Corn Moussaka

I love Moussaka. When I saw this recipe I thought, hmmm, that sounds very interesting. I used Quorn Grounds for the ground beef,  and totally left out the chives. I needed a recipe that I could make ahead and refrigerate, because I had a doctor’s appt. out of town, and I knew I might be back home kind of late. I needed something that Toby could just pop in the oven if he needed to. So I made the basic part of the recipe around 2pm (the corn and ground beef part), and then combined the cottage cheese and egg and put that in the fridge. I told Toby what to do if I was terribly late. Amazingly I made it home around dinner time, and was able to just top the dish with the cottage cheese mixture and then the other cheese and I baked it for about 20 minutes. I was a little scared to try this. Cinnamon in “ground beef”? Come on! But it was good! REALLY good! And different!

rating: 8

Corn Moussaka
(from www.tastykitchen.com)

* 15 ounces, weight Canned Corn, Drained
* 1 pound Ground Beef (I used Quorn Grounds)
* 1 Tablespoon Flour
* 8 ounces Tomato Sauce
* ½ teaspoons Garlic Salt
* ¼ teaspoons Cinnamon
* 2 whole Eggs, Slightly Beaten
* 1-½ cup Cottage Cheese, Drained
* 1 teaspoon Chives (I left out)
* ¼ cups Grated Parmesan Cheese
* 1 cup Shredded Mozzarella (4 Oz.)

Spread corn in an ungreased shallow 1-1/2 quart casserole dish. In a skillet, brown ground beef; drain. Add flour; cook and stir for 1 minute. Stir in tomato sauce, garlic salt (you can use a minced clove of garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt), and cinnamon; pour over the corn. Spread evenly and bake in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine eggs, cottage cheese, and chives. Spread over the meat mixture. Top with Parmesan and mozzarella. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes more.

Steak and Potato Pot Pie

I decided to see what all I had in my freezer that I really needed to use up, and I found a single pie crust and some Morningstar Farms Steak Strips (and these have just been discontinued!). I also saw that I had a refrigerated pie crust, so I thought I might make a steak pot pie. I found this awesome-sounding recipe and decided to give it a whirl. The recipe wants you to MAKE your own pie crust. Pffftt to that. Instead of russet potatoes, I used about 6 French fingerling potatoes. I tried to peel them but that’s just really hard for me to do! I gave up about halfway through. I also left out the peas. Let me tell you, this stuff smells SO good while it’s cooking! MMM! I poured the mixture into the frozen pie crust, and then kind of draped the refrigerated one on top and poked some holes in it. This was REALLY good. I’ve decided that I really like rosemary. But what sucks about this is that the steak strips are no longer available! Ack! I really don’t know of any other beef substitute to use in place of them. I will have to search around for an alternative. With this we had a salad. SO good.

rating: 9.3

Steak and Potato Pot Pie
(from Auntie Em’s Kitchen in Los Angeles, California)

The pâte brisée (which I didn’t make)
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3-6 tbsp ice water

Steak and potato filling and pie assembly
• 2 lbs already braised beef rib meat pulled off the bone (you can use any cooked stewing beef, but I prefer the ribs because they have the most flavor)(I used Morningstar Farms Steak strips)
• 4 carrots, peeled and cut in 1-inch dice
• 3 small russet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1-inch dice (I used 6 or so French fingerling potatoes)
• 5 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 3/4 cup frozen green peas (I omitted)
• 5 tbsp flour
• 1 cup beef broth (I used vegetarian chicken broth)
• 1/4 cup cognac or dry red wine (I used red wine)
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp fresh thyme
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 egg (I forgot to use!)
• 1 tsp water

For the pâte brisée:

1. Cut up the butter into very small pieces and place in the refrigerator or freezer while you work with the other ingredients.

2. Place the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor and pulse to combine.

3. Add the butter pieces to the dry mix and pulse until mixture forms coarse small crumbs, about 10-15 seconds.

4. Add 3 tbsp. ice water to the mixture and pulse until dough comes together and holds together when you pinch the dough between your fingers.

5. Pour the dough out onto a cutting board and shape into a ball without overworking the dough.

6. Divide into two balls and shape each into a flat round disc.

7. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.

For the steak and potato filling and pie assembly:

1. Place the potatoes in a pot of cold water. Bring this to a boil.

2. After 10 minutes, add the carrots and cook 5-10 minutes more until both the potatoes and carrots are fork tender. Drain and set the vegetables aside.

3. Melt the butter in a wide sauté pan, add the onions and cook until translucent.

4. Sprinkle in the flour; stir and cook 5 minutes, but do not brown.

5. Slowly add the broth to the onion mixture, whisking until the sauce smoothes out and thickens.

6. Add cognac, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper and cook 5 more minutes.

7. Add the beef, potatoes, carrots and frozen peas to this sauce and mix gently.

8. Pour mixture into a 2-quart casserole, soufflé dish, or large ramekins if you’re making individual potpies.

9. Roll out the pastry dough into one large circle and place over the dish or cut the pastry to fit the individual ramekins. Press down the pastry over the edges of the dish, folding them as necessary.

10. Beat together the egg and water and brush over the top of the pastry to give a nice glossy finish to the crust.

11. Cut a few steam vents in the pastry and bake for 35 minutes (at 425 degrees F) until golden brown.

French Onion and Wild Mushroom Soup

This soup was….hmmm. I am kind of on the fence with this one. The broth was VERY salty (although not too salty to eat, ’cause I had two bowls full!). But it was a little strong. And then Toby said that some of the mushrooms had a weird texture, almost like “cartilage”. Eww! I do like the whole IDEA of this soup, though, so I think if I made it again I would either add more water or less stock, and then maybe JUST do the onions, or possibly use maybe button mushrooms. With this we enjoyed a salad. Yeah, I think I will give it another chance.

rating: 7.3

French Onion and Wild Mushroom Soup
(from the magazine “Every Day with Rachael Ray”

* 4 tablespoons butter
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
* 3 large onions, thinly sliced
* 1 bay leaf
* 1 1/2 teaspoons ground thyme
* Salt and pepper
* One 32-ounce container (4 cups) chicken or beef broth (I used vegetarian  Chicken stock)
* One 1-ounce package mixed dried wild mushrooms
* 1/4 to 1/3 cup dry sherry (eyeball it)
* 4 thick slices crusty bread
* 1 large clove garlic, halved
* 1/2 pound gruyère cheese, shredded

1. In a heavy soup pot, melt the butter with the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Stir in the onions, bay leaf and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onions are softened and browned, 25 minutes.
2.Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring the chicken broth, mushrooms and 2 cups water to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the mushrooms and slice.
3.Preheat the broiler. Pour the sherry into the onions and cook over medium heat, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the mushrooms and hot broth.
4.Toast the bread under the broiler, rub with the garlic and top with the cheese. Broil until melted. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with the toasts.

 

Party Potatoes

This is NOT the recipe I had planned on making last night. I was going to try another Pioneer Woman recipe (she hasn’t failed me yet!) that called for new potatoes, and you cook them, then scoop them out, leaving the shell, and then you make mashed potatoes and put them BACK in the shell, blah blah. You know how it goes. Well, I got my potatoes out and they had EYES all over them! I started trimming those off, and I thought, I am not going to have enough potato “shell” left over! So, I googled for a recipe and found this one. And I mean, really, can you wrong with a stick of butter, sour cream, and cream cheese? Me thinks not. This turned out really well! It’s like mashed potatoes, but…better! With these wonderful potatoes we enjoyed some Quorn roast, jazzed-up green beans, and some rolls. **I added some chopped chives to the top right before I baked them.

rating: 8.5

PARTY POTATOES

Printed from COOKS.COM

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8 med. potatoes
Milk (enough to moisten) (I used Silk plain lite soy milk)
1 stick butter
Salt
Pepper
8 oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (I used 4 ounces)
1/4 c. sour cream

Cook potatoes until soft. Mash potatoes, add heated milk, 3/4 stick butter, salt and pepper. Add cream cheese and sour cream. Pour into greased baking dish. Dot with remaining butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Do not cover when baking.Hints: Use butter not butter. Party potatoes can be made 2 or 3 days and refrigerated before baking.

Sherried Tomato Soup

I love tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. I thought, with the weather turning colder and it being kind of rainy, it’s the perfect time for this meal! So, OF COURSE it warms up and the sun is shining and everything, but so what! I am always looking for a great (easy) tomato soup, and this one is a keeper! I wasn’t sure if I liked sherry or not, but turns out I do! At first Toby said “wow, you can really taste the alcohol!” I said, “oh no, is it bad??” And Toby kept eating. I asked him several times if there was anything he would change about it, and he said no way. Liam wanted to add his 2 cents as well. He said “no grass”. I think he was referring to the basil and parsley. I did substitute vegetarian chicken base instead of the real thing. Try this one!

rating: 9.4

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/02/sherried_tomato_soup/

Sherried Tomato Soup

6 tablespoons melted butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 46-ounce bottle or can tomato juice
2 14 ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 to 3 tablespoons chicken base
3 to 6 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt
Black Pepper
1 cup cooking sherry
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
chopped fresh parsley
chopped fresh basil

Saute diced onions in butter until transluscent. Add canned tomatoes. Add tomato juice, sugar, pinch of salt, and black pepper and stir. Bring to a near boil, then turn off heat. Add in sherry and cream and stir. Add in parsley and basil to taste, adjust other seasoning, and serve with yummy, crusty bread on a cold, blustery, dreary, depressing, rainy, snowy day. Then close your eyes. And give thanks for soups like this.

(Faux) Chicken Spaghetti

I sure do love the Pioneer Woman. Why? Well, she introduced me to Crash Hot Potatoes! Need I say more? I decided to give this casserole a try, since she says it’s the only casserole her husband will eat. I had hesitations about the amount of spaghetti the recipe calls for. Once it was in the pot of (faux) chicken broth, I thought, “this is NOT going to be enough pasta!” But it was. And I thought, the onions and green peppers won’t be cooked enough. But they were. Toby took one bite of this and said “Wow, this is the best thing you’ve made in a long time!” I said “thanks!” and then wondered if that was a compliment or not. I used Morningstar Farms Chick’n strips for the chicken, and then vegetarian chicken broth. We just ate the rest of this for lunch, and I wish there had been more left over. Sniff. With this we had a salad and some garlic bread.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/chicken_spaghet/

Kale-Goat Cheese Frittata

I tell ya, I am loving all of these frittatas I am making. Why did I ever shy away from them before? They really couldn’t be easier. This one, I thought, might not have alot of flavor, since the only cheese in it are the dollups (or crumbles) of goat cheese near the end. But wow! This was REALLY good! I couldn’t believe how much flavor this had! Toby really likes it too, although his one piece of wisdom for next time was “maybe 15% less kale next time.” Ok.

rating: 8.5

http://www.bhg.com/recipe/eggs/kale-goat-cheese-frittata/

(Faux) Chicken Parmesan Sandwiches

This isn’t a very elaborate recipe, but it was good nonetheless! I got the idea for this when we were in Montreal last week. We walked past a fast food place (maybe Burger King?), and there was a promotion going on for chicken parmesan sandwiches. I thought, “man, that looks good!” So I decided to try it. It was really good! And super easy! My only complaint is that I bought the smallest jar of pasta sauce that I could find for this and I still had a bunch left over that will probably go bad. Anyway. I served these sandwiches with some fries and a green salad.

rating: 8

fake chicken (I used Quorn patties)
pasta sauce (I used a marinara sauce)
cheese (I used fresh mozzarella)
bread (I used hamburger buns)

Prepare chicken according to package. Meanwhile, heat pasta sauce. Turn oven to broil. Once chicken is done, put hamburger bun in pan (open face). On one side, place chicken, a couple of spoonfuls of pasta sauce, and a slice or two of cheese. Broil until cheese is melted. Don’t burn your bread!

Cheese Quesadillas

These are no ordinary cheese quesadillas. They have a secret ingredient: cream cheese! Have you ever had a quesadilla with cream cheese? I hadn’t. I thought they might be too rich, but they weren’t. They were really good, and VERY CHEESY! They were the perfect thing to go with the black bean soup I also made (see previous recipe). These are worth a try.

rating: 8.5

Cheese Quesadillas
(from the Sept./Oct. 09 issue of Cooking with Paula Deen)

1 8-ounce package shredded colby-Jack cheese blend
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup prepared salsa
8 8-inch flour tortillas
1/4 cup butter, softened
garnish: chopped onion, chopped tomato, chopped fresh jalapeno

In a medium bowl, combine cheese, cream cheese, and salsa. Spread mixture evenly over 4 tortillas. Cover each with remaining tortillas. Spread softened butter evenly over both sides of quesadillas.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 quesadilla, and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn quesadilla, and cook for 1-2 minutes longer, or until golden brown. Repeat procedure with remaining quesadillas. Cut into wedges  to serve. Garnish with onion, tomato, and jalapeno, if desired.

Black Bean Soup

I subscribe to a million magazines. Ok, more like 20, but it might as well be a million. It saves me money in the long run, because I am going to buy the magazine regardless, so I might as well subscribe. But- and there is a point here- I don’t subscribe to Paula Deen’s magazine, and I think I might want to. I bought this magazine at the grocery store recently, and it’s really good! There are a lot of great (sounding) recipes in it! This recipe caught my eye, and I’ve actually been planning to make it for about 2 weeks, and stuff came up that bumped it to another day. Today here in VA it was cloudy and cold, so I am glad I waited to make this. It was a perfect soup day! I (of course) left out the bacon, but when I was cooking the onion and garlic, I added a little bit of liquid smoke, hoping that would be a good substitute. And it was! I got to use my handy-dandy immersion blender again instead of a regular blender. This soup was very flavorful (and easy!). You will notice in the pic that I served it with cheese quesadillas. These are no ordinary quesadillas. They are Paula’s recipe too, and you shall get that recipe tomorrow!

rating (soup): 9

Black Bean Soup
(from the Sept./Oct. 09 issue of Cooking with Paula Deen)

5 slices bacon, finely chopped (I omitted)
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 (15.25 ounce) cans black beans, drained
2 (14-ounce) cans chicken broth (I used vegetarian chicken broth)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
garnish: sour cream, minced chives

In a medium Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium-high heat for 3 minutes, or until just beginning to brown. Add onion and garlic; cook for 3-4 minutes or until onion is tender. Add beans, broth, cumin, and chili powder. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.
In the container of a blender, spoon half of soup; process until almost smooth. Return processed mixture to Dutch oven, stirring to combine. Garnish with sour cream and chives, if desired. Serve immediately.

makes 4-6 servings