Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's Double-Post Tuesday. Today's double post deals with New Year's Eve food.
Since today is New Year's Eve, I'm reposting my post from December 31, 2015. If you're partying tonight, stay safe. Here are a few things you might enjoy serving, including Cheese Straws and Slow-Cooker Peppermint Hot Chocolate. Happy New Year's! Enjoy!
OOEY GOOEY BUTTER CAKE BARS
This comes from Tablespoon's newsletter. Prep Time: 15 min; Total Time: 50 min; Servings: 12
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 box Betty Crocker French Vanilla Cake mix
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted
3 eggs
8 oz cream cheese
1 lb bag (about 3-3/4 cups) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Line an 8 x 8 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
In a bowl, mix together the cake mix, melted butter, and 1 egg until a soft dough forms. Press into the bottom of the baking dish.
In a stand mixer, combine together the cream cheese, 2 eggs, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread over the cake mix layer.
Bake bars for 45 minutes, or until edges are golden brown,and the center has set to a soft consistency.
Cool COMPLETELY before slicing into bars and serving.
SLOW-COOKER PEPPERMINT HOT CHOCOLATE
This comes from The Food Network, and starts off, “Made and served in the same pot, our slow-cooker cocoa is thickened and enriched with dark chocolate. Set up an add-ons bar beside the cooker (mini marshmallows, crushed candies and peppermint schnapps take cocoa to a whole new holiday level), then stick a ladle in the pot and let guests help themselves.” The recipe's last ingredient is peppermint schnapps, which is optional. I don't use it, and, if this is being served to children and/or people who normally don't drink – or if you're not sure – don't use it. I find that it really doesn't need it. Total Time: 2 hr 5 min; Prep: 5 min; Cook: 2 hr; Yield: 14 cups; Level: Easy
To read more, go to: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/slow-cooker-peppermint-hot-chocolate.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
12 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
24 peppermint candies, crushed (about 1 cup), for serving
3 cups mini marshmallows, for serving
2 cups peppermint schnapps, optional, for serving
Directions
Whisk together the sugar and cocoa powder in a 6-quart slow cooker. Turn the cooker to high, and slowly whisk in the milk to prevent lumps from forming. Add the vanilla and salt, cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours. The sugar and cocoa powder should be completely dissolved.
Whisk in the chopped chocolate a little at a time until it is all incorporated. Replace the lid, and cook until thickened, 30 minutes more.
Turn the cooker to warm, and serve with small bowls of the peppermint candies and mini marshmallows and a small pitcher of schnapps, if using. For minty cocoa, let a few teaspoons of the peppermints melt in an 8-ounce cup or add 2 tablespoons of schnapps.
MACARONI AND CHEESE BAKE
This and the Baked Macaroni and Cheese recipes were in an several old emails. I'm not completely sure where they're from, but something tells me they might be from About.com, now .dash.
This first one starts off, “This is a custard-like macaroni and cheese casserole.” Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour; servings: 6
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
2 cups Milk
4 tablespoons melted butter, divided
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 eggs, beaten
2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
Preparation:
Directions for macaroni and cheese:
Cook macaroni according to package directions in boiling salted water; drain and set aside. Combine milk, 3 tablespoons melted butter, flour, salt, pepper, and eggs in a mixing bowl; whisk until smooth and well-blended. Layer half of cooked macaroni in bottom of a shallow, buttered 2-quart baking dish; sprinkle with 2 cups cheese and top with remaining macaroni. Pour milk and egg mixture over macaroni. Toss breadcrumbs with remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter; sprinkle bread crumbs over the top of macaroni and cheese mixture. Bake macaroni and cheese at 350°, uncovered, for about 45 to 50 minutes; sprinkle with remaining cheese and continue baking for about 5 minutes longer, or until macaroni and cheese is set.
BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE
This one start off, “Macaroni and cheese, made with a homemade white sauce with cheese and butter, along with cooked macaroni and seasonings.” Serves 4 to 6.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup milk
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 1/2 cups grated sharp cheese, divided
salt
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°. Cook macaroni in boiling salted water according to package directions; drain well and set aside. Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour, stirring constantly, until smooth and bubbly. Gradually stir in milk and half-and-half. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add paprika, pepper, and 2 cups of the cheese; stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Combine sauce with the macaroni and add salt to taste. Place in a buttered 1 1/2-quart casserole dish. Garnish top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and dot with additional butter. Bake 25 to 30 minutes.
TRIPLE CHOCOLATE BISCOTTI
This is from Sean Paajanen, the former Coffee/Tea expert for About.com (now .dash).
Anyway, Sean wrote, “You can never have too much chocolate. Chocolate chips and cocoa in the biscotti, and a drizzle of semi-sweet on top. If that's not enough, you can also dip these biscotti into your cup of hot cocoa.”Ingredients:
5 cups flour
1 1/2 cups cocoa powder
2 tbs baking powder
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
6 eggs
1 tbs vanilla extract
2 cups chocolate chips
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400F. Cream sugar and butter. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until smooth and add vanilla extract. Sift together the dry ingredients and add to the egg mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Shape the dough into 6 longs loaves and brush with beaten egg yolk. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Cut each loaf into 1 inch slices and place back on baking sheet. Reduce heat to 350F and place slices back into the oven. Bake for another 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and cool. Melt the semi-sweet chocolate, and drizzle over the biscotti.
CHEESE STRAWS
This is from Carroll Pellegrinelli, who wrote for The Spruce Eats. She wrote, "Here is one of my family's favorite homemade snacks. Not only do they make a good afternoon treat, but they're a crowd-pleaser at our parties too. Next time there's a bake sale, I'm making these Cheese Straws." Prep Time: 35 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 65 minutes
The
Ingredients
1-3/4 cup flour
1/3 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (red) pepper, or to taste
1-1/4 pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated, room temperature
1/2 cup (1/4 pound) butter, softened
Preparation
In a small bowl, combine flour, salt and other spices with a wire whisk. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, stand mixer is preferred, cream together cheddar cheese and butter. Gradually add flour mixture. Combine completely. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Allow dough to rest for 10 to 15 minutes in refrigerator. Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets. Press dough through a cookie press onto prepared baking sheets. Bake cheese straws for 20 to 30 minutes or until crisp and lightly brown.
Store in tightly covered container. These Cheese Straws may be frozen with wax paper between layers.
Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Taco Tuesday
It's time for another Taco Tuesday. Not sure which one to try? How about the Spicy Shrimp Tacos or the Carne Asada Tacos? Of course, they're all good choices. Dive in and, as always, enjoy!
MUSHROOM TACOS
This is from Runner's World and can be viewed online here. Recipe feeds 2-3 runners; Time needed: 30-45 minutes
What you’ll need:
Pound of scrubbed assorted mushrooms (creminis and portabellos work well)
1 yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
6 small corn tortillas
1 orange
1 lime
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons dark chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
Cilantro
How to make it:
Dice up one onion, setting aside three tablespoons for onion topping. Cut mushrooms into large chunks.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high-heat. Add onions and mushrooms and sauté for about 10 minutes until onions are tender and mushrooms begin to brown.
Mince garlic. Juice orange and lime. Reserve two wedges of lime.
Add garlic, cumin, oregano, and chili powder to onions and mushroom.
Saute for 30 seconds until garlic is aromatic, then add orange and lime juice, along with about a teaspoon of salt.
Cook for two to three minutes until the juice reduces.
Heat tortillas individually in a dry pan on the stove or all together wrapped in a towel in the microwave.
Spoon mushroom mix into tortillas and garnish with reserved raw onion and chopped cilantro. Enjoy!
SPICY SHRIMP TACOS
I found this, along with five other taco recipes, on the Runner’s World website (posted on June 26, 2018), though it’s originally from the Prevention test kitchen.
This one begins, “Flavored with a zesty spread and cool pickled vegetables, these shrimp tacos have half the saturated fat and twice the protein of a fried fish taco.”
Serves: 4; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes
This can be found at https://www.runnersworld.com/nutrition-weight-loss/a21946015/healthy-taco-recipes/. They were originally from: Prevention US.
Ingredients
1/3 c white vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp grated ginger
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 c grated carrot
1/2 c grated daikon radish
1/4 c mayonnaise
2 tsp Sriracha sauce
1 tsp less-sodium soy sauce
4 lg butter lettuce leaves
12 oz med shrimp, cooked, peeled, and deveined
1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp cilantro leaves
Directions
Stir together 1/3 cup hot water, vinegar, sugar, ginger, and salt in medium bowl until sugar dissolves. Submerge carrot and radish; let sit 10 minutes.
Mix mayonnaise, Sriracha, and soy sauce in small bowl. Spread over 4 lettuce leaves. Add shrimp and jalapeno. Top with pickled carrot-radish mixture and sprinkle with cilantro.
Per serving: 175 calories, 22 g protein, 7 g carb, 1 g fiber, 3 g sugars (1 g added sugars), 6.5 g fat, 0.5 g sat fat, 176 mg cholesterol, 480 mg sodium
CRISPY VEGETARIAN TACOS
This yummy taco recipe comes from Kraft, and begins, “Make next Monday the most delicious meat-free Monday ever with these Crispy Vegetarian Tacos. Explore the recipe to learn more about these tasty tacos.” Of course, you can also use this for Taco Tuesday!
Prep Time: 25min.; Total Time: 25min.; Servings: 6 servings, 2 tacos each
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
1 Tbsp. oil
1 Tbsp. KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing
1/2 cup chopped onions
1-1/2 cups frozen whole kernel corn
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed
12 TACO BELL® Crunchy Taco Shells, warmed
2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
1 tomato, seeded, finely chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1 cup KRAFT Mexican Style Shredded Four Cheese with a TOUCH OF PHILADELPHIA
Directions
Heat oil and dressing in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add onions; cook and stir 5 min. or until lightly browned. Add corn; cook 2 min., stirring occasionally. Stir in beans; cook and stir 1 to 2 min. or until mixture is heated through.
Fill taco shells with lettuce, bean mixture and remaining ingredients.
SALSA-GUAVA POT ROAST TACOS
This recipe comes from Publix.
Servings: 8; Total Time: about 5 1/2 hours; Active Time: 15 minutes
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
1 slow cooker liner (optional)
3 lb beef chuck roast
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
Large zip-top bag
1 large red onion, thinly sliced and divided
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped and divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (15.5-oz) jar medium (or mild) salsa
1/2 cup guava jelly
16 small flour tortillas
1/2 cup cilantro-avocado dressing
Directions
Use slow cooker liner following package instructions, if desired. Coat beef with soy sauce; place in bag and let stand 30 minutes to marinate. Slice onion (1 1/2 cups). Peel and grate ginger; chop cilantro.
Preheat large, nonstick sauté pan on medium-high 2–3 minutes. Place oil in pan and add beef (discard bag); cook 4 minutes, turning occasionally, or until browned on all sides. Transfer beef to slow cooker; top with 1 cup onions.
Combine salsa, jelly, ginger, and 4 tablespoons cilantro until blended. Pour mixture over beef and onions. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4–4 1/2 hours (or LOW for 6–7 hours) or until tender and beef is 145°F.
Shred beef. Divide beef mixture evenly between tortillas; top with even amounts dressing, remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro, and 1/2 cup onions. Serve.
CLASSIC CARNE ASADA
I found this, along with five other taco recipes, on the Runner’s World website (posted on June 26, 2018), though it’s originally from the Prevention test kitchen.
This one begins, “Swap that taco kit for a traditional take that uses soft tortillas instead of fried shells, homemade salsa in place of the bottled kind, and cilantro and lime juice rather than sour cream.”
Serves: 4; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes
This can be found at https://www.runnersworld.com/nutrition-weight-loss/a21946015/healthy-taco-recipes/. They were originally from: Prevention US.
Ingredients
1 lb skirt steak, trimmed
1 large ripe tomato, finely chopped
1/2 avocado, diced
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
3 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro
1 small jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 clove garlic, minced Juice of 1 lime + wedges for serving
8 corn tortillas, warmed
Directions
Season steak with salt and pepper and let sit at room temperature while heating grill or grill pan to medium-high.
Toss together tomato, avocado, onion, cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, lime juice, and a pinch of salt in medium bowl.
Grill steak, flipping once, until medium-rare, about 8 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes while grilling tortillas to warm. Cut steak into 3 to 4 inch sections and slice thinly against grain.
Assemble tacos with steak and salsa. Serve with lime wedges.
Per serving: 314 calories, 27 g protein, 22 g carb, 5 g fiber, 4 g sugars (0 g added sugars), 13 g fat, 4 g sat fat, 74 mg cholesterol, 321 mg sodium
CARNE ASADA TACOS
This comes from the Food Network, and begins, “These steaks tacos are great at home, but also meant to travel to tailgates or cookouts. Bring the bagged and marinating steak with you if you know there's a grill available (or grill ahead of time and wait to slice at your destination). And don't skip on doubling up on the tortillas -- these tacos are juicy so the extra tortilla ensures no tearing.”
Level: Easy; Total Time: 5 hours (includes marinating time); Active Time: 40 minutes; Yield: 6 to 12 servings (makes 12 tacos)
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seed
4 serrano chilies, halved (seeds removed for less heat)
2 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for brushing the grill and scallions
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
Juice of 4 limes (about 1/3 cup), plus lime wedges, for serving
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds skirt steak (halved, if needed, to fit on the grill)
2 bunches scallions
24 white corn tortillas
Guacamole, for serving
Pico de gallo, for serving
Directions
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seed and cook, stirring occasionally, until toasted, about 1 minute. Transfer to a small bowl. Add the chilies and garlic to the skillet. Cook over medium high heat, turning occasionally, until both are soft and blotchy black in spots, about 5 minutes. Remove from the skillet and cool. Add the chilies, garlic, toasted cumin seeds, oil, brown sugar and lime juice, 1 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper to a blender and process until very smooth. Transfer the marinade to a large re-sealable plastic bag and add the steak. Shake well to coat, refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours.
Prepare a grill for high heat.
Remove the steaks from the marinade and shake off any excess. Brush the grill grates lightly with oil, lay the steak on the grill and cook until very well charred and grill marks appear, about 5 minutes. Turn the steaks and continue to cook until nicely charred, about 1 to 3 minutes more depending on thickness. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. While the steak rests, brush the scallions lightly with oil and grill, turning once until wilted and charred, about 2 minutes. Coarsely chop.
Warm the tortillas on the grill grates. Thinly slice the steak against the grain on a bias. Double the tortillas then top with the steak, grilled scallions, guacamole and pico de gallo. Serve with lime wedges.
MUSHROOM TACOS
This is from Runner's World and can be viewed online here. Recipe feeds 2-3 runners; Time needed: 30-45 minutes
What you’ll need:
Pound of scrubbed assorted mushrooms (creminis and portabellos work well)
1 yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
6 small corn tortillas
1 orange
1 lime
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons dark chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
Cilantro
How to make it:
Dice up one onion, setting aside three tablespoons for onion topping. Cut mushrooms into large chunks.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high-heat. Add onions and mushrooms and sauté for about 10 minutes until onions are tender and mushrooms begin to brown.
Mince garlic. Juice orange and lime. Reserve two wedges of lime.
Add garlic, cumin, oregano, and chili powder to onions and mushroom.
Saute for 30 seconds until garlic is aromatic, then add orange and lime juice, along with about a teaspoon of salt.
Cook for two to three minutes until the juice reduces.
Heat tortillas individually in a dry pan on the stove or all together wrapped in a towel in the microwave.
Spoon mushroom mix into tortillas and garnish with reserved raw onion and chopped cilantro. Enjoy!
SPICY SHRIMP TACOS
I found this, along with five other taco recipes, on the Runner’s World website (posted on June 26, 2018), though it’s originally from the Prevention test kitchen.
This one begins, “Flavored with a zesty spread and cool pickled vegetables, these shrimp tacos have half the saturated fat and twice the protein of a fried fish taco.”
Serves: 4; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes
This can be found at https://www.runnersworld.com/nutrition-weight-loss/a21946015/healthy-taco-recipes/. They were originally from: Prevention US.
Ingredients
1/3 c white vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp grated ginger
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 c grated carrot
1/2 c grated daikon radish
1/4 c mayonnaise
2 tsp Sriracha sauce
1 tsp less-sodium soy sauce
4 lg butter lettuce leaves
12 oz med shrimp, cooked, peeled, and deveined
1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp cilantro leaves
Directions
Stir together 1/3 cup hot water, vinegar, sugar, ginger, and salt in medium bowl until sugar dissolves. Submerge carrot and radish; let sit 10 minutes.
Mix mayonnaise, Sriracha, and soy sauce in small bowl. Spread over 4 lettuce leaves. Add shrimp and jalapeno. Top with pickled carrot-radish mixture and sprinkle with cilantro.
Per serving: 175 calories, 22 g protein, 7 g carb, 1 g fiber, 3 g sugars (1 g added sugars), 6.5 g fat, 0.5 g sat fat, 176 mg cholesterol, 480 mg sodium
CRISPY VEGETARIAN TACOS
This yummy taco recipe comes from Kraft, and begins, “Make next Monday the most delicious meat-free Monday ever with these Crispy Vegetarian Tacos. Explore the recipe to learn more about these tasty tacos.” Of course, you can also use this for Taco Tuesday!
Prep Time: 25min.; Total Time: 25min.; Servings: 6 servings, 2 tacos each
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
1 Tbsp. oil
1 Tbsp. KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing
1/2 cup chopped onions
1-1/2 cups frozen whole kernel corn
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed
12 TACO BELL® Crunchy Taco Shells, warmed
2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
1 tomato, seeded, finely chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1 cup KRAFT Mexican Style Shredded Four Cheese with a TOUCH OF PHILADELPHIA
Directions
Heat oil and dressing in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add onions; cook and stir 5 min. or until lightly browned. Add corn; cook 2 min., stirring occasionally. Stir in beans; cook and stir 1 to 2 min. or until mixture is heated through.
Fill taco shells with lettuce, bean mixture and remaining ingredients.
SALSA-GUAVA POT ROAST TACOS
This recipe comes from Publix.
Servings: 8; Total Time: about 5 1/2 hours; Active Time: 15 minutes
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
1 slow cooker liner (optional)
3 lb beef chuck roast
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
Large zip-top bag
1 large red onion, thinly sliced and divided
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped and divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (15.5-oz) jar medium (or mild) salsa
1/2 cup guava jelly
16 small flour tortillas
1/2 cup cilantro-avocado dressing
Directions
Use slow cooker liner following package instructions, if desired. Coat beef with soy sauce; place in bag and let stand 30 minutes to marinate. Slice onion (1 1/2 cups). Peel and grate ginger; chop cilantro.
Preheat large, nonstick sauté pan on medium-high 2–3 minutes. Place oil in pan and add beef (discard bag); cook 4 minutes, turning occasionally, or until browned on all sides. Transfer beef to slow cooker; top with 1 cup onions.
Combine salsa, jelly, ginger, and 4 tablespoons cilantro until blended. Pour mixture over beef and onions. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4–4 1/2 hours (or LOW for 6–7 hours) or until tender and beef is 145°F.
Shred beef. Divide beef mixture evenly between tortillas; top with even amounts dressing, remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro, and 1/2 cup onions. Serve.
CLASSIC CARNE ASADA
I found this, along with five other taco recipes, on the Runner’s World website (posted on June 26, 2018), though it’s originally from the Prevention test kitchen.
This one begins, “Swap that taco kit for a traditional take that uses soft tortillas instead of fried shells, homemade salsa in place of the bottled kind, and cilantro and lime juice rather than sour cream.”
Serves: 4; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes
This can be found at https://www.runnersworld.com/nutrition-weight-loss/a21946015/healthy-taco-recipes/. They were originally from: Prevention US.
Ingredients
1 lb skirt steak, trimmed
1 large ripe tomato, finely chopped
1/2 avocado, diced
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
3 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro
1 small jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 clove garlic, minced Juice of 1 lime + wedges for serving
8 corn tortillas, warmed
Directions
Season steak with salt and pepper and let sit at room temperature while heating grill or grill pan to medium-high.
Toss together tomato, avocado, onion, cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, lime juice, and a pinch of salt in medium bowl.
Grill steak, flipping once, until medium-rare, about 8 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes while grilling tortillas to warm. Cut steak into 3 to 4 inch sections and slice thinly against grain.
Assemble tacos with steak and salsa. Serve with lime wedges.
Per serving: 314 calories, 27 g protein, 22 g carb, 5 g fiber, 4 g sugars (0 g added sugars), 13 g fat, 4 g sat fat, 74 mg cholesterol, 321 mg sodium
CARNE ASADA TACOS
This comes from the Food Network, and begins, “These steaks tacos are great at home, but also meant to travel to tailgates or cookouts. Bring the bagged and marinating steak with you if you know there's a grill available (or grill ahead of time and wait to slice at your destination). And don't skip on doubling up on the tortillas -- these tacos are juicy so the extra tortilla ensures no tearing.”
Level: Easy; Total Time: 5 hours (includes marinating time); Active Time: 40 minutes; Yield: 6 to 12 servings (makes 12 tacos)
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seed
4 serrano chilies, halved (seeds removed for less heat)
2 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for brushing the grill and scallions
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
Juice of 4 limes (about 1/3 cup), plus lime wedges, for serving
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds skirt steak (halved, if needed, to fit on the grill)
2 bunches scallions
24 white corn tortillas
Guacamole, for serving
Pico de gallo, for serving
Directions
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seed and cook, stirring occasionally, until toasted, about 1 minute. Transfer to a small bowl. Add the chilies and garlic to the skillet. Cook over medium high heat, turning occasionally, until both are soft and blotchy black in spots, about 5 minutes. Remove from the skillet and cool. Add the chilies, garlic, toasted cumin seeds, oil, brown sugar and lime juice, 1 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper to a blender and process until very smooth. Transfer the marinade to a large re-sealable plastic bag and add the steak. Shake well to coat, refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours.
Prepare a grill for high heat.
Remove the steaks from the marinade and shake off any excess. Brush the grill grates lightly with oil, lay the steak on the grill and cook until very well charred and grill marks appear, about 5 minutes. Turn the steaks and continue to cook until nicely charred, about 1 to 3 minutes more depending on thickness. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. While the steak rests, brush the scallions lightly with oil and grill, turning once until wilted and charred, about 2 minutes. Coarsely chop.
Warm the tortillas on the grill grates. Thinly slice the steak against the grain on a bias. Double the tortillas then top with the steak, grilled scallions, guacamole and pico de gallo. Serve with lime wedges.
Monday, December 30, 2019
New Year's Eve - Double-Post Monday
Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Today's double post deals with New Year's Eve recipes. Here are today's six recipes to help you wind-down the old year, including Boston Brown Bread, two kinds of macaroni and cheese and Peppermint Meringues. Enjoy!
BUTTERNUT SQUASH CAKE WITH HAZELNUTS
This came from Brett Moore, who wrote for The Spruce Eats. Brett wrote, “Squash for dessert? Butternut squash makes a wonderful component for desserts. The complex flavor adds a nice dimension to your cake that your guests won't be able to figure out. The hazelnut frosting is the perfect complement to this sweet and moist cake.” Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Total Time: 80 minutes; Yield: Serves 8 to 10
Brett wrote for About.com has since changed into .dash, where you can find The Spruce Eats, as well as other channels. While I still haven't found a link for this recipe on here (there had been one on about.com, which no longer works), I'll continue to look for it.
Ingredients
Cake:
4 ounces (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup canola or other neutral oil
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
13 1/2 ounces (3 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 1/4 cups peeled and grated butternut squash (about 8 ounces)
Frosting:
1 lb unsalted butter, softened
4 2/3 cups powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup ground hazelnuts
1/4 cup whole hazelnuts, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9- by 13-inch cake pan or 10-cup Bundt pan.
In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Add the oil and beat for about half a minute until combined.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well on low speed after each one.
Add the vinegar and vanilla and mix again until just combined.
Add half of the flour and the baking soda, salt, ginger and nutmeg, mixing on low speed until just combined. Add half of the buttermilk and mix until just combined. Repeat with the remaining flour and buttermilk.
Stir the squash into the batter and transfer the batter to the prepared pan; smooth the top evenly.
Bake for approximately an hour or until a toothpick or small knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes; then carefully invert the cake onto the rack and remove the pan.
When the cake is completely cool it may be frosted.
Make the Hazelnut Frosting:
Use an electric mixer to beat together the butter, powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla until smooth.
Fold in the ground hazelnuts.
Frost cake. If you like, roughly chop some toasted hazelnuts and sprinkle over the top of the cake for decoration.
HOMEMADE MACARONI AND CHEESE
I had been looking for a really simple but good homemade macaroni and cheese recipe, and this fits the bill. My daughter and granddaughter had come over on my granddaughter's birthday; while they were here, my daughter whipped up this recipe. She'd been making it for quite a while. It was a definite hit with everyone in the house.
Ingredients
1 box (16 ounce) cannelloni pasta (see Note)
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
Note: Just about any tubular pasta can be used in this recipe, though it seems to work best with something bigger than elbow macaroni. Some of the better substitutes for the cannelloni would be ziti, penne, rigatoni, or elicoidali.
Directions
Turn oven on to 350 degrees.
Cook pasta according to package directions. If the package gives you a bracket – say, 12 – 14 minutes – lean toward the lower time, since you don't want the pasta to be too mushy. Drain, rinse, and set aside.
In a large pot, melt butter on low heat, then add flour, salt, and pepper. Cook on low heat, stirring continuously, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add milk and cook on medium heat for approximately 5 minutes until mixture thickens, stirring continuously.
Remove from heat and add macaroni, stirring it into mixture. Add the shredded cheese, and stir in completely.
Pour mixture into a 13 X 9 inch pan and bake at 350 for 10 – 15 minutes. Remove carefully, as it will be hot. (You knew that, right?) Dig in.
This makes 4 – 5 servings.
Photo: Homemade Macaroni and Cheese, on the left in the blue dish, and Benecol Macaroni and Cheese, on right, in orange casserole dish (from Avon)
BENECOL MACARONI AND CHEESE
For several years, there was a magazine dedicated to walking, titled Walking Magazine. It had many good articles, tips and recipes for those of us who feel a little more comfortable race-walking than running. Unfortunately, the magazine folded several years ago. This recipe was in it during its final year. Serves 4.
Ingredients
1/2 lb. small shell style macaroni
4 Tbs. Benecol
3 Tbs. all purpose flour
3 Tbs. finely chopped onion
1 1/2 C 2% milk, warmed
few drops Tabasco Sauce
1-pint nonfat cottage (or ricotta) cheese
1 tsp. salt
1/2 C flavored bread crumbs
1 Tbs. olive oil
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9-by-9 inch pan liberally with nonstick cooking spray. Cook shells according to package directions, strain, and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
To prepare sauce, melt Benecol in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Quickly whisk in flour, add onions, and cook for 1 minute. Slowly pour milk into flour mixture, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Add Tabasco Sauce and cook an additional minute. Whisk in cheese and salt, and blend in shells; transfer mixture to prepared pan.
In small bowl, mix oil and bread crumbs together; spoon over top of macaroni and cheese. Bake for 20 minutes.
Per Serving: 510 calories; 27.2% calories from fat; 3G saturated fat; 65G carbohydrates; 12MG cholesterol; 612MG sodium; 2G fiber
BOSTON BROWN BREAD
This comes from Jeff Gordinier in The New York Times' Cooking newsletter. Jeff writes, “Bread that slides out of a can? It might strike many Americans as a dubious culinary eccentricity, but throughout New England it is a staple, often purchased at the supermarket and served at home with a generous pour of baked beans. 'I had this growing up,' said Meghan Thompson, the pastry chef at Townsman, in Boston, where the cylindrical brown tower comes to the table as something of a regional wink. Her version, commissioned by the chef Matt Jennings, dials down the cloying sweetness and amps up the flavor with a totally different manifestation of beans: doenjang, the funky Korean paste made from fermented soybeans.” Time: about 2 hours; makes 2 coffee-can-size loaves, or 1 standard loaf
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons white rye flour
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons stone-ground whole wheat flour
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons dark rye flour
1 cup fine-ground cornmeal
1 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon doenjang (Korean soybean paste)
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup egg whites (from 4 to 5 large eggs)
3/4 cup (scant) blackstrap molasses
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees and generously coat the insides of 2 10-ounce coffee cans or a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Place the white rye flour in a large skillet over medium heat and toast, whisking constantly, for 7 minutes. The flour will darken slightly and smell nutty.
Whisk the flours, cornmeal, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the doenjang and buttermilk until combined; set aside. With an electric mixer, whip the egg whites with 1 tablespoon of the molasses until stiff, silky peaks form, about 5 minutes. Whisk the remaining molasses into the buttermilk mixture. Gradually stir the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients until combined. Fold in the whipped egg whites in 2 additions.
Pour batter into the prepared cans or loaf pan. Coat pieces of foil with cooking spray, then cover the tops of the cans or pan securely. Set the cans or pan in a baking dish and add enough hot water to come about 1/4 inch up the side. Transfer to oven and bake until the top springs back when lightly touched, about 1 hour 40 minutes for the cans, or 2 hours for the loaf pan. Let cool 20 minutes on a wire rack, then invert and remove the bread to a cutting board. Let cool completely before slicing.
BAKED BEANS
Of course, you can't have Boston Brown Bread without a helping of Baked Beans. This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times' Cooking newsletter. Sam writes, “Proper Boston baked beans would have salt pork instead of the bacon. James Beard cooked them with ribs. The key is to use the little white pea beans known as navy beans, and to allow time to do most of the work. (Or to cheat: Canned white beans make fantastic baked beans in about an hour. If you use them, you'll need four 15-ounce cans. Drain and then follow the directions from step 2 on to the end. Please understand that you’ll need much less water and much less time to get them where you want them to be.) The combination of molasses and dry mustard is a taste as old as America itself, and takes well to both ham and soft brown bread.” Makes 6 to 8 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 cups navy beans
Salt
1/2 pound slab bacon, cut into cubes
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1/3 cup molasses
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Preparation
Soak beans in a large bowl of water for 6 hours or overnight. Drain beans and put them in a large oven-safe pot with a heavy bottom and a tightfitting lid. Add 1 teaspoon salt and enough cool water to cover 2 inches above the beans. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the beans are just tender, approximately 30 to 40 minutes. Drain and remove beans.
Heat the oven to 250 degrees. Bring a kettle full of water to a boil on the stove. Return the heavy-bottomed pot to the stove and turn the heat to medium high. Cook the bacon in the bottom of the pot until it begins to brown, then turn off the heat and add the chopped onion and, on top of it, the beans. Mix together molasses, mustard and black pepper, and add the mixture to the pot. Pour in enough boiling water to cover beans, put the lid on and bake, occasionally adding more water to keep beans covered, until they are tender but not falling apart, 4 to 5 hours.
Remove beans from oven, uncover, stir and season with salt. With the lid off, return pot to oven and let beans finish cooking, uncovered and without additional water, until the sauce has thickened and the top is deeply crusty, about 45 minutes more.
PEPPERMINT MERINGUES
This comes from The Food Network Kitchen. It begins, “These minty, pink-striped meringues are easy to make and use a clever decorating trick: Paint lines of food coloring gel up the sides of a pastry bag before filling it with meringue, and each cookie comes out striped as you pipe it. You can use this same trick with frosting for cupcakes.” Total Time: 3 hr 30 min; Prep: 30 min; Inactive: 2 hr; Cook: 1 hr; Yield: about 42 meringues; Level: Intermediate
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/peppermint-meringues.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
3 large egg whites
Pinch fine salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 cup superfine sugar
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
Red food coloring, preferably gel
Directions
Special equipment: a pastry bag fitted with a round tip; a small paintbrush or cotton swab
Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 250 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Beat the egg whites and salt with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large bowl until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat until soft peaks form. While beating, add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Beat in the peppermint.
Fold the top of a pastry bag fitted with a round tip over and down a few inches. Dip a paintbrush in the food coloring. Starting inside the pastry tip, brush a stroke of food coloring from the tip to the top of the bag. Repeat with 3 more evenly spaced strokes. Fill the bag with the meringue; try to spoon it directly into the center so as not to smudge the food coloring (though some smudging is inevitable). Pipe 1-inch-diameter mounds of meringue spaced 1 inch apart onto the prepared baking sheets.
Bake until the meringues are no longer glossy and feel light and dry when picked up, about 1 hour. Open the oven for a few minutes, then turn it off and shut the door. Leave the meringues in the oven until they are completely dry inside, about 2 hours. The meringues can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH CAKE WITH HAZELNUTS
This came from Brett Moore, who wrote for The Spruce Eats. Brett wrote, “Squash for dessert? Butternut squash makes a wonderful component for desserts. The complex flavor adds a nice dimension to your cake that your guests won't be able to figure out. The hazelnut frosting is the perfect complement to this sweet and moist cake.” Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Total Time: 80 minutes; Yield: Serves 8 to 10
Brett wrote for About.com has since changed into .dash, where you can find The Spruce Eats, as well as other channels. While I still haven't found a link for this recipe on here (there had been one on about.com, which no longer works), I'll continue to look for it.
Ingredients
Cake:
4 ounces (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup canola or other neutral oil
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
13 1/2 ounces (3 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 1/4 cups peeled and grated butternut squash (about 8 ounces)
Frosting:
1 lb unsalted butter, softened
4 2/3 cups powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup ground hazelnuts
1/4 cup whole hazelnuts, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9- by 13-inch cake pan or 10-cup Bundt pan.
In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Add the oil and beat for about half a minute until combined.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well on low speed after each one.
Add the vinegar and vanilla and mix again until just combined.
Add half of the flour and the baking soda, salt, ginger and nutmeg, mixing on low speed until just combined. Add half of the buttermilk and mix until just combined. Repeat with the remaining flour and buttermilk.
Stir the squash into the batter and transfer the batter to the prepared pan; smooth the top evenly.
Bake for approximately an hour or until a toothpick or small knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes; then carefully invert the cake onto the rack and remove the pan.
When the cake is completely cool it may be frosted.
Make the Hazelnut Frosting:
Use an electric mixer to beat together the butter, powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla until smooth.
Fold in the ground hazelnuts.
Frost cake. If you like, roughly chop some toasted hazelnuts and sprinkle over the top of the cake for decoration.
HOMEMADE MACARONI AND CHEESE
I had been looking for a really simple but good homemade macaroni and cheese recipe, and this fits the bill. My daughter and granddaughter had come over on my granddaughter's birthday; while they were here, my daughter whipped up this recipe. She'd been making it for quite a while. It was a definite hit with everyone in the house.
Ingredients
1 box (16 ounce) cannelloni pasta (see Note)
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
Note: Just about any tubular pasta can be used in this recipe, though it seems to work best with something bigger than elbow macaroni. Some of the better substitutes for the cannelloni would be ziti, penne, rigatoni, or elicoidali.
Directions
Turn oven on to 350 degrees.
Cook pasta according to package directions. If the package gives you a bracket – say, 12 – 14 minutes – lean toward the lower time, since you don't want the pasta to be too mushy. Drain, rinse, and set aside.
In a large pot, melt butter on low heat, then add flour, salt, and pepper. Cook on low heat, stirring continuously, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add milk and cook on medium heat for approximately 5 minutes until mixture thickens, stirring continuously.
Remove from heat and add macaroni, stirring it into mixture. Add the shredded cheese, and stir in completely.
Pour mixture into a 13 X 9 inch pan and bake at 350 for 10 – 15 minutes. Remove carefully, as it will be hot. (You knew that, right?) Dig in.
This makes 4 – 5 servings.
Photo: Homemade Macaroni and Cheese, on the left in the blue dish, and Benecol Macaroni and Cheese, on right, in orange casserole dish (from Avon)
BENECOL MACARONI AND CHEESE
For several years, there was a magazine dedicated to walking, titled Walking Magazine. It had many good articles, tips and recipes for those of us who feel a little more comfortable race-walking than running. Unfortunately, the magazine folded several years ago. This recipe was in it during its final year. Serves 4.
Ingredients
1/2 lb. small shell style macaroni
4 Tbs. Benecol
3 Tbs. all purpose flour
3 Tbs. finely chopped onion
1 1/2 C 2% milk, warmed
few drops Tabasco Sauce
1-pint nonfat cottage (or ricotta) cheese
1 tsp. salt
1/2 C flavored bread crumbs
1 Tbs. olive oil
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9-by-9 inch pan liberally with nonstick cooking spray. Cook shells according to package directions, strain, and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
To prepare sauce, melt Benecol in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Quickly whisk in flour, add onions, and cook for 1 minute. Slowly pour milk into flour mixture, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Add Tabasco Sauce and cook an additional minute. Whisk in cheese and salt, and blend in shells; transfer mixture to prepared pan.
In small bowl, mix oil and bread crumbs together; spoon over top of macaroni and cheese. Bake for 20 minutes.
Per Serving: 510 calories; 27.2% calories from fat; 3G saturated fat; 65G carbohydrates; 12MG cholesterol; 612MG sodium; 2G fiber
BOSTON BROWN BREAD
This comes from Jeff Gordinier in The New York Times' Cooking newsletter. Jeff writes, “Bread that slides out of a can? It might strike many Americans as a dubious culinary eccentricity, but throughout New England it is a staple, often purchased at the supermarket and served at home with a generous pour of baked beans. 'I had this growing up,' said Meghan Thompson, the pastry chef at Townsman, in Boston, where the cylindrical brown tower comes to the table as something of a regional wink. Her version, commissioned by the chef Matt Jennings, dials down the cloying sweetness and amps up the flavor with a totally different manifestation of beans: doenjang, the funky Korean paste made from fermented soybeans.” Time: about 2 hours; makes 2 coffee-can-size loaves, or 1 standard loaf
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons white rye flour
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons stone-ground whole wheat flour
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons dark rye flour
1 cup fine-ground cornmeal
1 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon doenjang (Korean soybean paste)
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup egg whites (from 4 to 5 large eggs)
3/4 cup (scant) blackstrap molasses
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees and generously coat the insides of 2 10-ounce coffee cans or a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Place the white rye flour in a large skillet over medium heat and toast, whisking constantly, for 7 minutes. The flour will darken slightly and smell nutty.
Whisk the flours, cornmeal, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the doenjang and buttermilk until combined; set aside. With an electric mixer, whip the egg whites with 1 tablespoon of the molasses until stiff, silky peaks form, about 5 minutes. Whisk the remaining molasses into the buttermilk mixture. Gradually stir the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients until combined. Fold in the whipped egg whites in 2 additions.
Pour batter into the prepared cans or loaf pan. Coat pieces of foil with cooking spray, then cover the tops of the cans or pan securely. Set the cans or pan in a baking dish and add enough hot water to come about 1/4 inch up the side. Transfer to oven and bake until the top springs back when lightly touched, about 1 hour 40 minutes for the cans, or 2 hours for the loaf pan. Let cool 20 minutes on a wire rack, then invert and remove the bread to a cutting board. Let cool completely before slicing.
BAKED BEANS
Of course, you can't have Boston Brown Bread without a helping of Baked Beans. This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times' Cooking newsletter. Sam writes, “Proper Boston baked beans would have salt pork instead of the bacon. James Beard cooked them with ribs. The key is to use the little white pea beans known as navy beans, and to allow time to do most of the work. (Or to cheat: Canned white beans make fantastic baked beans in about an hour. If you use them, you'll need four 15-ounce cans. Drain and then follow the directions from step 2 on to the end. Please understand that you’ll need much less water and much less time to get them where you want them to be.) The combination of molasses and dry mustard is a taste as old as America itself, and takes well to both ham and soft brown bread.” Makes 6 to 8 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 cups navy beans
Salt
1/2 pound slab bacon, cut into cubes
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1/3 cup molasses
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Preparation
Soak beans in a large bowl of water for 6 hours or overnight. Drain beans and put them in a large oven-safe pot with a heavy bottom and a tightfitting lid. Add 1 teaspoon salt and enough cool water to cover 2 inches above the beans. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the beans are just tender, approximately 30 to 40 minutes. Drain and remove beans.
Heat the oven to 250 degrees. Bring a kettle full of water to a boil on the stove. Return the heavy-bottomed pot to the stove and turn the heat to medium high. Cook the bacon in the bottom of the pot until it begins to brown, then turn off the heat and add the chopped onion and, on top of it, the beans. Mix together molasses, mustard and black pepper, and add the mixture to the pot. Pour in enough boiling water to cover beans, put the lid on and bake, occasionally adding more water to keep beans covered, until they are tender but not falling apart, 4 to 5 hours.
Remove beans from oven, uncover, stir and season with salt. With the lid off, return pot to oven and let beans finish cooking, uncovered and without additional water, until the sauce has thickened and the top is deeply crusty, about 45 minutes more.
PEPPERMINT MERINGUES
This comes from The Food Network Kitchen. It begins, “These minty, pink-striped meringues are easy to make and use a clever decorating trick: Paint lines of food coloring gel up the sides of a pastry bag before filling it with meringue, and each cookie comes out striped as you pipe it. You can use this same trick with frosting for cupcakes.” Total Time: 3 hr 30 min; Prep: 30 min; Inactive: 2 hr; Cook: 1 hr; Yield: about 42 meringues; Level: Intermediate
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/peppermint-meringues.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
3 large egg whites
Pinch fine salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 cup superfine sugar
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
Red food coloring, preferably gel
Directions
Special equipment: a pastry bag fitted with a round tip; a small paintbrush or cotton swab
Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 250 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Beat the egg whites and salt with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large bowl until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat until soft peaks form. While beating, add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Beat in the peppermint.
Fold the top of a pastry bag fitted with a round tip over and down a few inches. Dip a paintbrush in the food coloring. Starting inside the pastry tip, brush a stroke of food coloring from the tip to the top of the bag. Repeat with 3 more evenly spaced strokes. Fill the bag with the meringue; try to spoon it directly into the center so as not to smudge the food coloring (though some smudging is inevitable). Pipe 1-inch-diameter mounds of meringue spaced 1 inch apart onto the prepared baking sheets.
Bake until the meringues are no longer glossy and feel light and dry when picked up, about 1 hour. Open the oven for a few minutes, then turn it off and shut the door. Leave the meringues in the oven until they are completely dry inside, about 2 hours. The meringues can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Meatless Monday
It's Meatless Monday, the last Monday of 2019. Here are six yummy vegetarian recipes to get your week started off just right, including Sweet Potato & Black Bean Enchiladas and Frozen Lemonade Pie. Enjoy!
VEGAN LASAGNA
This comes from Lena Abraham on Delish, and begins, “A lasagna you can feel good about.”
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves: 10-12
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Lasagna
1 box lasagna noodles
1 (14-oz) package firm tofu, drained
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano, divided
1 (8-oz) package baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 (10-oz) packages frozen spinach, thawed and drained of excess liquid
For the White Sauce
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 1/2 c. almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 c. marinara
3 tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/4 c. thinly sliced basil, for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 350º. Bring a large pot of salted boiling water to a boil and cook lasagna noodles until al dente. Drain.
Wrap tofu in a clean kitchen cloth or paper towels and place on a large plate. Place a pan or heavy plate on top of tofu in order to press out as much liquid as possible. Let sit for at least 30 minutes. When drained, crumble with two forks and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and garlic and season with salt, pepper, and 1 tsp oregano. Add mushrooms and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in thawed and drained spinach until completely combined. Remove from heat and set aside vegetables.
Wipe out skillet and return to medium heat to make white sauce: Add olive oil and heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add flour and whisk to combine. Cook until lightly golden and nutty, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in nut milk until smooth. Stir in nutritional yeast and garlic powder and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and let cook until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes.
Build lasagna: In a large baking dish, spoon 1/4 c marinara into an even layer, then add a layer of noodles. Top with an even layer of vegetable mixture, tofu, marinara, and white sauce. Repeat until all ingredients are used, ending in marinara. Add a single layer of tomato rounds and season with salt, pepper and remaining oregano.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until tomatoes are cooked and lasagna is heated through. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Garnish with basil and serve.
SWEET POTATO & BLACK BEAN ENCHILADAS
This comes from the December 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 59. The recipes starts off, “Right from the start, the originality and flavor profile of this recipe made it a standout for VT taste testers. 'My wife and I eat this dish a lot in the fall and winter months. We make it when we're having guests (vegetarian and not) because we know everyone will enjoy it,' explains James McNulty. 'It can be made the night before and it travels well, so it's great for a potluck or a holiday party.'” Serves 8 (makes 16 enchiladas)
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Sauce
1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
1 3/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 tsp. ancho chile powder
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. chipotle chile powder
Filling
1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
1 1/2 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (3 cups)
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
1 16-oz. jar prepared medium salsa
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, drained and minced
1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 12-oz. round queso fresco, divided
Enchiladas
extra virgin olive oil, for brushing baking dish
16 6-inch corn tortillas, warmed
2 limes, cut into wedges
1 avocado, sliced
1/2 cup sour cream, for garnish
Cilantro sprigs, for garnish, optional
Directions
To make Sauce: Bring all ingredients to a simmer in saucepan over medium heat. Whisk to combine, then remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
To make Filling: Heat oil in separate saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 3 to 5 minutes, or until soft. Add sweet potatoes, tomatoes, salsa, garlic, chipotle chile, and 1/2 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 to 40 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are soft. Mash mixture with potato masher until combined. Add black beans, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in half of queso fresco, and remove from heat.
To assemble Enchiladas: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Brush 13- x 9-inch baking dish with oil. Spread 1/2 cup Sauce in bottom of dish. Fill tortillas with Filling. Roll, and pack close together seam-side down in baking dish. Top with remaining Sauce and queso fresco. Bake 15 minutes.
Adjust oven to broil. Broil Enchiladas 5 minutes, or until cheese is browned and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with lime wedges, avocado slices, sour cream, and cilantro sprigs, if using.
nutritional information Per Serving (2 enchiladas): Calories: 435; Protein: 13 g; Total Fat: 15 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 65 g; Cholesterol: 20 mg; Sodium: 963 mg; Fiber: 11 g; Sugar: 11 g; Gluten-Free
DULCE DE LECHE BANANA PIE
This yummy recipe, from Old El Paso, begins, “A flaky homemade pie crust complements a caramel and banana cream filling.”
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Prep Time: 20 minutes; 8 Servings; 10 Ingredients
To view this yumminess, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/dulce-de-leche-banana-pie.
Ingredients
Crust
1 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening
2 to 3 tablespoons cold water
Filling
1 can (13.4 oz) dulce de leche
3 ripe medium bananas
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
Instructions
Heat oven to 450°F. In medium bowl, mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and dough almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).
On lightly floured surface, shape dough into a ball. Flatten ball to 1/2-inch thickness, rounding and smoothing edges. With floured rolling pin, roll dough into 11-inch round, rolling from center to edge. Fold dough in half; place in 9-inch glass pie plate. Unfold; gently press in bottom and up side of plate, being careful not to stretch dough.
Fold and roll edge of dough under, even with plate; flute edge. Prick bottom and side of dough generously with fork. Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Spoon contents of can of dulce de leche into center of cooled crust; gently spread to edge. Thinly slice bananas; arrange over dulce de leche.
In medium bowl, beat whipping cream and powdered sugar with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Spread over bananas.
In small resealable freezer plastic bag, place chocolate chips and oil; seal bag. Microwave on High 30 seconds; knead bag to mix melted chips and unmelted chips. Microwave 15 to 30 seconds longer or until all chips are melted and smooth. Snip off tiny corner of bag. Pipe melted chocolate mixture over whipped cream. Store pie in refrigerator.
Expert Tips
Dulce de leche is a traditional Spanish confection made from milk. It's a popular culinary reference to rich caramel flavors. Look for canned dulce de leche in the Hispanic section of the supermarket.
IRISH SPICE BREAD
This came from a long-since-forgotten-emailing-list.
Ingredients
1 1/4 c Flour
2 ts Baking powder
1/2 ts Baking soda
1 ts Mixed spice *
1/2 ts Ginger, ground
4 oz Sugar, brown, light
2 oz Citron, candied; chopped
6 oz Raisins, plain or golden
4 oz Butter
6 oz light corn syrup karo
1 large Egg; beaten
4 tb Milk
* Equal parts of cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice.
Directions
Sift the flour with the soda and baking powder, and the mixed spice and ginger: then add the brown sugar, chopped peel and raisins: mix. Make a well in the center. Melt the butter with the syrup over low heat, then pour into the well in the mixture. Add the beaten egg and milk and mix very well. Pour into a greased 2-lb loaf pan and bake in a preheated oven at 325 F for 40-50 minutes, or until it tests done.
This bread will keep moist for several days, and actually improves somewhat during this period.
FROZEN LEMONADE PIE
This comes from Pat and Gina Neely from The Food Network's Down Home with the Neelys. Total Time: 8 hr 18 min; Prep: 10 min; Inactive: 8 hr; Cook: 8 min; Yield: 8 servings
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/patrick-and-gina-neely/frozen-lemonade-pie-recipe.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
For the Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the Filling:
2 cups heavy cream
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk, chilled
1 6-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate (do not thaw)
For the Topping:
1 cup blueberries
1 cup raspberries
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Make the crust: In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press firmly on the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 7 minutes; cool completely.
Make the filling: In a cold medium bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. In another bowl, stir together the condensed milk and frozen lemonade. Gently fold the lemonade mixture into the whipped cream. Pour the filling into the crust; freeze overnight.
About an hour before you serve the pie, make the topping: Toss the berries in a medium bowl with the sugar and lemon juice. Set aside until ready to serve.
Let the pie come to room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting. Top each slice with berries.
THE ULTIMATE VEGGIE BURGER
This comes from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “You make a veggie burger because you want the hamburger experience without the meat. This one delivers. It’s got a firm, beefy texture that takes on the char and smoke of the grill, but is adaptable enough to cook inside on your stove. The enemy of a veggie burger is mushiness, which stems from a high moisture content. To combat that, the very watery ingredients – mushrooms, tofu, beans and beets – are roasted to both dehydrate them somewhat and intensify their flavors. Yes, the ingredient list here is long; you need a diverse lot to make a good veggie burger. And each one adds something in terms of flavor and/or texture. Garnish this any way you like, and don’t forget to toast the buns.” Yield: 6 burger.
This was featured in “The Ultimate Veggie Burger”, and can be found online here.
Also, there are two guides that went with this recipe that you might want to check out. The first is “How to Cook Beans”, and the second is “How to Grill”. Enjoy!
Ingredients
4 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained
Olive oil
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more as needed
Black pepper, as needed
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained
1 medium beet, peeled and coarsely grated (3/4 cup)
3/4 cup tamari almonds or cashews
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
2 ounces Cotija cheese or queso blanco, crumbled or grated (about 1/2 cup)
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 scallions, sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon dulce pimentón or sweet smoked paprika
4 ounces tempeh, crumbled
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
Preparation
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Slice tofu into 1/4-inch-thick slabs and pat dry with paper towel. Arrange tofu on one half of a rimmed baking sheet; brush both sides with oil. Spread mushrooms on the other half of the baking sheet; toss with 2 tablespoons oil and salt and pepper.
On a second rimmed baking sheet, toss beans and grated beet with 1 tablespoon oil and salt and pepper, then spread the mixture into one layer.
Transfer both baking sheets to the oven. Roast bean-beet mixture, tossing occasionally, until beans begin to split and beets are tender and golden, about 15 minutes. Roast mushrooms and tofu until golden and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 25 minutes. Let everything cool.
Place nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Add cooled bean-beet mixture, mushrooms, tofu, panko, cheese, eggs, mayonnaise, scallion, garlic, pimentón and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Pulse until ingredients are just combined. Pulse in tempeh and rice but do not overprocess. You want small chunks, not a smooth mixture. Scrape mixture into a bowl and chill at least 2 hours or up to 5 days (you can also freeze the burger mix).
When you are ready to make the burgers, divide mixture into 6 equal portions and form each portion into a patty about 1 inch thick. Return to the fridge until just before grilling. They grill better when they start out cold.
Heat the grill. Cook the burgers over a low fire until they are charred on both sides and firm when you press on them, 4 to 6 minutes per side. If they start to burn before they firm up, move them to the sides of the grill to finish cooking over indirect heat. Alternatively, you can cook these on a grill pan or in a skillet over low heat.
VEGAN LASAGNA
This comes from Lena Abraham on Delish, and begins, “A lasagna you can feel good about.”
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves: 10-12
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Lasagna
1 box lasagna noodles
1 (14-oz) package firm tofu, drained
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano, divided
1 (8-oz) package baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 (10-oz) packages frozen spinach, thawed and drained of excess liquid
For the White Sauce
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 1/2 c. almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 c. marinara
3 tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/4 c. thinly sliced basil, for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 350º. Bring a large pot of salted boiling water to a boil and cook lasagna noodles until al dente. Drain.
Wrap tofu in a clean kitchen cloth or paper towels and place on a large plate. Place a pan or heavy plate on top of tofu in order to press out as much liquid as possible. Let sit for at least 30 minutes. When drained, crumble with two forks and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and garlic and season with salt, pepper, and 1 tsp oregano. Add mushrooms and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in thawed and drained spinach until completely combined. Remove from heat and set aside vegetables.
Wipe out skillet and return to medium heat to make white sauce: Add olive oil and heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add flour and whisk to combine. Cook until lightly golden and nutty, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in nut milk until smooth. Stir in nutritional yeast and garlic powder and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and let cook until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes.
Build lasagna: In a large baking dish, spoon 1/4 c marinara into an even layer, then add a layer of noodles. Top with an even layer of vegetable mixture, tofu, marinara, and white sauce. Repeat until all ingredients are used, ending in marinara. Add a single layer of tomato rounds and season with salt, pepper and remaining oregano.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until tomatoes are cooked and lasagna is heated through. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Garnish with basil and serve.
SWEET POTATO & BLACK BEAN ENCHILADAS
This comes from the December 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 59. The recipes starts off, “Right from the start, the originality and flavor profile of this recipe made it a standout for VT taste testers. 'My wife and I eat this dish a lot in the fall and winter months. We make it when we're having guests (vegetarian and not) because we know everyone will enjoy it,' explains James McNulty. 'It can be made the night before and it travels well, so it's great for a potluck or a holiday party.'” Serves 8 (makes 16 enchiladas)
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Sauce
1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
1 3/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 tsp. ancho chile powder
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. chipotle chile powder
Filling
1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
1 1/2 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (3 cups)
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
1 16-oz. jar prepared medium salsa
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, drained and minced
1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 12-oz. round queso fresco, divided
Enchiladas
extra virgin olive oil, for brushing baking dish
16 6-inch corn tortillas, warmed
2 limes, cut into wedges
1 avocado, sliced
1/2 cup sour cream, for garnish
Cilantro sprigs, for garnish, optional
Directions
To make Sauce: Bring all ingredients to a simmer in saucepan over medium heat. Whisk to combine, then remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
To make Filling: Heat oil in separate saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 3 to 5 minutes, or until soft. Add sweet potatoes, tomatoes, salsa, garlic, chipotle chile, and 1/2 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 to 40 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are soft. Mash mixture with potato masher until combined. Add black beans, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in half of queso fresco, and remove from heat.
To assemble Enchiladas: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Brush 13- x 9-inch baking dish with oil. Spread 1/2 cup Sauce in bottom of dish. Fill tortillas with Filling. Roll, and pack close together seam-side down in baking dish. Top with remaining Sauce and queso fresco. Bake 15 minutes.
Adjust oven to broil. Broil Enchiladas 5 minutes, or until cheese is browned and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with lime wedges, avocado slices, sour cream, and cilantro sprigs, if using.
nutritional information Per Serving (2 enchiladas): Calories: 435; Protein: 13 g; Total Fat: 15 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 65 g; Cholesterol: 20 mg; Sodium: 963 mg; Fiber: 11 g; Sugar: 11 g; Gluten-Free
DULCE DE LECHE BANANA PIE
This yummy recipe, from Old El Paso, begins, “A flaky homemade pie crust complements a caramel and banana cream filling.”
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Prep Time: 20 minutes; 8 Servings; 10 Ingredients
To view this yumminess, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/dulce-de-leche-banana-pie.
Ingredients
Crust
1 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening
2 to 3 tablespoons cold water
Filling
1 can (13.4 oz) dulce de leche
3 ripe medium bananas
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
Instructions
Heat oven to 450°F. In medium bowl, mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and dough almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).
On lightly floured surface, shape dough into a ball. Flatten ball to 1/2-inch thickness, rounding and smoothing edges. With floured rolling pin, roll dough into 11-inch round, rolling from center to edge. Fold dough in half; place in 9-inch glass pie plate. Unfold; gently press in bottom and up side of plate, being careful not to stretch dough.
Fold and roll edge of dough under, even with plate; flute edge. Prick bottom and side of dough generously with fork. Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Spoon contents of can of dulce de leche into center of cooled crust; gently spread to edge. Thinly slice bananas; arrange over dulce de leche.
In medium bowl, beat whipping cream and powdered sugar with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Spread over bananas.
In small resealable freezer plastic bag, place chocolate chips and oil; seal bag. Microwave on High 30 seconds; knead bag to mix melted chips and unmelted chips. Microwave 15 to 30 seconds longer or until all chips are melted and smooth. Snip off tiny corner of bag. Pipe melted chocolate mixture over whipped cream. Store pie in refrigerator.
Expert Tips
Dulce de leche is a traditional Spanish confection made from milk. It's a popular culinary reference to rich caramel flavors. Look for canned dulce de leche in the Hispanic section of the supermarket.
IRISH SPICE BREAD
This came from a long-since-forgotten-emailing-list.
Ingredients
1 1/4 c Flour
2 ts Baking powder
1/2 ts Baking soda
1 ts Mixed spice *
1/2 ts Ginger, ground
4 oz Sugar, brown, light
2 oz Citron, candied; chopped
6 oz Raisins, plain or golden
4 oz Butter
6 oz light corn syrup karo
1 large Egg; beaten
4 tb Milk
* Equal parts of cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice.
Directions
Sift the flour with the soda and baking powder, and the mixed spice and ginger: then add the brown sugar, chopped peel and raisins: mix. Make a well in the center. Melt the butter with the syrup over low heat, then pour into the well in the mixture. Add the beaten egg and milk and mix very well. Pour into a greased 2-lb loaf pan and bake in a preheated oven at 325 F for 40-50 minutes, or until it tests done.
This bread will keep moist for several days, and actually improves somewhat during this period.
FROZEN LEMONADE PIE
This comes from Pat and Gina Neely from The Food Network's Down Home with the Neelys. Total Time: 8 hr 18 min; Prep: 10 min; Inactive: 8 hr; Cook: 8 min; Yield: 8 servings
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/patrick-and-gina-neely/frozen-lemonade-pie-recipe.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
For the Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the Filling:
2 cups heavy cream
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk, chilled
1 6-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate (do not thaw)
For the Topping:
1 cup blueberries
1 cup raspberries
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Make the crust: In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press firmly on the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 7 minutes; cool completely.
Make the filling: In a cold medium bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. In another bowl, stir together the condensed milk and frozen lemonade. Gently fold the lemonade mixture into the whipped cream. Pour the filling into the crust; freeze overnight.
About an hour before you serve the pie, make the topping: Toss the berries in a medium bowl with the sugar and lemon juice. Set aside until ready to serve.
Let the pie come to room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting. Top each slice with berries.
THE ULTIMATE VEGGIE BURGER
This comes from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “You make a veggie burger because you want the hamburger experience without the meat. This one delivers. It’s got a firm, beefy texture that takes on the char and smoke of the grill, but is adaptable enough to cook inside on your stove. The enemy of a veggie burger is mushiness, which stems from a high moisture content. To combat that, the very watery ingredients – mushrooms, tofu, beans and beets – are roasted to both dehydrate them somewhat and intensify their flavors. Yes, the ingredient list here is long; you need a diverse lot to make a good veggie burger. And each one adds something in terms of flavor and/or texture. Garnish this any way you like, and don’t forget to toast the buns.” Yield: 6 burger.
This was featured in “The Ultimate Veggie Burger”, and can be found online here.
Also, there are two guides that went with this recipe that you might want to check out. The first is “How to Cook Beans”, and the second is “How to Grill”. Enjoy!
Ingredients
4 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained
Olive oil
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more as needed
Black pepper, as needed
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained
1 medium beet, peeled and coarsely grated (3/4 cup)
3/4 cup tamari almonds or cashews
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
2 ounces Cotija cheese or queso blanco, crumbled or grated (about 1/2 cup)
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 scallions, sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon dulce pimentón or sweet smoked paprika
4 ounces tempeh, crumbled
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
Preparation
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Slice tofu into 1/4-inch-thick slabs and pat dry with paper towel. Arrange tofu on one half of a rimmed baking sheet; brush both sides with oil. Spread mushrooms on the other half of the baking sheet; toss with 2 tablespoons oil and salt and pepper.
On a second rimmed baking sheet, toss beans and grated beet with 1 tablespoon oil and salt and pepper, then spread the mixture into one layer.
Transfer both baking sheets to the oven. Roast bean-beet mixture, tossing occasionally, until beans begin to split and beets are tender and golden, about 15 minutes. Roast mushrooms and tofu until golden and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 25 minutes. Let everything cool.
Place nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Add cooled bean-beet mixture, mushrooms, tofu, panko, cheese, eggs, mayonnaise, scallion, garlic, pimentón and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Pulse until ingredients are just combined. Pulse in tempeh and rice but do not overprocess. You want small chunks, not a smooth mixture. Scrape mixture into a bowl and chill at least 2 hours or up to 5 days (you can also freeze the burger mix).
When you are ready to make the burgers, divide mixture into 6 equal portions and form each portion into a patty about 1 inch thick. Return to the fridge until just before grilling. They grill better when they start out cold.
Heat the grill. Cook the burgers over a low fire until they are charred on both sides and firm when you press on them, 4 to 6 minutes per side. If they start to burn before they firm up, move them to the sides of the grill to finish cooking over indirect heat. Alternatively, you can cook these on a grill pan or in a skillet over low heat.
Friday, December 27, 2019
Email List Recipes
What do the recipes in today's post have in common? They're all from those infamous long-since-forgotten emailing lists, and include Cherry Dream Pie and BBQ Chicken Burritos, all to help you through the last weekend of 2019. Enjoy!
CREAMY LEMONADE PIE
Here's a yummy way to start off today's post.
Ingredients
1 (5 oz) can evaporated milk
1 (3.4 oz) pkg. instant lemon pudding mix
2 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese softened
3/4 C. lemonade concentrate
1 graham cracker crust
Directions
In mixing bowl combine milk and pudding mix; beat on low speed for 2 minutes. In another mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gradually beat in lemonade concentrate. Gradually beat in pudding mixture. Pour into crust. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
CHERRY DREAM PIE
Ingredients
1 graham cracker pie crust
3 egg yolks
1 (14 oz) can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
1/3 C. lemon juice
1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling chilled
whipped topping (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350. In medium bowl, beat egg yolks; stir in sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice. Pour into prepared crust; bake 8 minutes. Cool. Chill 3 hours or overnight. Prior to serving, top with pie filling. Garnish with whipped topping. Refrigerate leftovers.
BARBECUE COWBOY PINTO BEANS (SLOW COOKER)
Pies aren't the only things posted in those email lists.
Ingredients
16 oz package dried pinto beans, rinsed and picked over
4 cups hot water
2 medium onions, chopped
1 Tbs chili powder
3/4 cup hickory-flavored barbecue sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1 1/2 tbs prepared yellow mustard
Dash of Tabasco sauce
Directions
In crock pot, mix together the beans, hot water, onions, and chili powder. Cover & cook on low heat setting about 7 hours, or until the beans are tender but not falling apart.
Drain off all cooking liquid. Stir in barbecue sauce, ketchup, mustard, and Tabasco sauce. Cook, uncovered, 10 to 15 minutes longer, until heated through.
CREAMY PINEAPPLE ORANGE REFRESHER PUNCH
Ingredients
1 - 46 oz. can of pineapple juice
1 1/2 pints vanilla ice cream
1 quart orange sherbet
2 liters ginger ale
Directions
In a punch bowl, place the vanilla ice cream and orange sherbet. Slowly add & stir in pineapple juice and then ginger ale.
CAULDRON OF CHILI WITH SPIDER BREAD
My son and I were both on several long-forgotten emailing recipe lists. This is one of the recipes my son passed along from one of those lists.
Source: Target Recipes
Serves: 8; Hands-On Time: 40 Minutes; Total Time: 55 Minutes
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onions
2 (14.5 ounce) cans Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 (15 ounce) can spicy chili beans, undrained
1 (11 ounce) can Mexicorn whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, undrained
1 (11 ounce) can refrigerated breadsticks
4 small pimento-stuffed olives, sliced
1/2 cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese
Directions
In 12-inch skillet, cook beef and onions over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes stirring frequently until beef is thoroughly cooked. Drain.
Stir in tomatoes, chili, beans and corn; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Make an X shape using two pieces of dough. Pinch and twist the center where they meet to create a ball-shaped spider head.
Place on baking sheet, spreading legs of X shape out from the spider body. Use scissors to cut the dough creating four more legs. Attach dough to body and splay all eight legs. Place 2 olive slices on each for eyes.
Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Top individual serving of chili with cheese and serve with warm spider breads.
BBQ CHICKEN BURRITOS
This is from another list than my son sent me.
Yield: 6 servings.
Ingredients
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
6 burrito size fat free wheat flour tortillas
3 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup shredded reduced fat sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded reduced fat Monterey Jack cheese
1 small tomato, diced
1 small avocado, diced
1/2 cup diced purple onion
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
2 tbsp. lowfat sour cream
1 tbsp. light ranch dressing
Directions
Heat grill over medium-hot coals. Grill chicken breasts for 7 minutes; turn over and grill 5 minutes longer. Brush chicken with barbecue sauce. Grill about 3 minutes and turn chicken over. Brush with more barbecue sauce and continue grilling and turning until chicken is done and generously coated with barbecue sauce.
Let chicken cool enough to handle. Slice into thin, short strips.
Warm flour tortillas according to package directions. Evenly divide chicken among flour tortillas. Top with lettuce, cheeses, tomatoes, avocados and onions. Combine barbecue sauce, sour cream and ranch dressing; dollop on burritos. Roll up.
CREAMY LEMONADE PIE
Here's a yummy way to start off today's post.
Ingredients
1 (5 oz) can evaporated milk
1 (3.4 oz) pkg. instant lemon pudding mix
2 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese softened
3/4 C. lemonade concentrate
1 graham cracker crust
Directions
In mixing bowl combine milk and pudding mix; beat on low speed for 2 minutes. In another mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gradually beat in lemonade concentrate. Gradually beat in pudding mixture. Pour into crust. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
CHERRY DREAM PIE
Ingredients
1 graham cracker pie crust
3 egg yolks
1 (14 oz) can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
1/3 C. lemon juice
1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling chilled
whipped topping (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350. In medium bowl, beat egg yolks; stir in sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice. Pour into prepared crust; bake 8 minutes. Cool. Chill 3 hours or overnight. Prior to serving, top with pie filling. Garnish with whipped topping. Refrigerate leftovers.
BARBECUE COWBOY PINTO BEANS (SLOW COOKER)
Pies aren't the only things posted in those email lists.
Ingredients
16 oz package dried pinto beans, rinsed and picked over
4 cups hot water
2 medium onions, chopped
1 Tbs chili powder
3/4 cup hickory-flavored barbecue sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1 1/2 tbs prepared yellow mustard
Dash of Tabasco sauce
Directions
In crock pot, mix together the beans, hot water, onions, and chili powder. Cover & cook on low heat setting about 7 hours, or until the beans are tender but not falling apart.
Drain off all cooking liquid. Stir in barbecue sauce, ketchup, mustard, and Tabasco sauce. Cook, uncovered, 10 to 15 minutes longer, until heated through.
CREAMY PINEAPPLE ORANGE REFRESHER PUNCH
Ingredients
1 - 46 oz. can of pineapple juice
1 1/2 pints vanilla ice cream
1 quart orange sherbet
2 liters ginger ale
Directions
In a punch bowl, place the vanilla ice cream and orange sherbet. Slowly add & stir in pineapple juice and then ginger ale.
CAULDRON OF CHILI WITH SPIDER BREAD
My son and I were both on several long-forgotten emailing recipe lists. This is one of the recipes my son passed along from one of those lists.
Source: Target Recipes
Serves: 8; Hands-On Time: 40 Minutes; Total Time: 55 Minutes
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onions
2 (14.5 ounce) cans Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 (15 ounce) can spicy chili beans, undrained
1 (11 ounce) can Mexicorn whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, undrained
1 (11 ounce) can refrigerated breadsticks
4 small pimento-stuffed olives, sliced
1/2 cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese
Directions
In 12-inch skillet, cook beef and onions over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes stirring frequently until beef is thoroughly cooked. Drain.
Stir in tomatoes, chili, beans and corn; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Make an X shape using two pieces of dough. Pinch and twist the center where they meet to create a ball-shaped spider head.
Place on baking sheet, spreading legs of X shape out from the spider body. Use scissors to cut the dough creating four more legs. Attach dough to body and splay all eight legs. Place 2 olive slices on each for eyes.
Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Top individual serving of chili with cheese and serve with warm spider breads.
BBQ CHICKEN BURRITOS
This is from another list than my son sent me.
Yield: 6 servings.
Ingredients
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
6 burrito size fat free wheat flour tortillas
3 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup shredded reduced fat sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded reduced fat Monterey Jack cheese
1 small tomato, diced
1 small avocado, diced
1/2 cup diced purple onion
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
2 tbsp. lowfat sour cream
1 tbsp. light ranch dressing
Directions
Heat grill over medium-hot coals. Grill chicken breasts for 7 minutes; turn over and grill 5 minutes longer. Brush chicken with barbecue sauce. Grill about 3 minutes and turn chicken over. Brush with more barbecue sauce and continue grilling and turning until chicken is done and generously coated with barbecue sauce.
Let chicken cool enough to handle. Slice into thin, short strips.
Warm flour tortillas according to package directions. Evenly divide chicken among flour tortillas. Top with lettuce, cheeses, tomatoes, avocados and onions. Combine barbecue sauce, sour cream and ranch dressing; dollop on burritos. Roll up.
Thursday, December 26, 2019
Leftovers - Double-Post Thursday
Besides being Diabetic Thursday, it's also Double-Post Thursday. Today's double post deals with leftovers.
In case you still have leftovers from Christmas dinner, here are six recipes that help use up the leftovers. It's a repeat of Saturday, December 26, 2015's post. If you fixed a turkey yesterday, you're in luck; leftover ham or other meat will need another way of finding out how to use leftovers. (Ham works well in omelets!)
But now, you have all those leftovers. What to do with them? True, there's the old pile-a-little-of-everything-on-a-plate-and-nuke-it,-then-veg-out (possibly one of those guilty pleasures we all seem to have). But there are a few other ways to use the leftovers. I've included a few of my favorites, as well as a couple of other dishes, including Chicken Dinner Pie and Turkey Sweet Potato Casserole. Enjoy!
TURKEY-RICE CASSEROLE
Also called Chicken-Rice Casserole
This has been a favorite of my family for years. I know, I know...if you've followed this blog for a while, you're probably aware that I'm a vegetarian - for most of the year. The only time I really have trouble with that is at the holidays. Siiiiigh... This recipe comes from my very battered 40+-year-old Betty Crocker Cookbook. Most foodies I know have several cookbooks (several shelves of 'em, in some cases) that we love for different reasons: the one put out by that funky inn we grew up near; the one from Grandma's church; that vegetarian one with the kicking muffin and apple butter recipes. Then there are the one or two (or three) cookbooks that get so used that we don't even have to look up in the index for a particular recipe; we simply look for one of the many pages that have food stains all over them. That's the way my old Betty Crocker Cookbook looks. (One of my sons likes to joke that he can tell which pages have recipes that no one tried out; they're the clean pages!) The cookbook calls it the Chicken-Rice Casserole, but we make it with leftover turkey. Makes 6 to 8 servings
1/4 cup chicken fat or butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
1 cup chicken broth (you can use 1 chicken bouillon cube in 1 cup boiling water, or use canned chicken broth; I've also used vegetable broth or, in a pinch, water)
1 1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups cooked white or wild rice (I use brown rice, as that's the rice I always buy) - see notes at end of recipe
2 cups cut-up cooked chicken or turkey
1 can (3 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained (I never use them, but the recipe does call for them)
1/3 cup chopped green pepper (I usually use any leftover celery instead of pepper, but use whichever you want)
2 tablespoons chopped pimiento
1/4 cup slivered almonds
Heat over to 350 degrees. Melt chicken fat in large saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in broth and milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in remaining ingredients.
Pour into an ungreased baking dish (10 X 6 X 1 1/2 inch OR 1 1/2-quart dish; if doubling recipe, use a 13 X 9 inch pan). Bake uncovered 40 to 45 minutes.
Note: To get 1 1/2 cups of rice, start with 1 cup water and 1/2 cup rice, with a pinch of salt. Bring water (with salt, if using) to a boil in a small pot, add rice, turn heat down so that rice simmers, and put a lid on it. Check periodically. When water is absorbed (about 30 minutes for non-instant rice), rice is ready. Drain and use. Other liquids can be used, too, in place of water, usually veggie or chicken broth.
Also, I almost always double this recipe so that everyone can come back for seconds.
CHICKEN DINNER PIE
On the same page of my old Betty Crocker Cookbook. I really wish I could tell you which issue of the B.C.C. this is, but the cover and copyright page (as well as several other pages) have long since fallen off...This version was bought in late 1973, and had come out a year or two earlier. If you find the appropriate copy, these two recipes would be on page 307.
This recipe makes 6 servings
Pastry for 9-inch Two-crust pie
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons four
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon thyme
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup light cream
2 cups cubed cooked chicken or turkey
1 can (1 pound) peas and carrots, drained, or 1 package (10 ounces frozen peas and carries, cooked and drained
1 can (8 ounces) small whole onions, drained
Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare pastry as directed except - roll 2/3 of pastry for bottom crust; fit into 9-inch pie pan. Roll remained into rectangle, about 10 X 6 inches. Cut rectangle into 12 strips.
Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour, salt, pepper and thyme. Cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in checken broth and cream. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in chicken and vegetables.
Pour into crust-lined pie pan. Place 7 strips of pastry across filling; arrange remaining strips crisscross to make lattice top.
Trim; turn edge of bottom crust over strips. Cover edge with 2- to 3-inch strip of aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning; remove foil last 15 minutes of baking. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown.
TURKEY SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE
This comes from FamilyTime.com. It starts off, "All your Thanksgiving Day favorites are combined in this savory casserole that's so easy to make, you can enjoy it any time of year. And it goes from start to finish in less than one hour!" Serves 6 (about 1 cup each); Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 cups mashed cooked peeled sweet potato
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup evaporated milk
Swanson® Chicken Stock or 1/4 cup Swanson® Chicken Broth
1 small onion, minced (about 1/4 cup)
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)
3 cups cubed cooked turkey
3 tablespoons water
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Stir the potatoes, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and milk in a medium bowl. Spoon the potato mixture around the inside edge of a 10-inch round casserole to form a ring.
Heat the broth and onion in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cook until the onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in the soup, turkey and water. Cook until the mixture is hot and bubbling. Spoon the turkey mixture into the center of the potato ring.
Bake at 350°F. for 30 minutes or until the turkey mixture is hot and bubbling. Sprinkle with the walnuts and parsley, if desired.
Easy Substitution: You can substitute chicken for the turkey.
SWEET POTATO PANCAKES
This one comes from SeriousEats.com. Serves 2.
To view online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups leftover mashed sweet potatoes
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup milk
1 large egg
1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup, plus more for serving
4 tablespoon butter, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch cinnamon
Directions
Combine sweet potatoes, sour cream, milk, egg, and maple syrup in a medium bowl. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in the microwave or in a small saucepan and add to mixture. Whisk until homogenous.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add wet ingredients to dry and whisk until just combined (do not overmix).
Melt 1 tablespoon remaining butter in a large skillet over medium heat and swirl to coat pan. Add four 1/4-cup batches of batter, using the back of a ladel to smooth them out into 4-inch disks. Cook, swirling gently on occasion, until the first side is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip and cook until browned un second side and pancakes are puffed, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate set in a warm oven and repeat until all pancakes are cooked. Serve immediately with extra maple syrup.
CHICKEN RICE CASSEROLE
I know...Another chicken (turkey) rice casserole. This was from an 5-year-old email; I think it came from one of About.com's emailings, though I'm not 100% certain. It starts off, "This super easy five ingredient recipe is pure comfort food." Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes; Serves 6
Ingredients:
1 cup milk
10 oz. can cream of mushroom soup with roasted garlic
1 cup water
3 cups cooked cubed chicken
6 oz. pkg. long grain and wild rice mix
2 cups frozen peppers and onions, thawed and drained
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix milk, soup and water in large bowl and stir with wire whisk to combine. Add remaining ingredients and stir to blend. Pour into 3 quart glass casserole dish and cover tightly. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, then remove from oven and stir well. Bake uncovered 30-40 minutes longer until rice is cooked and edges are bubbling, stirring once more halfway through baking time. 6 servings.
TURKEY A LA KING
And one more leftover turkey recipe. This is also from a long-ago email...I think possibly from About.com, though I'm not 100% sure. It starts off, "An easy recipe with leftover turkey and veggies. Serve this turkey over rice or toast."
Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
4 ounces sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups half-and-half or milk
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 jar (2 ounces) pimiento strips or chopped
2 1/2 cups cooked cubed turkey
dash onion powder
dash pepper
Preparation:
Melt butter; add green pepper and mushrooms. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Remove vegetables with slotted spoon. Add flour to butter, cooking and stirring until smooth. Add half-and-half and cream of mushroom soup, stirring until smooth and thickened. Add turkey, pimiento, mushrooms, green pepper, and seasonings. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve over hot cooked rice, biscuits, or noodles.
In case you still have leftovers from Christmas dinner, here are six recipes that help use up the leftovers. It's a repeat of Saturday, December 26, 2015's post. If you fixed a turkey yesterday, you're in luck; leftover ham or other meat will need another way of finding out how to use leftovers. (Ham works well in omelets!)
But now, you have all those leftovers. What to do with them? True, there's the old pile-a-little-of-everything-on-a-plate-and-nuke-it,-then-veg-out (possibly one of those guilty pleasures we all seem to have). But there are a few other ways to use the leftovers. I've included a few of my favorites, as well as a couple of other dishes, including Chicken Dinner Pie and Turkey Sweet Potato Casserole. Enjoy!
TURKEY-RICE CASSEROLE
Also called Chicken-Rice Casserole
This has been a favorite of my family for years. I know, I know...if you've followed this blog for a while, you're probably aware that I'm a vegetarian - for most of the year. The only time I really have trouble with that is at the holidays. Siiiiigh... This recipe comes from my very battered 40+-year-old Betty Crocker Cookbook. Most foodies I know have several cookbooks (several shelves of 'em, in some cases) that we love for different reasons: the one put out by that funky inn we grew up near; the one from Grandma's church; that vegetarian one with the kicking muffin and apple butter recipes. Then there are the one or two (or three) cookbooks that get so used that we don't even have to look up in the index for a particular recipe; we simply look for one of the many pages that have food stains all over them. That's the way my old Betty Crocker Cookbook looks. (One of my sons likes to joke that he can tell which pages have recipes that no one tried out; they're the clean pages!) The cookbook calls it the Chicken-Rice Casserole, but we make it with leftover turkey. Makes 6 to 8 servings
1/4 cup chicken fat or butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
1 cup chicken broth (you can use 1 chicken bouillon cube in 1 cup boiling water, or use canned chicken broth; I've also used vegetable broth or, in a pinch, water)
1 1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups cooked white or wild rice (I use brown rice, as that's the rice I always buy) - see notes at end of recipe
2 cups cut-up cooked chicken or turkey
1 can (3 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained (I never use them, but the recipe does call for them)
1/3 cup chopped green pepper (I usually use any leftover celery instead of pepper, but use whichever you want)
2 tablespoons chopped pimiento
1/4 cup slivered almonds
Heat over to 350 degrees. Melt chicken fat in large saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in broth and milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in remaining ingredients.
Pour into an ungreased baking dish (10 X 6 X 1 1/2 inch OR 1 1/2-quart dish; if doubling recipe, use a 13 X 9 inch pan). Bake uncovered 40 to 45 minutes.
Note: To get 1 1/2 cups of rice, start with 1 cup water and 1/2 cup rice, with a pinch of salt. Bring water (with salt, if using) to a boil in a small pot, add rice, turn heat down so that rice simmers, and put a lid on it. Check periodically. When water is absorbed (about 30 minutes for non-instant rice), rice is ready. Drain and use. Other liquids can be used, too, in place of water, usually veggie or chicken broth.
Also, I almost always double this recipe so that everyone can come back for seconds.
CHICKEN DINNER PIE
On the same page of my old Betty Crocker Cookbook. I really wish I could tell you which issue of the B.C.C. this is, but the cover and copyright page (as well as several other pages) have long since fallen off...This version was bought in late 1973, and had come out a year or two earlier. If you find the appropriate copy, these two recipes would be on page 307.
This recipe makes 6 servings
Pastry for 9-inch Two-crust pie
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons four
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon thyme
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup light cream
2 cups cubed cooked chicken or turkey
1 can (1 pound) peas and carrots, drained, or 1 package (10 ounces frozen peas and carries, cooked and drained
1 can (8 ounces) small whole onions, drained
Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare pastry as directed except - roll 2/3 of pastry for bottom crust; fit into 9-inch pie pan. Roll remained into rectangle, about 10 X 6 inches. Cut rectangle into 12 strips.
Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour, salt, pepper and thyme. Cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in checken broth and cream. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in chicken and vegetables.
Pour into crust-lined pie pan. Place 7 strips of pastry across filling; arrange remaining strips crisscross to make lattice top.
Trim; turn edge of bottom crust over strips. Cover edge with 2- to 3-inch strip of aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning; remove foil last 15 minutes of baking. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown.
TURKEY SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE
This comes from FamilyTime.com. It starts off, "All your Thanksgiving Day favorites are combined in this savory casserole that's so easy to make, you can enjoy it any time of year. And it goes from start to finish in less than one hour!" Serves 6 (about 1 cup each); Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 cups mashed cooked peeled sweet potato
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup evaporated milk
Swanson® Chicken Stock or 1/4 cup Swanson® Chicken Broth
1 small onion, minced (about 1/4 cup)
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)
3 cups cubed cooked turkey
3 tablespoons water
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Stir the potatoes, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and milk in a medium bowl. Spoon the potato mixture around the inside edge of a 10-inch round casserole to form a ring.
Heat the broth and onion in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cook until the onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in the soup, turkey and water. Cook until the mixture is hot and bubbling. Spoon the turkey mixture into the center of the potato ring.
Bake at 350°F. for 30 minutes or until the turkey mixture is hot and bubbling. Sprinkle with the walnuts and parsley, if desired.
Easy Substitution: You can substitute chicken for the turkey.
SWEET POTATO PANCAKES
This one comes from SeriousEats.com. Serves 2.
To view online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups leftover mashed sweet potatoes
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup milk
1 large egg
1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup, plus more for serving
4 tablespoon butter, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch cinnamon
Directions
Combine sweet potatoes, sour cream, milk, egg, and maple syrup in a medium bowl. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in the microwave or in a small saucepan and add to mixture. Whisk until homogenous.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add wet ingredients to dry and whisk until just combined (do not overmix).
Melt 1 tablespoon remaining butter in a large skillet over medium heat and swirl to coat pan. Add four 1/4-cup batches of batter, using the back of a ladel to smooth them out into 4-inch disks. Cook, swirling gently on occasion, until the first side is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip and cook until browned un second side and pancakes are puffed, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate set in a warm oven and repeat until all pancakes are cooked. Serve immediately with extra maple syrup.
CHICKEN RICE CASSEROLE
I know...Another chicken (turkey) rice casserole. This was from an 5-year-old email; I think it came from one of About.com's emailings, though I'm not 100% certain. It starts off, "This super easy five ingredient recipe is pure comfort food." Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes; Serves 6
Ingredients:
1 cup milk
10 oz. can cream of mushroom soup with roasted garlic
1 cup water
3 cups cooked cubed chicken
6 oz. pkg. long grain and wild rice mix
2 cups frozen peppers and onions, thawed and drained
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix milk, soup and water in large bowl and stir with wire whisk to combine. Add remaining ingredients and stir to blend. Pour into 3 quart glass casserole dish and cover tightly. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, then remove from oven and stir well. Bake uncovered 30-40 minutes longer until rice is cooked and edges are bubbling, stirring once more halfway through baking time. 6 servings.
TURKEY A LA KING
And one more leftover turkey recipe. This is also from a long-ago email...I think possibly from About.com, though I'm not 100% sure. It starts off, "An easy recipe with leftover turkey and veggies. Serve this turkey over rice or toast."
Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
4 ounces sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups half-and-half or milk
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 jar (2 ounces) pimiento strips or chopped
2 1/2 cups cooked cubed turkey
dash onion powder
dash pepper
Preparation:
Melt butter; add green pepper and mushrooms. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Remove vegetables with slotted spoon. Add flour to butter, cooking and stirring until smooth. Add half-and-half and cream of mushroom soup, stirring until smooth and thickened. Add turkey, pimiento, mushrooms, green pepper, and seasonings. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve over hot cooked rice, biscuits, or noodles.
Diabetic Thursday
It's time for another Diabetic Thursday, the last one of 2018. Today's six recipes include Peachy Kabobs and Lemony Sugar Snap and Chicken Stir-Fry. Enjoy!
MARINATED ARTICHOKE APPETIZERS
Yield: 24 appetizers
Serving Size: 1 appetizer
Source: The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan
Print version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=776
Online version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/776.shtml
Ingredients
24 marinated artichoke quarters, drained
24 cherry or grape tomatoes
8-ounce block reduced-fat white cheddar or Swiss cheese, cut into 24 cubes
Directions
Skewer one artichoke piece, tomato, and cheese cube onto a toothpick. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 37; Protein: 3 g; Fat: 2.1 g; Sodium: 92 mg; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Saturated Fat: 0.6 g; Carbohydrates: 1.8 g; Exchanges: 1/3 Medium-Fat Meat, 1/3 Vegetable
CUBAN BLACK BEANS
Contains 9 grams of dietary fiber
8 servings
Serving size: 1 cup
Source: How to Cook for People with Diabetes
Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/262.shtml
Ingredients
2-1/2 cups dried black beans
Enough water to cover the beans
2 qt water
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, sliced
1 tsp oregano
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp lime juice
2 tsp cumin
Directions
Cover the beans with cold water and soak them for 8-12 hours. Discard the water. Then combine all ingredients in a large stock- pot. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
Once the mixture boils, reduce the heat and allow beans to simmer for 1 1/2 - 2 hours with cover slightly ajar. (The age of dried beans affects their cooking time. Older beans take longer; fresh beans cook faster.)
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 233; Protein: 13 g; Fat: 4 g; Sodium: 29 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Carbohydrates: 37 g; Exchanges: 2-1/2 Starch; 1 Lean Meat
PEACHY KABOBS
Serves 8
Print version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=815
Online version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/815.shtml
Ingredients
1/4 pound ham, cooked, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 banana, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 8 1/4-oz can pineapple chunks, drained (reserve juice)
1/4 cup peach preserves
1 tablespoon pineapple juice
Directions
Drain pineapple chunks, reserving juice.Thread skewers evenly with ham, banana and pineapple.
In small bowl, stir together peach preserves and 1 tablespoon of reserved pineapple juice. Brush sauce over kabobs.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 70; Protein: 3 g; Sodium: 190 mg; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Carbohydrates: 15 g
CALYPSO BEEF SOUP
This recipe starts off, “This recipe is an excellent source of protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, iron, selenium and zinc; and a good source of fiber.”
Makes 6 servings
Print version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=819
Online version with photo: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/819.shtml
Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds 95% ground beef
1 cup diced peeled sweet potato
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups water or ready-to-serve beef broth
1 can (15-1/2 ounces) black-eyed peas, rinsed, drained
1 can (13-1/2 ounces) light unsweetened coconut milk
2 cups packed fresh baby spinach leaves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
Salt and ground black pepper
Directions
Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot.
Add ground beef; cook 8 to 10 minutes, breaking into 3/4-inch crumbles and stirring occasionally.
Remove from skillet with slotted spoon. Pour off drippings in pan; add sweet potato, onion, bell pepper and curry powder.
Cook 4 to 5 minutes or until onion and pepper are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.
Stir in flour; cook and stir 1 minute.
Stir in water, black-eyed peas and coconut milk; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; cover and simmer 5 to 8 minutes or until sweet potato is tender.
Stir in spinach and thyme. Cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts.
Season with salt and black pepper, as desired.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 308; Protein: 30 g; Fat: 11 g; Sodium: 327 mg; Cholesterol: 76 mg; Saturated Fat: 6 g; Dietary Fiber: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 22 g
LEMONY SUGAR SNAP AND CHICKEN STIR-FRY
Yield: 4 servings
Print version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=824
Online version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/824.shtml
Source: The Eating Well Diabetes Cookbook
Ingredients
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
12 ounces sugar snap peas or snow peas (4 cups), trimmed of stem ends and strings
1 (14 ounce) can reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Directions
Cut chicken into 1-by-2-inch strips; season with salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow pan and dredge the chicken strips in it, shaking off excess. (Discard any leftover flour.)
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add peas and stir-fry until bright green, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the pan and heat on high until very hot. Add chicken and cook, stirring, until lightly browned and opaque in the center, about 4 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a bowl with the peas.
Add broth and garlic to the pan; cook until reduced to 1 cup, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and return the chicken and peas to the pan. Cook until heated through. Add parsley, lemon zest and lemon juice. Serve immediately.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 263; Protein: 31 g; Fat: 6 g; Sodium: 290 mg; Cholesterol: 68 mg; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 15 g; Exchanges: 1/2 Other Vegetable, 1 Vegetable, 4 Very Lean Meat
VEGGIE PATCH SOUP
Yield: 10 servings
Print version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=835
Online version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/835.shtml
Source: Mr. Food Every Day's a Holiday Diabetic Cookbook
Ingredients
6 cups water
2 medium-sized white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
4 large tomatoes, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
4 medium-sized carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
3 medium-sized zucchini, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 medium-sized green bell peppers, coarsely chopped
2 medium-sized onions, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
In a soup pot, combine all the ingredients; mix well and bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 1 hour, or until the vegetables are tender.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 84; Protein: 2 g; Sodium: 383 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Dietary Fiber: 4 g; Sugars: 7 g; Carbohydrates: 20 g; Exchanges: 1/2 Starch, 2 Vegetable
MARINATED ARTICHOKE APPETIZERS
Yield: 24 appetizers
Serving Size: 1 appetizer
Source: The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan
Print version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=776
Online version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/776.shtml
Ingredients
24 marinated artichoke quarters, drained
24 cherry or grape tomatoes
8-ounce block reduced-fat white cheddar or Swiss cheese, cut into 24 cubes
Directions
Skewer one artichoke piece, tomato, and cheese cube onto a toothpick. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 37; Protein: 3 g; Fat: 2.1 g; Sodium: 92 mg; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Saturated Fat: 0.6 g; Carbohydrates: 1.8 g; Exchanges: 1/3 Medium-Fat Meat, 1/3 Vegetable
CUBAN BLACK BEANS
Contains 9 grams of dietary fiber
8 servings
Serving size: 1 cup
Source: How to Cook for People with Diabetes
Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/262.shtml
Ingredients
2-1/2 cups dried black beans
Enough water to cover the beans
2 qt water
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, sliced
1 tsp oregano
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp lime juice
2 tsp cumin
Directions
Cover the beans with cold water and soak them for 8-12 hours. Discard the water. Then combine all ingredients in a large stock- pot. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
Once the mixture boils, reduce the heat and allow beans to simmer for 1 1/2 - 2 hours with cover slightly ajar. (The age of dried beans affects their cooking time. Older beans take longer; fresh beans cook faster.)
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 233; Protein: 13 g; Fat: 4 g; Sodium: 29 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Carbohydrates: 37 g; Exchanges: 2-1/2 Starch; 1 Lean Meat
PEACHY KABOBS
Serves 8
Print version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=815
Online version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/815.shtml
Ingredients
1/4 pound ham, cooked, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 banana, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 8 1/4-oz can pineapple chunks, drained (reserve juice)
1/4 cup peach preserves
1 tablespoon pineapple juice
Directions
Drain pineapple chunks, reserving juice.Thread skewers evenly with ham, banana and pineapple.
In small bowl, stir together peach preserves and 1 tablespoon of reserved pineapple juice. Brush sauce over kabobs.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 70; Protein: 3 g; Sodium: 190 mg; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Carbohydrates: 15 g
CALYPSO BEEF SOUP
This recipe starts off, “This recipe is an excellent source of protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, iron, selenium and zinc; and a good source of fiber.”
Makes 6 servings
Print version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=819
Online version with photo: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/819.shtml
Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds 95% ground beef
1 cup diced peeled sweet potato
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups water or ready-to-serve beef broth
1 can (15-1/2 ounces) black-eyed peas, rinsed, drained
1 can (13-1/2 ounces) light unsweetened coconut milk
2 cups packed fresh baby spinach leaves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
Salt and ground black pepper
Directions
Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot.
Add ground beef; cook 8 to 10 minutes, breaking into 3/4-inch crumbles and stirring occasionally.
Remove from skillet with slotted spoon. Pour off drippings in pan; add sweet potato, onion, bell pepper and curry powder.
Cook 4 to 5 minutes or until onion and pepper are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.
Stir in flour; cook and stir 1 minute.
Stir in water, black-eyed peas and coconut milk; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; cover and simmer 5 to 8 minutes or until sweet potato is tender.
Stir in spinach and thyme. Cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts.
Season with salt and black pepper, as desired.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 308; Protein: 30 g; Fat: 11 g; Sodium: 327 mg; Cholesterol: 76 mg; Saturated Fat: 6 g; Dietary Fiber: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 22 g
LEMONY SUGAR SNAP AND CHICKEN STIR-FRY
Yield: 4 servings
Print version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=824
Online version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/824.shtml
Source: The Eating Well Diabetes Cookbook
Ingredients
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
12 ounces sugar snap peas or snow peas (4 cups), trimmed of stem ends and strings
1 (14 ounce) can reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Directions
Cut chicken into 1-by-2-inch strips; season with salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow pan and dredge the chicken strips in it, shaking off excess. (Discard any leftover flour.)
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add peas and stir-fry until bright green, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the pan and heat on high until very hot. Add chicken and cook, stirring, until lightly browned and opaque in the center, about 4 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a bowl with the peas.
Add broth and garlic to the pan; cook until reduced to 1 cup, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and return the chicken and peas to the pan. Cook until heated through. Add parsley, lemon zest and lemon juice. Serve immediately.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 263; Protein: 31 g; Fat: 6 g; Sodium: 290 mg; Cholesterol: 68 mg; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 15 g; Exchanges: 1/2 Other Vegetable, 1 Vegetable, 4 Very Lean Meat
VEGGIE PATCH SOUP
Yield: 10 servings
Print version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=835
Online version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/835.shtml
Source: Mr. Food Every Day's a Holiday Diabetic Cookbook
Ingredients
6 cups water
2 medium-sized white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
4 large tomatoes, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
4 medium-sized carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
3 medium-sized zucchini, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 medium-sized green bell peppers, coarsely chopped
2 medium-sized onions, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
In a soup pot, combine all the ingredients; mix well and bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 1 hour, or until the vegetables are tender.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 84; Protein: 2 g; Sodium: 383 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Dietary Fiber: 4 g; Sugars: 7 g; Carbohydrates: 20 g; Exchanges: 1/2 Starch, 2 Vegetable
Tuesday, December 24, 2019
Christmas Recipes - Double-Post Tuesday
Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's double post deals with more Christmas recipes to round out your holiday meal, including Cranberry Orange Quick Bread and Hot Chocolate Brownies. Enjoy!
Note: Since tomorrow is Christmas, I'll be taking tomorrow off, but will be back on Thursday.
LENTIL VEGETABLE SOUP
This comes from Ina Garten of The Food Network's Barefoot Contessa. Total Time: 2 hr 5 min; Prep: 20 min; Inactive: 15 min; Cook: 1 hr 30 min; Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/lentil-vegetable-soup-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
1 pound French green lentils
4 cups chopped yellow onions (3 large onions)
4 cups chopped leeks, white part only (2 leeks)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1/4 cup good olive oil, plus additional for drizzling on top
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 cups medium-diced celery (8 stalks)
3 cups medium-diced carrots (4 to 6 carrots)
3 quarts chicken stock
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons red wine or red wine vinegar
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
In a large bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drain.
In a large stockpot on medium heat, saute the onions, leeks, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme, and cumin for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are translucent and very tender. Add the celery and carrots and saute for 10 more minutes. Add the chicken stock, tomato paste, and lentils. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, until the lentils are cooked through. Check the seasonings. Add the red wine and serve hot, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with grated Parmesan.
CRANBERRY ORANGE QUICK BREAD
This came from Elizabeth Yetter, who wrote for The Spruce Eats. Elizabeth wrote, “Enjoy the sweet taste of dried cranberries and the aroma of oranges with this delicious recipe for cranberry orange quick bread. The quick bread batter is made into 3 mini loaves that are perfect for family gatherings and gift giving. Individual loaves can be wrapped in foil, bagged, and frozen if they are not glazed.” Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 75 minutes
Unfortunately, the old link for this no longer works; it's one of the recipes that disappeared when about.com changed to .dash. But it was yummy enough that I wanted to add it, along with letting readers know who originally came up with this.
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
2/3 cup butter, chilled
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup dried cranberries
rind and juice from medium orange
milk (see instructions)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
water
Preparation:
Grease 3 mini loaf pans.
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
In large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
Cut butter into thin slices and add to bowl. Break butter into mixture with fingers until mixture is crumbly.
Stir in brown sugar.
Stir in cranberries.
Grate the rind off of one medium orange. Add rind to the mixture.
Cut orange in half and squeeze juice out into bowl. Remove any seeds from juice.
Pour orange juice (it should be about 1/4 cup) into liquid measuring cup. Add enough milk to the orange juice to make 3/4 cup.
Pour orange juice and milk into mixture. Add eggs and stir. Batter should be thick but not dry. If necessary, add more milk, a tablespoon at a time.
Scrape batter into three greased mini loaf pans.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until done.
Turn loaves out and let cool on rack.
In small bowl, add enough water to confectioner’s sugar to make a thin icing. Drizzle icing over loaves.
HOT CHOCOLATE BROWNIES
This comes from The Food Network Kitchen, and starts off, “These one-bowl brownies couldn't be easier to make, and adding leftover hot chocolate mix is the perfect way to make them extra special. Interested in a Mexican hot chocolate version? Just add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients and sprinkle the top of each brownie with a pinch of chili powder.” Total Time: 1 hr 45 min; Prep: 25 min; Inactive: 45 min; Cook: 35 min; Yield: 24 brownies; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/hot-chocolate-brownies.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
Cooking spray
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup hot chocolate or cocoa mix
1 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
One 12-ounce bag semisweet chocolate chips
72 mini marshmallows
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, and spray with the cooking spray.
Stir together the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add the flour, hot chocolate mix, salt and baking powder and stir until just combined. Stir in half the chocolate chips. Spread the mixture in the prepared baking pan.
Bake until the brownies begin to pull away from the edges of the pan and are set in the center, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven, immediately sprinkle with the remaining chocolate chips, and let stand until they are very soft, about 5 minutes. Spread the melted chips evenly with a spatula, and let cool for about 10 minutes. Use the foil to lift the brownies out of the pan, and let cool completely on a rack. Cut into 24 squares, and top each with 3 mini marshmallows.
CACIO E PEPE
This comes from Mark Bittman of The New York Times Cooking email. Mark wrote, “It is among the most basic, simplest pastas there is, and suddenly trendy to boot. Why? Because when made right, it is incredible.” Time: 20 minutes; makes 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Salt
1 1/2 cups finely grated pecorino Romano, plus more for dusting completed dish
1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 tablespoon ground black pepper, plus more for finishing the dish
3/4 pound tonnarelli or other long pasta like linguine or spaghetti
Good olive oil
Preparation
Put a pot of salted water on to boil. In a large bowl, combine the cheeses and black pepper; mash with just enough cold water to make a thick paste. Spread the paste evenly in the bowl.
Once the water is boiling, add the pasta. The second before it is perfectly cooked (taste it frequently once it begins to soften), use tongs to quickly transfer it to the bowl, reserving a cup or so of the cooking water. Stir vigorously to coat the pasta, adding a teaspoon or two of olive oil and a bit of the pasta cooking water to thin the sauce if necessary. The sauce should cling to the pasta and be creamy but not watery.
Plate and dust each dish with additional pecorino and pepper. Serve immediately.
QUICK FRESH TOMATO SAUCE
This comes from David Tanis of The New York Times' Cooking email. David wrote, “In August and September, when tomatoes are at their ripest, make a batch of fresh tomato sauce. At the market, look for the cracked, slightly bruised tomatoes sold at a discount. The flesh of the tomato should be dense, sweet and blood red. This makes a very fresh- and bright-tasting sauce in a manageable small batch. Take advantage of good tasty tomatoes and fill a few zip-top bags for the freezer.” Time: 30 minutes; Makes about 2 1/ 2 cups
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
5 pounds tomatoes
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 garlic clove, halved
1 basil sprig
1 bay leaf
Preparation
Cut tomatoes in half horizontally. Squeeze out the seeds and discard, if you wish. Press the cut side of tomato against the large holes of a box grater and grate tomato flesh into a bowl. Discard skins. You should have about 4 cups.
Put tomato pulp in a low wide saucepan over high heat. Add salt, olive oil, tomato paste, garlic, basil and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a brisk simmer.
Reduce the sauce by almost half, stirring occasionally, to produce about 2 1/2 cups medium-thick sauce, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust salt. It will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator or may be frozen.
BAKED BUTTER CARROTS
This comes from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
These are from my Grandma Hallock, who was a fantastic cook. She wrote, “Good with Veal Birds (Beef Rolls).” Eat & enjoy!
2 1/2 lbs. carrots
1 T salt
2 T oleo or butter
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
dash of pepper
2 tsp. lemon juice
Peel carrots. Cut into lengthwise slices. Put them & rest of ingredients into casserole. Cover & bake at 275 degrees for 3 hours. Uncover & brown on top for 15 minutes. Serves 6.
Note: Since tomorrow is Christmas, I'll be taking tomorrow off, but will be back on Thursday.
LENTIL VEGETABLE SOUP
This comes from Ina Garten of The Food Network's Barefoot Contessa. Total Time: 2 hr 5 min; Prep: 20 min; Inactive: 15 min; Cook: 1 hr 30 min; Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/lentil-vegetable-soup-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
1 pound French green lentils
4 cups chopped yellow onions (3 large onions)
4 cups chopped leeks, white part only (2 leeks)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1/4 cup good olive oil, plus additional for drizzling on top
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 cups medium-diced celery (8 stalks)
3 cups medium-diced carrots (4 to 6 carrots)
3 quarts chicken stock
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons red wine or red wine vinegar
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
In a large bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drain.
In a large stockpot on medium heat, saute the onions, leeks, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme, and cumin for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are translucent and very tender. Add the celery and carrots and saute for 10 more minutes. Add the chicken stock, tomato paste, and lentils. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, until the lentils are cooked through. Check the seasonings. Add the red wine and serve hot, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with grated Parmesan.
CRANBERRY ORANGE QUICK BREAD
This came from Elizabeth Yetter, who wrote for The Spruce Eats. Elizabeth wrote, “Enjoy the sweet taste of dried cranberries and the aroma of oranges with this delicious recipe for cranberry orange quick bread. The quick bread batter is made into 3 mini loaves that are perfect for family gatherings and gift giving. Individual loaves can be wrapped in foil, bagged, and frozen if they are not glazed.” Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 75 minutes
Unfortunately, the old link for this no longer works; it's one of the recipes that disappeared when about.com changed to .dash. But it was yummy enough that I wanted to add it, along with letting readers know who originally came up with this.
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
2/3 cup butter, chilled
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup dried cranberries
rind and juice from medium orange
milk (see instructions)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
water
Preparation:
Grease 3 mini loaf pans.
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
In large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
Cut butter into thin slices and add to bowl. Break butter into mixture with fingers until mixture is crumbly.
Stir in brown sugar.
Stir in cranberries.
Grate the rind off of one medium orange. Add rind to the mixture.
Cut orange in half and squeeze juice out into bowl. Remove any seeds from juice.
Pour orange juice (it should be about 1/4 cup) into liquid measuring cup. Add enough milk to the orange juice to make 3/4 cup.
Pour orange juice and milk into mixture. Add eggs and stir. Batter should be thick but not dry. If necessary, add more milk, a tablespoon at a time.
Scrape batter into three greased mini loaf pans.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until done.
Turn loaves out and let cool on rack.
In small bowl, add enough water to confectioner’s sugar to make a thin icing. Drizzle icing over loaves.
HOT CHOCOLATE BROWNIES
This comes from The Food Network Kitchen, and starts off, “These one-bowl brownies couldn't be easier to make, and adding leftover hot chocolate mix is the perfect way to make them extra special. Interested in a Mexican hot chocolate version? Just add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients and sprinkle the top of each brownie with a pinch of chili powder.” Total Time: 1 hr 45 min; Prep: 25 min; Inactive: 45 min; Cook: 35 min; Yield: 24 brownies; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/hot-chocolate-brownies.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
Cooking spray
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup hot chocolate or cocoa mix
1 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
One 12-ounce bag semisweet chocolate chips
72 mini marshmallows
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, and spray with the cooking spray.
Stir together the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add the flour, hot chocolate mix, salt and baking powder and stir until just combined. Stir in half the chocolate chips. Spread the mixture in the prepared baking pan.
Bake until the brownies begin to pull away from the edges of the pan and are set in the center, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven, immediately sprinkle with the remaining chocolate chips, and let stand until they are very soft, about 5 minutes. Spread the melted chips evenly with a spatula, and let cool for about 10 minutes. Use the foil to lift the brownies out of the pan, and let cool completely on a rack. Cut into 24 squares, and top each with 3 mini marshmallows.
CACIO E PEPE
This comes from Mark Bittman of The New York Times Cooking email. Mark wrote, “It is among the most basic, simplest pastas there is, and suddenly trendy to boot. Why? Because when made right, it is incredible.” Time: 20 minutes; makes 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Salt
1 1/2 cups finely grated pecorino Romano, plus more for dusting completed dish
1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 tablespoon ground black pepper, plus more for finishing the dish
3/4 pound tonnarelli or other long pasta like linguine or spaghetti
Good olive oil
Preparation
Put a pot of salted water on to boil. In a large bowl, combine the cheeses and black pepper; mash with just enough cold water to make a thick paste. Spread the paste evenly in the bowl.
Once the water is boiling, add the pasta. The second before it is perfectly cooked (taste it frequently once it begins to soften), use tongs to quickly transfer it to the bowl, reserving a cup or so of the cooking water. Stir vigorously to coat the pasta, adding a teaspoon or two of olive oil and a bit of the pasta cooking water to thin the sauce if necessary. The sauce should cling to the pasta and be creamy but not watery.
Plate and dust each dish with additional pecorino and pepper. Serve immediately.
QUICK FRESH TOMATO SAUCE
This comes from David Tanis of The New York Times' Cooking email. David wrote, “In August and September, when tomatoes are at their ripest, make a batch of fresh tomato sauce. At the market, look for the cracked, slightly bruised tomatoes sold at a discount. The flesh of the tomato should be dense, sweet and blood red. This makes a very fresh- and bright-tasting sauce in a manageable small batch. Take advantage of good tasty tomatoes and fill a few zip-top bags for the freezer.” Time: 30 minutes; Makes about 2 1/ 2 cups
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
5 pounds tomatoes
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 garlic clove, halved
1 basil sprig
1 bay leaf
Preparation
Cut tomatoes in half horizontally. Squeeze out the seeds and discard, if you wish. Press the cut side of tomato against the large holes of a box grater and grate tomato flesh into a bowl. Discard skins. You should have about 4 cups.
Put tomato pulp in a low wide saucepan over high heat. Add salt, olive oil, tomato paste, garlic, basil and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a brisk simmer.
Reduce the sauce by almost half, stirring occasionally, to produce about 2 1/2 cups medium-thick sauce, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust salt. It will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator or may be frozen.
BAKED BUTTER CARROTS
This comes from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
These are from my Grandma Hallock, who was a fantastic cook. She wrote, “Good with Veal Birds (Beef Rolls).” Eat & enjoy!
2 1/2 lbs. carrots
1 T salt
2 T oleo or butter
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
dash of pepper
2 tsp. lemon juice
Peel carrots. Cut into lengthwise slices. Put them & rest of ingredients into casserole. Cover & bake at 275 degrees for 3 hours. Uncover & brown on top for 15 minutes. Serves 6.
Taco Tuesday
It's time for another Taco Tuesday. Yum! Here are six taco recipes to help you through the day, including Buffalo Turkey Tacos and Chicken Tacos. Enjoy!
CHICKEN CHILI TACOS
This is from the TODAY Show Recipes e-newsletter. Prep Time: 10 minutes; Servings: 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 1/2 cups prepared pico de gallo or salsa
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 1 1/2 limes)
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, lightly toasted
2 cloves garlic. minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
12 taco shells (crisp or soft/flour or corn)
Preparation
Place the chicken, pico de gallo or salsa, lime juice, cumin seeds and garlic in a slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. (You can also cook on high for 3 hours.)
Allow to cool a bit. Scoop the chicken out with a big slotted spoon and place it in a large serving bowl. Use two forks to pull the meat apart. The chicken will shred easily. Stir in some cooking juice from the pot and top with the cilantro.
Place the shredded chicken, your taco shells and desired fixings on the table and let everyone put together their perfect taco.
BUFFALO TURKEY TACOS
Makes 8 servings
Source: Jennie-O
Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1341.shtml
Ingredients
1 (16-ounce) package JENNIE-O Lean Ground Turkey
1/3 cup hot pepper wing sauce
8 hard corn taco shells, heated as specified on package
1 cup shredded lettuce
2 tomatoes, diced
1 avocado, sliced
1/2 cup blue cheese dressing
Directions
Cook turkey as specified on package. Always cook to well-done, 165F as measured by a meat thermometer.
Add hot pepper sauce. Stir to combine.
Fill tacos shells with lettuce, turkey mixture, tomatoes and avocado.
Drizzle with blue cheese dressing.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 220; Protein: 14 g; Fat: 13 g; Sodium: 260 mg; Cholesterol: 45 mg; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Sugars: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 13 g
TEMPEH TACOS
I originally saw this on Oh My Veggies on the Vegetarian Tacos part of the site. You can read more at http://ohmyveggies.com/recipe-tempeh-tacos-from-betty-goes-vegan/.
This recipe begins, “Spicy tacos made with crumbled tempeh from Betty Goes Vegan by Anne & Dan Shannon.”
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Yield: 6-8 tacos
Ingredients
1 (8-ounce) package tempeh
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. Mexican-spiced diced tomatoes (I used the tomatoes with green chilies)
1 fresh jalapeño, diced
2 – 4 tsp. chili powder (2 was plenty for us!)
3 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. lime juice
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. minced chipotle pepper
1/4 c. Bragg's liquid aminos (coconut aminos or low sodium soy sauce work too)
1/2 red onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
2 tbsp. water
salt + pepper to taste
olive oil mister or cooking spray
dash of liquid smoke (I omitted this)
6-8 hard taco shells
vegan cheese, guacamole, salsa, hot sauce, cilantro, black olives, and lime wedges for serving
Instructions
Crumble your tempeh into a large mixing bowl. Then, using a large spoon, mix in the garlic, tomatoes, jalapeño, chili powder, cumin, lime juice, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, chipotle pepper, and Bragg's. Once your tempeh is completely mixed into the spices, mix in the onion and pepper. Then drizzle the water 1 tablespoon at a time into your mix while stirring your ingredients continuously. Taste a little bit of your tempeh and add salt and pepper to taste.
Spray your favorite cast-iron skillet or frying pan with a heavy coating of olive oil cooking spray, and then heat over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, toss in the tempeh mixture and liquid smoke. Flip your tempeh-vegetable mixture a few times so that it browns evenly. You'll know it's ready when your vegetables are tender and your tempeh has crispy edges. It should take about 10 minutes.
While your tempeh is cooking, heat your taco shells slightly in the oven following the directions on the package.
Once your taco shells are warm, fill them with the tempeh and vegetable mixture. Top with vegan cheese and set aside so it can melt slightly.
Serve with guacamole, salsa, hot sauce, cilantro, black olives, lime wedges and anything else you like on your tacos!
SPAGHETTI SQUASH & BLACK BEAN TACOS
This comes from Kelly, whose site, Mountain Mama Cooks is really pretty awesome. I highly recommend checking it out!
This recipe begins, “Crispy blue corn shells filled with black beans, savory spaghetti squash, cotija cheese and plenty of hot sauce. Vegetarian tacos never looked so good.”
To view this online on Kelly’s site, go to https://mountainmamacooks.com/spaghetti-squash-black-bean-tacos/.
Ingredients
1– 2 lb spaghetti squash (if you go bigger, increase spices accordingly)
2 tablespoons melted butter
juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 14oz can black beans, thoroughly rinsed
8–10 crispy blue corn tortillas
crumbled cojita cheese
cilantro
hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F degrees.
Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, throw about 1 teaspoon olive oil on each half and roast both halves face down on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast the squash halves in the pre-heated oven until tender and easily pierced with a fork, 45-60 minutes. (Alternately, you can microwave the squash if you’re short on time.)
Meanwhile, combine melted butter, lime juice, chili powder, salt, cumin and garlic powder in a small bowl.
When spaghetti squash is done remove from oven and let cool a few minutes until you can handle it easily. Working over a large bowl, gently scrape out the flesh with a fork. Add butter mixture to the squash and toss well to combine.
In the bottom of each corn tortilla, spread out a small handful (about 2 tablespoons) of black beans. Top with some spaghetti squash (about 1/4 cup). Top again with crumbled cojita cheese.
Line the tacos in a 9×13 baking dish or similar and bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes.
To serve, top with fresh cilantro and hot sauce if desired.
CHICKEN TACOS
This is from Makinze Gore on Delish. She wrote, “These chicken tacos are loaded with all the best spices. They pair perfectly with watermelon margaritas.”
Yields: 4 servings; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Tacos
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" strips
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. cayenne
8 corn tortillas, warmed
Toppings
Thinly sliced red onion
Diced tomatoes
Shredded Monterey Jack
Diced avocados
Fresh cilantro
Lime wedges
Directions
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to skillet. Cook until golden, 6 minutes. Add spices and stir until coated, 1 minute more.
Build tacos: In tortillas, layer chicken and desired toppings. Serve with lime wedges.
BEEF TACO BOATS
These are from Lauren Miyashiro on Delish. Lauren wrote, “Your new favorite way to eat a taco.”
Yields: 4; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes
To view this online, go to https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a53019/beef-taco-boats-recipe/.
Ingredients
4 medium flour tortillas
Uncooked rice
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 lb. ground beef
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. paprika
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Shredded lettuce
1/2 c. shredded cheddar
Pico de gallo
Guacamole
Sour cream
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Shape a large piece of foil (smaller than the size of your tortillas) into a boat. Place one tortilla inside foil boat so that the perimeter of tortilla comes up the sides. Repeat to make 4 boats. Fill each boat with rice.
Bake until lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool in foil until ready to serve.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more. Add ground beef, chili powder, and paprika and season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until beef is no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Drain fat.
Remove rice and foil from tortilla boats and fill each with ground beef. Top with lettuce, cheddar cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole, and sour cream.
CHICKEN CHILI TACOS
This is from the TODAY Show Recipes e-newsletter. Prep Time: 10 minutes; Servings: 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 1/2 cups prepared pico de gallo or salsa
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 1 1/2 limes)
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, lightly toasted
2 cloves garlic. minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
12 taco shells (crisp or soft/flour or corn)
Preparation
Place the chicken, pico de gallo or salsa, lime juice, cumin seeds and garlic in a slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. (You can also cook on high for 3 hours.)
Allow to cool a bit. Scoop the chicken out with a big slotted spoon and place it in a large serving bowl. Use two forks to pull the meat apart. The chicken will shred easily. Stir in some cooking juice from the pot and top with the cilantro.
Place the shredded chicken, your taco shells and desired fixings on the table and let everyone put together their perfect taco.
BUFFALO TURKEY TACOS
Makes 8 servings
Source: Jennie-O
Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1341.shtml
Ingredients
1 (16-ounce) package JENNIE-O Lean Ground Turkey
1/3 cup hot pepper wing sauce
8 hard corn taco shells, heated as specified on package
1 cup shredded lettuce
2 tomatoes, diced
1 avocado, sliced
1/2 cup blue cheese dressing
Directions
Cook turkey as specified on package. Always cook to well-done, 165F as measured by a meat thermometer.
Add hot pepper sauce. Stir to combine.
Fill tacos shells with lettuce, turkey mixture, tomatoes and avocado.
Drizzle with blue cheese dressing.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 220; Protein: 14 g; Fat: 13 g; Sodium: 260 mg; Cholesterol: 45 mg; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Sugars: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 13 g
TEMPEH TACOS
I originally saw this on Oh My Veggies on the Vegetarian Tacos part of the site. You can read more at http://ohmyveggies.com/recipe-tempeh-tacos-from-betty-goes-vegan/.
This recipe begins, “Spicy tacos made with crumbled tempeh from Betty Goes Vegan by Anne & Dan Shannon.”
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Yield: 6-8 tacos
Ingredients
1 (8-ounce) package tempeh
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. Mexican-spiced diced tomatoes (I used the tomatoes with green chilies)
1 fresh jalapeño, diced
2 – 4 tsp. chili powder (2 was plenty for us!)
3 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. lime juice
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. minced chipotle pepper
1/4 c. Bragg's liquid aminos (coconut aminos or low sodium soy sauce work too)
1/2 red onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
2 tbsp. water
salt + pepper to taste
olive oil mister or cooking spray
dash of liquid smoke (I omitted this)
6-8 hard taco shells
vegan cheese, guacamole, salsa, hot sauce, cilantro, black olives, and lime wedges for serving
Instructions
Crumble your tempeh into a large mixing bowl. Then, using a large spoon, mix in the garlic, tomatoes, jalapeño, chili powder, cumin, lime juice, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, chipotle pepper, and Bragg's. Once your tempeh is completely mixed into the spices, mix in the onion and pepper. Then drizzle the water 1 tablespoon at a time into your mix while stirring your ingredients continuously. Taste a little bit of your tempeh and add salt and pepper to taste.
Spray your favorite cast-iron skillet or frying pan with a heavy coating of olive oil cooking spray, and then heat over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, toss in the tempeh mixture and liquid smoke. Flip your tempeh-vegetable mixture a few times so that it browns evenly. You'll know it's ready when your vegetables are tender and your tempeh has crispy edges. It should take about 10 minutes.
While your tempeh is cooking, heat your taco shells slightly in the oven following the directions on the package.
Once your taco shells are warm, fill them with the tempeh and vegetable mixture. Top with vegan cheese and set aside so it can melt slightly.
Serve with guacamole, salsa, hot sauce, cilantro, black olives, lime wedges and anything else you like on your tacos!
SPAGHETTI SQUASH & BLACK BEAN TACOS
This comes from Kelly, whose site, Mountain Mama Cooks is really pretty awesome. I highly recommend checking it out!
This recipe begins, “Crispy blue corn shells filled with black beans, savory spaghetti squash, cotija cheese and plenty of hot sauce. Vegetarian tacos never looked so good.”
To view this online on Kelly’s site, go to https://mountainmamacooks.com/spaghetti-squash-black-bean-tacos/.
Ingredients
1– 2 lb spaghetti squash (if you go bigger, increase spices accordingly)
2 tablespoons melted butter
juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 14oz can black beans, thoroughly rinsed
8–10 crispy blue corn tortillas
crumbled cojita cheese
cilantro
hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F degrees.
Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, throw about 1 teaspoon olive oil on each half and roast both halves face down on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast the squash halves in the pre-heated oven until tender and easily pierced with a fork, 45-60 minutes. (Alternately, you can microwave the squash if you’re short on time.)
Meanwhile, combine melted butter, lime juice, chili powder, salt, cumin and garlic powder in a small bowl.
When spaghetti squash is done remove from oven and let cool a few minutes until you can handle it easily. Working over a large bowl, gently scrape out the flesh with a fork. Add butter mixture to the squash and toss well to combine.
In the bottom of each corn tortilla, spread out a small handful (about 2 tablespoons) of black beans. Top with some spaghetti squash (about 1/4 cup). Top again with crumbled cojita cheese.
Line the tacos in a 9×13 baking dish or similar and bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes.
To serve, top with fresh cilantro and hot sauce if desired.
CHICKEN TACOS
This is from Makinze Gore on Delish. She wrote, “These chicken tacos are loaded with all the best spices. They pair perfectly with watermelon margaritas.”
Yields: 4 servings; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Tacos
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" strips
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. cayenne
8 corn tortillas, warmed
Toppings
Thinly sliced red onion
Diced tomatoes
Shredded Monterey Jack
Diced avocados
Fresh cilantro
Lime wedges
Directions
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to skillet. Cook until golden, 6 minutes. Add spices and stir until coated, 1 minute more.
Build tacos: In tortillas, layer chicken and desired toppings. Serve with lime wedges.
BEEF TACO BOATS
These are from Lauren Miyashiro on Delish. Lauren wrote, “Your new favorite way to eat a taco.”
Yields: 4; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes
To view this online, go to https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a53019/beef-taco-boats-recipe/.
Ingredients
4 medium flour tortillas
Uncooked rice
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 lb. ground beef
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. paprika
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Shredded lettuce
1/2 c. shredded cheddar
Pico de gallo
Guacamole
Sour cream
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Shape a large piece of foil (smaller than the size of your tortillas) into a boat. Place one tortilla inside foil boat so that the perimeter of tortilla comes up the sides. Repeat to make 4 boats. Fill each boat with rice.
Bake until lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool in foil until ready to serve.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more. Add ground beef, chili powder, and paprika and season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until beef is no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Drain fat.
Remove rice and foil from tortilla boats and fill each with ground beef. Top with lettuce, cheddar cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole, and sour cream.
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