Double-Post Thursday

Besides being Diabetic Thursday, it's also Double-Post Thursday. Today's offerings include Steak 'N' Bacon Cheddar Meatballs and Fudgy Microwave Mug Brownies. Enjoy!

ENCHILADA SOUP

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "Give your go-to chicken dish a soup-upgrade with this Chicken Enchilada Soup recipe. The best part is that with the help of some Old El Paso™ enchilada sauce, your slow cooker will do the work for you. You can bring the heat with the hot sauce or keep it mild, but either way, it's an easy option to bring delicious chicken enchilada soup flavor to your next fall meal."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes; Makes 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/enchilada-soup.

Ingredients

2 cups Progresso™ chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)

1 can (19 oz) Old El Paso™ mild or hot enchilada sauce

1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso™ chopped mild green chiles

1 package (20 oz) bone-in chicken breasts, skin removed

1 can (15 oz) Progresso™ black beans, drained, rinsed

1 bag (12 oz) frozen corn, thawed, drained

Shredded Mexican cheese blend, if desired

Chopped fresh cilantro, if desired

Crushed tortilla chips, if desired

Preparation

Spray 4- to 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In cooker, mix broth, enchilada sauce and chiles. Place chicken into enchilada sauce mixture; spoon sauce over chicken.

Cover; cook on Low heat setting 7 to 8 hours.

Remove chicken from cooker with slotted spoon. Stir beans and corn into mixture in cooker. Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook 5 to 10 minutes longer. Meanwhile, shred chicken by pulling apart with 2 forks; return to cooker. Cook until thoroughly heated.

Top each serving with cheese, cilantro and tortilla chips.

Expert Tips

Transfer corn from freezer to refrigerator when chicken starts to cook. It will be completely thawed by the time it is added to the slow cooker.

Vary the heat in this soup by using mild or hot enchilada sauce and serving with red pepper sauce on the side.

TEX-MEX PULLED CHICKEN

This is from Ree Drummond, star of the Food Network's The Pioneer Woman.

Active Time: 16 minutes; Total Time: 16 minutes; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/tex-mex-pulled-chicken-5617665.

Ingredients

2 medium tomatoes, quartered

2 jalapeno peppers, halved and seeded

1 medium white onion, cut into 8 wedges

1 red bell pepper, halved and seeded

1 yellow bell pepper, halved and seeded

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound thin chicken cutlets

12 flour tortillas

2 limes, 1 juiced, 1 cut into 8 wedges, for serving

8 ounces salsa

8 ounces sour cream

8 ounces crumbled cotija cheese

Fresh cilantro leaves, for serving

Directions

Position an oven rack 5 to 6 inches below the broiler element and preheat the broiler on high.

Add the tomatoes, jalapenos, onion and bell peppers to a baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with the oregano, chili powder, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and toss everything together to get it all coated with the oil and spices. Push it to one side of the baking sheet. Lay the chicken flat on the other side and season it with salt and pepper.

Broil for 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and vegetables and return to the broiler until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are softened and charred, about 5 more minutes.

Wrap the tortillas in kitchen paper and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds Remove, unwrap and put on a platter.

Shred the chicken. Spoon the roasted vegetables into a blender with any juices from the baking sheet and blend until smooth. Toss 1 cup of the sauce with the chicken. Squeeze the juice of 1 lime over it. Put the remaining sauce in a bowl to serve on the side.

Serve with the warm tortillas, salsa, sour cream, crumbled cotija cheese, lime wedges and cilantro.

FUDGY MICROWAVE MUG BROWNIES

This is from Danilo Alfaro on TheSpruceEats. Danilo wrote, "I don't know why I ever rolled my eyes (figuratively) at the idea of microwave mug brownies. I even claim in my bio that I'm no food snob, and yet my first reaction to mug brownies was 'well, bless its little heart.'

"I've since come around. As anyone knows, brownies are wonderful no matter their shape or receptacle. Furthermore, any cooking technique that saves time is one worth considering.

"Mug brownies are also a real boon to anyone who, like myself, lacks restraint. Since it's a single serving, you need not fear waking up some morning and realizing that you ate a whole 9-inch pan of brownies by yourself the night before.

"Finally, mug brownies are, by definition, prepared and served in a mug, and anything served in a mug is warming and soothing to the spirit. If you've ever enjoyed a cup of hot chocolate after being out in the snow, you know what I'm talking about. Mug brownies are merely the next step in the evolution of hot chocolate.

"Maybe someday all food will be prepared and served in mugs. What about mug mac and cheese? Or mug pizza? I'm sure someone is working on those as we speak."

You can view the recipe (with photo) online, as well as read the rest of Danilo's post about this recipe at https://www.thespruceeats.com/fudgy-microwave-mug-brownies-recipe-4129137.

Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 2 minutes; Total Time: 7 Minutes; Makes 1 serving

Ingredients

2 tablespoons/1 ounce vegetable oil

2 tablespoons/1 ounce brewed coffee

Dash vanilla extract

1/4 cup dark brown sugar (packed)

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Dash salt

2 tablespoons chocolate chips

Directions

Gather the ingredients.

In a mixing bowl with a spout, whisk the oil, coffee, and vanilla, until combined.

Do the same with the sugar, cocoa, and finally, the flour, one at a time, whisking until fully incorporated. Stir in the salt.

Finally, stir in the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into a standard 12-ounce mug.

Microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes, depending on the wattage of your microwave.

Let cool slightly before enjoying.

OLD-FASHIONED SKILLET GOULASH

This is from Linda Larsen on The Spruce Eats. Linda wrote, "This simple and old-fashioned recipe for Old-Fashioned Skillet Goulash is delicious and quick to make. It uses the shortcut ingredients condensed tomato soup and diced tomatoes with garlic. If you can't find diced tomatoes with garlic, add 2 cloves of minced garlic to the recipe. Cook the garlic with the ground beef and onions.

"Skillet meals are good because there is little cleanup, and they can be made quickly. And this recipe contains pasta that is cooked right with the other ingredients, making it a one-dish meal. Since the pasta is cooked in the sauce, it has a better texture and absorbs more flavors than pasta cooked in a huge pot of boiling water.<​br />
"You can use other types of pasta if you'd like. Ziti or mostaccioli would be good in this dish. Those types of pasta will most likely take longer to cook than the rotini, so be sure to taste the pasta as it cooks. Always cook pasta to al dente, which means the pasta is tender, but still has some texture and a bit of resistance in the center. You can also sprinkle this recipe with some grated or shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese before serving, even though that ingredient is not traditional in goulash."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Makes 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/old-fashioned-skillet-goulash-480733.

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef

2 onions (chopped)

1 red bell pepper (chopped)

1 (26 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce

2 (14-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with garlic (undrained)

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

1 to 3 teaspoons paprika (to taste)

1 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 cup water

2 and 1/2 cups rotini or gemelli pasta

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (if desired)

Directions

In a large skillet, cook the ground beef, onion, bell pepper, and garlic until the meat is browned and the vegetables are tender, stirring to break up the meat. Drain well.

Add the pasta sauce, diced tomatoes with their liquid, vinegar, sugar, paprika, marjoram, salt, pepper, and water to the skillet with the ground beef and onions and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until the mixture starts to boil, stirring frequently.

Add the pasta to the skillet and bring the mixture back to a simmer. Simmer the food, uncovered, stirring frequently, until the pasta is tender, about 11 to 16 minutes. Sprinkle everything with fresh parsley, if using, and serve immediately.

LENTIL AND ORZO STEW WITH ROASTED EGGPLANT

This is from Yewande Komolafe at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Yewande wrote, "For rich, golden cubes of roasted eggplant, a high-temperature oven is crucial. Here, lentils and pasta make for a hearty stew, and the coriander seeds introduce a robust, clean flavor. Use a mortar and pestle, a spice grinder or the base of a wine bottle to crush the seeds, opening them up before they’re tossed with the eggplant. Serve this stew warm or hot, topped with an aged, salty cheese like ricotta salata or feta, and a soft-poached egg if you like. The lemon zest and juice are essential and enhance the finish.'

Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour; Yield: 4 servings

To view this, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019860-lentil-and-orzo-stew-with-roasted-eggplant.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds eggplant (2 small or 1 large, skin on, or peeled, if desired), chopped into 1-inch pieces

Ingredients

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon coriander seeds, crushed

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 medium carrot, finely chopped

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 cup dried lentils (green, black or brown)

5 cups chicken or vegetable stock, or water

1/2 cup orzo or other small pasta, such as ditalini, stelline or macaroni

Zest and juice from 1 lemon, plus 4 lemon wedges for garnish

1/4 cup shaved ricotta salata or crumbled feta

Preparation

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the eggplant with 1/4 cup olive oil and crushed coriander seeds until coated; season with salt and pepper. Arrange in an even layer on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast until eggplant is tender and golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes, giving the baking sheet a shake halfway through roasting to toss the eggplant pieces for even cooking.

In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium. Add the carrot, onion and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomato paste begins to darken on the bottom of the pan, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the lentils until coated. Pour in stock or water and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower to medium and simmer until lentils are tender, 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the type and age of lentils you use.

Stir in the orzo and cook until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon zest and juice.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with the roasted eggplant pieces and large shavings of ricotta salata, and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.

STEAK ’N’ BACON CHEDDAR MEATBALLS

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

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

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

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, minced

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

1 pound cooked steak, diced

1 pound ground beef, 80% lean

6 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, coarsely grated

3 large eggs

1/2 cup unseasoned bread crumbs

2 teaspoons salt

Black pepper

Preparation

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

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

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

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

Let cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.