Friday Recipes

It's Friday, time to get ready for the weekend. Here are six yummy recipes to help you through the weekend, including Slow Cooker Jambalaya and Peach Cobbler. Enjoy!

STEAK ’N’ BACON CHEDDAR MEATBALLS

This is from Juila Moskin in The New York Times cooking email. Julia wrote, “This is essentially a bacon cheeseburger in meatball form. The cooked steak should be diced into small bites, not ground, for the best texture.”

Yield: About 2 dozen meatballs, 6 to 8 servings; Time: 45 minutes.

This was featured in “Lucky to Be a Leftover” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, minced

Scant 8 ounces bacon, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 pound cooked steak, diced

1 pound ground beef, 80% lean

6 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, coarsely grated

3 large eggs

1/2 cup unseasoned bread crumbs

2 teaspoons salt

Black pepper

Preparation

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add onion and bacon, and cook, stirring, until bacon has browned and onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer onion and bacon to a plate and cool in refrigerator.

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Use the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine steak, ground beef, cooled bacon and onions, cheese, eggs, bread crumbs and salt, and mix lightly but thoroughly by hand. To taste for seasoning, heat a small skillet and fry a chunk of the mixture until browned. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Roll mixture into golf-ball-size balls, packing firmly. Pack snugly into the prepared dish, making even rows to form a grid. Roast for 20 minutes, or until firm and cooked through. (The center should be at 165 degrees.)

Let cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.

VEGETARIAN CHILI WITH TORTILLA CRISPS

This is from Anna Watson Carl on Delish. Anna wrote, “Those homemade tortilla chips, though…”

Total Time: 45 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves: 4

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

4 corn tortillas

1/4 c. Country Crock Original

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

1 red pepper, diced

1 yellow pepper, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp. chili powder

1 tbsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 28-oz. can whole tomatoes

1 15-oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 15-oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 c. freshly chopped cilantro, plus more for serving

1/4 c. sour cream

1/4 c. shredded Cheddar

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°. Place tortillas on a baking sheet and brush all over with Country Crock Original. Bake until golden and crispy, flipping halfway through, about 6 minutes, then season with salt. Once cool, break each into pieces.

Heat remaining 3 tablespoons Country Crock Original in pot over medium-high heat, and cook onion and peppers until soft, 5 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne and cook 2 minutes more, stirring well to combine. Season with salt and pepper, then add tomatoes and juices, crushing tomatoes gently with a wooden spoon.

Add beans to pot along with 2 1/2 cups water. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes, then stir in cilantro.

Ladle chili into 4 bowls and garnish with sour cream, cheese, and cilantro. Serve with crispy tortillas.

SLOW COOKER JAMBALAYA

This is from FamilyTime, and begins, “This delectable, slow-cooked version of a traditional New Orleans-style dish features chicken, kielbasa and shrimp in a bed of rice that's been seasoned with Creole seasoning, green pepper, celery and diced tomato.”

To view this online, click here.

Serves: 8 servings (about 1 1/2 cups each); Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 430 minutes

Ingredients

Swanson® Chicken Stock or 3 cups Swanson® Chicken Broth

1 tablespoon Creole seasoning

1 large green pepper, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 large stalks celery, diced (about 1 cup)

1 can (about 14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes

1 pound kielbasa, diced (about 3 cups)

3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken thigh, cut into cubes

1 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice

1/2 pound fresh medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions

Stir the broth, Creole seasoning, green pepper, onion, garlic, black pepper, celery, tomatoes, kielbasa, chicken and rice in a 6-quart slow cooker.

Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or until the chicken is cooked through.

Add the shrimp to the cooker. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked through.

Time-Saving: This recipe may also be cooked on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours.

CHICKEN FAJITA PASTA

This is from tbsp.com, and begins, “Tex-Mex meets Italian in this awesomely easy weeknight dinner dish.”

Prep: 20 minutes; Total: 40 minutes; Servings: 4

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 lb. chicken breast, sliced thin

1 packet Old El Paso™ taco seasoning mix chicken

1/4 cup water

1/2 red bell pepper, sliced thin

1/2 green bell pepper, sliced thin

1/2 yellow bell pepper, sliced thin

1/2 red onion, sliced thin

1/2 lb. spaghetti (1/2 of a 16 oz. box)

4 oz. cheddar cheese, grated

Salt and pepper

Directions

In a large skillet, add olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the chicken and cook, stirring regularly, until chicken is cooked through, around 8 minutes.

Add chicken seasoning to the skillet along with 1/4 cup water and stir together. Add sliced bell peppers and onion and cook until they are softened a bit.

Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package until al dente. When pasta is cooked through, use tongs to move it directly from the cooking water to the chicken fajita skillet. Stir to combine, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Top the skillet with grated cheddar cheese and reduce heat to low until cheese is melted. Serve hot.

PEACH COBBLER

Kathy Kingsley, About.com's American Food guide, writes, “This Peach Cobbler recipe is the quintessential summer dessert. Fresh, ripe peaches need little enhancement in the way of flavor - just a little lemon juice and sugar makes for a luscious dessert that tastes as fresh as the fruit itself. Serve this cobbler warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped or plain heavy cream. See the Recipe Notes below to make a star-spangled version.”

Ingredients

9 ripe medium peaches (about 3 pounds)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Biscuit Topping

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) cold butter, cut into small pieces

2/3 cup buttermilk

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 65 minutes; Yield: 8 servings

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

To peel the peaches, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Immerse the peaches in the boiling water for 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, remove the peaches form the water and rinse them under cold running water. Using a paring knife, slip off the skins, they should slide off easily.

Slice the peaches into wedges and put them into a 2 quart baking dish. Add the lemon juice and 1/2 cup of sugar and toss to coat.

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 15 minutes, or until the peaches are hot and the juices are bubbling.

Meanwhile, make the biscuit topping. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Using 2 knives or a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour the buttermilk over the top, and use a fork to toss the mixture until it clumps together.

Remove the foil from the peaches. Using 2 spoons, drop heaping tablespoons of the dough over the peaches. Mix the remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar with the cinnamon and sprinkle it over the dough.

Bake the cobbler until the biscuits are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into them comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Remove the cobbler from the oven and set it on a wore rack to cool. 8. Serve the cobbler warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Recipe Notes

• To make the star-spangle version, flatten the biscuit dough about a 3/4-inch- thick and cut out dough with a star-shaped cookie cutter. Arrange the stars over the fruit and bake as directed. Once cooled, sprinkle the stars with some confectioners' sugar.

• To make a Peach-Blueberry Cobbler, peel and slice 5 medium peaches. Put them into the casserole and add 2 cups of rinsed, fresh blueberries. Toss with the lemon juice and sugar and proceed as directed.

• To make a Peach-Raspberry Cobbler, peel and slice 5 medium peaches. Put them into the casserole and add 2 cups of rinsed, fresh raspberries. Toss with the lemon juice and sugar and proceed as directed.

RED VELVET MINI CUPCAKES

This comes from The Food Network and begins, “Oil takes the place of butter in these cupcakes, making them lower in fat, but also making the crumb moist. Also, all of the flour is whole wheat! The frosting is simply sweetened reduced-fat cream cheese, but it's plenty tasty.”

Total: 1 hr; Active: 20 min; Yield: 48 mini cupcakes (2 cupcakes per serving); Level: Easy

To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/red-velvet-mini-cupcakes-recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

3/4 cup canola oil

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 tablespoon red food coloring

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup lowfat (1-percent) buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

Nonstick cooking spray, for coating ice cream scoop

8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 48 mini muffin cups (2 large tins or 4 small) with paper liners.

Whisk together the flour, cocoa and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt in a medium bowl. Beat together the oil and granulated sugar on medium-high speed with a hand mixer in a large bowl until well combined. Add the egg and beat until well blended. Beat in the food coloring and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla.

On low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk in thirds, beginning and ending with the flour, beating well after each addition. Whisk together the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl, and then beat into the batter until fully incorporated.

Using a small ice cream scoop sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, evenly divide the batter among the cupcake liners. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth and fluffy. Sift the confectioners' sugar over the mixture and beat until smooth. Beat in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Spread or pipe the frosting over the cooled cupcakes.