Category Archives: Entree

Fiddleheads !

I LOVE fiddleheads. You will too if you like Brussels sprouts, asparagus, or brocolli. And, even if you don’t, you just might like fiddleheads the way I prepare them with olive oil and Parmigiano reggiano cheese. 🙂

only available in the spring!

If you live around Wakefield, go to the refrigerated section in the far right corner of Farmland and look for this package:

From my favorite neighborhood grocery

Some folks simmer and then saute and/or marinate. But here is my favorite way of preparing fiddlehead ferns:

While bringing a pan of water to a boi, rinse the fiddleheads well, swirling around in cold waterl. Add the fiddleheads to the boiling water and simmer (NOT a roaring boil!) for 15 minutes. Drain. While the fiddleheads are still hot, add a BIG handful(s) of grated cheese, with freshly grated Parmigiano reggiano my recommendation, and a tablespoon or two of olive oil as desired. Unbelieveably delicious. Good served over pasta, too.

NOTE: When simmering the fiddleheads, don’t be alarmed at all the brown flakes, etc. that end up in the water. It is just part of the plant.

Remember, fiddleheads are only available in the spring, as far as I know. So, if you are going to try them, do it now!

Unbelievable Chicken “All-in-One” Casserole

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Okay – this is REALLY GOOD. Unbelievably good, in my opinion – with that opinion shared by my husband. It is a WOW. It gets even better when leftover and it goes especially well with strongly-flavored vegetable such as fiddle heads (in the spring when you can get them) or Brussels sprouts. Click HERE for my fiddlehead recipe that goes with this casserole perfectly.

Click HERE for the original recipe on Allrecipes.com, a site that I love.

Here is my version. It is not much different from the original except that I added shallots and changed the amounts of some of the ingredients. I am sure that the original is just as fabulous.

Ingredients

Here are the veggies and chicken breast pre-chopped - food art! 🙂

And here they are chopped, plus the RV olive oil

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, chopped
1 lb boneless chicken breast (2 halves) cut into small cubes
8 oz sliced fresh mushrooms
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 medium zucchinis, cubed (about 2 cups)
2 small or one large sweet potato/yam, cut into cubes (about 2 cups)
3 medium red potatoes, cut into cubes (about 2 1/2 cups)
* 3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs (you can Make Your Own and add your own seasoning.)
1 cup cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I used parm reggiano)
* 1/4 cup olive oil

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a baking dish with a bit of olive oil.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Stir the chicken and mushrooms until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 15 minutes.
Seasoned and ready to mix with the veggies et al
Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat and stir in the zucchini, sweet potatoes, red potatoes, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and 1/4 cup of olive oil; transfer to the prepared baking dish.
Note that I mixed everything in a separate bowl - the 12 inch fry pan was too small!

THEN it went into the 9 x 13" three quart baking dish
Bake in the preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, until potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork about 1 hour.

And, here it is, half-eaten. It smelled so good that I forgot to take a picture before serving it.

: half gone, and the leftovers were even better!

This really was incredible. Try it! Providing you like chicken, sweet potato, Parmesan cheese, and the other ingredients, the depth of flavor in this casserole will blow you away.

Parmesan Shells and Cheese – Mac and Cheese for Adults

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I had half a box of small shells, 7 ounces, to be exact, a few chunks of Parmesan Reggiano in the fridge, had milk that had not gone bad (always a miracle) and wanted something with at least a feel of comfort food. A big thank you from me to About.com: Southern Food for providing the perfect meal!

For those with little patience when making a roux, I can tell you that you can rush through the process and not ruin things. Fun fact about me: one of the first things my Mom taught me to make was a traditional roux, albeit with regular salted butter rather than the even more traditional version made with clarified butter. Years later, when I was vegan, I created many “creamy” textured dishes using a roux made with olive oil and non dairy “milks” or other liquids. I’ll have to experiment with all that again and post about it. But, in the meantime, back to this post!

For the original recipe, click HERE.

Here is how I did it – just a few variations (one of which, I just realized, I did not mention when I reviewed the original recipe on About.com. I forgot to mention that I added grated carrot.)

3 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 medium carrot, grated
7 ounces small shell macaroni, uncooked
1 1/4 cup soft bread crumbs
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
paprika, optional – acutally, I forgot about it, but I would have used it had I remembered at the end!

Preparation:

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Stir in flour, cooking until hot and bubbly, about 1 minute.

This is NOT how it is supposed to look!

Gradually stir in chicken broth and milk. Add the salt and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring, until thickened and bubbly.

Still looking scary.

De-lumping techniques that my mother never taught me. 🙂

Stir in the Parmesan cheese and continue to cook and stir until cheese is melted. Then add the grated carrot.

See, it all ended up nice and creamy with no lumps. :=)

Meanwhile, cook the shells in boiling salted water as directed on package. Drain well and add to the sauce mixture, blending well.

My volume (versus depth) perception was not working. Would they fit?????

They fit - easily!

Transfer to a lightly buttered 2-quart baking dish. Combine bread crumbs with melted butter and parsley flakes; sprinkle over the casserole.

ready for the oven. I forgot to take a pic after it was done.

Bake at 325° for 25 to 35 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with paprika before serving, if desired.
Serves 4 to 6.

This was really good. Nice flavor and texture – not as gooey, perhaps, as some may prefer, but it was creamy enough for me, and Steve liked it a lot, too.

And, I can’t say that I ever made a recipe that called, specifically, for “soft” bread crumbs, or, if I did, I just used regular dry ones…So, how to make? I had some whole wheat bread in the fridge, so I tore it up and put it in the toaster oven at 250 degrees for a 10 or so minutes, then crumbled it up more by hand and let it sit a bit longer.

Still too squishy.

There, good enough! A bit of crunch but still a bit soft.

And, here is a good tip: Melt the butter in the microwave in a container big enough for the breadcrumbs, then add the breadcrumbs and seasonings to the butter. If you don’t use a microwave, melt the butter stove top in a pan big enough for the breadcrumbs.

Nuke the butter for 20 seconds or so - keep an eye on it! Then add crumbs.

To end with a more attractive picture, here is the chopped fresh parsley that I used. 🙂

Parsley, parsley!

Brown Rice and Vegetable Casserole – thank you, Whole Foods!

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THIS is the ultimate comfort food, as good for your body as it is for your soul. See the end of the post to learn how to make it vegan, not just vegetarian.

I discovered this wonderful recipe while searching online for something to serve with a pork chop recipe I was trying out for the first time.

I didn’t have any potatoes on hand and also wanted to have only one other dish with which to deal (a fond (truly!) “thanks” to Professor L’Homme for making me forever uncomfortable ending a sentence with a preposition!) while trying out the pork chop recipe. Luckily, I quickly found the following recipe when I searched via Google for “rice and veggie casserole.”

I followed it practically to the word, although I did not have any chives or fresh oregano to garnish. I also chopped up a shallot along with the onion that is called for.

Just the ingredients look super!

Note: The parsley has been in water in the fridge, loosely covered with a plastic bag, for three weeks! Look how fresh it stayed! There is NO excuse, if one has a fridge, for not having fresh parsley on hand. <grin>

Brown Rice and Vegetable Casserole (Click the recipe title for the original and tons more great recipes from Whole Foods Market.)

Serves 8-10
Serve this hearty dish alongside grilled meats. Feel free to use leftover brown rice in this recipe, and other grains such as wild rice and quinoa also work well.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 (8-ounce) package sliced mushrooms
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 medium yellow summer squash, chopped
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 cups cooked long-grain brown rice
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped oregano
2 tablespoons chopped chives

There is nothing like freshly grated Parm-Reggiano cheese....

Here are ALL the ingredients! Except the olive oil. 🙂

Method

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large skillet, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add bell pepper, mushrooms, zucchini and yellow squash. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are just tender, 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook 2 minutes longer. Add salt and pepper.

My 12" skillet was VERY full at first!

But it all cooks down.

In a large bowl, combine rice, cooked vegetables, cheese, eggs, parsley and oregano. Pour into a lightly oiled 9×13-inch casserole dish. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown on top. Garnish with chives and serve immediately.

With the rice. Actually, I mixed the cheese and egg in the skillet rather than in a separate bowl.

Ready to bake

————————-

I left it in the oven longer that called for by the recipe, but it is one of those handy dishes that don’t depend upon removal from heat at an exact time.

DONE! And very yummy.

So, there it is. A definite keeper in the Dennis/Breton household. If you follow a vegan diet, use soy cheese and, for the egg, use flax seed. Just grind flax seeds with water (about 1:3 per egg) in a blender or surbachi for to get and egg-like binding quality.

Perfect (and easy!) Pork Chops

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Dry. Tasteless. Boring…… And, don’t get me going about that cream of mushroom soup and rice thing we all do with pork chops.

I had pork chops in the freezer and it was time to finally use them. Some kind of bone-in sirloin chop. They were under an inch thick, so I was hesitant to use a saute technique that I have used successfully on very thick chops.

But, Pam Anderson writing for USA Weekend in 2004 to the rescue! No, not Pamela Anderson! At least, I highly doubt it. 🙂

Anyway, here is her advice, excerpted from a Q&A section on allrecipes.com

——–

“It is possible to serve a beautifully brown, juicy pork chop without losing the food’s moisture, whether or not it was previously frozen.

First, choose the right skillet size. Use a 12-inch skillet for four chops. If you crowd the pan, you’ll end up overcooking the chops to get them to brown.

Saute with a combination of butter and oil. Butter helps browning; a little oil increases the butter’s smoking point so you get great flavor without burning.

Dry the food’s surface. Pat with layers of paper towels. Then season the food with salt and pepper, and lightly dredge in flour, shaking off the excess.

Add food only when the pan is really hot. Warm butter and oil over medium-high heat until butter solids turn golden brown and the first wisps of smoke start rising. You want to hear a solid sizzle when the food hits the pan.

Set a timer for three to four minutes, and leave the food alone! To develop a golden-brown crust, it needs to remain stationary. Resist the temptation to turn it before you hear the “ding.” ”

———————

AHA! check this post from The Pioneer Woman Cooks! blog for info about this Pam Anderson. Note to self – take some time to check out the Pioneer Woman Cooks! blog. Actually, I think I have been there before and may have even mentioned it in this blog. Hit 50 years, memory be gone…

From some quick searching, I have also discovered that Pam has written a number of cookbooks and is a former Executive Editor of Cook’s Illustrated. (!) Shows what I know! I plan to check out her cookbooks, that’s for sure.

Anyway, the advice is superb. I had already learned that it is better to blot the marinade before grilling steaks to get a crusty exterior. (Steve is the grill man, but I often do the prep. ) Doing the same for pork chops is equally beneficial.

When making these pork chops, I marinaded them for a few hours. Then, my schedule got crazy so I needed to hold the chops for the next night. No problem – I removed them from the marinade, dried them off, and put them in a tupperware until the next night, when I dredged them lightly in flour and follow Pam’s cooking directions. YUM! AND, even when reheated by nuking two days later, the leftover chops were still moist and tender. Don’t lose this technique!

This photo does NOT do the chops justice!

Click HERE for the recipe on which I based the marinade I concocted. 🙂

I used somewhat the same proportions and ingredients, except for OJ instead of pineapple juice, and minced shallot, I think….no scallion or ginger. But, the sweet and garlic taste was still there. To each his or her own marinade, I say!

In any case, it was all good. Next post will be the Brown Rice and Veggie Casserole I made to go along with the chops. Here is a teaser picture. <grin>

Prepping for Easter Dinner 2010

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I do the family Easter and July 4th, with my brother Steve and sister-in-law Lorraine hosting Thanksgiving and Christmas. I am expecting the number of folks, that being 14-16. I think 12 if the least amount we’ve had at the Easter table and 18 was the most. Not that I do the china, silver, and sit around the table. We do it buffet style. Although, I do have a beautiful dining room table and sideboard, now. But, I am NOT up to unpacking my Mom’s china and crystal, most of which is in the attic. Someday….

I’ve been doing the same menu each year – makes it easier. Now I just have a to do list that I follow.

Guests bring a variety of side dishes, appetizers, and desserts, and I provide the ham, chicken tarragon, baked mashed potatoes, and roasted asparagus, as well as modest array of beverages. Wine is a favorite. 🙂 Merlot in particular.

Today, the day before the holiday, I have the asparagus keeping fresh in water in the fridge:

9 pounds of asparagus in water.

gotta love Farm Land bags. 🙂

That’s the asparagus, loosely covered before being put in the fridge. I will prep them tomorrow with olive oil, salt and freshly grated parm reggiano around 2:30 p.m. and pop them in the oven to roast right before we plan to eat dinner.

I also have chicken tarragon in the oven all day at 200 degrees to mimic a slow cooker. My crock pot is too small for 6.5 pounds of chicken breasts and thighs! Tonight, once the chicken is cooked and cooled, I will de-bone and de-skin it (I left the skin on the breasts to keep them from getting dry while cooking), save the liquid, and finish up the gravy tomorrow after church.

Here is the recipe, with the title linked to the original as I found it online:

Chicken Taragon

1 (3 to 4 pound) frying chicken
2 tablespoons soft butter or margarine
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon tarragon
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons vinegar (or white wine)

[Note: I used 6.5 lbs with bone-in, three breasts and the rest thighs, removing excessive fat and the skin from the thighs. I also increased spice amounts by 50%. And, I used my dutch oven, with foil under the lid to increase the tightness of the lid fit, in a 200 degree oven.]

Rub chicken with butter; place in slow cooker (crock pot). Combine seasoning and herbs and sprinkle evenly over chicken. Add vinegar or white wine.

Cover and cook on low about 8 hours. Do not remove lid during this time. Remove chicken, place on a large platter.

Gravy

2 tablespoons corn starch
1 cup accumulated cooking liquid (if necessary, add chicken broth to make one cup)

Combine 2 tablespoons corn starch in two tablespoons cold water, stir until smooth. In a saucepan, combine the corn starch mixture with one cup of accumulated liquid. Heat and stir until mixture boils and becomes thickened. Serve over hot chicken. Yields 4 servings.

My least favorite cooking task is peeling potatoes. But, peel I must. I am actually quite fond of this baked mashed potato recipe, though. NOT a low-fat dish, by any means. But, it is a great way to prepared potatoes for a holiday meal because you boil and mash the day before and then baked them the next day. And, all the extra fat means that they don’t dry out on the warming tray when serving.

Here is the recipe, with the title linking back to the original as I found it online:

Mashed Baked Potatoes

Use greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Serves 12. 5 pounds potatoes; boil, drain and mash. Add: 4 tbsp. butter 1 1/2 c. half & half 1/4 tsp. garlic salt 1 (8 oz.) pkg. Philadelphia cream cheese

Mix well and spread in pan. Cover with foil paper and refrigerate overnight. Drizzle 3 tablespoons melted butter over potatoes and sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes, check at 30 minutes, to light brown.

[Note: I used 6.5 pounds of potatoes – 1/2 Idaho and 1/2 Yukon Gold. I used the same amount of cream cheese, but added an extra Tbsp of butter and about another 1/3 cup half and half.

BIG NOTE: Upon reading the recipe as I posted it, I realized that I forgot to grease the Pyrex pan in which I put the potatoes… Well, I guess we will find out the consequences of this tomorrow. <wry grin> ]

6.5 lbs of potatoes. ARRRRGGGH!

I used two big pots to boil the potatoes, then put half back in the bigger pot, added all the other ingredients, then put the other half of the potatoes in – then I mashed. And mashed, and mashed…

from the pot...

...to the pan!

See that spatula/spoon? It totally rocks. I recommend it highly! It is a Rubbermaid Professional 13-1/2 Inch Heat Resistant Spoonula. Click HERE and look for the link to it on Amazon.com. I have other recommendations there, as well.

Once all the taters were in the pan, (that I forgot to grease….) I wanted to cool it all off quickly before covering and putting in the fridge overnight. Ice bath time.

An ice bath helps bring the temperature down quickly.

I’ve always been paranoid about food safety, and discovered that I have been following ServSafe protocol for years before I took the course this past November. NEVER put hot food directly into the fridge! Cool as quickly as possible to room temperature, first. The best way is to use an ice bath.

I have a very cool sink. 🙂

It is old and chipped, and seldom looks this clean.

Steve was going to throw this sink away when he bought the house. Silly man!

Anyway… The potatoes are safely covered and in the downstairs fridge. (Okay, so I am REALLY lucky and also have an extra fridge. It is 74 years old but works fine. Really. I’ll take a picture on these days. An old GE.

On to the Chicken Tarragon. The chicken was done in the 8 hours. I actually put it up to 250 degrees for an hour in the afternoon and then back to 200 degrees. Next time, I think I will start it at 250 for the first hour and then lower to 200 for the duration and check it after 7 hours. I don’t have time to explain the details right now, but the latest Cook’s Illustrated Magazine has a chicken recipe that entails braising and talks about cooking at too high a temperature can cause the chicken to get tough.

dutch oven with foil to mimic crock pot

Crock pots/slow cookers have a tight seal and don’t let much moisture out. To increase the seal on my dutch oven, I put a piece of foil under the lid.

Here are the results, after straining out the broth from the cooked chicken:

cooked chicken and 3 cups of broth

Just cooling things off 🙂

Once the chicken was cool enough to handle, I picked the meat off the bones and also discarded any skin and extraneous fat.

about 2 and 2/3 lb of meat from 3 1/2 pounds bone in

So, all is in the fridge. In the morning, before I head out at 9:30 a.m. for choir practice, I will prep the ham and put it in the oven and program my oven to come on at 11:30 a.m. I’ll do a new blog entry for the Sunday activity. But, suffice to say, I have an easy “to do “list to follow. Except for the final house cleaning….well, no one if perfect!

Tomato Sauce – my favorite using canned tomatoes

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I have discovered the perfect tomato/pasta sauce. You can leave out the sausage for a delicious vegetarian version, or use another type of meat. Use just one or all or less or more of the optional ingredients, simmer for as short or long a time as you want, but use this (or Mark Bittman’s original recipe) as your basis for sauce from canned tomatoes and you can’t go wrong. I used all the optional ingredients but the mushrooms when I took the pictures for this post. But the last time I made it, I used all but no bell pepper. And, my first version had no meat and no mushrooms. Each was super. Just have fun with this one!

Note: if using sausage or another sort of meat, be sure to brown it in the same pot you are using to saute the veggies and simmer the sauce. You don’t want to lose any flavors.

All-purpose tomato sauce

Based on a recipe by Mark Bittman

https://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/29633150/

From the plants that wintered over in our bedroom. Still going strong in March!

Here is my version:

5-6 Italian sausages, sweet, hot, or both. (optional)
2 Tbsp olive oil (optional if using sausage)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion or 2 medium onions, chopped (about 2 cups lightly packed, give or take)
3 -4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup of chopped green bell pepper (optional)
1 1/2 cups (or so) chopped fresh mushrooms (optional)
2 green chili salsa peppers, de-seeded and chopped (optional)
2 red chili salsa peppers, whole – to be removed later. (optional)
2 28 oz can whole tomatoes, liquid reserved (4 cups or so) chopped or broken apart by hand.
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or basil leaves (optional)

Just one of my "bunch of ingredients" shots. 🙂

Directions:

If using sausage, heat the 2 T olive oil in pot over medium heat, add the sausages, and brown each side, about 8 minutes total. Remove from pan, set aside, and cut into pieces before adding back to the sauce.

Brown the sausages at least 4 minutes per side.

Put the 1/4 olive oil in the pot over medium heat.

Add the 1/4 olive oil to the leftover fat and brown bits from the meat, if using.

When the oil is hot, add the onions, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 3 minutes.

Then add garlic and, if using, chili salsa peppers, bell pepper, and/or mushrooms and cook for another few minutes.

All the veggies - no mushrooms in this round.

Next, slice and add the browned sausages or other meat, if using, the tomatoes, and as much liquid as you would like depending on desired thickness and how long you have to simmer the sauce.

Next - the sausage, or other meat, if using

Add sugar and dried herbs and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and the mixture comes together and thickens. The longer, the deeper the flavor! Although, it still tasted great with a shorter simmer. But, be sure to taste for spiciness as you simmer if using the fresh hot peppers and remove if the fire gets more than you like.

starting to simmer

Once it is at the thickness you want, taste, adjust the seasonings, stir in any fresh herbs, and keep warm. (Or let cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to several days; reheat gently before serving.)

Close to being done - time to take out the salsa chili pepper!

I am so pleased with this recipe. Never mind the vibrant taste with no extra sodium, etc., it makes more the the 24-26 oz that comes in most jars of sauce. I am sorry, 26 oz is just NOT enough if you want more than a smidgen of leftovers!

Oh, I need to include an apology, here. I recently used this recipe for a church potluck . I was careful to chop only one hot pepper and then put only one whole not pepper to simmer in the sauce for a while. I kept checking the level of heat while simmering and took out what I thought was the ENTIRE hot pepper almost two hours before serving time…Unfortunately, the pepper had split and I had taken out only HALF of that pepper when I deemed the sauce flavorful but safe for a potluck… Church and cooking friend Marjorie, whom I told about my error, did report that it was hot, but I didn’t see anyone in active distress – I am hoping everyone who tried it liked it hot!

But, next time, the hot peppers will go in cheesecloth for easy and complete retrieval!

Cajun Roast with Maque Choux – Wonderful Beef Chuck Recipe

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I found a small chuck roast on sale – but really didn’t want to do the typical pot roast or beef stew thing. What to do? Well, I found a recipe with a spicy Cajun flavor and just had to try it.

Here is the link to the recipe I found online: Cajun Roast with Maque Choux. See this link for an explanation of Maque Choux.

I have also copied the recipe here, followed by my comments and photographs.

**************************************

Cajun Roast with Maque Choux

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 (2 to 2-1/2 lb.) boneless beef chuck roast
1 Tbsp. dried Cajun seasoning
1 (9-oz.) pkg. frozen corn
1 small onion, chopped
½ green pepper, chopped
1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/8 tsp. pepper
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. hot sauce
Cayenne pepper, to taste

Preparation:
Rub entire surface of beef roast with Cajun seasoning. Place roast in a large slow cooker. Top with corn, onion and green pepper. In a small bowl, combine tomatoes, pepper, salt and hot sauce; mix well. Pour over vegetables and roast. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. To serve: Cut roast into slices and serve corn mixture with a slotted spoon.

************************************

This recipe was REALLY quick and easy to prepare. Here is a shot of all the ingredients except for the pinch of cayenne. By the way, I might add either another teaspoon of hot sauce or a a few extra pinches of cayenne next time. Although, I had better wait to see how spicy it is the 2nd day around.

All the ingredients - except for the cayenne

I just love the way raw ingredients look in a picture. According to one definition of alchemy, cooking is indeed of that art. From the Webster Online Dictionary definition of alchemy: 2 : a power or process of transforming something common into something special.

Speaking of something special, I really like the Sriracha Hot Sauce that I used in this recipe. I think I saw it recommended in Bon Appetit. See my Recommended Kitchen Things page.

With the rub on the beef

You maybe have noticed that I actually used a seasoning blend called “blackened creole blend” by Frontier Co-op, rather than Creole seasoning. See my Recommended Kitchen Things page. From my research, opinions range from hard-core camps on both the Cajun and the Creole sides who define the two styles of cooking and seasoning as totally distinct, to folks of all levels of expertise saying that much merging has happened between the two cooking styles, or at least the types of seasoning used. However, I want to research that further.

But for now, I can vouch for the tastiness of this recipe using the Creole blend, which is what I happened to have in my spice cabinet.

Where's the beef? (Sorry, couldn't resist...)

This really was so easy to put together. Just chop the veggies and put them in on top of the meat….

Sauced and ready to go

…and mix the sauce ingredients and pour it over everything. Oh, a note about the called for 1/2 a green pepper. I had maybe 1/3 of one, but grabbed a ripened, and thus red one from the bell pepper plant that wintered over inside at our house. Check it out:

fresh grown peppers all winter long

Anyway, after about 7 or so hours, I opened the crock pot,checked the meat, and found it to be nice and tender.

All done!

cutting board shot

Final Plate Shot

I served the vegetables over brown rice. I was going to steam or saute some greens to go with the meal, mostly just to have something to lighten up the meal. I was expecting the heaviness that goes with the usual pot roast preparation on top of this being a relatively fatty cut of meat. (Chuck has more fat than the round cuts, for example.) But, unlike a pot roast dinner, this meal had a delightful lightness about it.

The hot spices certainly made it more easy to digest and “thinned” out the fatty flavor/texture. And corn and bell peppers are less dense than the traditional potato, turnip, and/or carrots served with a traditional pot roast meal.

In any case, Steve and I both thought this was superb. But visually, I think meal could use some more green. And, upon re-reading the article containing the original recipe, I noted a recommendation to serve green beans with this meal. I have a great recipe for blanched, then quickly sauteed green beans with garlic and red pepper flakes… Next time, again!

Anything Goes Quesadilla Casserole

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Talk about easy – and, if ingredients are chosen with a bit of thought, healthier than one would think. And really tasty, too!

Just look at this:

This was SOOOOO good....and easy to make!

Note: Click HERE for my guacamole recipe.

This was my second time making quesadillas – both times as a baked casserole with layers of flat tortillas rather than folding the tortillas in the traditional manner. For cookware, I used glass pie plates and made enough filling for two “casserole/pies.”

Here is a basic outline of ingredients:

Olive, canola, or other vegetable oil or spray as needed for sauteing and “greasing” pans.

1-2 cups veggies – For example, I used onion, ½ green pepper, 1 smallish carrot, and 2 cloves if garlic

1 or 2 fresh chili peppers (I used 2 salsa chilies from my bedroom “garden,” one green and one more ripe and thus red.) OR, red pepper flakes or cayenne, to taste. Maybe start with 1/2 teaspoon? Depends on your taste and how hot your chili power or taco seasoning is.

2-3 cups of any combo or just one: poultry, beef, pork, beans. Any meat should be ground or, if using leftover cooked poultry or meat, shredded. I used 1/2 lb ground beef and a cup of kidney beans, both of which I found in the freezer. 🙂

one package taco seasoning or equivalent of homemade taco mix.

Enchilada or other tomato-based sauce. (I used leftover Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Soup this time.)
6 tortillas. (I used whole wheat tortillas.)

3 or so cups grated cheese, divided. Your choice of cheese(s). (I used mostly sharp cheddar with some smoked cheddar this time. Smoked Gouda is really good in quesadillas, too!)

Salsa, as needed or desired.

And, here’s how you do it:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Chop veggies, including any fresh chilies, and saute in olive or canola oil until somewhat tender, then remove from pan. (If using dried red pepper flakes, include them here with the fresh veggies.)
If starting with raw meat or poultry, add to pan and cook before adding other ingredients. Then, combine any meat, poultry, and or beans with the package (or homemade equivalent) of taco seasoning, and 1/2 cup or so of water.
Heat until thickened.

To assemble a pie:

Lightly grease pie plate.
Place a tortilla in the pie plate and spread a little sauce on it, flip over, and repeat.
Cover with some meat/veggie mix, sprinkle with cheese, and to with dots of salsa to taste.
Place another tortilla on the pie and repeat layers.
Top with one more tortilla and cover with a light coating of sauce and cheese.
Pop in the oven and check after 20 minutes. If it is bubbling and toasty brown on top, it’s done!

Serving suggestion: As show in the picture at the beginning of this post, serve with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream (or yogurt).

First the veggies - oops! I took this before adding the chilies.

Cooked ground beef, beans, and veggies before adding taco seasoning

Lightly coat both sides of bottom tortilla with sauce

Add the meat/veggie/bean mix

Sprinkle with some cheese

Dot first layer with salsa to taste

add another tortilla and coat with more sauce

Add another tortilla and coat the top with sauce

then more veggies...

Then more cheese...

top off with a tortilla, with a bit of sauce and cheese to cover

I didn’t remember to take a picture of the the fully assembled pies until after they were the oven for a minute or two.

As shown, I used the top oven of my new dual-oven, five-burner gas range. 🙂 For those wondering, it is a Maytag Gemini. Pricey for home cooking, but a reasonable deal if you want some features approaching the professional level (I love the 16,000 BTU burner!) at a relatively modest price.

But, I digress. Once the quesadilla casserole (or pie) is done, you can leave it in a warm oven (170 degrees works well) until you are ready to eat. And, it reheats wonderfully, which is why I always make enough for a few meals.

The best thing about quesadillas, though, is that you really can’t go wrong. Whether you just use cheese in a folded tortilla that you heat in a frying pan, or compile a complex, multi-layered creation, it is all good. And, you can stretch your dollar by using more or all veggies and/or beans, and reduce calories by using low-fat cheese and accompany with low fat sour cream or yogurt. And, for you non-lacto vegetarians, just use soy cheese and “yogurt.”

Now I am going to have start experimenting with homemade salsa recipes. Can you believe I have never made my own salsa? One of these days… 🙂

I’ll leave you with an offering of food art:

Just a fun shot of the salsa chilies and some guacamole ingredients

Salsa chili peppers from our indoor plants and two guacamole ingredients

Vegetarian Chili – quick and easy!

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A thank you to Emeril Lagasse for this one. I’ve never watched TV all that much, but my impression is that, beyond Julia, he is one of the first to have realized that a cooking show can be entertainment and thus helped get the whole Food Network thing going. Or, maybe I am wrong – but he does have some good recipes.

Anyway – I needed a vegetarian chili recipe to test for our church auction. I didn’t include the words “quick” and “easy” in my search terms, but I might as well had. Here is what I used as the basis: (My adjustments follow)

Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
1 cup chopped red bell peppers
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 to 3 serrano peppers, stemmed, seeded, and minced, depending upon taste
1 medium zucchini, stem ends trimmed and cut into small dice
2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears)
1 1/2 pounds portobello mushrooms (about 5 large), stemmed, wiped clean and cubed
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespooon ground cumin
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
3 cups cooked black beans, or canned beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup vegetable stock, or water
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Cooked brown rice, accompaniment
Sour cream or strained plain yogurt, garnish
Diced avocado, garnish
Essence, recipe follows, garnish
Chopped green onions, garnish

Directions

In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, and serrano peppers, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the zucchini, corn, and mushrooms, and cook, stirring, until soft and the vegetables give off their liquid and start to brown around the edges, about 6 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, salt and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and stir well. Add the beans, tomato sauce, and vegetable stock, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Adjust the seasoning, to taste.

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For the seranno peppers, I used what the tags says are “salsa chili” peppers that we have, still producing fruits in November after having brought them in before the first frost last month!

You’ll see them in this picture:

The fresh veggies for the chili

I also used only 1 Tbsp chili powder (for those around Wakefield, the dark kind from Farmland) and two teaspoons of the cumin powder. BUT, I used a trick that I learned from Lorna Sass and toasted a tablespoon of cumin seeds in the oil for about a minute before adding the first ingredients at the beginning of the process. I also added a heaping tablespoon of cocoa powder when the other powered spices were added.

I made two batches. One with one 15 oz can of black beans and one 15 oz can of red beans (like pinto) and the other with same sized cans – one each pinto and garbanzo. I think I like the second combination better, but that is a matter of taste. I used three chili peppers in the first batch but only two in the second. I like my chili pretty spicy, but these batches are for the public so I didn’t want to blow anyone away! And, frankly, this chili is so flavorful, it doesn’t need to blow your socks off.

I will probably add some dried oregano to the final version, also.

I’ll end with pictures of the chili cooking process – great colors!