Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Today's offerings include Cheesy Skillet Taco Mac and Sweet Potato and Mustard Turkey Burgers. Enjoy!
CALIFORNIA TURKEY CHILI
This is from Giada De Laurentiis on the Food Network. Prep Time: 1 hour; Inactive Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/california-turkey-chili-recipe-2014996.
Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, smashed, peeled and chopped
2 large poblano chiles, stemmed, seeded and diced
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1-1/2 pounds ground turkey (dark meat)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons (packed) dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, crushed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
3 cups low-salt chicken broth (preferably organic)
One 15 to 16-ounce can cannellini (white kidney beans), rinsed and drained
Simplest Quinoa and Pine Nut Pilaf, recipe follows
Assorted garnishes, such as chopped onion, shredded white Cheddar, chopped tomatoes and/or sour cream
Simplest Quinoa and Pine Nut Pilaf:
1-1/4 cups whole grain quinoa (about 7 ounces)
1-3/4 cups low-salt chicken broth (preferably organic)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro or Italian parsley
1/3 cup pine nuts
Directions
Heat the oil in a heavy, large pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, poblanos, celery and onions. Saute until the vegetables soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the turkey and saute until no longer pink, breaking up the turkey with the back of a spoon, about 7 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over and stir to blend. Add the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, sugar, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, cinnamon and cloves. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring to blend. Add the broth and beans. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the flavors blend and the chili thickens to desired consistency, stirring often, 20 to 30 minutes. Season with more salt and pepper.
To serve, spoon Simplest Quinoa and Pine Nut Pilaf into deep bowls. Ladle chili over. Serve with garnishes.
Cook's Note: Other garnishes that you could offer: chopped radishes, pickled jalapenos, crumbled cotija cheese, tortilla chips and/or pico de gallo.
Simplest Quinoa and Pine Nut Pilaf:
Place the quinoa in a fine sieve. Rinse under cold running water 1 full minute. Set aside to drain.
Bring the broth, salt and pepper to a boil in heavy, medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the quinoa. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the quinoa is tender and all the broth is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat. Let the quinoa stand, still covered, for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Scatter pine nuts on a small rimmed baking sheet. Toast the nuts until golden, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet.
Mix the cilantro and pine nuts into the quinoa.
SLOPPY JOES
This is from Ree Drummond on the Food Network.
Active Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Makes 8 servings; Level: East
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/sloppy-joes-2120434.
Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 large green bell pepper, diced
1/2 large onion, diced
1 1/2 cups ketchup
5 cloves garlic, minced
Hot sauce, such as Tabasco
Worcestershire sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 kaiser rolls
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons chili powder, or more as needed
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more as needed
2 tablespoons butter, softened
Chips or salad, for serving, if desired
Ingredients
Start by browning the ground beef in a large pot over medium-high heat. Drain off the fat.
Add in the green peppers and onions. Stir, and then add 1 cup water, the ketchup and garlic. Stir it around to combine, and then add the brown sugar, chili powder, dry mustard, red pepper flakes, and hot sauce, Worcestershire, salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine, and then cover and simmer over medium-low heat, about 20 minutes.
To serve, spread the rolls with the butter and brown them on a griddle or in a skillet. Spoon a good amount of the meat mixture onto the bottom roll, and then top with the other half. Serve with chips, salad or just enjoy it by itself.
MISO CHICKEN
This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, “Making a compound of unsalted butter and the salty, fungal deliciousness of Japanese miso paste is a surefire way of adding immense flavor to a simple weeknight meal. Here the mixture is spread over chicken thighs, which are then roasted to golden perfection. But you could easily use it on salmon or flounder, on corn or potatoes. The recipe calls for white miso, which is more mild than the aged version known as red miso. But you could certainly use red for a more intense result.” Yield: 4 servings; Time: 45 minutes.
This was featured in Asian Pantry Essentials and can also be found online by clicking here.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup white miso
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon rice vinegar (do not use seasoned rice vinegar)
Black pepper, to taste
8 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs, approximately 2 1/2 to 3 pounds
Preparation
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Combine butter, miso, honey, rice vinegar and black pepper in a large bowl and mix with a spatula or spoon until it is well combined.
Add chicken to the bowl and massage the miso-butter mixture all over it. Place the chicken in a single layer in a roasting pan and slide it into the oven. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, turning the chicken pieces over once or twice, until the skin is golden brown and crisp, and the internal temperature of the meat is 160 to 165 degrees.
CHESSY SKILLET TACO MAC
This is from Kardea Brown on the Food Network. The recipe begins, "You may be familiar with that one-skillet macaroni dish that comes in a box where all you have to add is ground beef? Well, this is my version, with a little Tex-Mex twist. The whole family will eat it up, and it's so easy to put together."
Active Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Makes 4 servings; Level: Easy
View this online at https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/cheesy-skillet-taco-mac-12821434.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground chuck
1 tablespoon Miss Brown’s House Seasoning, recipe follows
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1-1/2 cups beef stock
8 ounces elbow pasta, cooked according to package directions
One 8-ounce block sharp Cheddar, shredded
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sour cream and chopped green onions, for serving, optional
Miss Brown’s House Seasoning:
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
Directions
Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, ground beef and House Seasoning. Cook until the veggies begin to soften and the beef is slightly browned and no longer pink, about 7 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin and beef stock.
Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the sauce reduces, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the pasta and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid starts to slightly absorb. Add the cheese and remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper.
To serve, top with the sour cream and sprinkle with the green onions, if using.
Miss Brown’s House Seasoning:
Yield: 5 tablespoons
Stir together the garlic and onion powders, paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container.
FETTUCCINE ALFREDO
This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Makes 4 Servings. 1 Serving size = 1 cup. 1 cup fettuccine alfredo provides a 1/2 serving of Benecol®
Ingredients
2 tbsp. Benecol® Regular spread
4 to 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 1/4 cups skim milk
3 tbsp flour
4 ounces fat free cream cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
4 cups hot cooked fettuccine noodles (about 1/2 pound uncooked)
Directions
Heat Benecol & garlic slowly over low heat, 5 to 7 minutes, allowing full flavor of garlic to be released into Benecol.
Meanwhile, combine milk, flour, cream cheese, & Parmesan cheese in blender; then puree until smooth.
Add pureed mixture to Benecol® and garlic. Increase heat to medium-low and whisk continuously until mixture has thickened. Add freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Toss with fettuccine noodles.
SWEET POTATO AND MUSTARD TURKEY BURGERS
This is from Taste for Life, and begins, “These burgers are moist and juicy and have a savory flavor that comes from a secret ingredient: A hefty amount of mustard. Half a cup may seem like a lot of mustard, but it’s what makes these burgers outstanding. Using grated sweet potato instead of traditional flour or breadcrumbs adds extra fiber and nutrients.”
Prep Time: 40 min prep time; Number of Servings: Makes 4 to 6 burgers
Recipe Source: The Living Kitchen by Tamara Green, BA, CNP and Sarah Grossman, BA, CNP ($28, Appetite, 2018)
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1/2 cup grated yellow onion
1 cup grated peeled sweet potato
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup spinach, finely chopped
1/2 cup gluten-free whole-grain mustard
1/2 tsp sea salt
Pinch of black pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Use the grating attachment on your food processor and grate onion and sweet potato. You can also do this by hand with a box grater.
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl until everything is well combined.
Measure 1/4 to 1/2 cup of burger meat and shape into a patty. Place on baking sheet and repeat.
Bake in oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until top begins to get slightly golden. You can flip burgers halfway through cooking time if you want even caramelization on both sides.
These burgers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days. You can also make a big batch and keep them in the freezer for 3 to 4 months for a quick meal option.
Monday, July 13, 2026
Meatless Monday
Here's to the start of the week with another Meatless Monday. Today's yummy vegetarian offerings include Three Sisters Soup and Vegetarian Mexican Inspired Stuffed Peppers. Enjoy!
BAKED ZITI
This is from Alison Roman in The New York Times cooking newsletter. Alison wrote, "This baked ziti is layered almost like a lasagna to ensure every bite has enough creamy ricotta, stringy mozzarella and tangy tomato sauce. But the key to its success comes from undercooking the pasta during the initial boil so it stays perfectly al dente, even after a trip to the oven. Heavy cream is added to prevent the ricotta from becoming grainy or dry during baking, letting it be its most luscious self. While this baked ziti is meatless (there’s plenty of richness from the cheese — three types, to be exact), you could always incorporate a bit of sausage, ground meat or pancetta, if you like. Simply add 1/2 pound to the onions while sautéeing and proceed with the recipe."
Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Time: 1 1/2 hours
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018954-baked-ziti.
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, packed in juice
1 (28-ounce) can tomato purée or sauce
3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
16 ounces/1 pound ricotta
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino, plus more for grating on top
1 pound ziti, rigatoni, penne, manicotti or other short, tubelike pasta
1 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Preparation
Make the tomato sauce: Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is totally softened and translucent (without letting it brown), 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and continue to cook, stirring until it has turned a deeper brick-red color, tinting the oil and onions a fiery orange color, about 2 minutes. Crush the whole tomatoes by hand and add them (including the juice) and the tomato purée to the pot, stirring to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot. Season with salt and pepper and add red pepper flakes, if using. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato sauce has thickened and flavors have come together, 20 to 30 minutes.
Prepare the filling: In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, heavy cream and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Prepare the pasta: As the sauce cooks, heat oven to 425 degrees, and place a large pot of salted water to boil on the stove.
Cook pasta until it’s nearly al dente. (You want to undercook the pasta slightly, as it will continue to cook in the oven. A good way to do this is cook it 2 minutes less than you normally would if preparing it al dente.) Reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid, drain pasta and rinse with cool water; set aside while the tomato sauce finishes cooking.
Once tomato sauce is done, stir in reserved pasta water.
Place pasta in a large bowl and add 2 cups sauce. Stir to coat pasta evenly encouraging the sauce to go inside each tube.
Spoon a bit of remaining sauce on the bottom of a 3-quart baking dish and top with 1/3 of the pasta. Spoon 1/3 of the remaining sauce on top, dollop with half the ricotta mixture and scatter 1/3 of the mozzarella on top of that. Repeat, beginning with the pasta, one more time. For the final layer, add the last 1/3 of pasta and the last of the sauce. Dot remaining mozzarella on top and shave a bit more Parmesan on top of that. Place baking dish on top of a sheet pan lined with parchment paper to catch any drips. Place in the oven and bake until the edges are golden brown and bubbling and the top has browned nicely, 30 to 40 minutes.
Let cool slightly before eating with a big green leafy salad.
Tip
Baked ziti can be assembled 2 hours before baking. It can be baked 1 day ahead and rewarmed before serving.
ALAMO MUFFINS
This yummy recipe is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. It was posted with the note, "A nice change from tacos or tortillas to accompany Mexican meals. Makes 1-1/2 dozen."
The poster, Carolyn, added, "I would just use a can of chopped green chilies, drained, if fresh ones are not convenient."
Yield: 18 servings
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tbs sugar
1 tbs baking powder(double-acting)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs; slightly beaten
1 cup yogurt; plain
1 can cream-style corn (8-3/4 ounce)
1/4 cup green chili peppers,* seeded and minced (see note above)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450F. Mix together the cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using pastry blender, cut in the shortening until the consistency is grainy. Beat the eggs into the yogurt, then add to the cornmeal mixture. Add the cream-style corn and chili peppers, mixing just until moistened.
Divide the batter evenly among 18 greased or paper-lined muffin cups. Bake until lightly browned, about 12 to 15 minutes.
THREE SISTERS SOUP
This is from American Heart Association, and begins, “Simple Cooking with Heart brings you this interesting vegetable and bean soup called Three Sisters Soup.
“This is actually a Native American recipe and the three 'sisters' refer to corn, beans and squash!”
Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://recipes.heart.org/en/recipes/three-sisters-soup
Note: This recipe calls for either chicken or vegetable stock on the American Heart Association web site. However, since this is a vegetarian blog, I'm keeping it at only the veggie broth. Also, if you're looking for quite a few yummy heart-healthy recipes, check out the AHA's site and follow around to their recipes.
Ingredients
6 cups fat-free, low-sodium vegetable stock
16 oz. canned, low-sodium yellow corn or hominy, drained, rinsed
16 oz. canned, low-sodium kidney beans (drained, rinsed)
1 small onion (chopped)
1 rib celery (chopped)
15 oz. canned, cooked pumpkin (Tip: Be careful, don’t get pumpkin pie filling!)
5 fresh sage leaves
OR
1/2 tsp. dried sage
1/2 tsp. curry powder
Directions
Bring veggie stock to a slow boil.
Add corn/hominy, beans, onion and celery.Boil for 10 minutes.
Add sage leaves, curry and pumpkin and simmer on medium-low heat for 20 minutes.
VEGETARIAN MEXICAN INSPIRED STUFFED PEPPERS
This yumminess comes from Donnam at allrecipes. She wrote, "I created this so it's not too spicy, but is packed with flavor. My kids loved it! For variety, add corn or other vegetables or switch to other chopped tomato varieties (chiles, jalapenos, etc.). Follow the boiling method prior to baking if you don't want a crispy bell pepper. If you have small peppers, use more of them for this recipe. They taste great with a dollop of sour cream on top."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 55 minutes; Servings: 4
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/231514/vegetarian-mexican-inspired-stuffed-peppers/.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon salt
4 large green bell peppers - tops, seeds, and membranes removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups cooked rice
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 ounce) can chili-style diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (8 ounce) package shredded Mexican cheese blend (such as Sargento® Authentic Mexican)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Bring a large pot of water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil; cook green bell peppers in the boiling water until slightly softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion in the hot oil until softened and transparent, 5 to 10 minutes.
Mix rice, black beans, tomatoes, and cooked onion in a large bowl. Add chili powder, garlic salt, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt; stir until evenly mixed. Fold 1 1/2 cups Mexican cheese blend into rice mixture. Spoon rice mixture into each bell pepper; arrange peppers in 9x9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle peppers with remaining Mexican cheese blend.
Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 30 minutes.
Cook's Note:
I like to use Sargento(R) Authentic Mexican shredded cheese, which takes it over the top!
SPICY PUMPKIN AND COLLARDS
This is from the Food Network. Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 2 hours; Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy
You can view this online at https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/spicy-pumpkin-and-collards-recipe-2108870.
Ingredients
2 2-to-3-pound sugar pumpkins
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, diced
1 plum tomato, diced
1 Scotch bonnet chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 clove garlic, chopped
4 scallions, chopped
1 pound frozen chopped collard greens, thawed
Kosher salt
1 cup evaporated milk
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
4 tablespoons breadcrumbs (preferably panko)
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Ingredients
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Slice off the top 1 1/2 inches of the pumpkins and discard. Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, tomato, chile pepper, thyme and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onion is slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the scallions and collard greens, add 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and cook, stirring, until the greens are slightly tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the evaporated milk and nutmeg and bring to a gentle boil. Stir in 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs, the cheddar cheese and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and cook, stirring, until the cheese melts and the mixture thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Put the pumpkins in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and fill evenly with the collard greens mixture.
Toss the remaining 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs with the parmesan. Sprinkle over the filling. Add 1 inch of boiling water to the baking dish. Cover loosely with foil and bake until the pumpkins are tender, about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until browned and bubbly on top, about 30 more minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then scrape the pumpkin flesh and serve with the collards.
VEGGIE CHILI CORNBREAD CASSEROLE
This comes from Taylerand20 at Allrecipes. Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes; Additional Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes; Servings: 10
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/270846/veggie-chili-cornbread-casserole/.
Ingredients
Chili:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn
2 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon lime juice
Cornbread:
1 1/2 cups milk
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 small jalapeno pepper, chopped
Garnish:
1 jalapeno pepper, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Directions
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering, about 1 minute. Add onion, carrot, and bell pepper. Mix to combine and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper. Stir and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Add diced tomatoes, black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, and corn to the Dutch oven and stir to combine. Pour in broth and lime juice; stir to combine. Increase heat to high and bring chili to a boil, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Whisk milk and egg together in a large bowl until well combined.
Combine cornmeal, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together in a large bowl. Add milk mixture and whisk until smooth. Add melted butter and stir to combine. Add jalapeno and stir to incorporate into the cornbread batter.
Remove Dutch oven from the stove. Pour batter over the chili in the Dutch oven. Use a spatula to cover chili completely and smooth the top.
Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the cornbread comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
Garnish cornbread casserole with sliced jalapeno and cilantro.
BAKED ZITI
This is from Alison Roman in The New York Times cooking newsletter. Alison wrote, "This baked ziti is layered almost like a lasagna to ensure every bite has enough creamy ricotta, stringy mozzarella and tangy tomato sauce. But the key to its success comes from undercooking the pasta during the initial boil so it stays perfectly al dente, even after a trip to the oven. Heavy cream is added to prevent the ricotta from becoming grainy or dry during baking, letting it be its most luscious self. While this baked ziti is meatless (there’s plenty of richness from the cheese — three types, to be exact), you could always incorporate a bit of sausage, ground meat or pancetta, if you like. Simply add 1/2 pound to the onions while sautéeing and proceed with the recipe."
Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Time: 1 1/2 hours
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018954-baked-ziti.
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, packed in juice
1 (28-ounce) can tomato purée or sauce
3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
16 ounces/1 pound ricotta
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino, plus more for grating on top
1 pound ziti, rigatoni, penne, manicotti or other short, tubelike pasta
1 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Preparation
Make the tomato sauce: Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is totally softened and translucent (without letting it brown), 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and continue to cook, stirring until it has turned a deeper brick-red color, tinting the oil and onions a fiery orange color, about 2 minutes. Crush the whole tomatoes by hand and add them (including the juice) and the tomato purée to the pot, stirring to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot. Season with salt and pepper and add red pepper flakes, if using. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato sauce has thickened and flavors have come together, 20 to 30 minutes.
Prepare the filling: In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, heavy cream and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Prepare the pasta: As the sauce cooks, heat oven to 425 degrees, and place a large pot of salted water to boil on the stove.
Cook pasta until it’s nearly al dente. (You want to undercook the pasta slightly, as it will continue to cook in the oven. A good way to do this is cook it 2 minutes less than you normally would if preparing it al dente.) Reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid, drain pasta and rinse with cool water; set aside while the tomato sauce finishes cooking.
Once tomato sauce is done, stir in reserved pasta water.
Place pasta in a large bowl and add 2 cups sauce. Stir to coat pasta evenly encouraging the sauce to go inside each tube.
Spoon a bit of remaining sauce on the bottom of a 3-quart baking dish and top with 1/3 of the pasta. Spoon 1/3 of the remaining sauce on top, dollop with half the ricotta mixture and scatter 1/3 of the mozzarella on top of that. Repeat, beginning with the pasta, one more time. For the final layer, add the last 1/3 of pasta and the last of the sauce. Dot remaining mozzarella on top and shave a bit more Parmesan on top of that. Place baking dish on top of a sheet pan lined with parchment paper to catch any drips. Place in the oven and bake until the edges are golden brown and bubbling and the top has browned nicely, 30 to 40 minutes.
Let cool slightly before eating with a big green leafy salad.
Tip
Baked ziti can be assembled 2 hours before baking. It can be baked 1 day ahead and rewarmed before serving.
ALAMO MUFFINS
This yummy recipe is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. It was posted with the note, "A nice change from tacos or tortillas to accompany Mexican meals. Makes 1-1/2 dozen."
The poster, Carolyn, added, "I would just use a can of chopped green chilies, drained, if fresh ones are not convenient."
Yield: 18 servings
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tbs sugar
1 tbs baking powder(double-acting)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs; slightly beaten
1 cup yogurt; plain
1 can cream-style corn (8-3/4 ounce)
1/4 cup green chili peppers,* seeded and minced (see note above)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450F. Mix together the cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using pastry blender, cut in the shortening until the consistency is grainy. Beat the eggs into the yogurt, then add to the cornmeal mixture. Add the cream-style corn and chili peppers, mixing just until moistened.
Divide the batter evenly among 18 greased or paper-lined muffin cups. Bake until lightly browned, about 12 to 15 minutes.
THREE SISTERS SOUP
This is from American Heart Association, and begins, “Simple Cooking with Heart brings you this interesting vegetable and bean soup called Three Sisters Soup.
“This is actually a Native American recipe and the three 'sisters' refer to corn, beans and squash!”
Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://recipes.heart.org/en/recipes/three-sisters-soup
Note: This recipe calls for either chicken or vegetable stock on the American Heart Association web site. However, since this is a vegetarian blog, I'm keeping it at only the veggie broth. Also, if you're looking for quite a few yummy heart-healthy recipes, check out the AHA's site and follow around to their recipes.
Ingredients
6 cups fat-free, low-sodium vegetable stock
16 oz. canned, low-sodium yellow corn or hominy, drained, rinsed
16 oz. canned, low-sodium kidney beans (drained, rinsed)
1 small onion (chopped)
1 rib celery (chopped)
15 oz. canned, cooked pumpkin (Tip: Be careful, don’t get pumpkin pie filling!)
5 fresh sage leaves
OR
1/2 tsp. dried sage
1/2 tsp. curry powder
Directions
Bring veggie stock to a slow boil.
Add corn/hominy, beans, onion and celery.Boil for 10 minutes.
Add sage leaves, curry and pumpkin and simmer on medium-low heat for 20 minutes.
VEGETARIAN MEXICAN INSPIRED STUFFED PEPPERS
This yumminess comes from Donnam at allrecipes. She wrote, "I created this so it's not too spicy, but is packed with flavor. My kids loved it! For variety, add corn or other vegetables or switch to other chopped tomato varieties (chiles, jalapenos, etc.). Follow the boiling method prior to baking if you don't want a crispy bell pepper. If you have small peppers, use more of them for this recipe. They taste great with a dollop of sour cream on top."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 55 minutes; Servings: 4
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/231514/vegetarian-mexican-inspired-stuffed-peppers/.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon salt
4 large green bell peppers - tops, seeds, and membranes removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups cooked rice
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 ounce) can chili-style diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (8 ounce) package shredded Mexican cheese blend (such as Sargento® Authentic Mexican)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Bring a large pot of water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil; cook green bell peppers in the boiling water until slightly softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion in the hot oil until softened and transparent, 5 to 10 minutes.
Mix rice, black beans, tomatoes, and cooked onion in a large bowl. Add chili powder, garlic salt, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt; stir until evenly mixed. Fold 1 1/2 cups Mexican cheese blend into rice mixture. Spoon rice mixture into each bell pepper; arrange peppers in 9x9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle peppers with remaining Mexican cheese blend.
Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 30 minutes.
Cook's Note:
I like to use Sargento(R) Authentic Mexican shredded cheese, which takes it over the top!
SPICY PUMPKIN AND COLLARDS
This is from the Food Network. Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 2 hours; Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy
You can view this online at https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/spicy-pumpkin-and-collards-recipe-2108870.
Ingredients
2 2-to-3-pound sugar pumpkins
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, diced
1 plum tomato, diced
1 Scotch bonnet chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 clove garlic, chopped
4 scallions, chopped
1 pound frozen chopped collard greens, thawed
Kosher salt
1 cup evaporated milk
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
4 tablespoons breadcrumbs (preferably panko)
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Ingredients
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Slice off the top 1 1/2 inches of the pumpkins and discard. Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, tomato, chile pepper, thyme and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onion is slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the scallions and collard greens, add 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and cook, stirring, until the greens are slightly tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the evaporated milk and nutmeg and bring to a gentle boil. Stir in 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs, the cheddar cheese and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and cook, stirring, until the cheese melts and the mixture thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Put the pumpkins in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and fill evenly with the collard greens mixture.
Toss the remaining 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs with the parmesan. Sprinkle over the filling. Add 1 inch of boiling water to the baking dish. Cover loosely with foil and bake until the pumpkins are tender, about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until browned and bubbly on top, about 30 more minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then scrape the pumpkin flesh and serve with the collards.
VEGGIE CHILI CORNBREAD CASSEROLE
This comes from Taylerand20 at Allrecipes. Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes; Additional Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes; Servings: 10
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/270846/veggie-chili-cornbread-casserole/.
Ingredients
Chili:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn
2 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon lime juice
Cornbread:
1 1/2 cups milk
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 small jalapeno pepper, chopped
Garnish:
1 jalapeno pepper, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Directions
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering, about 1 minute. Add onion, carrot, and bell pepper. Mix to combine and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper. Stir and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Add diced tomatoes, black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, and corn to the Dutch oven and stir to combine. Pour in broth and lime juice; stir to combine. Increase heat to high and bring chili to a boil, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Whisk milk and egg together in a large bowl until well combined.
Combine cornmeal, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together in a large bowl. Add milk mixture and whisk until smooth. Add melted butter and stir to combine. Add jalapeno and stir to incorporate into the cornbread batter.
Remove Dutch oven from the stove. Pour batter over the chili in the Dutch oven. Use a spatula to cover chili completely and smooth the top.
Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the cornbread comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
Garnish cornbread casserole with sliced jalapeno and cilantro.
Friday, July 10, 2026
Friday Recipes
It's finally Friday. Yay!
What are your plans for the weekend? (Do you have plans for the weekend?) I'm still not sure what I'll be doing this weekend.
Anywho, getting on to today's recipes...Check out the Turkey Veggie Sloppy Joes, the Hearty Ham and White Bean Soup, or any of the other yummy recipes in today's post. Enjoy!
SLOW-COOKER BEEF BARBACOA NACHOS WITH QUESO
This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "No need for an oven with these slow-cooker beef barbacoa nachos with quasi."
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 4 hours 40 minutes; Makes 8 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/slow-cooker-beef-barbacoa-nachos-with-queso.
Ingredients
2 1/2 lb boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed of fat and cut into 4 pieces
1 package (0.85 oz) Old El Paso™ beef barbacoa slow cooker seasoning mix
1 cup chopped onions
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
8 cups tortilla chips (8 oz)
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (8 oz)
1 cup Old El Paso™ traditional refried beans, heated (from 16-oz can)
12 oz Kraft™ Velveeta™ original cheese product, cut into cubes
3/4 cup Old El Paso™ Thick ‘n Chunky medium salsa
Sliced green onions
Diced avocado
Diced tomato
Old El Paso™ pickled jalapeño slices
Preparation
Spray 4- to 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In slow cooker, mix Barbacoa ingredients. Cover; cook on High heat setting 4 to 5 hours, or Low heat setting 8 to 9 hours or until tender. Transfer beef to cutting board; shred with two forks. Reserve 2 cups shredded beef for nachos. Save remaining for another use.
Heat oven to 400°F. Line large rimmed baking pan with foil.
Spread half of chips evenly in pan. Sprinkle half of the Cheddar cheese over the chips; top with half of the refried beans and half of the barbacoa. Repeat layers. Bake 9 to 10 minutes or until hot and cheese is melted.
Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat Queso ingredients over medium-low heat. Cook until melted, stirring occasionally.
Drizzle 1 cup of the queso over nachos. Sprinkle with Toppings. Serve immediately with extra queso on the side.
DUTCH OVEN CHICKEN AND VINAIGRETTE
This is from Dorie Greenspan in The New York Times cooking newsletter. She wrote, "This is a simple dish: chicken that’s a little bit braised and a little bit roasted in a covered Dutch oven. The seasonings — garlic, onions, herbs and lemon — are basic and border on assertive until they cook together, when their aromas intensify and their flavors soften. Putting half the aromatics in the pot with oil and wine, tucking the other half inside the chicken and cooking in this enclosed, steamy environment means that everything that goes into the pot goes into the chicken. When the chicken’s cooked through, pour off the pan juices, crush the tender garlic and add sharp mustard and vinegar to make a vinaigrette that’s as good over salad greens as over the chicken."
Yield: 4 servings; Time: About 2 hours
This was featured in "A Holy-Grail, One-Pot Roast Chicken", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022498-dutch-oven-chicken-and-vinaigrette.
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion (preferably yellow), trimmed, peeled and cut into eighths
1 head garlic, cut crosswise
5 fresh thyme sprigs
5 fresh rosemary sprigs
Fine or coarse sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds)
1/2 lemon
3/4 cup white wine
For the Vinaigrette:
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons wine vinegar (preferably sherry)
1 teaspoon walnut oil (optional)
For Serving:
3 to 4 handfuls salad greens
Preparation
Make the chicken: Heat oven to 450 degrees.
Pour 3 tablespoons of the olive oil into a Dutch oven large enough to hold the chicken, then toss in all but 1 piece of the onion. Add the garlic and 4 sprigs each of the thyme and rosemary. Stir to coat, then season generously with salt and pepper.
Pat the chicken dry, season the inside with salt and pepper, and tuck in the remaining piece of onion and herb sprigs. Rub the chicken with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Squeeze the juice from the lemon half over the bird, and then pop the lemon inside it with the herbs and onion. Settle the chicken into the pot, breast side up. Pour in the wine and cover.
Roast the chicken for 60 minutes, then check on it: It’s done when a thermometer plunged into the thickest part of the thigh has reached 165 degrees. If it’s done but doesn’t have enough color for you, you can run it under the broiler for a few minutes; if it’s not done, remove the lid and continue to roast until done, 15 to 30 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a platter, cover loosely with a foil tent, and let rest.
While the chicken rests, make the vinaigrette: Pour off the pan drippings, measure out 6 tablespoons and return them to the pot. (If your drippings are scant or very dark, you can still use them. Keep any extra drippings for another use.) Hold onto the garlic but discard the onion and herbs from the pot. Place the pot over medium heat, pour in 1/2 cup water, and boil for a couple of minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to pick up any stuck bits. You should have about 1/3 cup of drippings; if they’re very chunky, strain them when you add them to the vinaigrette.
Working in a medium bowl, mash 6 to 8 cloves of the soft garlic with the mustard, then whisk in the vinegar. Slowly whisk in the reserved liquid, followed by the walnut oil, if using. Taste for salt and pepper, then pour the vinaigrette into a small pitcher.
To serve, carve the chicken, cutting it into quarters or eighths, and arrange on the platter. Pour over a little of the vinaigrette. Dress the salad greens lightly with vinaigrette and serve on the platter or in a shallow bowl. Pass the rest of the sauce at the table.
LOADED BAKED POTATO
This yumminess is from Tara Holland on TheKitchn, a site I absolutely love (along with its sibling site, Apartment Therapy). If you haven't checked out either site, feel free to; they're both fantastic.
This starts off, "With its creamy, buttery center and crispy bacon topping, a loaded baked potato is comfort food at its best. Every cheesy, decadent bite is better than the last, and when you’ve polished off the center, you’re treated to the salty, crackly skin."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes; Makes 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.thekitchn.com/loaded-baked-potato-recipe-23198227.
Ingredients
6 slices regular or thick-cut bacon (about 7 ounces)
4 large russet potatoes (8 to 10 ounces each)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 medium scallions
1 bunch fresh chives
3/4 cup sour cream, divided
1/4 cup whole or 2% milk
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper or black pepper
Directions
Arrange 2 shelves to divide the oven into thirds, then heat the oven to 400ºF. Meanwhile, wash and scrub 4 large russet potatoes. Prick each potato all over with a fork. Rub the potatoes all over with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, then place 6 slices bacon in a single layer on the foil.
Place the bacon on the upper rack and the potatoes directly on the lower rack. Bake until the bacon is crisp and golden-brown, 15 to 20 minutes, and the potatoes have crisp skin and are fork-tender, about 1 hour.
When the bacon is ready, immediately transfer to a clean cutting board. Cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide pieces.
Meanwhile, shred 8 ounces cheddar cheese on the large holes of a box grater (about 2 cups). Cut 5 tablespoons unsalted butter into a few pieces and place in a large bowl. Thinly slice 3 medium scallions, keeping the whites and dark green parts separate. Finely chop 1 bunch fresh chives until you have 4 tablespoons. Transfer the scallion whites and 3 tablespoons of the chives to the bowl of butter. Reserve the scallion greens and remaining 1 tablespoon chives for garnish.
When potatoes are ready, set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Discard the foil from the baking sheet, then line the baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut a slit lengthwise most of the way down each potato, making sure the halves are still connected. Carefully scoop out the potato flesh and place in the bowl of butter, leaving about 1/4-inch potato flesh as the shell. Place the potato shells skin-side down on the baking sheet.
Coarsely mash the potato-butter mixture directly in the bowl with a potato masher or fork until the butter is melted. Add half of the bacon, 1 cup of the cheese, 6 tablespoons of the sour cream, 1/4 cup milk, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, the remaining 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon white or black pepper. Mix thoroughly with rubber spatula until combined.
Divide the mixture between the potato shells, mounding the mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake on the upper rack until the cheese is melted, about 8 minutes.
Sprinkle with the remaining bacon and reserved scallion greens. Dollop with the remaining 6 tablespoons sour cream and sprinkle with the reserved chives.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
TURKEY VEGGIE SLOPPY JOES
This is from The Mayo CLinic.
Serves 10; Serving size: 1 sandwich
To view this online, go to http://diet.mayoclinic.org/diet/recipe/turkey-veggie-sloppy-joes.
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground turkey breast meat (or 12 ounces soy-based crumbles)
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1/2 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups zucchini, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 can low-sodium tomato paste (6 ounces) 1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon mild chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
5 ounces reduced-fat cheddar cheese, thinly sliced 10 whole-wheat hamburger buns
Directions
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté ground turkey until browned, about 7 minutes. Add onion and sauté 2 minutes. Add carrot and green pepper and sauté 2 minutes. Add zucchini and garlic and sauté 2 minutes more.
Add tomato paste and water, stirring until the paste has dissolved. Add chili powder, paprika, oregano and pepper. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until the mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes.
Preheat broiler. Divide cheese among the bottom halves of the hamburger buns. Transfer both halves of the buns to the broiler, open-faced, and toast until the cheese has melted and the buns are toasted.
Remove buns from the broiler and fill each sandwich with the meat-vegetable mixture. Serve immediately.
HEARTY HAM AND WHITE BEAN SOUP
This is by Pam Anderson and was in the January 2010 issue of Runner's World (page 44; "The Athlete's Palate"). It begins, "The cabbage in this dish is rich in vitamin C and fiber, as well as phytonutrients that helpl protect against some cancers. To save time and speed up the cooking process, heat the broth and tomatoes in the microwave while chopping the vegetables."
Pam Anderson has a really great cooking site, called Three Many Cooks. I really recommend it. Go ahead, I'll wait. (Tap, tap, tap
And now, on to the soup.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 sweet onion, diced into medium pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 large carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced thin
1/2 cabbage, cored, cut into bite-size shreds
12 ounces lean ham steak, diced into small pieces
1 quart chicken broth
1 14.5-ounce can petite-diced tomatoes
2 cans (15 oz each) white beans, undrained
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Directions
Heat the oil over medium-high in a soup kettles. Add the onion, saute until soft and golden, about five minutes. Add the Italian seasoning and saute until fragrant, about one minute. Add the remaining ingredients, then bring to a full simmer, skimming any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce heat to low, simmer gently (partially covered) until the vegetables are just cooked and flavors blended, about 15 minutes. Stir in the parsley; cover and let stand five minutes. Serve's six.
ITALIAN GRILLED STUFFED PEPPERS
This comes from Kraft and begins, “Discover these Italian Grilled Stuffed Peppers and bring a little bit of Italy into your kitchen! These grilled stuffed peppers are delicious!”
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Servings: 6 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1-3/4 cups water, divided
1-1/2 cups instant brown rice, uncooked
2 cups frozen BOCA Veggie Ground Crumbles
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1-1/2 cups OLIVO by CLASSICO Traditional Pasta Sauce, divided
1-1/2 cups KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
1 large each red, yellow and green pepper, cut lengthwise in half, seeded
Directions
Heat grill to medium-high heat.
Bring 1-1/2 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add rice; cover. Simmer 5 min. Remove from heat; let stand 5 min. Stir in crumbles, zucchini, seasoning and 1 cup each pasta sauce and cheese; spoon into peppers.
Place each filled pepper half on center of 12-inch-square sheet heavy-duty foil. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Bring up foil sides. Spoon 1 Tbsp. of the remaining water onto bottom of each foil packet. Double fold top and ends to seal packets, leaving room for heat circulation inside.
Grill 20 to 25 min. or until peppers are crisp-tender and filling is heated through (160ºF).
What are your plans for the weekend? (Do you have plans for the weekend?) I'm still not sure what I'll be doing this weekend.
Anywho, getting on to today's recipes...Check out the Turkey Veggie Sloppy Joes, the Hearty Ham and White Bean Soup, or any of the other yummy recipes in today's post. Enjoy!
SLOW-COOKER BEEF BARBACOA NACHOS WITH QUESO
This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "No need for an oven with these slow-cooker beef barbacoa nachos with quasi."
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 4 hours 40 minutes; Makes 8 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/slow-cooker-beef-barbacoa-nachos-with-queso.
Ingredients
2 1/2 lb boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed of fat and cut into 4 pieces
1 package (0.85 oz) Old El Paso™ beef barbacoa slow cooker seasoning mix
1 cup chopped onions
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
8 cups tortilla chips (8 oz)
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (8 oz)
1 cup Old El Paso™ traditional refried beans, heated (from 16-oz can)
12 oz Kraft™ Velveeta™ original cheese product, cut into cubes
3/4 cup Old El Paso™ Thick ‘n Chunky medium salsa
Sliced green onions
Diced avocado
Diced tomato
Old El Paso™ pickled jalapeño slices
Preparation
Spray 4- to 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In slow cooker, mix Barbacoa ingredients. Cover; cook on High heat setting 4 to 5 hours, or Low heat setting 8 to 9 hours or until tender. Transfer beef to cutting board; shred with two forks. Reserve 2 cups shredded beef for nachos. Save remaining for another use.
Heat oven to 400°F. Line large rimmed baking pan with foil.
Spread half of chips evenly in pan. Sprinkle half of the Cheddar cheese over the chips; top with half of the refried beans and half of the barbacoa. Repeat layers. Bake 9 to 10 minutes or until hot and cheese is melted.
Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat Queso ingredients over medium-low heat. Cook until melted, stirring occasionally.
Drizzle 1 cup of the queso over nachos. Sprinkle with Toppings. Serve immediately with extra queso on the side.
DUTCH OVEN CHICKEN AND VINAIGRETTE
This is from Dorie Greenspan in The New York Times cooking newsletter. She wrote, "This is a simple dish: chicken that’s a little bit braised and a little bit roasted in a covered Dutch oven. The seasonings — garlic, onions, herbs and lemon — are basic and border on assertive until they cook together, when their aromas intensify and their flavors soften. Putting half the aromatics in the pot with oil and wine, tucking the other half inside the chicken and cooking in this enclosed, steamy environment means that everything that goes into the pot goes into the chicken. When the chicken’s cooked through, pour off the pan juices, crush the tender garlic and add sharp mustard and vinegar to make a vinaigrette that’s as good over salad greens as over the chicken."
Yield: 4 servings; Time: About 2 hours
This was featured in "A Holy-Grail, One-Pot Roast Chicken", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022498-dutch-oven-chicken-and-vinaigrette.
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion (preferably yellow), trimmed, peeled and cut into eighths
1 head garlic, cut crosswise
5 fresh thyme sprigs
5 fresh rosemary sprigs
Fine or coarse sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds)
1/2 lemon
3/4 cup white wine
For the Vinaigrette:
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons wine vinegar (preferably sherry)
1 teaspoon walnut oil (optional)
For Serving:
3 to 4 handfuls salad greens
Preparation
Make the chicken: Heat oven to 450 degrees.
Pour 3 tablespoons of the olive oil into a Dutch oven large enough to hold the chicken, then toss in all but 1 piece of the onion. Add the garlic and 4 sprigs each of the thyme and rosemary. Stir to coat, then season generously with salt and pepper.
Pat the chicken dry, season the inside with salt and pepper, and tuck in the remaining piece of onion and herb sprigs. Rub the chicken with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Squeeze the juice from the lemon half over the bird, and then pop the lemon inside it with the herbs and onion. Settle the chicken into the pot, breast side up. Pour in the wine and cover.
Roast the chicken for 60 minutes, then check on it: It’s done when a thermometer plunged into the thickest part of the thigh has reached 165 degrees. If it’s done but doesn’t have enough color for you, you can run it under the broiler for a few minutes; if it’s not done, remove the lid and continue to roast until done, 15 to 30 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a platter, cover loosely with a foil tent, and let rest.
While the chicken rests, make the vinaigrette: Pour off the pan drippings, measure out 6 tablespoons and return them to the pot. (If your drippings are scant or very dark, you can still use them. Keep any extra drippings for another use.) Hold onto the garlic but discard the onion and herbs from the pot. Place the pot over medium heat, pour in 1/2 cup water, and boil for a couple of minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to pick up any stuck bits. You should have about 1/3 cup of drippings; if they’re very chunky, strain them when you add them to the vinaigrette.
Working in a medium bowl, mash 6 to 8 cloves of the soft garlic with the mustard, then whisk in the vinegar. Slowly whisk in the reserved liquid, followed by the walnut oil, if using. Taste for salt and pepper, then pour the vinaigrette into a small pitcher.
To serve, carve the chicken, cutting it into quarters or eighths, and arrange on the platter. Pour over a little of the vinaigrette. Dress the salad greens lightly with vinaigrette and serve on the platter or in a shallow bowl. Pass the rest of the sauce at the table.
LOADED BAKED POTATO
This yumminess is from Tara Holland on TheKitchn, a site I absolutely love (along with its sibling site, Apartment Therapy). If you haven't checked out either site, feel free to; they're both fantastic.
This starts off, "With its creamy, buttery center and crispy bacon topping, a loaded baked potato is comfort food at its best. Every cheesy, decadent bite is better than the last, and when you’ve polished off the center, you’re treated to the salty, crackly skin."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes; Makes 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.thekitchn.com/loaded-baked-potato-recipe-23198227.
Ingredients
6 slices regular or thick-cut bacon (about 7 ounces)
4 large russet potatoes (8 to 10 ounces each)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 medium scallions
1 bunch fresh chives
3/4 cup sour cream, divided
1/4 cup whole or 2% milk
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper or black pepper
Directions
Arrange 2 shelves to divide the oven into thirds, then heat the oven to 400ºF. Meanwhile, wash and scrub 4 large russet potatoes. Prick each potato all over with a fork. Rub the potatoes all over with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, then place 6 slices bacon in a single layer on the foil.
Place the bacon on the upper rack and the potatoes directly on the lower rack. Bake until the bacon is crisp and golden-brown, 15 to 20 minutes, and the potatoes have crisp skin and are fork-tender, about 1 hour.
When the bacon is ready, immediately transfer to a clean cutting board. Cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide pieces.
Meanwhile, shred 8 ounces cheddar cheese on the large holes of a box grater (about 2 cups). Cut 5 tablespoons unsalted butter into a few pieces and place in a large bowl. Thinly slice 3 medium scallions, keeping the whites and dark green parts separate. Finely chop 1 bunch fresh chives until you have 4 tablespoons. Transfer the scallion whites and 3 tablespoons of the chives to the bowl of butter. Reserve the scallion greens and remaining 1 tablespoon chives for garnish.
When potatoes are ready, set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Discard the foil from the baking sheet, then line the baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut a slit lengthwise most of the way down each potato, making sure the halves are still connected. Carefully scoop out the potato flesh and place in the bowl of butter, leaving about 1/4-inch potato flesh as the shell. Place the potato shells skin-side down on the baking sheet.
Coarsely mash the potato-butter mixture directly in the bowl with a potato masher or fork until the butter is melted. Add half of the bacon, 1 cup of the cheese, 6 tablespoons of the sour cream, 1/4 cup milk, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, the remaining 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon white or black pepper. Mix thoroughly with rubber spatula until combined.
Divide the mixture between the potato shells, mounding the mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake on the upper rack until the cheese is melted, about 8 minutes.
Sprinkle with the remaining bacon and reserved scallion greens. Dollop with the remaining 6 tablespoons sour cream and sprinkle with the reserved chives.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
TURKEY VEGGIE SLOPPY JOES
This is from The Mayo CLinic.
Serves 10; Serving size: 1 sandwich
To view this online, go to http://diet.mayoclinic.org/diet/recipe/turkey-veggie-sloppy-joes.
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground turkey breast meat (or 12 ounces soy-based crumbles)
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1/2 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups zucchini, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 can low-sodium tomato paste (6 ounces) 1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon mild chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
5 ounces reduced-fat cheddar cheese, thinly sliced 10 whole-wheat hamburger buns
Directions
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté ground turkey until browned, about 7 minutes. Add onion and sauté 2 minutes. Add carrot and green pepper and sauté 2 minutes. Add zucchini and garlic and sauté 2 minutes more.
Add tomato paste and water, stirring until the paste has dissolved. Add chili powder, paprika, oregano and pepper. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until the mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes.
Preheat broiler. Divide cheese among the bottom halves of the hamburger buns. Transfer both halves of the buns to the broiler, open-faced, and toast until the cheese has melted and the buns are toasted.
Remove buns from the broiler and fill each sandwich with the meat-vegetable mixture. Serve immediately.
HEARTY HAM AND WHITE BEAN SOUP
This is by Pam Anderson and was in the January 2010 issue of Runner's World (page 44; "The Athlete's Palate"). It begins, "The cabbage in this dish is rich in vitamin C and fiber, as well as phytonutrients that helpl protect against some cancers. To save time and speed up the cooking process, heat the broth and tomatoes in the microwave while chopping the vegetables."
Pam Anderson has a really great cooking site, called Three Many Cooks. I really recommend it. Go ahead, I'll wait. (Tap, tap, tap
And now, on to the soup.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 sweet onion, diced into medium pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 large carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced thin
1/2 cabbage, cored, cut into bite-size shreds
12 ounces lean ham steak, diced into small pieces
1 quart chicken broth
1 14.5-ounce can petite-diced tomatoes
2 cans (15 oz each) white beans, undrained
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Directions
Heat the oil over medium-high in a soup kettles. Add the onion, saute until soft and golden, about five minutes. Add the Italian seasoning and saute until fragrant, about one minute. Add the remaining ingredients, then bring to a full simmer, skimming any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce heat to low, simmer gently (partially covered) until the vegetables are just cooked and flavors blended, about 15 minutes. Stir in the parsley; cover and let stand five minutes. Serve's six.
ITALIAN GRILLED STUFFED PEPPERS
This comes from Kraft and begins, “Discover these Italian Grilled Stuffed Peppers and bring a little bit of Italy into your kitchen! These grilled stuffed peppers are delicious!”
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Servings: 6 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1-3/4 cups water, divided
1-1/2 cups instant brown rice, uncooked
2 cups frozen BOCA Veggie Ground Crumbles
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1-1/2 cups OLIVO by CLASSICO Traditional Pasta Sauce, divided
1-1/2 cups KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
1 large each red, yellow and green pepper, cut lengthwise in half, seeded
Directions
Heat grill to medium-high heat.
Bring 1-1/2 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add rice; cover. Simmer 5 min. Remove from heat; let stand 5 min. Stir in crumbles, zucchini, seasoning and 1 cup each pasta sauce and cheese; spoon into peppers.
Place each filled pepper half on center of 12-inch-square sheet heavy-duty foil. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Bring up foil sides. Spoon 1 Tbsp. of the remaining water onto bottom of each foil packet. Double fold top and ends to seal packets, leaving room for heat circulation inside.
Grill 20 to 25 min. or until peppers are crisp-tender and filling is heated through (160ºF).
Thursday, July 9, 2026
Where's the Beef?
Today's post helps to answer the age-old (or at least from the 1980s) question, "Where's the beef?". Check out the Beef and Pinto Bean Chili, the Creamed Chipped Beef on Toast, and the rest of today's offerings. Enjoy!
EASY PORCUPINE MEATBALLS
This yumminess is from Coco Morante at Simply Recipes. For this recipe, Coco wrote, "Porcupine meatballs...really do resemble little woodland creatures, nestled in their tomato sauce with quills at the ready. They are truly a sight to behold when you lift the lid off of the skillet.
"Despite their spiky appearance, these meatballs are soft and tender. A fun and retro dish, they started to appear in the early 20th century but gained popularity post World War II, when brands like Hunt’s printed recipes for porcupine meatballs in ads for their tomato sauce."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 55 minutes; Total Time: 65 minutes; Servings: 4; Yield: 14 meatballs
To view this online, go to https://www.simplyrecipes.com/easy-porcupine-meatballs-recipe-8710565.
Ingredients
For the meatballs
1 pound ground beef (85% to 90% lean)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup uncooked long grain rice
1/4 medium yellow onion, finely diced
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
3/4 medium yellow onion, finely diced
2 ribs celery, finely diced (optional)
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1-1/4 cups water
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, optional
Directions
Add the beef, water, rice, onion, salt, and pepper to a mixing bowl. Stir or use your hands to mix until evenly combined.
Heat the oil and garlic in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat. When the garlic begins to bubble around the edges, add the onions and celery and sauté until the onions are beginning to soften and become translucent, 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and water.
When the sauce comes up to a simmer, use a 2-1/2-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion out the meatballs, dropping them into the sauce in a single layer. You can also roll the meatballs in your hands—aim for approximately golf ball-sized meatballs.
Let the sauce come up to a simmer again. Turn the heat down to low and cover the skillet with a lid or a piece of foil. Let the meatballs simmer in the sauce until the meatballs are tender, the rice is cooked through and the grains are poking out of the meatballs, and the sauce is thickened, about 45 minutes. Check at the 30-minute mark to make sure the sauce hasn’t reduced too much, and gently stir in a splash of water if needed.
Garnish the meatballs with chopped parsley and serve right away.
Store any leftovers in a tightly lidded container, refrigerated, for up to 4 days. Reheat a serving in the microwave for about 2 minutes, lightly covered to avoid splatters.
These meatballs freeze well and work beautifully for meal prep, too! Flash freeze uncooked meatballs on a baking pan, then store in an airtight container for up to three months. When you're ready to cook, simmer the meatballs in the sauce and serve.
GROWN-UP SLOPPY JOES
This is from Everyday Diabetic Recipes. It begins, "Who says Sloppy Joes are only for kids? We've lightened up the typical kid's meal with fresh vegetables and added a bit of spice for good measure. Your kids will still like it, and so will you!"
Cook Time: 15 minutes; Serves: 4
To view this online, do to https://www.everydaydiabeticrecipes.com/Beef/Grown-Up-Sloppy-Joes.
Ingredients
1 pound 95% lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 small zucchini, shredded
2 cups light spaghetti sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
8 whole wheat, sandwich thins, split
Directions
In a large skillet, brown ground beef, onion, and zucchini over medium-high heat 10 to 12 minutes, or until beef is no longer pink and zucchini is tender.
Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in spaghetti sauce, garlic powder, chili powder, and black pepper. Cook an additional 4 to 5 minutes, or until heated through.
Spoon over bottom halves of sandwich thins, cover with tops, and serve immediately.
COTTAGE PIE
This is from Dan Pelosi at The New York Times cooking newsletter. For this recipe, Dan wrote, "In this hearty and satisfying meal, ground beef is smothered in a delicious and thick gravy along with carrots, onions, celery and peas, then covered in creamy mashed potatoes and baked. Known for being freezer friendly, easy to make and economical, this recipe stretches its simple ingredients to feed many mouths. For variation, try using other vegetables in the base and swapping in sweet potatoes for the topping."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours; Yield: 6 to 8 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1026474-cottage-pie. While you're there, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking newsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
For the Filling
2 pounds ground beef
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons salted butter
1 medium white or yellow onion, diced, about 1 cup
2 celery stalks, finely chopped, about 1/2 cup
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped, about 1/2 cup
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups beef broth
1/2 cup dry red wine (or water)
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 thyme sprigs
2 dried bay leaves
For the Topping
Salt
\2-1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup whole milk
5 tablespoons salted butter, melted
3/4 cup grated Parmesan (about 1-1/2 ounces)
Preparation
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare the filling: Heat an ovenproof 12-inch skillet over medium. Add ground beef and a large pinch of salt and cook, breaking up the meat as you go, until slightly pink and just cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ground beef to a bowl and set aside. Leave about a teaspoon of fat in the pan and discard the rest.
To the same skillet, add butter, onion, celery and carrot and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the carrot is just tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste, stirring to coat, about 1 minute. Add flour and stir to incorporate.
Add broth, red wine, peas, Worcestershire sauce, thyme sprigs, bay leaves and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Stir to combine, then bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the consistency of thick gravy, 7 to 10 minutes. Taste and add extra seasoning, if needed. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs and stir in the ground beef. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
Make the topping: To a large saucepan, add 4 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons of salt and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until knife-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and put back into the saucepan. Add the milk, 4 tablespoons butter and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan. Mash with a potato masher until just creamy, avoiding over-mashing. Taste and add salt if needed.
Dollop the mashed potatoes on top of the beef mixture in the skillet, carefully smoothing the mashed potatoes until it fully covers the beef mixture and reaches the edge of the pan. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter over the top, sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup grated Parmesan and bake in the oven until golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Tip
If you do not have an oven-proof skillet, you can transfer beef mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish for assembly and baking.
CREAMED CHIPPED BEEF ON TOAST
This is from Lisa at allrecipes. The recipe begins, "This chipped beef recipe is straight from my mom. We called it SOS (Same Ole Stuff), and it's great comfort food! It's easy to make and tastes great with a cold beer."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Makes 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/20225/creamed-chipped-beef-on-toast/.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups warm milk
1 (8 ounce) jar dried beef, chopped
1 pinch cayenne pepper
bread, toasted
Ingredients
Gather all ingredients.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add flour and whisk until smooth.
Add milk a little at a time, whisking well after each addition. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring, until thickened.
Stir in beef and cayenne; cook until warmed through.
Serve over toast.
Recipe Tip
This recipe can also be made with 3/4 pound browned, drained hamburger meat.
BEEF TORTILLA CASSEROLE
This comes from Old El Paso, and begins, “An enchilada dinner kit creates a hearty beef casserole that's in the oven in just 20 minutes.”
Prep Time: 20 Minutes; Total Time: 50 Minutes; Makes 6 servings
View this online at https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/beef-tortilla-casserole.
Ingredients
1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 box (14.2 oz) Old El Paso™ enchilada dinner kit
1/2 cup water
1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso™ chopped green chiles
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
Preparation
Heat oven to 350°F. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef and onion, stirring occasionally, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in both pouches enchilada sauce (from dinner kit), the seasoning mix (from dinner kit), water and chiles; heat until hot.
In ungreased 11x7-inch baking dish, spread 1 cup of the beef mixture. Cut tortillas (from dinner kit) in half. Place 6 tortilla halves on beef; spread with 1/2 cup of the sour cream. Top with 1/2 cup of the cheese, 1 cup of the beef mixture and remaining 6 tortilla halves. Top with remaining sour cream, remaining beef mixture and remaining cheese.
Bake 30 minutes. If desired, serve with additional sour cream, diced red bell pepper and chopped fresh cilantro.
Expert Tips
Serve a tossed salad wtih fruity chunks of pineapple, mango or oranges.
BEEF AND PINTO BEAN CHILI
This is from WW, and begins, "Chili doesn’t get any easier than this quick beef-and-bean version you make in a skillet. You can serve it with lime wedges, a sprinkle of coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, and dollops of plain fat-free Greek yogurt."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Serves: 4; Serving size: about 1-1/4 cups; Difficulty: Easy
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 tsp canola oil
14 oz Frozen pepper strips with onions
1 large clove Garlic, minced
1 pound uncooked lean ground beef
15 1/2 oz Canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained
14 1/2 oz Canned tomatoes with green chilis
1 cup Canned crushed tomatoes fire roasted
2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp Dried oregano, crumbled
1/4 tsp Table salt
1/4 tsp Black pepper
Directions
Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add frozen vegetables and garlic and cook, stirring, until vegetables are thawed and any liquid is evaporated, about 3 minutes.
Add beef to skillet and cook, breaking it up with wooden spoon, about 2 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes, chili powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat and cook, stirring, until beef is no longer pink and chili is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes longer. Divide among 4 bowls.
EASY PORCUPINE MEATBALLS
This yumminess is from Coco Morante at Simply Recipes. For this recipe, Coco wrote, "Porcupine meatballs...really do resemble little woodland creatures, nestled in their tomato sauce with quills at the ready. They are truly a sight to behold when you lift the lid off of the skillet.
"Despite their spiky appearance, these meatballs are soft and tender. A fun and retro dish, they started to appear in the early 20th century but gained popularity post World War II, when brands like Hunt’s printed recipes for porcupine meatballs in ads for their tomato sauce."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 55 minutes; Total Time: 65 minutes; Servings: 4; Yield: 14 meatballs
To view this online, go to https://www.simplyrecipes.com/easy-porcupine-meatballs-recipe-8710565.
Ingredients
For the meatballs
1 pound ground beef (85% to 90% lean)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup uncooked long grain rice
1/4 medium yellow onion, finely diced
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
3/4 medium yellow onion, finely diced
2 ribs celery, finely diced (optional)
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1-1/4 cups water
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, optional
Directions
Add the beef, water, rice, onion, salt, and pepper to a mixing bowl. Stir or use your hands to mix until evenly combined.
Heat the oil and garlic in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat. When the garlic begins to bubble around the edges, add the onions and celery and sauté until the onions are beginning to soften and become translucent, 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and water.
When the sauce comes up to a simmer, use a 2-1/2-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion out the meatballs, dropping them into the sauce in a single layer. You can also roll the meatballs in your hands—aim for approximately golf ball-sized meatballs.
Let the sauce come up to a simmer again. Turn the heat down to low and cover the skillet with a lid or a piece of foil. Let the meatballs simmer in the sauce until the meatballs are tender, the rice is cooked through and the grains are poking out of the meatballs, and the sauce is thickened, about 45 minutes. Check at the 30-minute mark to make sure the sauce hasn’t reduced too much, and gently stir in a splash of water if needed.
Garnish the meatballs with chopped parsley and serve right away.
Store any leftovers in a tightly lidded container, refrigerated, for up to 4 days. Reheat a serving in the microwave for about 2 minutes, lightly covered to avoid splatters.
These meatballs freeze well and work beautifully for meal prep, too! Flash freeze uncooked meatballs on a baking pan, then store in an airtight container for up to three months. When you're ready to cook, simmer the meatballs in the sauce and serve.
GROWN-UP SLOPPY JOES
This is from Everyday Diabetic Recipes. It begins, "Who says Sloppy Joes are only for kids? We've lightened up the typical kid's meal with fresh vegetables and added a bit of spice for good measure. Your kids will still like it, and so will you!"
Cook Time: 15 minutes; Serves: 4
To view this online, do to https://www.everydaydiabeticrecipes.com/Beef/Grown-Up-Sloppy-Joes.
Ingredients
1 pound 95% lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 small zucchini, shredded
2 cups light spaghetti sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
8 whole wheat, sandwich thins, split
Directions
In a large skillet, brown ground beef, onion, and zucchini over medium-high heat 10 to 12 minutes, or until beef is no longer pink and zucchini is tender.
Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in spaghetti sauce, garlic powder, chili powder, and black pepper. Cook an additional 4 to 5 minutes, or until heated through.
Spoon over bottom halves of sandwich thins, cover with tops, and serve immediately.
COTTAGE PIE
This is from Dan Pelosi at The New York Times cooking newsletter. For this recipe, Dan wrote, "In this hearty and satisfying meal, ground beef is smothered in a delicious and thick gravy along with carrots, onions, celery and peas, then covered in creamy mashed potatoes and baked. Known for being freezer friendly, easy to make and economical, this recipe stretches its simple ingredients to feed many mouths. For variation, try using other vegetables in the base and swapping in sweet potatoes for the topping."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours; Yield: 6 to 8 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1026474-cottage-pie. While you're there, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking newsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
For the Filling
2 pounds ground beef
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons salted butter
1 medium white or yellow onion, diced, about 1 cup
2 celery stalks, finely chopped, about 1/2 cup
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped, about 1/2 cup
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups beef broth
1/2 cup dry red wine (or water)
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 thyme sprigs
2 dried bay leaves
For the Topping
Salt
\2-1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup whole milk
5 tablespoons salted butter, melted
3/4 cup grated Parmesan (about 1-1/2 ounces)
Preparation
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare the filling: Heat an ovenproof 12-inch skillet over medium. Add ground beef and a large pinch of salt and cook, breaking up the meat as you go, until slightly pink and just cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ground beef to a bowl and set aside. Leave about a teaspoon of fat in the pan and discard the rest.
To the same skillet, add butter, onion, celery and carrot and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the carrot is just tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste, stirring to coat, about 1 minute. Add flour and stir to incorporate.
Add broth, red wine, peas, Worcestershire sauce, thyme sprigs, bay leaves and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Stir to combine, then bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the consistency of thick gravy, 7 to 10 minutes. Taste and add extra seasoning, if needed. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs and stir in the ground beef. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
Make the topping: To a large saucepan, add 4 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons of salt and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until knife-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and put back into the saucepan. Add the milk, 4 tablespoons butter and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan. Mash with a potato masher until just creamy, avoiding over-mashing. Taste and add salt if needed.
Dollop the mashed potatoes on top of the beef mixture in the skillet, carefully smoothing the mashed potatoes until it fully covers the beef mixture and reaches the edge of the pan. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter over the top, sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup grated Parmesan and bake in the oven until golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Tip
If you do not have an oven-proof skillet, you can transfer beef mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish for assembly and baking.
CREAMED CHIPPED BEEF ON TOAST
This is from Lisa at allrecipes. The recipe begins, "This chipped beef recipe is straight from my mom. We called it SOS (Same Ole Stuff), and it's great comfort food! It's easy to make and tastes great with a cold beer."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Makes 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/20225/creamed-chipped-beef-on-toast/.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups warm milk
1 (8 ounce) jar dried beef, chopped
1 pinch cayenne pepper
bread, toasted
Ingredients
Gather all ingredients.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add flour and whisk until smooth.
Add milk a little at a time, whisking well after each addition. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring, until thickened.
Stir in beef and cayenne; cook until warmed through.
Serve over toast.
Recipe Tip
This recipe can also be made with 3/4 pound browned, drained hamburger meat.
BEEF TORTILLA CASSEROLE
This comes from Old El Paso, and begins, “An enchilada dinner kit creates a hearty beef casserole that's in the oven in just 20 minutes.”
Prep Time: 20 Minutes; Total Time: 50 Minutes; Makes 6 servings
View this online at https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/beef-tortilla-casserole.
Ingredients
1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 box (14.2 oz) Old El Paso™ enchilada dinner kit
1/2 cup water
1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso™ chopped green chiles
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
Preparation
Heat oven to 350°F. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef and onion, stirring occasionally, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in both pouches enchilada sauce (from dinner kit), the seasoning mix (from dinner kit), water and chiles; heat until hot.
In ungreased 11x7-inch baking dish, spread 1 cup of the beef mixture. Cut tortillas (from dinner kit) in half. Place 6 tortilla halves on beef; spread with 1/2 cup of the sour cream. Top with 1/2 cup of the cheese, 1 cup of the beef mixture and remaining 6 tortilla halves. Top with remaining sour cream, remaining beef mixture and remaining cheese.
Bake 30 minutes. If desired, serve with additional sour cream, diced red bell pepper and chopped fresh cilantro.
Expert Tips
Serve a tossed salad wtih fruity chunks of pineapple, mango or oranges.
BEEF AND PINTO BEAN CHILI
This is from WW, and begins, "Chili doesn’t get any easier than this quick beef-and-bean version you make in a skillet. You can serve it with lime wedges, a sprinkle of coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, and dollops of plain fat-free Greek yogurt."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Serves: 4; Serving size: about 1-1/4 cups; Difficulty: Easy
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 tsp canola oil
14 oz Frozen pepper strips with onions
1 large clove Garlic, minced
1 pound uncooked lean ground beef
15 1/2 oz Canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained
14 1/2 oz Canned tomatoes with green chilis
1 cup Canned crushed tomatoes fire roasted
2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp Dried oregano, crumbled
1/4 tsp Table salt
1/4 tsp Black pepper
Directions
Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add frozen vegetables and garlic and cook, stirring, until vegetables are thawed and any liquid is evaporated, about 3 minutes.
Add beef to skillet and cook, breaking it up with wooden spoon, about 2 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes, chili powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat and cook, stirring, until beef is no longer pink and chili is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes longer. Divide among 4 bowls.
Wednesday, July 8, 2026
Drinks
There are times when trying new Drinks are a good idea. Who doesn't get tired of the same-old-same-old?
To that end, here are six drink recipes to help you through the day, including Homemade Ginger Tea and a Chocolate-Espresso Smoothie. Enjoy!
PEACH TEA
This is from Vallery Lomas at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Vallery wrote, "Sweetened with peaches, freshly puréed or from store-bought juice, this beverage tastes extra refreshing in warm weather. The fruit complements strongly brewed tea, and a little lemon juice further accentuates the peach flavor and helps balance the natural sweetness, which you can bolster with sugar if you’d like."
Total Time: 15 minutes; Yield: About 6 cups
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022399-peach-tea. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
8 black tea bags, preferably Lipton
2 pounds ripe peaches (6 to 8), peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped, or 2 cups peach juice (see Tip)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more if needed
1 cup ice, plus more for serving
Granulated sugar, if needed
Fresh peach slices, for serving
Preparation
In a tea kettle or medium saucepan over high heat, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the tea bags. Allow the tea to steep for 5 minutes.
While the tea steeps, purée the peaches, if using fresh fruit. Pulse in a food processor or blender until very smooth. You should have 2 cups.
Gently squeeze the concentrated tea from the bags and discard the bags. If using puréed peaches, pour the tea into the blender, add the lemon juice and purée until smooth. Transfer to a pitcher. If using peach juice, transfer the tea to a pitcher, and stir in the peach juice and lemon juice.
Add the ice to the pitcher, then taste. If it’s too sweet, add more lemon juice, a couple of teaspoons at a time. If it isn’t sweet enough, stir in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dissolved. Refrigerate until the tea is chilled throughout. Serve in a large glass filled with ice and garnished with peach slices.
Tip
Be sure to use peach juice that is 100 percent juice and has no added sugar, such as Ceres brand.
CHAI LATTE
This is from Meghan Splawn in thekitchn. For this yumminess, Meghan wrote, "I fell in love with the idea of chai through the cartons of this drink mix from the grocery store. The milky sweetness partnered with the astringent black tea drew me in, but the warm spices that lingered between sips kept me drinking. It wasn’t long before the sweetness of those chai drink mixes became too much for me and I started experimenting with chai lattes at home.
"This chai latte gives you complete control over your chai latte experience, from the tea and the spices, to the sweetener and type of milk. All you need is to brew, steep, sweeten your tea, and then froth your milk. The result is a creamy cup of black tea subtly spiced and fragrant with cinnamon, black peppercorns, and ginger, and just the right amount of sweetness, so near perfect that you’ll skip the coffee shop chai (or the carton) and come home to make a pot of this at tea time."
Serves 4
To view this online, go to https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-a-chai-tea-latte-242520. There's also a lot of info for making the chai latte as good as it gets.
Ingredients
2 cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
10 whole cloves
6 green cardamom pods, cracked
4 cups water
1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons loose-leaf black tea, or 6 black tea bags
1/2 cup sweetener, such as brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup (optional)
3 cups cold whole milk, coconut milk, or other non-dairy milk
Equipment
Wooden spoon or rubber spatula
Pitcher or teapot
Instructions
Toast the spices. Place the cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves, and cardamom in a small saucepan over medium heat and toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes.
Brew the tea. Add the water and ginger and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Steep the tea. Remove from the heat and add the loose-leaf tea or tea bags. Cover and steep for 10 minutes.
Sweeten the tea. While the tea is still warm, add the sweetener and stir until combined or dissolved.
Strain the tea. Strain the tea through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher or teapot. Discard the spices and tea leaves. Store in the refrigerator for future use, or keep it warm while you froth the milk.
Froth the milk. For whole milk, froth the milk by shaking it in a jar or by whisking it vigorously over medium-high heat. For non-dairy milks, use an immersion blender to froth before heating.
Heat the milk. Heat the frothed milk in a small saucepan over low heat until warm.
Serve. Pour 3/4 cup of the warm tea base into each mug. Add 1/2 cup of warmed milk and stir to combine. Top with a heaping spoonful of milk froth.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: The tea base can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Gently reheat before frothing the milk.
HOMEMADE GINGER TEA
This is from Jolinda Hackett on The Spruce Eats Jolinda wrote, “Wondering how to make a simple and easy homemade ginger tea? Why go out and buy stale old tea bags when you can easily make your own fresh and homemade ginger tea at home using fresh ginger? Treat yourself to a cup of piping hot ginger tea, a healthy drink that's great for digestion.
”Here's how to make the tastiest and most soothing and healing ginger tea you've ever had! There's really no comparison.
“This healing ginger tea recipe actually comes from the raw food and natural health retreat center I used to work at in Thailand, where we served it to our guests bright and early every single morning, seven days a week. The secret to the perfect healing ginger tea? Lots and lots of fresh ginger, simmered for a long time to bring out the flavor, and the lime, which compliments the ginger perfectly, and plenty of natural agave nectar or honey for a refined sugar-free sweetener (or you might prefer it unsweetened, depending on your health goals - It's still delicious, I promise!). Try this simple ginger tea for an immune system boost or for an invigorating way to start the morning.
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 15 minutes; Yield: 2 servings of ginger tea
To check this out online, click here.
Ingredients
About 2 inches of fresh raw ginger (use more or less, depending on how strong you want it!)
1-1/2 to 2 cups water
1 to 2 tablespoons honey (or agave nectar, to taste)
Optional: 1/2 lime (juiced, or to taste)
Directions
First, prepare the fresh ginger by peeling it and slicing it thinly to maximize the surface area. This will help you make a very flavorful ginger tea.
Boil the ginger in water for at least 10 minutes. For a stronger and tangier tea, allow to boil for 20 minutes or more, and use more slices of ginger. You really can't over do it, so feel free to add as much ginger and simmer it for as long as you want.
Remove from heat and add lime juice and honey (or agave nectar) to taste.
The secret to making a really flavorful ginger tea is to use plenty of ginger-more than you think you will need-and also to add a bit of lime juice and honey to your ginger tea. You will also probably want to add more honey than you think you will need as well.
Enjoy your hot ginger tea! A homemade ginger tea is excellent in soothing stomach aches and in aiding digestion.
CHOCOLATE-ESPRESSO SMOOTHIE
This is from the February 2007 issue of Runner’s World.
Ingredients
8 ounces chocolate yogurt, such as Brown Cow “Cream Top”
1 large banana (browned & frozen)*
2 shots espresso, chilled
2 C ice (about 14 ice cubes)
1 dozen chocolate-covered espresso beans
Directions
Place half of the yogurt plus all the remaining ingredients in blender & puree until smooth. Add remaining yogurt & pulse until smooth. (If you add full container of yogurt at beginning, mixture is too thick to blend easily.)
For a thicker smoothie, blend in up to a cup more ice. Serves two.
Note:* Any ripe banana will work, but a browned & frozen banana lends better flavor & texture.
With Brown Cow: calories: 230; fat: 7 g; carbs: 39 g; protein: 7 g.
LIZARD LOUNGE TEA
My oldest son spent several summers traveling the country, both singly and with friends. Several times, he wound up at the Rainbow Gathering, where he hooked up with a larger group of friends. Most of them had grown up in hot areas of the country, so they nicknamed themselves lizards; their area of the camp site was the lizard lounge. They would cook up their version of iced tea, which they would barter for other commodities. They were frequently asked what their secret ingredient was.
This is a scaled down version. I found that cranberry or cranberry-apple herb tea works very nicely with this, but any herbal tea can be used.
This, as well as other yummy recipes, can be found in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
Ingredients
1/2 gallon apple cider
4 – 5 herbal tea bags
Directions
Place cider in a large pan or teakettle and bring to a boil. Place herbal tea bags into a large container and pour the boiled cider over the tea bags. Let steep for 15-30 minutes and cool. Very good.
ORANGE JULIUS
This comes from Kelli Foster on TheKitchn. (No, that's not a typo. If you've never checked out TheKitchn, or its sibling site, Apartment Therapy, I highly recommend checking out both. Seriously.)
Anyway, this makes 2 servings. To view the recipe online (along with a little bit about the Orange Julius), go to https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-an-orange-julius-125422.
Ingredients
1 cup milk (whole, 2%, or skim)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 6-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup sugar (or sugar substitutes, check package for equivalence)
1 1/2 cups ice
Equipment
Blender
Glasses
Directions
Blend the milk and vanilla: Pour the milk and vanilla in a blender and pulse until combined.
Add the frozen concentrate: Add the frozen orange juice concentrate. Blend until fully combined with the milk.
Add the sugar and ice cubes: Blend until cubes are crushed and mixture has thickened. If things end up a little thick, just add a tablespoon of water and mix once again.
Pour and enjoy: Pour the drink into glasses. Serve with a straw and sip your way to blissful happiness.
Recipe Notes
I used 2% milk, though you can also use whole or skim milk with equally delicious results.
If you don't have orange juice concentrate (or aren't into buying it), I'd suggest freezing fresh orange juice into cubes (or in an 8x8-inch pan, then break it into chunks). Without that added iciness, the overall texture of the drink will change dramatically, and adding more ice in the end just doesn't work. (You end up with a more-soupy, less-flavored version of the original.)
To that end, here are six drink recipes to help you through the day, including Homemade Ginger Tea and a Chocolate-Espresso Smoothie. Enjoy!
PEACH TEA
This is from Vallery Lomas at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Vallery wrote, "Sweetened with peaches, freshly puréed or from store-bought juice, this beverage tastes extra refreshing in warm weather. The fruit complements strongly brewed tea, and a little lemon juice further accentuates the peach flavor and helps balance the natural sweetness, which you can bolster with sugar if you’d like."
Total Time: 15 minutes; Yield: About 6 cups
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022399-peach-tea. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
8 black tea bags, preferably Lipton
2 pounds ripe peaches (6 to 8), peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped, or 2 cups peach juice (see Tip)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more if needed
1 cup ice, plus more for serving
Granulated sugar, if needed
Fresh peach slices, for serving
Preparation
In a tea kettle or medium saucepan over high heat, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the tea bags. Allow the tea to steep for 5 minutes.
While the tea steeps, purée the peaches, if using fresh fruit. Pulse in a food processor or blender until very smooth. You should have 2 cups.
Gently squeeze the concentrated tea from the bags and discard the bags. If using puréed peaches, pour the tea into the blender, add the lemon juice and purée until smooth. Transfer to a pitcher. If using peach juice, transfer the tea to a pitcher, and stir in the peach juice and lemon juice.
Add the ice to the pitcher, then taste. If it’s too sweet, add more lemon juice, a couple of teaspoons at a time. If it isn’t sweet enough, stir in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dissolved. Refrigerate until the tea is chilled throughout. Serve in a large glass filled with ice and garnished with peach slices.
Tip
Be sure to use peach juice that is 100 percent juice and has no added sugar, such as Ceres brand.
CHAI LATTE
This is from Meghan Splawn in thekitchn. For this yumminess, Meghan wrote, "I fell in love with the idea of chai through the cartons of this drink mix from the grocery store. The milky sweetness partnered with the astringent black tea drew me in, but the warm spices that lingered between sips kept me drinking. It wasn’t long before the sweetness of those chai drink mixes became too much for me and I started experimenting with chai lattes at home.
"This chai latte gives you complete control over your chai latte experience, from the tea and the spices, to the sweetener and type of milk. All you need is to brew, steep, sweeten your tea, and then froth your milk. The result is a creamy cup of black tea subtly spiced and fragrant with cinnamon, black peppercorns, and ginger, and just the right amount of sweetness, so near perfect that you’ll skip the coffee shop chai (or the carton) and come home to make a pot of this at tea time."
Serves 4
To view this online, go to https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-a-chai-tea-latte-242520. There's also a lot of info for making the chai latte as good as it gets.
Ingredients
2 cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
10 whole cloves
6 green cardamom pods, cracked
4 cups water
1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons loose-leaf black tea, or 6 black tea bags
1/2 cup sweetener, such as brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup (optional)
3 cups cold whole milk, coconut milk, or other non-dairy milk
Equipment
Wooden spoon or rubber spatula
Pitcher or teapot
Instructions
Toast the spices. Place the cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves, and cardamom in a small saucepan over medium heat and toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes.
Brew the tea. Add the water and ginger and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Steep the tea. Remove from the heat and add the loose-leaf tea or tea bags. Cover and steep for 10 minutes.
Sweeten the tea. While the tea is still warm, add the sweetener and stir until combined or dissolved.
Strain the tea. Strain the tea through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher or teapot. Discard the spices and tea leaves. Store in the refrigerator for future use, or keep it warm while you froth the milk.
Froth the milk. For whole milk, froth the milk by shaking it in a jar or by whisking it vigorously over medium-high heat. For non-dairy milks, use an immersion blender to froth before heating.
Heat the milk. Heat the frothed milk in a small saucepan over low heat until warm.
Serve. Pour 3/4 cup of the warm tea base into each mug. Add 1/2 cup of warmed milk and stir to combine. Top with a heaping spoonful of milk froth.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: The tea base can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Gently reheat before frothing the milk.
HOMEMADE GINGER TEA
This is from Jolinda Hackett on The Spruce Eats Jolinda wrote, “Wondering how to make a simple and easy homemade ginger tea? Why go out and buy stale old tea bags when you can easily make your own fresh and homemade ginger tea at home using fresh ginger? Treat yourself to a cup of piping hot ginger tea, a healthy drink that's great for digestion.
”Here's how to make the tastiest and most soothing and healing ginger tea you've ever had! There's really no comparison.
“This healing ginger tea recipe actually comes from the raw food and natural health retreat center I used to work at in Thailand, where we served it to our guests bright and early every single morning, seven days a week. The secret to the perfect healing ginger tea? Lots and lots of fresh ginger, simmered for a long time to bring out the flavor, and the lime, which compliments the ginger perfectly, and plenty of natural agave nectar or honey for a refined sugar-free sweetener (or you might prefer it unsweetened, depending on your health goals - It's still delicious, I promise!). Try this simple ginger tea for an immune system boost or for an invigorating way to start the morning.
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 15 minutes; Yield: 2 servings of ginger tea
To check this out online, click here.
Ingredients
About 2 inches of fresh raw ginger (use more or less, depending on how strong you want it!)
1-1/2 to 2 cups water
1 to 2 tablespoons honey (or agave nectar, to taste)
Optional: 1/2 lime (juiced, or to taste)
Directions
First, prepare the fresh ginger by peeling it and slicing it thinly to maximize the surface area. This will help you make a very flavorful ginger tea.
Boil the ginger in water for at least 10 minutes. For a stronger and tangier tea, allow to boil for 20 minutes or more, and use more slices of ginger. You really can't over do it, so feel free to add as much ginger and simmer it for as long as you want.
Remove from heat and add lime juice and honey (or agave nectar) to taste.
The secret to making a really flavorful ginger tea is to use plenty of ginger-more than you think you will need-and also to add a bit of lime juice and honey to your ginger tea. You will also probably want to add more honey than you think you will need as well.
Enjoy your hot ginger tea! A homemade ginger tea is excellent in soothing stomach aches and in aiding digestion.
CHOCOLATE-ESPRESSO SMOOTHIE
This is from the February 2007 issue of Runner’s World.
Ingredients
8 ounces chocolate yogurt, such as Brown Cow “Cream Top”
1 large banana (browned & frozen)*
2 shots espresso, chilled
2 C ice (about 14 ice cubes)
1 dozen chocolate-covered espresso beans
Directions
Place half of the yogurt plus all the remaining ingredients in blender & puree until smooth. Add remaining yogurt & pulse until smooth. (If you add full container of yogurt at beginning, mixture is too thick to blend easily.)
For a thicker smoothie, blend in up to a cup more ice. Serves two.
Note:* Any ripe banana will work, but a browned & frozen banana lends better flavor & texture.
With Brown Cow: calories: 230; fat: 7 g; carbs: 39 g; protein: 7 g.
LIZARD LOUNGE TEA
My oldest son spent several summers traveling the country, both singly and with friends. Several times, he wound up at the Rainbow Gathering, where he hooked up with a larger group of friends. Most of them had grown up in hot areas of the country, so they nicknamed themselves lizards; their area of the camp site was the lizard lounge. They would cook up their version of iced tea, which they would barter for other commodities. They were frequently asked what their secret ingredient was.
This is a scaled down version. I found that cranberry or cranberry-apple herb tea works very nicely with this, but any herbal tea can be used.
This, as well as other yummy recipes, can be found in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
Ingredients
1/2 gallon apple cider
4 – 5 herbal tea bags
Directions
Place cider in a large pan or teakettle and bring to a boil. Place herbal tea bags into a large container and pour the boiled cider over the tea bags. Let steep for 15-30 minutes and cool. Very good.
ORANGE JULIUS
This comes from Kelli Foster on TheKitchn. (No, that's not a typo. If you've never checked out TheKitchn, or its sibling site, Apartment Therapy, I highly recommend checking out both. Seriously.)
Anyway, this makes 2 servings. To view the recipe online (along with a little bit about the Orange Julius), go to https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-an-orange-julius-125422.
Ingredients
1 cup milk (whole, 2%, or skim)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 6-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup sugar (or sugar substitutes, check package for equivalence)
1 1/2 cups ice
Equipment
Blender
Glasses
Directions
Blend the milk and vanilla: Pour the milk and vanilla in a blender and pulse until combined.
Add the frozen concentrate: Add the frozen orange juice concentrate. Blend until fully combined with the milk.
Add the sugar and ice cubes: Blend until cubes are crushed and mixture has thickened. If things end up a little thick, just add a tablespoon of water and mix once again.
Pour and enjoy: Pour the drink into glasses. Serve with a straw and sip your way to blissful happiness.
Recipe Notes
I used 2% milk, though you can also use whole or skim milk with equally delicious results.
If you don't have orange juice concentrate (or aren't into buying it), I'd suggest freezing fresh orange juice into cubes (or in an 8x8-inch pan, then break it into chunks). Without that added iciness, the overall texture of the drink will change dramatically, and adding more ice in the end just doesn't work. (You end up with a more-soupy, less-flavored version of the original.)
Tuesday, July 7, 2026
Double-Post Tuesday
Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday (since not everyone loves tacos). Today's offerings include Cheesy Hamburger Skillet and Meatloaf. Enjoy!
CHICKEN FETTUCCINE ALFREDO
This is from the Food Network, and begins, "Homemade chicken fettuccine alfredo is a great dish to perfect at home and has the potential to be better than most restaurant versions. The sauce in this recipe magically comes together in the skillet, coating and clinging to the noodles just right and without the help of flour. Heavy cream is gently simmered, reducing and thickening it – and then it gets help from grated Parmesan. The sauce may seem too thin in the pan but once the chicken and cooked pasta are tossed with it the dish comes together nicely and the sauce finishes itself. Eat alfredo right away and be sure to save a little of the salted pasta water – you can stir splashes of it into the pasta if the sauce gets too thick as it sits."
Active Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/chicken-fettuccine-alfredo-3364118.
Ingredients
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces fettuccine
Olive oil, for tossing
12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 2)
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
2 cups heavy cream
2 pinches freshly grated nutmeg
1-1/2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and salt generously. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente (tender but still slightly firm). Drain and toss with a splash of oil.
Meanwhile, slice the chicken into 1/4-inch-thick strips, and lay them on a plate or a sheet of waxed paper. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter. When the butter melts, raise the heat to medium-high and add the chicken in 1 layer. Cook, without moving the pieces, until the underside has browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip the pieces, and cook until browned and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a medium bowl.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 6 tablespoons butter. Scrape the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits. When the butter has mostly melted, whisk in the cream and nutmeg and bring to a simmer, then cook for 2 minutes. Lower the heat to keep the sauce just warm.
Whisk the Parmigiano-Reggiano into the sauce. Add the chicken and cooked pasta and toss well. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot in heated bowls.
Cook’s Note
Don't worry if it seems like there is too much sauce. As soon as everything is tossed together, the sauce will start to cling to the pasta and thicken before your eyes!
MEXICAN TACO SALAD
This recipe comes from FamilyTime. Serves: varies; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: Varies
To view this online, go to http://www.familytime.com/recipe/showrecipe.aspx?recipeid=13446.
Ingredients
1 pound beef or turkey, ground
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup ORTEGA® Thick & Chunky Salsa
3/4 cup water
1 packet (1.25-oz.) ORTEGA® Taco Seasoning Mix
1 can (15-oz.) kidney or pinto beans
1 can (4-oz.) ORTEGA® Diced Green Chiles
6 tortilla shells, or 3 cups of tortilla chips
6 cups lettuce, shredded
3/4 cup nacho and taco blend cheese, shredded
Directions
Cook beef and onion until beef is browned; drain. Stir in salsa, water and seasoning mix. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to lwo; cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in beans and chiles.
Layer ingredients as follows in each shell: 1 cup lettuce, 3/4 cup meat mixture, 2 tablespoons cheese, guacamole and tomatoes for garnish. Serve with ORTEGA® Thick & Smooth Taco Sauce, if desired.
CHEESY HAMBURGER SKILLET
This is from Meghan Splawn at Simply Recipes. For this recipe, Meghan wrote, "A certain boxed hamburger meal was the very first meal I cooked by myself as a kid, and the combination of pasta, creamy tomato and cheese sauce, and beef will always hold a nostalgic allure for me.
"As my kids got older, I wanted to introduce them to this classic meal from my childhood. I knew my take on the nostalgic dish had to be as easy as a box and include a pound of ground beef. That’s how this one-skillet cheesy hamburger pasta came to be one of my family’s favorite recipes."
Makes 4 to 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.simplyrecipes.com/cheesy-hamburger-skillet-recipe-8752873.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
2 teaspoons seasoned salt, like Lawry’s
1-1/2 cups beef broth
8 ounces dried pasta shells
1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, not drained
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
Directions
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Grab the largest one you own—a 12-inch straight-sided skillet with a lid is ideal, but a large cast iron works in a pinch if you’ve got a lid that works.
Add the oil followed by the beef, breaking the beef into pieces with a spatula. Cook the beef until is browned all the way through, about 4 minutes. Season the beef with the seasoned salt and sauté for about a minute more.
Add the beef broth, pasta shells, and canned tomatoes to the skillet and give it a few stirs to distribute everything evenly. Cover the skillet and cook until the broth mixture is thickened and the shells are tender, 8 to 12 minutes.
Turn off the heat and give the skillet a good stir. Add the cheese and pour in the cream and stir until the cheese is melted and creamy. Serve immediately. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Simple Substitutions
Ultimately, this is a dinner built on some grocery basics and pantry staples, so here are some substitutions that customize this dinner to what is already in your fridge or cupboard:
Beef: Lean ground beef, such as ground sirloin, works really well here because of its beefy flavor. Plus the cheese and cream bring enough richness to this skillet. You can use ground turkey or chicken; I’ve even subbed bulk Italian sausage in a pinch.
Pasta: This dish really is best with small shells, but other short, dried pasta works as well. Macaroni elbows are a great second choice. If you use fusilli, orecchiette, or cavatappi noodles, they take a few extra minutes to cook.
Canned Tomatoes: Crushed, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce are all interchangeable here. No need to drain the diced tomatoes. Jarred marinara sauce can also be used; just use less salt for seasoning.
Seasoned salt: Your favorite seasoned salt probably works here. I love Beautiful Briny Sea’s Magic Unicorn Salt for this, but Lawry’s is also perfect. If you don’t have any on hand, you can also sub 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon onion powder.
Cheese: This recipe calls for a whole 8-ounce block or about 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese. High-quality pre-shredded cheeses, like Tillamook and Cabot, work if you don’t have the energy to grate the block yourself. You can also swap the cheddar cheese for other melty cheese like Monterey Jack or provolone.
MEATLOAF
This is from Kay Chun in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Kay wrote, "Traditional meatloaf was created as a tasty way to use up leftover vegetables and to stretch meat further during lean times. This easy meatloaf recipe is a classic version, blending ground beef, pork and veal with simple pantry seasonings, but you should feel free to use your preferred combination of meat, such as half pork and half beef. Milk-soaked bread ensures a tender meatloaf, and baking it freeform — on a baking sheet instead of a loaf pan — provides more surface area for the tangy-sweet tomato glaze to caramelize as it bakes. Leftover slices can be crisped in a skillet and served with a salad or tucked into a sandwich. Alternatively, freeze one uncooked loaf for the next time you need to put dinner on the table with ease; simply thaw the night before and bake as directed."
Total Time: 1-1/2 hours; Yield: 6 to 8 servings (2 loaves)
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020853-meatloaf. While you're at it, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more. Go ahead, I'll wait. (Tap, tap, tap.)
Ingredients
For the Meatloaf
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
5 large garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 (1/2-inch-thick) slices white sandwich bread (about 3 ounces), torn into small pieces
2/3 cup whole milk
3 large eggs
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf or curly parsley
2 tablespoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) or 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt or fine salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 pounds meatloaf mix (or any combination of ground beef, pork and/or veal)
For the Tomato Glaze
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Chopped fresh parsley, for serving (optional)
Preparation
Make the meatloaf: Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease a rimmed baking sheet with oil. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Stir in tomato paste until well combined; let cool.
In a large bowl, combine bread and milk, and mash with a spoon until a paste forms.
Add eggs, parsley, salt, pepper, thyme and cooled onion mixture and mix until well blended.
Add the beef, pork and veal, and mix gently to combine, being careful not to overwork the meat.
Divide mixture into 2 equal portions and shape each into a 4-by-8-inch meatloaf on the prepared baking sheet. (If you like, use an 8-inch loaf pan to shape each meatloaf before unmolding for baking.)
Make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together ketchup and Worcestershire sauce until smooth. Use a spoon to spread mixture over the top and sides of each meatloaf.
Bake until nicely browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of meatloaf registers 160 degrees, 45 to 55 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes before sprinkling the top with fresh parsley, if using, and slicing.
MEXICAN-INSPIRED CASSEROLE
This is from Lisa Blake at allrecipes. For this yummy recipe, Lisa wrote, "My busy weeknight dinner go-to consists of chicken cutlets and a can each of green chiles, black beans, cream of mushroom soup, and enchilada sauce. I cook the chicken, stir in all of the other ingredients, simmer it, top it with Colby or pepper jack cheese, and call it a day.
"When we’re tired of tacos or quesadillas, this is an excellent throw-together alternative. It’s creamy, easy, full of flavor, and everyone loves it. The bubbling cast-iron skillet meal can be served with warmed tortillas for a DIY enchilada-style dinner or served with chips, salsa, and guacamole as a scoopable nacho-inspired meal."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 35 minutes; Servings: 6
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/simple-family-dinner-11825144.
Ingredients
Extra virgin olive oil
2 cups cooked and diced chicken cutlets or shredded rotisserie chicken
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper
1 (4.5-ounce) can diced green chiles, drained
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (10-ounce) can red or green enchilada sauce
2 cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese or Colby Jack cheese
Optional toppings: chopped fresh cilantro, sour cream, diced white onion, salsa, sliced avocado, chopped green onions
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a cast iron skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil and add chicken and spices. Cook until chicken is cooked through, approximately 5 minutes.
Add chiles, beans and cream of mushroom to the skillet. Stir until well combined. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Top with enchilada sauce and cheese.
Transfer cast iron skillet to preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbling and starting to brown.
Serve hot with toppings of choice.
HAMBURGER STROGANOFF SKILLET
This is from the Food Network, and begins, "Give ground beef the stroganoff treatment by combining it with sauteed mushrooms and rich cream. Cook pasta right in the sauce for an easy one-pan dinner."
Active Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/hamburger-stroganoff-skillet-5478672.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
One 10-ounce package white mushrooms, halved or quartered if large
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 carrot, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
One 15-ounce can low-sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups dried penne pasta
2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Directions
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef, season with salt and pepper and cook, breaking the beef into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until well browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl, leaving behind any drippings, and reduce the heat to medium.
To the same skillet, add the mushrooms, season with salt and cook until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the cooked mushrooms to the bowl with the beef. Add the oil, paprika, garlic, carrot and onion to the skillet and cook until the carrots are soft and the onion is lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook until the tomato paste has toasted and is evenly coating the vegetables, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the broth, Worcestershire and 1-1/2 cups of water to the skillet. Bring to a simmer and stir in the pasta. Cover and cook according to package directions until just al dente. Uncover, stir in the reserved beef and mushrooms and cook until heated through. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream cheese, sour cream, chives and parsley until the cream cheese melts and the sauce is creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.
CHICKEN FETTUCCINE ALFREDO
This is from the Food Network, and begins, "Homemade chicken fettuccine alfredo is a great dish to perfect at home and has the potential to be better than most restaurant versions. The sauce in this recipe magically comes together in the skillet, coating and clinging to the noodles just right and without the help of flour. Heavy cream is gently simmered, reducing and thickening it – and then it gets help from grated Parmesan. The sauce may seem too thin in the pan but once the chicken and cooked pasta are tossed with it the dish comes together nicely and the sauce finishes itself. Eat alfredo right away and be sure to save a little of the salted pasta water – you can stir splashes of it into the pasta if the sauce gets too thick as it sits."
Active Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/chicken-fettuccine-alfredo-3364118.
Ingredients
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces fettuccine
Olive oil, for tossing
12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 2)
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
2 cups heavy cream
2 pinches freshly grated nutmeg
1-1/2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and salt generously. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente (tender but still slightly firm). Drain and toss with a splash of oil.
Meanwhile, slice the chicken into 1/4-inch-thick strips, and lay them on a plate or a sheet of waxed paper. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter. When the butter melts, raise the heat to medium-high and add the chicken in 1 layer. Cook, without moving the pieces, until the underside has browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip the pieces, and cook until browned and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a medium bowl.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 6 tablespoons butter. Scrape the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits. When the butter has mostly melted, whisk in the cream and nutmeg and bring to a simmer, then cook for 2 minutes. Lower the heat to keep the sauce just warm.
Whisk the Parmigiano-Reggiano into the sauce. Add the chicken and cooked pasta and toss well. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot in heated bowls.
Cook’s Note
Don't worry if it seems like there is too much sauce. As soon as everything is tossed together, the sauce will start to cling to the pasta and thicken before your eyes!
MEXICAN TACO SALAD
This recipe comes from FamilyTime. Serves: varies; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: Varies
To view this online, go to http://www.familytime.com/recipe/showrecipe.aspx?recipeid=13446.
Ingredients
1 pound beef or turkey, ground
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup ORTEGA® Thick & Chunky Salsa
3/4 cup water
1 packet (1.25-oz.) ORTEGA® Taco Seasoning Mix
1 can (15-oz.) kidney or pinto beans
1 can (4-oz.) ORTEGA® Diced Green Chiles
6 tortilla shells, or 3 cups of tortilla chips
6 cups lettuce, shredded
3/4 cup nacho and taco blend cheese, shredded
Directions
Cook beef and onion until beef is browned; drain. Stir in salsa, water and seasoning mix. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to lwo; cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in beans and chiles.
Layer ingredients as follows in each shell: 1 cup lettuce, 3/4 cup meat mixture, 2 tablespoons cheese, guacamole and tomatoes for garnish. Serve with ORTEGA® Thick & Smooth Taco Sauce, if desired.
CHEESY HAMBURGER SKILLET
This is from Meghan Splawn at Simply Recipes. For this recipe, Meghan wrote, "A certain boxed hamburger meal was the very first meal I cooked by myself as a kid, and the combination of pasta, creamy tomato and cheese sauce, and beef will always hold a nostalgic allure for me.
"As my kids got older, I wanted to introduce them to this classic meal from my childhood. I knew my take on the nostalgic dish had to be as easy as a box and include a pound of ground beef. That’s how this one-skillet cheesy hamburger pasta came to be one of my family’s favorite recipes."
Makes 4 to 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.simplyrecipes.com/cheesy-hamburger-skillet-recipe-8752873.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
2 teaspoons seasoned salt, like Lawry’s
1-1/2 cups beef broth
8 ounces dried pasta shells
1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, not drained
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
Directions
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Grab the largest one you own—a 12-inch straight-sided skillet with a lid is ideal, but a large cast iron works in a pinch if you’ve got a lid that works.
Add the oil followed by the beef, breaking the beef into pieces with a spatula. Cook the beef until is browned all the way through, about 4 minutes. Season the beef with the seasoned salt and sauté for about a minute more.
Add the beef broth, pasta shells, and canned tomatoes to the skillet and give it a few stirs to distribute everything evenly. Cover the skillet and cook until the broth mixture is thickened and the shells are tender, 8 to 12 minutes.
Turn off the heat and give the skillet a good stir. Add the cheese and pour in the cream and stir until the cheese is melted and creamy. Serve immediately. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Simple Substitutions
Ultimately, this is a dinner built on some grocery basics and pantry staples, so here are some substitutions that customize this dinner to what is already in your fridge or cupboard:
Beef: Lean ground beef, such as ground sirloin, works really well here because of its beefy flavor. Plus the cheese and cream bring enough richness to this skillet. You can use ground turkey or chicken; I’ve even subbed bulk Italian sausage in a pinch.
Pasta: This dish really is best with small shells, but other short, dried pasta works as well. Macaroni elbows are a great second choice. If you use fusilli, orecchiette, or cavatappi noodles, they take a few extra minutes to cook.
Canned Tomatoes: Crushed, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce are all interchangeable here. No need to drain the diced tomatoes. Jarred marinara sauce can also be used; just use less salt for seasoning.
Seasoned salt: Your favorite seasoned salt probably works here. I love Beautiful Briny Sea’s Magic Unicorn Salt for this, but Lawry’s is also perfect. If you don’t have any on hand, you can also sub 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon onion powder.
Cheese: This recipe calls for a whole 8-ounce block or about 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese. High-quality pre-shredded cheeses, like Tillamook and Cabot, work if you don’t have the energy to grate the block yourself. You can also swap the cheddar cheese for other melty cheese like Monterey Jack or provolone.
MEATLOAF
This is from Kay Chun in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Kay wrote, "Traditional meatloaf was created as a tasty way to use up leftover vegetables and to stretch meat further during lean times. This easy meatloaf recipe is a classic version, blending ground beef, pork and veal with simple pantry seasonings, but you should feel free to use your preferred combination of meat, such as half pork and half beef. Milk-soaked bread ensures a tender meatloaf, and baking it freeform — on a baking sheet instead of a loaf pan — provides more surface area for the tangy-sweet tomato glaze to caramelize as it bakes. Leftover slices can be crisped in a skillet and served with a salad or tucked into a sandwich. Alternatively, freeze one uncooked loaf for the next time you need to put dinner on the table with ease; simply thaw the night before and bake as directed."
Total Time: 1-1/2 hours; Yield: 6 to 8 servings (2 loaves)
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020853-meatloaf. While you're at it, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more. Go ahead, I'll wait. (Tap, tap, tap.)
Ingredients
For the Meatloaf
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
5 large garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 (1/2-inch-thick) slices white sandwich bread (about 3 ounces), torn into small pieces
2/3 cup whole milk
3 large eggs
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf or curly parsley
2 tablespoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) or 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt or fine salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 pounds meatloaf mix (or any combination of ground beef, pork and/or veal)
For the Tomato Glaze
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Chopped fresh parsley, for serving (optional)
Preparation
Make the meatloaf: Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease a rimmed baking sheet with oil. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Stir in tomato paste until well combined; let cool.
In a large bowl, combine bread and milk, and mash with a spoon until a paste forms.
Add eggs, parsley, salt, pepper, thyme and cooled onion mixture and mix until well blended.
Add the beef, pork and veal, and mix gently to combine, being careful not to overwork the meat.
Divide mixture into 2 equal portions and shape each into a 4-by-8-inch meatloaf on the prepared baking sheet. (If you like, use an 8-inch loaf pan to shape each meatloaf before unmolding for baking.)
Make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together ketchup and Worcestershire sauce until smooth. Use a spoon to spread mixture over the top and sides of each meatloaf.
Bake until nicely browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of meatloaf registers 160 degrees, 45 to 55 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes before sprinkling the top with fresh parsley, if using, and slicing.
MEXICAN-INSPIRED CASSEROLE
This is from Lisa Blake at allrecipes. For this yummy recipe, Lisa wrote, "My busy weeknight dinner go-to consists of chicken cutlets and a can each of green chiles, black beans, cream of mushroom soup, and enchilada sauce. I cook the chicken, stir in all of the other ingredients, simmer it, top it with Colby or pepper jack cheese, and call it a day.
"When we’re tired of tacos or quesadillas, this is an excellent throw-together alternative. It’s creamy, easy, full of flavor, and everyone loves it. The bubbling cast-iron skillet meal can be served with warmed tortillas for a DIY enchilada-style dinner or served with chips, salsa, and guacamole as a scoopable nacho-inspired meal."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 35 minutes; Servings: 6
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/simple-family-dinner-11825144.
Ingredients
Extra virgin olive oil
2 cups cooked and diced chicken cutlets or shredded rotisserie chicken
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper
1 (4.5-ounce) can diced green chiles, drained
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (10-ounce) can red or green enchilada sauce
2 cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese or Colby Jack cheese
Optional toppings: chopped fresh cilantro, sour cream, diced white onion, salsa, sliced avocado, chopped green onions
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a cast iron skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil and add chicken and spices. Cook until chicken is cooked through, approximately 5 minutes.
Add chiles, beans and cream of mushroom to the skillet. Stir until well combined. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Top with enchilada sauce and cheese.
Transfer cast iron skillet to preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbling and starting to brown.
Serve hot with toppings of choice.
HAMBURGER STROGANOFF SKILLET
This is from the Food Network, and begins, "Give ground beef the stroganoff treatment by combining it with sauteed mushrooms and rich cream. Cook pasta right in the sauce for an easy one-pan dinner."
Active Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/hamburger-stroganoff-skillet-5478672.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
One 10-ounce package white mushrooms, halved or quartered if large
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 carrot, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
One 15-ounce can low-sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups dried penne pasta
2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Directions
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef, season with salt and pepper and cook, breaking the beef into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until well browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl, leaving behind any drippings, and reduce the heat to medium.
To the same skillet, add the mushrooms, season with salt and cook until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the cooked mushrooms to the bowl with the beef. Add the oil, paprika, garlic, carrot and onion to the skillet and cook until the carrots are soft and the onion is lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook until the tomato paste has toasted and is evenly coating the vegetables, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the broth, Worcestershire and 1-1/2 cups of water to the skillet. Bring to a simmer and stir in the pasta. Cover and cook according to package directions until just al dente. Uncover, stir in the reserved beef and mushrooms and cook until heated through. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream cheese, sour cream, chives and parsley until the cream cheese melts and the sauce is creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.
Taco Tuesday
It's time for another Taco Tuesday. Today's offerings include Breakfast Burritos and Garlicky Shrimp Tacos. Yum! Enjoy!
CRISPY CHEDDAR CHICKEN TACOS
This is from Rick A. Martínez at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. For this recipe, Rick wrote, "These quick tacos use leftover or store-bought rotisserie chicken, and have a satisfying crispy Cheddar frico called a costra (crust) that is common both in taquerias in the northern half of Mexico and in the southwestern United States. In some taquerias, you can order a taco using only the costra as the shell without a tortilla. In this recipe, the tortilla and costra are layered together to wrap a simple but delicious shredded chicken and chipotle filling."
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 35 minutes; Yield: 8 tacos
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025276-crispy-cheddar-chicken-tacos. While you're at it, sign up for The New York Times cooking e-newsletter, if you haven't already. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced (lengthwise, from root to stem end)
1 cup hot water (tap water is fine)
Salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 cups shredded, cooked chicken, warmed
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
6 ounces medium Cheddar, Monterey Jack or queso Chihuahua, grated
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Sliced avocado, salsa and lime wedges, for serving
Preparation
Set an oven rack in the middle position; heat the oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium bowl, stir the onion, hot water and 1 teaspoon salt until the salt has dissolved. Let sit for 5 minutes. This will soften the onion and lessen any bitter or harsh flavors. Rinse the onion under cold water and drain. In the same bowl, toss the onion with the oregano, lime juice, orange juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt; reserve.
In a separate bowl, quickly toss together the chicken, peppers and adobo sauce, making sure the chicken is completely coated. Season with salt. Cover and keep warm.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat (do not use foil or the cheese might stick). Arrange cheese in 8 equal mounds on the prepared baking sheet. Spread each mound evenly to about 3 inches wide, and space at least 1 inch apart. Bake until the cheese is bubbly and deep golden brown in spots and around the edges, about 14 minutes. Remove from the oven and place 1 tortilla over each cheese crust and return to the oven to heat the tortillas, about 2 minutes.
Use tongs to carefully remove each tortilla with its costra, flipping each one onto a plate so that the cheese is facing up. Top with chicken, onions, avocado, salsa and a squeeze of lime.
EGGPLANT TACOS
This is from Reiko on her blog, The Culinary Tribune. She starts off writing, “I love eggplant!…
“These tacos are so delicious!!
“If you like eggplant, try this.
“If you are a vegan or vegetarian, try this.
“If you want good tacos, try this.”
To view this online, click here. It looks like this makes 2 tacos.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 eggplant, cut into bite sized pieces
2 tablespoons water
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon garlic chili paste
dry oregano
ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon corn starch plus water (for thickening)
salt and pepper
2 taco shells
a few slices of red onion
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped green onion
Directions
Cook eggplant in oil until tender. Add water, sugar, soy sauce, garlic chili paste, oregano, and cumin. Add corn starch and water mixture to thicken it slightly. Salt and pepper.
Warm taco shells in a toaster.
Fill the shells with the eggplant. Serve with red onion slices, cilantro, and green onion.
GARLICKY SHRIMP TACOS
This is from Kay Chun at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Kay wrote, "A nod to gambas al ajillo, the immensely popular Spanish tapas dish of garlic prawns, this recipe tucks garlic shrimp into festive tacos that can be on the dinner table in 30 minutes. There are very few ingredients involved, but they all pack a punch. The quick-cooking shrimp are seared and finished in olive oil that’s infused with lots of fragrant garlic and rich smoky paprika. Be sure to save the robust oil that’s left in the skillet and enjoy it drizzled over your tacos. Dress them up with crisp sliced radishes, creamy avocado, spicy pico de gallo and fresh, herbaceous cilantro, plus a final squeeze of lime to brighten all the flavors."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025852-garlicky-shrimp-tacos. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend it. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon lime juice, plus wedges for serving
Salt
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp (about 2 dozen)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Warm corn tortillas, sliced avocado, sliced radishes, pico de gallo and cilantro leaves, for serving
Preparation
In a small bowl, combine sour cream and lime juice; season with salt. Mix well and set aside.
In a 12-inch skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high. Season shrimp with salt and add half to the skillet; sear for 1 minute on each side and transfer to a plate. Repeat with 1 tablespoon of the oil and the remaining shrimp.
Adjust heat to medium-low. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, the garlic and paprika to the skillet and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add shrimp (and any accumulated juices) and cook, turning and basting, until opaque, just cooked through and nicely coated in the sauce, about 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp and sauce to a shallow serving bowl.
To build tacos, pile a few shrimp in the center of each tortilla and drizzle with some of the garlic oil. Top with avocado, radishes, pico de gallo, cilantro and lime crema. Serve with lime wedges.
BREAKFAST BURRITOS
This comes from Vegetarian Times (May 2005 issue, page 94), in an article featuring Inn Serendipity in Browntown, WI. The recipes begins, "This is the inn’s most popular breakfast item, and it’s a very versatile recipe—sturdy enough for dinner too. Use whatever vegetables are seasonal and abundant. Serve with salsa and sour cream. Note: You must start this dish one day ahead of serving." Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/breakfast-burritos/.
Ingredients
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 medium-sized onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut lengthwise into 2-inch-thick slices
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach
2 Tbs. fresh dill
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1-3/4 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
6 8-inch flour tortillas
4 large eggs, beaten
2 cups skim milk
1 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. mustard powder
Preparation
Grease 9×13-inch baking dish.
Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion and pepper 5 minutes, or until tender. Add garlic, and cook 2 minutes more. Stir in spinach, dill, salt and pepper; cover and cook 5 minutes, or until spinach has completely thawed. Season with pepper sauce, if desired, and stir in 3/4 cup shredded cheese.
Spoon 1/3 cup of spinach/veggie mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll tortilla tightly, and place seam side down in baking dish. Whisk together eggs, milk, flour and mustard powder, and pour over tortillas. Cover dish with foil, and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Bake burritos 45 minutes, or until eggs are set. Sprinkle with 1 cup cheese, and bake 5 minutes more, or until cheese has melted and begins to brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving with salsa and sour cream.
STIR-FRY VEGETABLE TACOS
This one also comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Spice up these tacos with sliced pickled ginger, crushed wasabi peas, and sriracha chile sauce, for garnish." Yield: Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
3 Tbs. peanut oil
2 cups shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced (6 oz.)
1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 cup frozen shelled edamame
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3 Tbs. white miso
2 Tbs. orange juice
2 tsp. rice vinegar
2 cups broccoli slaw
4 6-inch corn or flour tortillas, warmed
2 Tbs. sliced green onions
Instructions:
Heat oil in nonstick skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms, sugar snap peas, edamame, and cayenne pepper; cook 7 to 9 minutes, or until vegetables start to turn golden, stirring occasionally. Transfer to bowl, and cool 10 minutes in refrigerator.
Meanwhile, whisk together miso, orange juice, and rice vinegar in small bowl. Drizzle over mushroom mixture. Stir in broccoli slaw. Fill tortillas with vegetable mixture, and garnish with green onions.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 272; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 35 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 386 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 10 g
TURKEY TACO BOWLS
This is from page 35 of the June 2017 issue of Runner’s World, and begins, “A large egg adds 6 grams of muscle-rebuilding protein.”
Makes 4 servings
To view this, as well as other recipes in the article, online here.
Ingredients
5 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
4 cups shredded red cabbage
2 cups chopped kale
Juice of 1 lime
Salt to taste
4 eggs
2 whole-wheat tortillas
1 tablespoon crumbled feta
1 avocado, sliced
1 tablespoon salsa (optional)
Instructions
Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add turkey, taco seasoning, and 1/2 cup of water. Cook, breaking up meat with a spoon, until water has evaporated and turkey is browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, in another large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add cabbage and kale and cook until bright-colored and slightly wilted, about 4 minutes. Stir in lime juice and sprinkle with salt. Divide mixture among 4 bowls. Wipe skillet and heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat and cook eggs sunny side up, 3 to 4 minutes. Warm tortillas, then cut into 1/2″-wide strips. Top each bowl of cabbage mixture with turkey, an egg, and tortilla strips. Sprinkle each with feta, avocado, and salsa, if desired.
CRISPY CHEDDAR CHICKEN TACOS
This is from Rick A. Martínez at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. For this recipe, Rick wrote, "These quick tacos use leftover or store-bought rotisserie chicken, and have a satisfying crispy Cheddar frico called a costra (crust) that is common both in taquerias in the northern half of Mexico and in the southwestern United States. In some taquerias, you can order a taco using only the costra as the shell without a tortilla. In this recipe, the tortilla and costra are layered together to wrap a simple but delicious shredded chicken and chipotle filling."
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 35 minutes; Yield: 8 tacos
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025276-crispy-cheddar-chicken-tacos. While you're at it, sign up for The New York Times cooking e-newsletter, if you haven't already. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced (lengthwise, from root to stem end)
1 cup hot water (tap water is fine)
Salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 cups shredded, cooked chicken, warmed
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
6 ounces medium Cheddar, Monterey Jack or queso Chihuahua, grated
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Sliced avocado, salsa and lime wedges, for serving
Preparation
Set an oven rack in the middle position; heat the oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium bowl, stir the onion, hot water and 1 teaspoon salt until the salt has dissolved. Let sit for 5 minutes. This will soften the onion and lessen any bitter or harsh flavors. Rinse the onion under cold water and drain. In the same bowl, toss the onion with the oregano, lime juice, orange juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt; reserve.
In a separate bowl, quickly toss together the chicken, peppers and adobo sauce, making sure the chicken is completely coated. Season with salt. Cover and keep warm.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat (do not use foil or the cheese might stick). Arrange cheese in 8 equal mounds on the prepared baking sheet. Spread each mound evenly to about 3 inches wide, and space at least 1 inch apart. Bake until the cheese is bubbly and deep golden brown in spots and around the edges, about 14 minutes. Remove from the oven and place 1 tortilla over each cheese crust and return to the oven to heat the tortillas, about 2 minutes.
Use tongs to carefully remove each tortilla with its costra, flipping each one onto a plate so that the cheese is facing up. Top with chicken, onions, avocado, salsa and a squeeze of lime.
EGGPLANT TACOS
This is from Reiko on her blog, The Culinary Tribune. She starts off writing, “I love eggplant!…
“These tacos are so delicious!!
“If you like eggplant, try this.
“If you are a vegan or vegetarian, try this.
“If you want good tacos, try this.”
To view this online, click here. It looks like this makes 2 tacos.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 eggplant, cut into bite sized pieces
2 tablespoons water
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon garlic chili paste
dry oregano
ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon corn starch plus water (for thickening)
salt and pepper
2 taco shells
a few slices of red onion
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped green onion
Directions
Cook eggplant in oil until tender. Add water, sugar, soy sauce, garlic chili paste, oregano, and cumin. Add corn starch and water mixture to thicken it slightly. Salt and pepper.
Warm taco shells in a toaster.
Fill the shells with the eggplant. Serve with red onion slices, cilantro, and green onion.
GARLICKY SHRIMP TACOS
This is from Kay Chun at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Kay wrote, "A nod to gambas al ajillo, the immensely popular Spanish tapas dish of garlic prawns, this recipe tucks garlic shrimp into festive tacos that can be on the dinner table in 30 minutes. There are very few ingredients involved, but they all pack a punch. The quick-cooking shrimp are seared and finished in olive oil that’s infused with lots of fragrant garlic and rich smoky paprika. Be sure to save the robust oil that’s left in the skillet and enjoy it drizzled over your tacos. Dress them up with crisp sliced radishes, creamy avocado, spicy pico de gallo and fresh, herbaceous cilantro, plus a final squeeze of lime to brighten all the flavors."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025852-garlicky-shrimp-tacos. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend it. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon lime juice, plus wedges for serving
Salt
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp (about 2 dozen)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Warm corn tortillas, sliced avocado, sliced radishes, pico de gallo and cilantro leaves, for serving
Preparation
In a small bowl, combine sour cream and lime juice; season with salt. Mix well and set aside.
In a 12-inch skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high. Season shrimp with salt and add half to the skillet; sear for 1 minute on each side and transfer to a plate. Repeat with 1 tablespoon of the oil and the remaining shrimp.
Adjust heat to medium-low. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, the garlic and paprika to the skillet and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add shrimp (and any accumulated juices) and cook, turning and basting, until opaque, just cooked through and nicely coated in the sauce, about 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp and sauce to a shallow serving bowl.
To build tacos, pile a few shrimp in the center of each tortilla and drizzle with some of the garlic oil. Top with avocado, radishes, pico de gallo, cilantro and lime crema. Serve with lime wedges.
BREAKFAST BURRITOS
This comes from Vegetarian Times (May 2005 issue, page 94), in an article featuring Inn Serendipity in Browntown, WI. The recipes begins, "This is the inn’s most popular breakfast item, and it’s a very versatile recipe—sturdy enough for dinner too. Use whatever vegetables are seasonal and abundant. Serve with salsa and sour cream. Note: You must start this dish one day ahead of serving." Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/breakfast-burritos/.
Ingredients
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 medium-sized onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut lengthwise into 2-inch-thick slices
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach
2 Tbs. fresh dill
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1-3/4 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
6 8-inch flour tortillas
4 large eggs, beaten
2 cups skim milk
1 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. mustard powder
Preparation
Grease 9×13-inch baking dish.
Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion and pepper 5 minutes, or until tender. Add garlic, and cook 2 minutes more. Stir in spinach, dill, salt and pepper; cover and cook 5 minutes, or until spinach has completely thawed. Season with pepper sauce, if desired, and stir in 3/4 cup shredded cheese.
Spoon 1/3 cup of spinach/veggie mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll tortilla tightly, and place seam side down in baking dish. Whisk together eggs, milk, flour and mustard powder, and pour over tortillas. Cover dish with foil, and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Bake burritos 45 minutes, or until eggs are set. Sprinkle with 1 cup cheese, and bake 5 minutes more, or until cheese has melted and begins to brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving with salsa and sour cream.
STIR-FRY VEGETABLE TACOS
This one also comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Spice up these tacos with sliced pickled ginger, crushed wasabi peas, and sriracha chile sauce, for garnish." Yield: Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
3 Tbs. peanut oil
2 cups shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced (6 oz.)
1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 cup frozen shelled edamame
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3 Tbs. white miso
2 Tbs. orange juice
2 tsp. rice vinegar
2 cups broccoli slaw
4 6-inch corn or flour tortillas, warmed
2 Tbs. sliced green onions
Instructions:
Heat oil in nonstick skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms, sugar snap peas, edamame, and cayenne pepper; cook 7 to 9 minutes, or until vegetables start to turn golden, stirring occasionally. Transfer to bowl, and cool 10 minutes in refrigerator.
Meanwhile, whisk together miso, orange juice, and rice vinegar in small bowl. Drizzle over mushroom mixture. Stir in broccoli slaw. Fill tortillas with vegetable mixture, and garnish with green onions.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 272; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 35 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 386 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 10 g
TURKEY TACO BOWLS
This is from page 35 of the June 2017 issue of Runner’s World, and begins, “A large egg adds 6 grams of muscle-rebuilding protein.”
Makes 4 servings
To view this, as well as other recipes in the article, online here.
Ingredients
5 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
4 cups shredded red cabbage
2 cups chopped kale
Juice of 1 lime
Salt to taste
4 eggs
2 whole-wheat tortillas
1 tablespoon crumbled feta
1 avocado, sliced
1 tablespoon salsa (optional)
Instructions
Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add turkey, taco seasoning, and 1/2 cup of water. Cook, breaking up meat with a spoon, until water has evaporated and turkey is browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, in another large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add cabbage and kale and cook until bright-colored and slightly wilted, about 4 minutes. Stir in lime juice and sprinkle with salt. Divide mixture among 4 bowls. Wipe skillet and heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat and cook eggs sunny side up, 3 to 4 minutes. Warm tortillas, then cut into 1/2″-wide strips. Top each bowl of cabbage mixture with turkey, an egg, and tortilla strips. Sprinkle each with feta, avocado, and salsa, if desired.
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