Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's offerings include Cheesy Hamburger Skillet and Ranch Chicken Pot Pie. Enjoy!

CHEESEBURGER STUFFED PEPPERS

This is from Anna Painter at the Today Show. Cheeseburgers? Stuffed peppers? What's not to love!

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 55 minutes; Servings: 4

To view this online, go to https://www.today.com/recipes/cheeseburger-stuffed-peppers-t288924.

Ingredients

4 bell peppers, halved lengthwise, ribs and seeds removed

1 tablespoon neutral oil, divided

kosher salt, to taste

ground black pepper, to taste

1 cup finely chopped red onion, divided

1 cup ground beef

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/3 cup dill pickles, finely chopped, plus more for serving

5 tablespoons ketchup, divided, plus more for serving

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon yellow mustard, plus more for serving

1-1/2 cups cooked jasmine rice

3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

chopped tomatoes, for serving

PreparationPreheat the oven to 425 F with a rack in the center position. Transfer the peppers to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, cut side up. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Flip the peppers cut side down and roast until just tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, place a large skillet over high heat and add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Add the onions, ground beef, 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper and paprika to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender and the beef is browned and cooked through, 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add the pickles, 2 tablespoons ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and mustard, stirring to combine.

Add the rice and 2-1/2 cups cheddar cheese to the beef mixture and stir to combine. Season mixture to taste with salt and pepper.

Flip the peppers cut side up. Divide the beef filling among the peppers (about 3/4 cup per pepper). Spread remaining ketchup over the filling in each pepper half. Cover with foil and bake until the filling is warm, about 20 minutes. Uncover, top each pepper with 1 tablespoon of the remaining cheddar cheese and bake until the cheese has melted, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes.

Serve with ketchup, mustard, chopped tomatoes and chopped pickles.

CREAMY CRUNCHY CHICKEN CASSEROLE

This is from Everyday Diabetic Recipes, and begins, "Our Creamy Crunchy Chicken Casserole hits all the high notes. Plus, it comes together so quickly, you'll have this easy casserole recipe on the table before your gang can ask, "What's for dinner?"

Cook Time: 30 minutes; Serves: 6; Serving Size: 3/4 cup

To view this online, go to https://www.everydaydiabeticrecipes.com/Casseroles/Creamy-Crunchy-Chicken-Casserole.

Ingredients

3 cups cooked chicken breast (about 1 lb.), chopped

3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar or mozzarella cheese

1 (10-3/4-ounce) can, reduced-fat and reduced-sodium condensed cream of chicken soup

1/4 cup low-fat milk

1 cup chopped red or yellow bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup sliced green onions

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup low-sodium crushed cornflakes

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 2-qt. casserole dish with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, stir together chicken, cheese, soup, milk, bell pepper, celery, green onions, and pepper. Pour into prepared casserole dish.

In a small bowl, stir together cornflakes and almonds. Sprinkle evenly over chicken mixture.

Bake, uncovered, about 30 minutes, or until heated through. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Want to make this ahead of time? No problem! Just assemble the casserole, cover tightly, freeze, thaw completely, then bake off!

CLASSIC MARINARA SAUCE

This recipe is from Lidia Bastianich and adapted by Julia Moskin in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Julia wrote, "Homemade marinara is almost as fast and tastes immeasurably better than even the best supermarket sauce — and it's made with basic pantry ingredients. All the tricks to a bright red, lively-tasting sauce, made just as it is in the south of Italy (no butter, no onions) are in this recipe. Use a skillet instead of the usual saucepan: the water evaporates quickly, so the tomatoes are just cooked through as the sauce becomes thick. (Our colleagues over at Wirecutter have spent a lot of time testing skillets to find the best on the market. If you're looking to purchase one, check out their skillet guide.)"

Total Time: 25 minutes; Yield: 3-1/2 cups, enough for 1 pound

This recipe was featured in Marinara Worth Mastering, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015987-classic-marinara-sauce. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.

Ingredients

1 28-ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes, certified D.O.P. if possible

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

7 garlic cloves, peeled and slivered

Small dried whole chile, or pinch crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 large fresh basil sprig, or 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, more to taste

Preparation

Pour tomatoes into a large bowl and crush with your hands. Pour 1 cup water into can and slosh it around to get tomato juices. Reserve.

In a large skillet (do not use a deep pot) over medium heat, heat the oil. When it is hot, add garlic.

As soon as garlic is sizzling (do not let it brown), add the tomatoes, then the reserved tomato water. Add whole chile or red pepper flakes, oregano (if using) and salt. Stir.

Place basil sprig, including stem, on the surface (like a flower). Let it wilt, then submerge in sauce. Simmer sauce until thickened and oil on surface is a deep orange, about 15 minutes. (If using oregano, taste sauce after 10 minutes of simmering, adding more salt and oregano as needed.) Discard basil and chile (if using).

LOMO SALTADO (TOMATO BEEF STIR-FRY)

This is from Christian Reynoso in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Chritian wrote, "Lomo saltado might be the most well-known and beloved example of Chifa cuisine, a hybrid of Peruvian and Chinese culinary traditions. It’s a quick stir-fry made with marinated beef, juicy tomatoes, sautéed red onion, sweet peppers and potatoes or French fries, all tossed in a chile-and-soy-based sauce. Rice is served alongside to help soak up the bountiful sauce. A fresh, fruity, vibrantly yellow tropical chile called aji amarillo is usually called for, but this recipe calls for aji amarillo paste, which is more widely available. (Serrano chile works here, too.) Lomo saltado often has a subtle smoky flavor from engulfing the steak and sauce with flames in a wok, often with the South American brandy called pisco. This recipe is streamlined for home cooks, but if you’re familiar and comfortable with the technique, you may want to try it out."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time:25 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Yield: 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024484-lomo-saltado-tomato-beef-stir-fry. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.

Ingredients

1-1/4 pounds skirt or flank steak or beef tenderloin, cut against grain into 1/2-by-2-inch slices

Salt and pepper

1 pound frozen French fries

4 tablespoons avocado, grapeseed or canola oil

1/2 medium red onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges (about 1 cup)

1 red, yellow or orange bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch slices

2 Roma tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch wedges

3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons aji amarillo chile paste (see Tip) or 1 serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped

Cilantro leaves and tender stems, for serving

Warm jasmine rice, for serving

Preparation

Season steak with salt and pepper. (If you have time, spread steak out on a plate, uncovered, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.) Cook fries per package directions, season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

Heat a large skillet (preferably cast-iron) or wok over high, add 2 tablespoons oil and when it starts to smoke, sear the beef in three batches, until deeply caramelized, about 1 minute per side. Transfer seared steak to a large rimmed plate or sheet pan.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to the hot skillet; add onion and cook, undisturbed, until golden around the edges, about 1 minute, then stir and sauté until just cooked through but still a bit crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to plate with steak. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and cook the bell pepper the same way; transfer to the plate.

Turn heat down to low and add tomatoes, garlic, soy sauce, lime juice and chile paste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have softened, about 2 minutes. Return the steak, onion and pepper to the skillet, toss gently to combine and turn off heat.

To serve, transfer the fries to a rimmed serving platter or individual plates. Top with the stir-fried beef and vegetables and spoon the sauce over. Top with cilantro and more black pepper, if desired. Serve with rice.

Tips

To make lomo saltado your own, bump up flavor to taste with grated ginger, cumin, pisco, worcestershire sauce or cumin seed.

Aji amarillo paste can be found in Latino markets or online; try using the remaining paste to marinate steak or chicken parts like in Peruvian Roasted Chicken, stir into a coconut curry for a kick of fruity heat, whisk with lemon juice and olive oil for a quick dressing or even stir a little into mayonnaise to make a tangy dip for fries.

RANCH CHICKEN POT PIE

This recipe is from Amanda Neal on the Food Network. For this recipe, Amanda wrote, "Deep-dish chicken pot pie is the ultimate comfort meal, and this version adds an easy, irresistible ingredient — ranch seasoning. The buttery, flakey crust has fresh herbs and a savory hit of ranch, as does the super-creamy filling. Tender chunks of chicken, classic pot-pie vegetables and a bit of rich sour cream make it a complete meal. Serve it warm in generous slices for an ultimate crowd-pleaser."

Active Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Intermediate

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Dough:

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting (see Cook’s Note)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons ranch seasoning (see Cook’s Note)

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 sticks (1 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

4 to 6 tablespoons ice water

Filling:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 medium carrots, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1-2/3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2-1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, from one 2-pound chicken

1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon ranch seasoning (see Cook’s Note)

Egg Wash:

1 large egg

Directions

Special equipment: a 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie plate

For the dough: Combine the flour, dill, parsley, ranch seasoning, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times to evenly combine. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is in pea-size pieces, 7 or 8 times Add the vinegar and a few tablespoons of ice water at a time and pulse just until the dough starts to come together into a ball. Divide the dough in half and form into 2 disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.

For the filling: Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the flour, stirring until the vegetables are evenly coated. Slowly stir in the chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the chicken, peas, sour cream, dill, parsley, Ranch seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon of salt until well combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. Set aside to cool slightly, about 30 minutes.

\When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece of pie dough into a 12-inch round about 1/8 inch thick. Ease it into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie plate. Add the filling. Roll out the other pie dough disk into another 12-inch round, then place it over the filling. (Make sure the filling is cool; if it’s hot, steam will make the crust gummy.) Roll the overhanging dough under itself and crimp the edges with your fingers. Cut vents in the top of the dough.

Beat the egg and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl, then brush the crust all over with the egg wash. Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the crust is a deep golden brown, 65 to 75 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes before serving.

Cook’s Note<.b>

When measuring flour, spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.) Ranch seasoning typically comes either in 1-ounce (2-tablespoon) packets or in larger jars. You’ll need a little less than 1 ounce for this recipe.

CHEESY HAMBURGER SKILLET

This is from Meghan Splawn at Simply Recipes. For this recipe, Meghan wrote, "A certain boxed hamburger meal was the very first meal I cooked by myself as a kid, and the combination of pasta, creamy tomato and cheese sauce, and beef will always hold a nostalgic allure for me.

"As my kids got older, I wanted to introduce them to this classic meal from my childhood. I knew my take on the nostalgic dish had to be as easy as a box and include a pound of ground beef. That’s how this one-skillet cheesy hamburger pasta came to be one of my family’s favorite recipes."

Makes 4 to 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.simplyrecipes.com/cheesy-hamburger-skillet-recipe-8752873.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound lean ground beef

2 teaspoons seasoned salt, like Lawry’s

1-1/2 cups beef broth

8 ounces dried pasta shells

1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, not drained

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)

1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half

Directions

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Grab the largest one you own—a 12-inch straight-sided skillet with a lid is ideal, but a large cast iron works in a pinch if you’ve got a lid that works.

Add the oil followed by the beef, breaking the beef into pieces with a spatula. Cook the beef until is browned all the way through, about 4 minutes. Season the beef with the seasoned salt and sauté for about a minute more.

Add the beef broth, pasta shells, and canned tomatoes to the skillet and give it a few stirs to distribute everything evenly. Cover the skillet and cook until the broth mixture is thickened and the shells are tender, 8 to 12 minutes.

Turn off the heat and give the skillet a good stir. Add the cheese and pour in the cream and stir until the cheese is melted and creamy. Serve immediately. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Simple Substitutions

Ultimately, this is a dinner built on some grocery basics and pantry staples, so here are some substitutions that customize this dinner to what is already in your fridge or cupboard:

Beef: Lean ground beef, such as ground sirloin, works really well here because of its beefy flavor. Plus the cheese and cream bring enough richness to this skillet. You can use ground turkey or chicken; I’ve even subbed bulk Italian sausage in a pinch.

Pasta: This dish really is best with small shells, but other short, dried pasta works as well. Macaroni elbows are a great second choice. If you use fusilli, orecchiette, or cavatappi noodles, they take a few extra minutes to cook.

Canned Tomatoes: Crushed, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce are all interchangeable here. No need to drain the diced tomatoes. Jarred marinara sauce can also be used; just use less salt for seasoning.

Seasoned salt: Your favorite seasoned salt probably works here. I love Beautiful Briny Sea’s Magic Unicorn Salt for this, but Lawry’s is also perfect. If you don’t have any on hand, you can also sub 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon onion powder.

Cheese: This recipe calls for a whole 8-ounce block or about 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese. High-quality pre-shredded cheeses, like Tillamook and Cabot, work if you don’t have the energy to grate the block yourself. You can also swap the cheddar cheese for other melty cheese like Monterey Jack or provolone.