Poblano Chili 3 Ways - Way 1: Chili

This one was perfect. I thought 3 Poblano chilis would be too much so I only used 2. TOTALLY could have done 3. Follow the recipe and you will be golden!

Photo is not by me again. I failed to take a photo when I made this. Forgive me.


Smoky Beef and Poblano Chili

Ingredients

Cooking spray
2 1/2 pounds 93% lean ground beef, divided
3 cups chopped yellow onion (about 2 large)
3 cups seeded, chopped poblano peppers (about 3)
3 tablespoons chopped garlic
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon chipotle chile powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons unsalted tomato paste
1 (12-oz.) bottle Mexican lager
4 cups unsalted beef stock, divided
2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped fresh oregano
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 (28-oz.) cans whole peeled plum tomatoes, drained and crushed
1 cup diced ripe avocado
2 tablespoons sliced red Fresno chile (optional)
Cilantro sprigs

How to Make It

Heat a large Dutch oven over high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 1 1/4 pounds beef to pan; cook 4 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Place cooked beef in a bowl. Repeat procedure with cooking spray and remaining 1 1/4 pounds beef.
Add onion, poblano pepper, and garlic to pan; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Return beef to pan. Stir in chili powder, chipotle chile powder, and cumin; cook 1 minute. Add tomato paste and beer, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 2 minutes. Add 3 1/2 cups beef stock to pan; bring to a boil.
Combine remaining 1/2 cup beef stock and flour in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture to pan, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in oregano, salt, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat. Reserve 7 cups chili for Chili Potpie with Cheddar Biscuits and Chili Stroganoff.
Divide remaining 6 cups chili among 4 bowls; top evenly with diced avocado, sliced fresh chiles, if desired, and cilantro sprigs.

Hot Chocolates To Try This Year

Here are 2 interesting hot chocolate recipes I will be trying this winter:

 

Guinness, Whiskey, and Baileys Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

1 (12-ounce) bottle Guinness

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

pinch kosher salt

3 cups whole milk

4 ounces milk chocolate chips

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips

4 ounces Bailey's

4 ounces Irish whiskey

In a medium saucepan, cook Guinness over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

In medium saucepan, stir cocoa with sugar and salt. Stir in milk, milk chocolate, and bittersweet chocolate. Heat over medium heat until, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and mixture is hot. Gently whisk to completely homogenize mixture.

Add Bailey's followed by reduced Guinness and whiskey. Using a hand blender, milk frother, or whisk, whisk until frothy, pour into individual serving cups, and serve immediately.

 

Red Wine Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1⁄3 cup fruity red wine, such as Pinot Noir, Shiraz or Beaujolais

1 cup milk

1 pinch kosher salt

Sugar, for serving

Instructions

Bring chocolate and wine to a simmer in a 1-qt. saucepan over low heat; cook, whisking, until melted, about 3 minutes. Add 2⁄3 cup water, milk, and salt; bring to a boil, and cook, while whisking 3 minutes more. Pour into 2 mugs and serve with sugar on the side, if you like.

Knowing Husband he will not be interested in the Red Wine Hot Chocolate, but I feel like I should make a very small batch at least to try it out. The Guinness one he will be all over I think. we shall see.


Cook it up, y'all!

A drink for the Chilly Season: Hot Buttered Rum

Husband and I were thinking, gee it is rather chilly, we should make something warm and yummy to drink. Thus I decided that this recipe should be tried:

Hot Buttered Rum

Ingredients

1 tsp. brown sugar

4 oz. hot milk (use hot water for a lighter texture)

2 oz. dark rum (l prefer Myers's for its richness)

1 Tbs. butter (not margarine)

Ground nutmeg

Directions

Prepare your drinking mug by warming it up. Make sure you're using a heat-resistant mug. Pour piping hot water into it and cover with a small plate. Once warmed, empty the hot water and add brown sugar and hot milk (or fresh, hot water if you prefer). Stir until the sugar dissolves and then add rum. Gently float the butter atop the drink and sprinkle some nutmeg over that.

This was absolute decadence. I will never need another one of these again in my life (that is a lie), but oh man, it was exactly what was needed for the first below 45° evening of the year.



Not Pictured: Nutmeg



Oven Roasted Autumnal Medley

For my California peeps, you might not know this, but it is Fall for most of the country right now. Beautiful colors in the trees, a nip in the air, and, the best part, autumn produce. So what way to enjoy the season than will a perfect compilation of said produce.

Oven Roasted Autumn Medley

Ingredients
1 medium red onion
1½ lbs (2 small or one large) sweet potato
2 medium apples
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp dried rosemary
½ tsp salt
freshly cracked pepper (10-15 cranks of a mill)
2 links (2/3 lb.) turkey sausage
handful fresh parsley (optional/garnish)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the apples and onion into one-inch chunks. Peel the sweet potato and cut it into one-inch chunks as well.
Place the chopped apples, onions, and sweet potatoes in a large 9x13 inch casserole dish. Add the olive oil, basil, sage, rosemary, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper. Toss until everything is well coated in oil and herbs.
Nestle the sausage down into the casserole dish. Transfer the casserole dish to the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes. Stir once and flip the sausage at the 25 minute mark.
After removing the dish from the oven, slice the sausage into thin medallions and add it back to the dish. Sprinkle with chopped, fresh parsley if desired.

 

This is lovely and is even better as leftovers. A rather simple one pot meal with all the Autumn love you can fit into it.

Until next time, cook it up.

BFMH: Not quite to the recipe: Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

This is one of those Pinterest Recipes that I have been wanting to try for ages, but kept putting off for some reason. It was incredibly easy and has proven to be a rather solid substitution for the full recipe. 

Cake Mix Banana Bread

Ingredients

1 box Betty Crocker™ cake mix

1/3 cup oil

3 eggs

1 ½ cups mashed bananas (3-4 bananas)

I added 4 oz of chocolate chips that I had leftover

Directions

1 Heat oven to 350°F. Generously spray 2 (8x4-inch) loaf pans with cooking spray; lightly flour pans.

2 Select your favorite banana bread recipe variation from those below.

3 In large bowl, beat all ingredients above plus ingredients from selected variation below until well mixed. Divide batter evenly between pans.

4 Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of loaves comes out clean and inside of cracks do not look wet. Cool 15 minutes in pans on cooling racks. Remove loaves from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 2 hours, to prevent crumbling when slicing. For easier slicing, store loaves tightly covered 24 hours. Cut with serrated knife, using a light sawing motion.



Look at that loaf, loafing about...

So I failed this loaf slightly. For some reason, last night, the formatting on my phone screen didn't show that I needed to add 3 eggs. I swear that I checked 2 different times because I was thinking, "GEE, this really should have some eggs in it...".  Whelp, I didn't triple check and so I didn't add any eggs. The good news is that it still taste really good! It has turned out to be a very delicate bread and very soft on the inside, but the flavor and texture are good. So we frozen the 2 loafs. Hopefully the cutting process of the frozen bread won't prove to be too difficult.

Creamy Tomato & Spinach Pasta

I hit up a really lovely Pasta thanks to Budget Bytes....again. She loves her Carbs and knows how to use them well.


This is called Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta and, boy, is it divine.

Creamy Tomato & Spinach Pasta

Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil $0.16 ($.10)
1 small onion $0.25 ($.29)
2 cloves garlic $0.16 ($.05)
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes $0.59 ($.79)
½ tsp dried oregano $0.03
½ tsp dried basil $0.03
pinch red pepper flakes (optional) $0.02
freshly cracked pepper to taste $0.05
½ tsp salt $0.03
2 Tbsp tomato paste $0.11 ($.10)
2 oz. cream cheese $0.48 (Free from work left overs)
¼ cup grated Parmesan $0.42
½ lb. penne pasta $0.89 ($1.00)
1 pound fresh spinach $1.50 ($1.75)
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender (7-10) minutes. Drain the pasta in a colander.
While waiting for the pasta to cook, dice the onion and mince the garlic. Cook both in a large skillet with the olive oil over medium-low heat until softened and transparent (about 5 minutes).
Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper to the skillet with the onions and garlic. Stir to combine. Add the tomato paste and a ½ cup of water to the skillet and stir until the tomato paste is dissolved into the sauce.
Turn the heat down to low. Cut the cream cheese into a few pieces and then add them to the skillet with the tomato sauce. Use a whisk to stir the sauce until the cream cheese has fully melted in and the sauce is creamy. Add half of the Parmesan to the skillet and whisk until it is melted in. Add the remainder of the parmesan and whisk until melted in again.
Add the fresh spinach and gently stir it into the sauce until it has wilted (3-5 minutes). Add the pasta and stir until it is well coated in the creamy tomato sauce. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm.


Total for my version of the dish: $4.66 and by my math there are 10 “Ram size” servings in the dish so that makes a serving $.47.
Pigeon had 2 servings and I had 1 so we ate a very yummy meal for only $1.41 and we have enough for 3-6 upcoming meals (depends on who eats it)!

Gotta love the Parm!

Until next time....Cook It Up!

BFMH: Another Breakfast Club Recipe: Crocpot Mexican Breakfast Casserole

So another week for me to do Breakfast Club. I looked in my fridge and my pantry and I figured out that I could pretty easily make some sort of Egg Casserole with a Mexican flare. Thus I came up with this concoction.

Slow Cooker Mexican Egg Casserole

Ingredients
2-3 (cooked) Potato and hashed
½ Red Onion
1 Bell Pepper
1 cup Salsa
2 cups Jack Cheese
½ pound cooked Bacon
3 eggs and 1 ½ cup milk
2 tablespoons (garnish) Cilantro
Method
Night Before: Layer potato, onion, pepper, salsa, cheese, and Bacon
Wake up 2 hours before you have to leave for work
Pour Egg and milk mixture over the veggie and bacon.
Turn on slow cooker to high for 2-3 hours.




I totally failed to take a picture of this, but it was a HUGE hit with the office. Almost all of it was gone and many people came by to tell me it was super yummy. Mission Accomplished.

Crockpot Chicken and Chicken Stock!

SO I did that thing where I made something SUPER delish and then completely forget to take a photo of it because I was excited about it... This time it was a Whole Chicken in a Crockpot!


I can't believe how easy this one was. I highly suggest trying this recipe out as it definitely makes for a nice presentation for having guests over for dinner. The excellent part is that the chicken is so moist and tender that it literally falls off the bone.


Which was good as I then promptly took said meat off of said bones and made me some Chicken Stock in a Crockpot from the remains of my Whole Chicken in a Crockpot.



Bones in cheese cloth makes pulling the bones out later really easy!

I try my darndest to not buy salty, oily chicken stock from the store and this little ditty has officially made my life easier. Give it a try some time!



Polish Potatoes, Slaw, and Smoked Sausage

We had 8 people at table the other evening in honor of one great lady we know as. She past away 3 years ago on Oct 21, 2012 at the age of 96. In honor of her, I decided that since I was hosting family dinner this week, that it should a bit of a Polish flare. I decided, also, that it needed to primarily be a make ahead meal, so that I could play hostess to the best of my ability.






For the cost of $17.20, I fed 8 adults and still have about 2 helpings left. So that would be $1.72/serving.






Sausage = $7.50 for 3 packages


Head of Cabbage = $2.42
Onion = $.58
Apple = $1.60 for 2
Apple Cider Vinegar = $.05
Chicken Stock = Homemade $1.00
Potatoes = $.88
Garlic Cloves = $.20 for 5
Bacon = Quarter pound $1
Half and Half = $.30
Monterey Jack = $1.67

I put the thinly sliced the Cabbage, 1 Onion, and 2 Apples and put them with 3 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar and 1 cup of Chicken Stock into the Crockpot for 8 hours on low. It was an excellent side dish.

The day before the dinner event, potatoes I lightly boiled, till just tender, and then chopped roughly. I put in a casserole dish and added 5 minced garlic cloves and crumbled bacon on top of the taters. I pours about 1/2-2/3 of a cup of half and half over that and then topped with cheese. The moment I got home, I put them in the oven at 350 until the cheese was lightly golden.

The turkey sausage was fully cooked already, I just sliced and grilled on the George Foreman we got from Cousin Marion as a wedding gift. Easy peasy.

Second Birthday of My Blog: Chicken and Dumplings time!

Wow... That was really fast! I am really impressed with how quickly this blog turned 2 years old.
It has gone through a lot of changes over the years, just like me. I want to thank all of you who read occasionally, regularly, and the ones who email and text me to ask why I have posted lately....


This year I decided that the second anniversary I should try to make a classic I have never made before: Chicken and Dumplings! To add to this historic event, I will let you know in advance, that this was a success and a failure both. Read on for the grim details.


Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings
Total Cost: $5.87 ($4.93 is what my meal came out to be, price per serving is $.49)
Ingredients
Soup ($3.57)
2 cloves garlic $0.16 ($.10)
1 medium yellow onion $0.57 ($.29)
3 ribs celery $0.80 ($.40)
½ lb (3-4) carrots $0.55 ($.50)
1 large (3/4 lb.) chicken breast $1.49* ($2) *I also threw in a cheese cloth with a bunch of chicken bones as I had made a whole chicken to get the chicken breast for the soup*
1 whole bay leaf $0.15 ($.08)
1 tsp dried basil $0.10 ($.05)
1 tsp dried thyme $0.10 ($.05)
freshly cracked pepper $0.05
4 cups water $0.00
1 tsp salt (plus more to taste) $0.05
Dumplings ($1.36)
1½ cups all-purpose flour $0.21 ($.15) <I use Whole Wheat Flour, DON'T DO THAT>
1½ tsp baking powder $0.15 ($.08)
½ tsp salt $0.02
½ Tbsp dried parsley $0.15 ($.10)
6 Tbsp cold butter $0.90 ($.50)
¾ tsp sugar $0.01
⅔ cup milk $0.41  ($.50)
Instructions
Mince the garlic, dice the onion, and slice the carrots and celery into small pieces. Add the garlic, onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf, basil, thyme, chicken breast (my chicken was already cooked so I didn't add the chicken, just the bones in the cheese cloth), water, and some freshly cracked pepper to a slow cooker. Stir to combine and then cook on high for four hours or low for eight hours.
After cooking for four hours on high or eight hours on low, remove the chicken from the broth and place it on a cutting board (if you cooked on low heat, turn it to high now). Use two forks to shred the chicken. Return the chicken to the pot and stir in 1 tsp of salt to the soup. Keep the slow cooker covered as much as possible during this process to retain heat and maintain the temperature.
Allow the soup to continue to cook on high while you mix the dumpling batter. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, parsley, and sugar. Mix well. Add butter in small chunks and cut it in or work it in with your hands until the mixture resembles damp sand. Add the milk and stir until a very soft paste-like mixture forms.
Remove the lid from the slow cooker and drop the dumpling batter into the soup by the heaping spoonful. Return the lid to the slow cooker and allow the dumplings to steam for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes they should have fluffed and expanded from the heat. Although they may look moist on the outside, they will be light and fluffy on the inside. Serve hot.

Besides the dumpling, it was very nice!

Looks like a strange meatball...not a dumpling. That should have been my first clue!

There something in the water....

The dumplings turned into a strange gloop that was a major fail. The soup on the other hand, was spectacular! Pigeon and I decided that the soup wasn't hot enough to cook the dumplings properly (it had been on low all day verse high for a shorter amount of time). Add a less than bubbling soup and the incorrect flour (here I was thinking I was making the right and healthy choice...), the dumplings were the strangest consistency and while not inedible, not attractive to look at.


I have decided I need to try this dish again, but stove top next time.

BFMH: Bacon Cheddar Scones

So I am behind on my BFMH. I know this. But times are busy and Husband is working more and more weekends and I just can't seem to get motivated. I finally decided to give this bad boy a whirl and I am so happy I did.


Bacon Cheddar Cheese Scones
Ingredients
4 slices bacon, chopped
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions (I didn’t have any. They are still yummy, but they could have been amazing with this)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup heavy cream, plus 2 tablespoons
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a medium skillet, cook the bacon, stirring, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well on paper towels. Into a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Cut in the butter, cheese, green onions, and pepper with a pastry blender or fork, and work just until it starts to form lumps and come together. Add the bacon. Add 1 cup of the cream and work just until it becomes a sticky dough, being careful not to overwork.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and pat until it comes together. Form into 2 large circles, about 7 inches in diameter and 3/4 inch thick and cut each into 8 wedges with a sharp knife. Transfer to baking sheet with a spatula, leaving 1/2-inch space between each wedge. Paint the tops of the wedges lightly with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cream and bake until golden brown, 22 to 23 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the baking sheet. Serve warm.

These are pretty good, though a little dry, but there were so many for just the 2 of us. I gave 8 to my in loves and 4 to our close friends, Scotty and Mel. I should halve the recipe next time.

Pastalaya - an almost Creole tradition

So this is a little late as I made this dish for the whole in law family who came over for dinner last week. With all the other interesting stuff going on, I didn't get a chance to share it with y'all until now.

Now just think, Jambalaya is a wonderful dish, so why not make it even more wonderful by making it inexpensively and with pasta? A one pot of wonderful, no doubt. Here is the recipe:

Pastalaya

Ingredients
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
½ lb. smoked sausage (preferably Andouille)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 15oz. can diced tomatoes (I used fresh cuz I had them.

½ tsp oregano

½ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp thyme
½ tsp curry powder
½ tsp parsley flakes
¼ tsp Red Pepper Flakes
2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

20 turns of freshly cracked pepper

2 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
1 lb. penne pasta
2 Tbsp half & half or cream

Instructions

Slice the smoked sausage into thin rounds, then cut any larger pieces in half. Add the sausage and vegetable oil to a large pot and cook over medium heat until the sausage is well browned (about 5 minutes).
Mince two cloves of garlic and add them to the pot. Sauté for one to two minutes, or until the garlic is soft and fragrant. Add the Celery and Bell Pepper and sauté until heated through (3-5 minutes). Finally, add the can of diced tomatoes (with juices), oregano, smoked paprika, thyme, curry powder, parsley flakes, red pepper flakes, Worcestershire Sauce, freshly cracked pepper (about 20 cranks of a pepper mill), chicken broth, 1 cup of water, and pasta to the pot. Stir until everything is evenly combined.
Place a lid on the pot and turn the heat up to medium-high. Let the pot come to a boil. As soon as it reaches a boil, remove the lid briefly to stir, then replace the lid, turn the heat down to low, and let the pot simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Stir the pot once every few minutes as it simmers to prevent the pasta from sticking. Replace the lid as quickly as possible after stirring to avoid heat loss.
Once the pasta is tender, most of the liquid in the pot should be absorbed. If it's still a bit soupy, let the pot simmer for one to two minutes without the lid to allow some moisture to evaporate.
Turn off the heat and stir in the half & half or cream. Serve hot with a pinch of fresh parsley and green onions on top of each bowl.

I didn't add any onion cuz Little Brother.

I made it in my lovely Le Creuset Dutch Oven (THANKS JANET) and that was the only cooking dish that was dirtied. How great is that?!

Until next time...cook it up! 

Beef and Butternut Squash Stew thanks to Giada De Laurentiis (who did NOT create Toasted Ravs)

So the first day of Fall has come and gone. I was busy moving into my new home so I failed to get this post up until now. I LOVE Autumn! I love the weather, the colors, but, most of all, the FOOD. Seasonal produce like numerous types of Squashes, Apples, Cranberries, Persimmons, and Pumpkin mixed with late summer crops just make me so happy and my taste buds are a light! Hearty foods like Stews, Soups, Casseroles, and Pies make for a less than awesome waistline for me, but a super happy tummy.

Thus, for the first day of Fall, I made a Stew that I knew Pigeon (Husband) would love and that I would enjoy making and smelling all through the house.

Beef and Butternut Squash Stew

Ingredients

3 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, peeled and chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (didn't have, didn't add)

2 pounds stew beef, cut into 2-inch cubes (the store was out of stew beef so I used Bottom Round)

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup Marsala wine (I used port)

1 pound butternut squash, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes

1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

3 to 4 cups beef broth

2 tablespoons fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley (didn't have, didn't add)

Crusty bread, for serving

In a large soup pot heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, rosemary, and thyme and saute until the onions are tender, about 2 minutes. Toss the beef cubes in salt and pepper and flour. Turn up the heat to med-high and add the beef to the pot. Cook until the beef is browned and golden around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add the Marsala wine. Using a wooden spoon, gently stir up all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the butternut squash and sun-dried tomatoes and stir to combine. Add enough beef broth to just cover the beef and squash. Bring the stew to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Season the stew with additional salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley. Serve with crusty bread alongside.

hmmm...beef and butternut squash...

Instagramed a bit of yum.

Seriously, this was amazeballs. I am thinking that this is the new favorite dish for the first day of Fall. I am all for that. The sundried tomatoes added a spectacular sweetness that complimented the butternut squash marvelously, without taking over. I think 3 cloves of garlic instead of 2, but I love me some garlic. I will probably try this bad boy again in the future, but in the Crockpot. I will let you know how that goes.




Until next time...Cook it up!

BFMH: Breakfast Club: Hashbrown Casserole

So I finally had a chance to get to bring in food for the Breakfast Club at work and I decided on this one:






Crockpot Hashbrown Casserole


Ingredients
1 - 26-32 ounce bag frozen hash browns
1 - 8 oz container sour cream
1 - 10.5 oz can cream of chicken soup
¼ - cup onion, chopped fine
1½ - cups shredded cheddar cheese
½ - cup butter, melted
salt and pepper, to taste (about ¼ teaspoon each)
Instructions
In a large bowl add the hash browns thawed or frozen, sour cream, soup, onion, shredded cheese and melted butter.
Mix to combine.
Spoon hash brown mixture in a 4 quart slow cooker that has been sprayed with non stick spray (I had put in a liner and sprayed the liner too).
Sprinkle salt and pepper on top cover, and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until done.
The casserole should be crispy on the sides and bubbly throughout.
Serve and enjoy!




and here is how it turned out:

Not low calorie, but it was a crowd pleaser. Any don't worry, Husband got some and he liked it as well.


Until next time....Cook it up

Avocado Egg Rolls are amazeballs

I know you have ALL ordered this sort of dish before, but split it to not feel quite so much like a fatty. Now you can make them at home and now one has to know you ate ALL OF THEM.....

Avocado Egg Rolls

Ingredients

1 large avocado, peeled, pitted, & diced

2 tablespoons tomatoes, diced
1 tablespoon minced red onion
1 tablespoon corn
1⁄2 teaspoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1 pinch salt
3 egg roll wraps
1 egg, beaten
Method
Gently stir together avocado, tomatoes, onion, 1/2 teaspoon cilantro, and salt.
Distribute filling evenly onto center of each egg roll wrapper.
Position a wrapper so that a corner is pointing toward you; fold the bottom corner up, 1/4 of the way over the filling.
Brush remaining corners and edges of the wrapper with egg, roll up from side to side, fold top corner over all and press to seal.
Repeat with remaining wrappers.
Continue by deep-frying the egg rolls in 375 degree oil for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown.
Drain on brown paper bags.
Slice egg rolls diagonally across middle and enjoy!

Mine became a bit more like a guacamole...

Nothing about this was bad, except the calorie count.

Yes, they were as yummy as you think they would be. No, I will not order them at restaurants any more now that I can make them at home.
Until next time...Cook it up!

Cheesy Chicken Quinoa

I got to go out to Lunch the other day with my friend to First Watch. They had the most amazing thing on their menu that I immediately decided that I would try to make it.

Cheesy Cherry Chicken Quinoa

Ingredients

2 cups Quinoa, rinsed 

2 Chicken breasts

2 Zucchini, diced

1 Red Onion, peeled and diced

4 oz of Mushroom, diced

1/4 cup of Almonds, crushed

1/4 cup Dried Cherries, halved

Salt and pepper to taste

4 oz Goat Cheese, crumbled

Method:

Cook up the Quinoa (reserve about 1/4 cup of starchy water) and Chicken and then shred Chicken.

While Quinoa and Chicken are cooking, dice and peel the veggies necessary.

Lightly toast crushed almonds in a pan, then remove the almonds from the pan.

Lightly soften the Zucchini, Onion, and Mushrooms in the pan you toasted the almonds.

When everything is done cooking, mix together al the ingredients, blend the cheese in well with the other ingredients. If needed, add a little bit of the starchy water to help the cheese blend nicely and the cherries to lightly rehydrate.

Not the best picture to demonstrate how yummy it is...

This turned out very nicely and was a hit with the whole family, even Papa G as he doesn't care for Goat Cheese.
Until next time...Cook it up!

Chicken Taquitos

So MiL had a bunch of Egg Roll wrappers left over for a dish she made last week, so of course, I challenged myself to use them up.
One of the dishes I did was chicken taquitos.


Chicken Taquitos
Ingredients:
1/4 cup corn
1/4 cup black beans
1/4 of Mexi Cheese
3 tablespoons onion, diced
1 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
2 chicken breast, cooked and shredded
Salt and pepper to taste
Left over egg roll wrappers
Olive oil
Method
Mix all the ingredients except the egg roll wrappers and olive oil.
Stuff egg roll wrappers with filling and fold in your preferred method.
Then brush with olive oil and bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 350.
Enjoy!


The stuffing of perfection

All rolled up like little yummy diapers....that came out wrong.

I served them with Mexi rice (aka Rice with cayenne, tomatoes, and cheese).

These were a fine little way to enjoy the left over wrappers, but I am really excited about my next idea: Avocado Egg Rolls!


Until next time...Cook it up!

Green Beans and Onions of Yum

Another thing that really sells the summer to me is the magic of fresh vegetables. One veggie that really tickled my palate this year are Green Beans. MiL made some AMAZING versions of roasted green beans too, which definitely makes me want to eat all of them. This is a Tyler Florence recipe that I really like to use every year.

Green Beans with Onions and Crushed Almonds

Ingredients
Kosher salt
3 pounds green beans, trimmed of stem end
1/2 cup skin on sliced almonds
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large onions, sliced thin
Freshly ground black pepper
Method:

Fill a large high sided skillet with some water, adding enough to be just shy of the rim of the pan by about 1 inch. Place over high heat and bring up to boil; add a big pinch of salt and the green beans. Cook for about 5 minutes, the beans should still be crisp. Drain the beans and then run them under some cold water to stop them from cooking. Reserve the beans while you start the onions.

Return the skillet you cooked the beans in to the cook top over medium heat. Add the almonds and toast stirring every now and then until golden, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the almonds from the skillet and reserve. Return the skillet to the heat and add the butter and olive oil and heat until the butter has melted. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook stirring frequently until the onions caramelize, 20 to 25 minutes. Add the cooked cooled green beans and almonds, and stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.




This dish is a one pot delight that everyone should try. Tyler Florence adds Thyme as well to his, but I don't care for that usually. You might love it though so give it a whirl!


Until next time...Cook it up!

An attempt at Peach Cobbler

Nothing says summer to my husband, Pigeon, more than peaches. So I had him get some from Eckert's (an amazing orchard in the area) and I attempted a peach cobbler.

Easy Peach Cobbler

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup milk
4 cups fresh peach slices
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Ground cinnamon or nutmeg (optional)
Preparation
Melt butter in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
Combine flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt; add milk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour batter over butter (do not stir).
Bring remaining 1 cup sugar, peach slices, and lemon juice to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly; pour over batter (do not stir). Sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired.
Bake at 375° for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve cobbler warm or cool.

 
I really liked the flavor the cobbler got thanks to be cooked in the cast iron. While I have not yet found the perfect cobbler recipe, I am enjoying attempting different ones as it is a relatively easy dish that makes Husband most glad.




Until next time...Cook it up!

The best Roasted Cauliflower EVER

This little Recipe has proven it self worthy of a post.

I would like to introduce to you, Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic and Onion aka pure heaven.

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower

1 sliced medium onion

4 thyme sprigs

4 unpeeled garlic cloves

3 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°F. Cut 1 head cauliflower into florets; toss on a large rimmed baking sheet with 1 sliced medium onion, 4 thyme sprigs, 4 unpeeled garlic cloves, and 3 tablespoons olive oil; season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast, tossing occasionally, until almost tender, 35-40 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, toss to combine, and roast until cauliflower is tender, 10-12 minutes longer.

I would like to introduce to you, Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic and Onion aka pure heaven.

nom nom nom

I was blown away by how delicious this was. Make it. For realz...

Until the next meal...Cook it up!