butter knife inserted near the center...if it comes out clean, it's done.)

Heat sliced strawberries and the preserves in a saucepan over low heat, and serve over the toast.

Pacific Pork Burgers 5.9.09

Pacific Pork Burgers

1 lb ground pork
Garlic Salt and Pepper
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 cup apricot preserves
1/4 cup bbq sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
4 pineapple slices
4 toasted hamburger buns

Combine ginger, apricot preserves, bbq sauce and soy sauce in a small saucepan and heat, stirring over low heat until well combined.

Form pork into 4 patties and season lightly with garlic salt & pepper. Grill until done, brushing often with the bbq sauce until done. Do not overcook.

Grill the pineapple slices about 1 minute, turning once, or until browned.

Serve burgers on the toasted buns topped with pineapple. Good with a side of Cole Slaw.

Oven BBQ Pork Chops 5.7.09

Tonight we had one of my favorite easy meals, Oven Barbecued Pork Chops, Lima Beans and Rice.

Oven Barbecued Pork Chops
Pork Chops, about 3/4" thick
Onion, sliced
Garlic Salt & Pepper
BBQ Sauce

Put however many pork chops you need to cook in a single layer in a baking dish. Season to taste. Top each with a slice of onion. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 375^ for about 1 hour. Remove the foil and spread each chop with BBQ sauce and bake another 15 minutes. Then stick a fork in it, cause it's done!

Lima Beans
Frozen Fordhook Lima Beans
Water
Salt
4 strips bacon
Hot, cooked rice
Butter

Put the frozen lima beans in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook about 15 minutes. Drain. In the meantime, fry the bacon in a skillet until crispy. Remove bacon and set aside to cool. Add the lima beans to the bacon fat in the skillet and saute them about 10 minutes, stirring often, until done. Serve over hot, cooked rice, topped with a pat of butter and crumbled bacon. Delicious!

Cinco de Mayo Soup 5.5.09

The original recipe is "Chicken Tortilla Soup V" at allrecipes.com.

Cinco de Mayo Soup
2 large chicken breasts
Water
Garlic Salt and Pepper (to your taste)
1.2 tsp oregano
1/2 cup dehydrated minced onion
1 1/2 cups chunky salsa
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
2 tsp cilantro in a tube
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 can mild Rotel diced tomatoes
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 cup instant brown rice
Tortilla chips, sour cream, shredded Jack cheese

Put the chicken breasts in a large pot and cover with water. Add garlic salt, pepper, oregano and minced onion. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, and cook until chicken is done. Remove chicken, cool and cut into bite sized pieces.

Return chicken to the pot and add the salsa, chili powder, cumin, cilantro, lemon juice, Rotel, and black beans. Cook 15 minutes. Stir in the corn and cook another 10 minutes. Add the instant brown rice and cook 5 minutes.

Serve topped with slightly crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheese and sour cream, if desired.

Yum!

Brown Sugar Meatloaf 5.4.09

This is quite possibly the best meatloaf I've ever made. The original can be found at allrecipes.com but here's my version:

Brown Sugar Meatloaf
2 lbs ground sirloin
3/4 cup milk
2 heaping tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 tbsp dehydrated minced onion
1/4 tsp ground ginger
3/4 cup finely crushed Ritz crackers
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup catsup

Preheat the oven to 350^ F. In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the first 8 ingredients and press into a 9x5" loaf pan. Combine the brown sugar and catsup and spread over the top. Loosely cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes or until the meat is completely cooked. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

We had this with Mashed Potatoes and Corn and it was a very satisfying meal!

Potato Salad 5.3.09

John Grilled Pork Chops for dinner and we had Potato Salad and Green Beans to go with them. I have no idea what he marinated the chops in (though Mountain Dew was included) but they were very good! Here's the:

Potato Salad
4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
1/4 cup diced onion
3 hard boiled eggs, finely chopped
1/2 cup sweet relish
1/2 cup mayonnaise, more or less
2 tbsp dijon mustard
Celery Salt to taste

Boil the potatoes and onions in a pot of salted water until potatoes are done. Drain and cool. Gently combine potatoes with remaining ingredients using just enough mayonnaise to coat the potatoes and refrigerate for 3-4 hours to allow flavors to blend.

This is the way my Mom always made Potato Salad, except she used more onions (raw onion) as well as chopped celery. I don't like crunchy stuff in mine so I always either boil the onions with the potatoes or saute them till they are tender.

Kentucky Hot Browns 5.2.09

In honor of the 135th running of the Kentucky Derby, we had Kentucky Hot Browns and Spicy Baked French Fries for dinner.

Kentucky Hot Browns
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup milk
Dash of salt
1/4 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
8 oz sliced roast turkey
4 slices bacon, cooked
4 thin slices ripe tomato
4 slices whole wheat toast
grated Parmesan

Melt butter in small saucepan. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in milk, salt, worcestershire and cheese and cook, stirring constantly until thick. Arrange turkey on the toast and cover with cheese sauce. Place under broiler until sauce begins to bubble. Garnish with tomatoes and bacon and sprinkle with a little parmesan. Serve immediately.

Spicy Baked French Fries
2 large baking potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp paprika (I used smoky paprika)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp onion powder

Preheat oven to 400^ F. Peel and cut potato into long strips. Combine remaining ingredients and toss with potato strips until well coated. Place on baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes.

My opinion: The Hot Browns were OK but I didn't like the "fries" at all. They were overcooked and I didn't care for the seasonings, but John said they would be good if they hadn't cooked so long.