Is there really an answer to the decades' old question, "Where's the Beef?" (Besides a certain fast-food chain, of course.)
Well, today's post is a good place to start. Here are six beefy recipes to help you through the day, including Slow-Cooker Beef Stroganoff and Creamed Chipped Beef on Toast. Enjoy!
BEEF AND BROCCOLI STIR FRY
This is from Everyday Diabetic Recipes, and begins, "You'll be able to put take-out on hold once you're armed with this fresh-tasting Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry. Don't forget to pick up a box of fortune cookies to make your Chinese dinner complete!"
Cook Time: 5 minute; Serves: 6
To view this online, go to https://www.everydaydiabeticrecipes.com/Beef/Beef-and-Broccoli-Stir-Fry-105430.
Ingredients
3/4 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 pound beef top or bottom round steak, cut into 1/4-inch julienne strips
2 medium-sized onions, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets
Directions
In a small bowl, combine the beef broth, soy sauce, garlic powder, ginger, pepper, brown sugar, and cornstarch; mix well and set aside.
Coat a large skillet or wok with cooking spray. Add beef, and brown over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add onions and broccoli, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until onion is tender.
Add beef broth mixture to skillet and stir constantly for 2 to 3 minutes, or until sauce begins to thicken. Serve immediately.
Notes
Add zing by sprinkling this with orange zest for extra color and freshness.
HAMBURGER STROGANOFF SKILLET
This is from the Food Network, and begins, "Give ground beef the stroganoff treatment by combining it with sauteed mushrooms and rich cream. Cook pasta right in the sauce for an easy one-pan dinner."
Active Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/hamburger-stroganoff-skillet-5478672.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
One 10-ounce package white mushrooms, halved or quartered if large
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 carrot, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
One 15-ounce can low-sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups dried penne pasta
2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Directions
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef, season with salt and pepper and cook, breaking the beef into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until well browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl, leaving behind any drippings, and reduce the heat to medium.
To the same skillet, add the mushrooms, season with salt and cook until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the cooked mushrooms to the bowl with the beef. Add the oil, paprika, garlic, carrot and onion to the skillet and cook until the carrots are soft and the onion is lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook until the tomato paste has toasted and is evenly coating the vegetables, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the broth, Worcestershire and 1-1/2 cups of water to the skillet. Bring to a simmer and stir in the pasta. Cover and cook according to package directions until just al dente. Uncover, stir in the reserved beef and mushrooms and cook until heated through. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream cheese, sour cream, chives and parsley until the cream cheese melts and the sauce is creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.
BEEF EMPANADAS
This is from Angela Dimayuga in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Angela wrote, "Filipinos take snacking seriously, so much so that we devote an entire meal to it: merienda, which may take place midmorning or midafternoon, if not both. Empanadas are a great treat for this in-between time, but also keep well at room temperature — the grace of food built for a warm climate — so you can graze all day. (My family used to buy these by the tray for parties, but it’s nice to make your own and store them in the freezer for later.) In these, a ground-beef filling is tucked inside sturdy but flaky dough, with raisins added early in the cooking to plump with the beef juices. There are variations on empanadas all over Latin America; ours rely on the potency of onion and garlic, and exploit it to the hilt."
Yield: 40 empanadas; Time: 2 hours
This was featured in "Angela Dimayuga’s 10 Essential Filipino Recipes", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020490-beef-empanadas.
Ingredients
For the empanada dough:
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), diced
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2/3 cup ice water
For the filling:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 large green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 medium russet potato, peeled and cut into 1-centimeter cubes (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup raisins
3/4 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 (48-ounce) bottle neutral oil, such as canola, for frying
Preparation
Prepare the empanada dough: In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt. In a large bowl, combine the flour and 1 tablespoon salt, and mix well. Add the butter and incorporate it into the flour using your hands or a food processor. Combine until mixture is sandy. Combine the egg mixture, vinegar and 2/3 cup ice water, whisking to break up the egg. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, and beat with a fork to bring dough together.
Sprinkle a light layer of flour over a work surface. Place the dough on top. Bring dough together by pressing and folding dough onto itself a few times with the palms of your hands. Being careful not to overwork, split dough in half and form into two equal logs about the thickness of a small sausage, 1 1/2- to 2-inches thick. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
While the dough rests, prepare the filling: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high and bring to a shimmer. Add the tomato paste and toast, stirring frequently, until darkened and caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add the onion, bell peppers, garlic, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the potato and raisins, and cook, stirring, until mixture starts to caramelize, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the beef, increase the temperature to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Stir in oyster sauce and soy sauce until coated, then stir in chicken stock. (Mixture should be glossy but not overtly wet; cook for another 5 minutes or so to reduce liquid, if need be.) Transfer to a sheet pan, dispersing in a thin layer, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 20 minutes.
Fill a small bowl with some cool water for sealing your empanadas, and another small bowl with flour for dusting. Working with one log at a time, remove dough from fridge. Cut each log in half crosswise, then cut each half crosswise into 10 equal pieces, which will be the shape of thick coins. Using a bit of flour, dust your work surface. Round each coin slightly using your thumb and forefinger and on your surface with your hands press each coin lightly to coax it into a flat round shape. Switch to a rolling pin and roll each piece of empanada dough into a 4-1/2-inch circle. You can lightly dust and stack your circles off to the side or transfer them to a parchment lined baking sheet and chill until you are ready to assemble (they are easier to work with when kept cool). Repeat with remaining log. When you have all your pieces rolled out, you are ready to assemble your empanadas. Place about 1-1/2 tablespoons of the meat filling in the center of each circle, leaving at least a 1/2-inch border. Using a brush or your finger, wet the edges of the dough with water and fold the crust over the filling, forming half-moon empanada shapes, sealing out as much air as possible. Crimp the edges of the empanada with the tines of a fork to seal.
In a large heavy Dutch oven or pot, heat about 2 inches of oil over medium-high. Heat oil to 365 degrees. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, maintaining an even heat, fry the empanadas, turning frequently, until they start to bob, 4 to 5 minutes. (They should be crisp and golden brown, the pastry should be cooked through and the meat should be warmed through.) Transfer to a paper-towel lined baking sheet and fry remaining empanadas. Serve warm.
CREAMED CHIPPED BEEF ON TOAST
This is from Lisa at allrecipes. The recipe begins, "This chipped beef recipe is straight from my mom. We called it SOS (Same Ole Stuff), and it's great comfort food! It's easy to make and tastes great with a cold beer."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Makes 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/20225/creamed-chipped-beef-on-toast/.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups warm milk
1 (8 ounce) jar dried beef, chopped
1 pinch cayenne pepper
bread, toasted
Ingredients
Gather all ingredients.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add flour and whisk until smooth.
Add milk a little at a time, whisking well after each addition. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring, until thickened.
Stir in beef and cayenne; cook until warmed through.
Serve over toast.
Recipe Tip
This recipe can also be made with 3/4 pound browned, drained hamburger meat.
STUFFED PEPPER CASSEROLE
This is from TheDailyGourmet at AllRecipes, and begins, "Stuffed peppers are deconstructed in this casserole and given a subtle taco flair."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; Servings: 8
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/stuffed-pepper-casserole-recipe-7372944.
Ingredients
nonstick cooking spray
1 pound ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles (such as RO-TEL®)
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
3 tablespoons taco seasoning
1-1/2 cups uncooked long grain rice
1 cup beef broth
4 ounces Colby cheese, shredded
4 ounces pepper Jack cheese, shredded
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, and cook and stir ground beef, onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and garlic until meat is browned and crumbly, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain excess fat; season with salt and pepper. Stir in RO-TEL tomatoes, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning.
Spread rice in the bottom of the baking dish; pour in beef broth. Fold pepper mixture into rice with a spatula, and spread evenly into the dish. Sprinkle with Colby cheese and pepper Jack cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven, covered with foil, until rice is tender, about 50 minutes. Remove foil and cook until cheese is golden, about 5 minutes more.
SLOW-COOKER BEEF STROGANOFF
This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "You may think you don’t know anything about the 19th century Russian aristocrat Pavel Alexandrovich Stroganov, but you’ve most likely have enjoyed his namesake dish. While there are conflicting stories about the dish’s origin story, many food historians favor the version in which Stroganov’s cook, André Dupont, named his special beef fricassee for his employer. Thousands of chafing dishes later, the dish is still popular all over the world. And it’s no wonder—who could resist the succulent meal made with tender strips of beef and onions cooked in butter, simmered in a rich and creamy sauce made with sour cream, cream cheese, and mushrooms.
"It may sound complicated, but in our modern take on the classic, our easy slow cooker beef stroganoff recipe needs just 15 minutes of prep and a long, slow turn in the slow cooker, and supper practically makes itself. You can walk in the door to the tantalizing aroma of this satisfying dish on any chilly weeknight; just make some hot cooked egg noodles or rice to serve it over, to hold every single drop of the amazing sauce. It’s also a terrific recipe to have up your sleeve for when friends or family come for dinner, and you want an easy recipe that will impress."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 5 hours 15 minutes; Servings: 8
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
2 lb boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into 3x1/2x1/4-inch strips
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 can (10.5 oz) condensed golden mushroom or cream of mushroom soup
1 carton (8 oz) sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 oz cream cheese, cubed (from 8-oz package)
1 container (8 oz) sour cream
6 cups hot cooked egg noodles or rice
Instructions
In 12-inch skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add beef strips, onion and garlic; cook 7 to 9 minutes, stirring occasionally. or until beef is browned.
In 3-1/2 to 4-1/2-quart slow cooker, mix beef mixture, soup, mushrooms, salt and pepper.
Cover; cook on low heat setting 5 to 6 hours or until beef is tender.
Stir cream cheese into beef mixture until melted. Stir in sour cream until well blended. Serve over noodles.
Showing posts with label Beef Empanadas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Beef Empanadas. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 23, 2025
Monday, May 5, 2025
Double-Post Monday
Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Today's offerings include Beef Empanadas and Melt-in-Your-Mouth Meat Loaf. Enjoy!
STEALTH HEALTH MAC AND CHEESE
This was in the September/October 2016 issure of Vegetarian Times, page 46. It begins, "Kids will never guess just how loaded with good-for-them vegetables this pasta favorite is. The 'cream sauce' is actually puréed butternut squash, and finely grated carrot and zucchini melt into the casserole as it cooks. Serve with a tossed salad." Makes 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/stealth-health-mac-and-cheese-recipe/.
Ingredients
1 lb. peeled, cubed butternut squash
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided
4 oz. whole-wheat macaroni
1-1/2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery (3 ribs)
1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
1 large carrot, finely grated (3/4 cup)
1 large zucchini, finely grated (3/4 cup)
1/4 cup jarred roasted red pepper, drained and chopped, optional
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Coat 6- x 6-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add butternut squash, and boil 20 to 25 minutes, or until very tender. Remove to large bowl with slotted spoon. Mash with potato masher, and stir in 1/4 cup cheese. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and set aside.
Cook macaroni in same pot of boiling water 2 minutes fewer than recommended time. Drain, and run under cold water in colander.
Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and garlic, and sauté 3 to 5 minutes, or until translucent. Stir into mashed butternut squash purée. Add carrot, zucchini, roasted red pepper, if using, and pasta, and stir until mixture is coated with squash purée. Spread 1/3 pasta mixture in prepared baking dish, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Repeat layering pasta and cheese twice, ending with a final sprinkling of cheese. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until top is crisp and brown, and casserole is bubbling hot.
BEEF EMPANADAS
This is from Angela Dimayuga in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Angela wrote, "Filipinos take snacking seriously, so much so that we devote an entire meal to it: merienda, which may take place midmorning or midafternoon, if not both. Empanadas are a great treat for this in-between time, but also keep well at room temperature — the grace of food built for a warm climate — so you can graze all day. (My family used to buy these by the tray for parties, but it’s nice to make your own and store them in the freezer for later.) In these, a ground-beef filling is tucked inside sturdy but flaky dough, with raisins added early in the cooking to plump with the beef juices. There are variations on empanadas all over Latin America; ours rely on the potency of onion and garlic, and exploit it to the hilt."
Yield: 40 empanadas; Time: 2 hours
This was featured in "Angela Dimayuga’s 10 Essential Filipino Recipes", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020490-beef-empanadas.
Ingredients
For the empanada dough:
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), diced
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2/3 cup ice water
For the filling:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 large green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 medium russet potato, peeled and cut into 1-centimeter cubes (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup raisins
3/4 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 (48-ounce) bottle neutral oil, such as canola, for frying
Preparation
Prepare the empanada dough: In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt. In a large bowl, combine the flour and 1 tablespoon salt, and mix well. Add the butter and incorporate it into the flour using your hands or a food processor. Combine until mixture is sandy. Combine the egg mixture, vinegar and 2/3 cup ice water, whisking to break up the egg. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, and beat with a fork to bring dough together.
Sprinkle a light layer of flour over a work surface. Place the dough on top. Bring dough together by pressing and folding dough onto itself a few times with the palms of your hands. Being careful not to overwork, split dough in half and form into two equal logs about the thickness of a small sausage, 1 1/2- to 2-inches thick. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
While the dough rests, prepare the filling: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high and bring to a shimmer. Add the tomato paste and toast, stirring frequently, until darkened and caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add the onion, bell peppers, garlic, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the potato and raisins, and cook, stirring, until mixture starts to caramelize, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the beef, increase the temperature to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Stir in oyster sauce and soy sauce until coated, then stir in chicken stock. (Mixture should be glossy but not overtly wet; cook for another 5 minutes or so to reduce liquid, if need be.) Transfer to a sheet pan, dispersing in a thin layer, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 20 minutes.
Fill a small bowl with some cool water for sealing your empanadas, and another small bowl with flour for dusting. Working with one log at a time, remove dough from fridge. Cut each log in half crosswise, then cut each half crosswise into 10 equal pieces, which will be the shape of thick coins. Using a bit of flour, dust your work surface. Round each coin slightly using your thumb and forefinger and on your surface with your hands press each coin lightly to coax it into a flat round shape. Switch to a rolling pin and roll each piece of empanada dough into a 4-1/2-inch circle. You can lightly dust and stack your circles off to the side or transfer them to a parchment lined baking sheet and chill until you are ready to assemble (they are easier to work with when kept cool). Repeat with remaining log. When you have all your pieces rolled out, you are ready to assemble your empanadas. Place about 1-1/2 tablespoons of the meat filling in the center of each circle, leaving at least a 1/2-inch border. Using a brush or your finger, wet the edges of the dough with water and fold the crust over the filling, forming half-moon empanada shapes, sealing out as much air as possible. Crimp the edges of the empanada with the tines of a fork to seal.
In a large heavy Dutch oven or pot, heat about 2 inches of oil over medium-high. Heat oil to 365 degrees. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, maintaining an even heat, fry the empanadas, turning frequently, until they start to bob, 4 to 5 minutes. (They should be crisp and golden brown, the pastry should be cooked through and the meat should be warmed through.) Transfer to a paper-towel lined baking sheet and fry remaining empanadas. Serve warm.
MUSTARD ROAST BEEF
Recipe Yield: Yield: 8 servings
Source: 1,001 Delicious Recipes for People with Diabetes
Book Title: 1,001 Delicious Recipes for People with Diabetes
View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/mustard-roast-beef.
Ingredients
1/4 cup apricot preserves
2-4 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
2-3 teaspoons reduced-sodium Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon crushed caraway seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon crushed black, or mixed, peppercorns
1 boneless beef sirloin tip roast, fat trimmed (about 2 pounds)
Directions
Mix all ingredients except beef in medium bowl. Spread on all surfaces of meat. Place meat on rack in roasting pan.
Roast at 350 degrees F. until meat thermometer registers 140 degrees (medium), or 160 degrees (well done), 30 to 45 minutes.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 171; Fat: 5.5 g; Saturated Fat: 2.1 g; Sodium: 118 mg; Cholesterol: 60.3 mg; Protein: 20.7 g; Carbohydrates: 9 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 Fruit, 3 Meat
CHICKEN SPAGHETTI
This comes from Southern Living, and begins, "Give your traditional chicken casserole a break and serve this bright and lively chicken spaghetti. You only need a Dutch oven and a 9-x-13 baking dish to create this delicious meal, meaning there is less clean-up afterwards. Cook and shred your chicken in advance to save time."
Active Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes; Serves: 10
To view this online, go to https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/easy-chicken-spaghetti.
Ingredients
6 cups unsalted chicken stock
1 (14-oz.) bone-in, skin-on chicken breast, skin removed
3 (7-oz.) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, skin removed
12 ounces uncooked spaghetti
1 (5-oz.) can evaporated milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon lower-sodium Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons hot sauce
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (about 1 medium onion)
1 1/2 cups chopped red bell pepper (about 1 large pepper)
2 cups chopped tomatoes (about 3 medium tomatoes)
4 ounces sharp white Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Bring stock to a boil in a Dutch oven over high. Add chicken to stock. Cover; reduce heat to medium. Cook until a thermometer inserted in thickest piece of chicken registers 160°F, about 25 minutes. Remove chicken; let stand until ready to use. (Inner temperature of chicken will rise as it stands.)
Return stock to a boil over high. Add pasta to Dutch oven, and cook until just tender, about 9 minutes. Transfer pasta to a medium bowl (reserving stock). Return stock to a boil over high; boil until liquid is reduced to about 2-1/2 cups, about 1 minute. Whisk together evaporated milk and flour in a small bowl. Stir into stock; boil until slightly thickened, 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and salt. Pour stock mixture over pasta.
Return Dutch oven to medium-high heat. Add butter, onion, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring often, until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat; add pasta mixture back to Dutch oven. Shred chicken, discarding bones. (You should have about 4 1⁄2 cups meat.) Add chicken and tomatoes to Dutch oven; toss to coat. Pour mixture into a 13- x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with cheese. Lightly coat aluminum foil with cooking spray. Cover with foil; bake until cheese is melted, 25 to 30 minutes.
Chef's Notes
You don't have to be a food stylist to create a casserole that looks as good as it tastes. Instead of pouring the pasta mixture from the pot into the baking dish, use tongs and a large spoon to twirl the noodles into nests, as shown below.
MELT-IN-YOUR-MOUTH MEAT LOAF
This is from Suzanne Codner (from Starbuck, Minnesota), on the Taste of Home website. Suzanne wrote, "When my husband and I were first married, he refused to eat meat loaf because he said it was bland and dry. Then I prepared this version, and it became his favorite meal." Sometimes, all it takes is the right recipe!
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 5 hours 15 minutes + standing time; Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/melt-in-your-mouth-meat-loaf/.
Ingredients
2 large eggs
3/4 cup 2% milk
2/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Directions
Cut two 25x3-in. strips of heavy-duty foil; crisscross so they resemble an X. Place strips on bottom and up sides of a 5-qt. slow cooker. Coat strips with cooking spray.
Combine the first 6 ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into a round loaf; place in center of strips in slow cooker. Cook, covered, on low 5-6 hours or until a thermometer reads at least 160°.
In a small bowl, whisk ketchup, brown sugar, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Spoon over meat loaf. Cook until heated through, about 15 minutes longer. Using foil strips as handles, remove meat loaf to a platter. Let stand 10-15 minutes before slicing.
BLUEBERRY-APPLE SLUSHES
This is from the August 2013 issue of Heart Insight, page 23. (This is the magazine for the American Heart Association.)
This recipe begins, "Refreshing and good for you, this fruit treat comes together in a flash and provides fiber from the apple and antioxidants from the deeply colored blueberries." Serves 4; 1 cup per serving
I was unable to find a link online for this, but did want to give a head's up on where I got this.
Ingredients
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (no thawing necessary)
2 cups ice
1 large apple (about 8 ounces), any variety, cut into chunks (peel left on)
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup fresh blueberries (optional)
Directions
In a blender, process the ingredients except the 1/4 cup blueberries until smooth. Serve garnished with the remaining blueberries.
STEALTH HEALTH MAC AND CHEESE
This was in the September/October 2016 issure of Vegetarian Times, page 46. It begins, "Kids will never guess just how loaded with good-for-them vegetables this pasta favorite is. The 'cream sauce' is actually puréed butternut squash, and finely grated carrot and zucchini melt into the casserole as it cooks. Serve with a tossed salad." Makes 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/stealth-health-mac-and-cheese-recipe/.
Ingredients
1 lb. peeled, cubed butternut squash
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided
4 oz. whole-wheat macaroni
1-1/2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery (3 ribs)
1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
1 large carrot, finely grated (3/4 cup)
1 large zucchini, finely grated (3/4 cup)
1/4 cup jarred roasted red pepper, drained and chopped, optional
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Coat 6- x 6-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add butternut squash, and boil 20 to 25 minutes, or until very tender. Remove to large bowl with slotted spoon. Mash with potato masher, and stir in 1/4 cup cheese. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and set aside.
Cook macaroni in same pot of boiling water 2 minutes fewer than recommended time. Drain, and run under cold water in colander.
Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and garlic, and sauté 3 to 5 minutes, or until translucent. Stir into mashed butternut squash purée. Add carrot, zucchini, roasted red pepper, if using, and pasta, and stir until mixture is coated with squash purée. Spread 1/3 pasta mixture in prepared baking dish, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Repeat layering pasta and cheese twice, ending with a final sprinkling of cheese. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until top is crisp and brown, and casserole is bubbling hot.
BEEF EMPANADAS
This is from Angela Dimayuga in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Angela wrote, "Filipinos take snacking seriously, so much so that we devote an entire meal to it: merienda, which may take place midmorning or midafternoon, if not both. Empanadas are a great treat for this in-between time, but also keep well at room temperature — the grace of food built for a warm climate — so you can graze all day. (My family used to buy these by the tray for parties, but it’s nice to make your own and store them in the freezer for later.) In these, a ground-beef filling is tucked inside sturdy but flaky dough, with raisins added early in the cooking to plump with the beef juices. There are variations on empanadas all over Latin America; ours rely on the potency of onion and garlic, and exploit it to the hilt."
Yield: 40 empanadas; Time: 2 hours
This was featured in "Angela Dimayuga’s 10 Essential Filipino Recipes", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020490-beef-empanadas.
Ingredients
For the empanada dough:
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), diced
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2/3 cup ice water
For the filling:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 large green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 medium russet potato, peeled and cut into 1-centimeter cubes (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup raisins
3/4 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 (48-ounce) bottle neutral oil, such as canola, for frying
Preparation
Prepare the empanada dough: In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt. In a large bowl, combine the flour and 1 tablespoon salt, and mix well. Add the butter and incorporate it into the flour using your hands or a food processor. Combine until mixture is sandy. Combine the egg mixture, vinegar and 2/3 cup ice water, whisking to break up the egg. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, and beat with a fork to bring dough together.
Sprinkle a light layer of flour over a work surface. Place the dough on top. Bring dough together by pressing and folding dough onto itself a few times with the palms of your hands. Being careful not to overwork, split dough in half and form into two equal logs about the thickness of a small sausage, 1 1/2- to 2-inches thick. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
While the dough rests, prepare the filling: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high and bring to a shimmer. Add the tomato paste and toast, stirring frequently, until darkened and caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add the onion, bell peppers, garlic, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the potato and raisins, and cook, stirring, until mixture starts to caramelize, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the beef, increase the temperature to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Stir in oyster sauce and soy sauce until coated, then stir in chicken stock. (Mixture should be glossy but not overtly wet; cook for another 5 minutes or so to reduce liquid, if need be.) Transfer to a sheet pan, dispersing in a thin layer, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 20 minutes.
Fill a small bowl with some cool water for sealing your empanadas, and another small bowl with flour for dusting. Working with one log at a time, remove dough from fridge. Cut each log in half crosswise, then cut each half crosswise into 10 equal pieces, which will be the shape of thick coins. Using a bit of flour, dust your work surface. Round each coin slightly using your thumb and forefinger and on your surface with your hands press each coin lightly to coax it into a flat round shape. Switch to a rolling pin and roll each piece of empanada dough into a 4-1/2-inch circle. You can lightly dust and stack your circles off to the side or transfer them to a parchment lined baking sheet and chill until you are ready to assemble (they are easier to work with when kept cool). Repeat with remaining log. When you have all your pieces rolled out, you are ready to assemble your empanadas. Place about 1-1/2 tablespoons of the meat filling in the center of each circle, leaving at least a 1/2-inch border. Using a brush or your finger, wet the edges of the dough with water and fold the crust over the filling, forming half-moon empanada shapes, sealing out as much air as possible. Crimp the edges of the empanada with the tines of a fork to seal.
In a large heavy Dutch oven or pot, heat about 2 inches of oil over medium-high. Heat oil to 365 degrees. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, maintaining an even heat, fry the empanadas, turning frequently, until they start to bob, 4 to 5 minutes. (They should be crisp and golden brown, the pastry should be cooked through and the meat should be warmed through.) Transfer to a paper-towel lined baking sheet and fry remaining empanadas. Serve warm.
MUSTARD ROAST BEEF
Recipe Yield: Yield: 8 servings
Source: 1,001 Delicious Recipes for People with Diabetes
Book Title: 1,001 Delicious Recipes for People with Diabetes
View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/mustard-roast-beef.
Ingredients
1/4 cup apricot preserves
2-4 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
2-3 teaspoons reduced-sodium Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon crushed caraway seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon crushed black, or mixed, peppercorns
1 boneless beef sirloin tip roast, fat trimmed (about 2 pounds)
Directions
Mix all ingredients except beef in medium bowl. Spread on all surfaces of meat. Place meat on rack in roasting pan.
Roast at 350 degrees F. until meat thermometer registers 140 degrees (medium), or 160 degrees (well done), 30 to 45 minutes.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 171; Fat: 5.5 g; Saturated Fat: 2.1 g; Sodium: 118 mg; Cholesterol: 60.3 mg; Protein: 20.7 g; Carbohydrates: 9 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 Fruit, 3 Meat
CHICKEN SPAGHETTI
This comes from Southern Living, and begins, "Give your traditional chicken casserole a break and serve this bright and lively chicken spaghetti. You only need a Dutch oven and a 9-x-13 baking dish to create this delicious meal, meaning there is less clean-up afterwards. Cook and shred your chicken in advance to save time."
Active Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes; Serves: 10
To view this online, go to https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/easy-chicken-spaghetti.
Ingredients
6 cups unsalted chicken stock
1 (14-oz.) bone-in, skin-on chicken breast, skin removed
3 (7-oz.) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, skin removed
12 ounces uncooked spaghetti
1 (5-oz.) can evaporated milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon lower-sodium Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons hot sauce
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (about 1 medium onion)
1 1/2 cups chopped red bell pepper (about 1 large pepper)
2 cups chopped tomatoes (about 3 medium tomatoes)
4 ounces sharp white Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Bring stock to a boil in a Dutch oven over high. Add chicken to stock. Cover; reduce heat to medium. Cook until a thermometer inserted in thickest piece of chicken registers 160°F, about 25 minutes. Remove chicken; let stand until ready to use. (Inner temperature of chicken will rise as it stands.)
Return stock to a boil over high. Add pasta to Dutch oven, and cook until just tender, about 9 minutes. Transfer pasta to a medium bowl (reserving stock). Return stock to a boil over high; boil until liquid is reduced to about 2-1/2 cups, about 1 minute. Whisk together evaporated milk and flour in a small bowl. Stir into stock; boil until slightly thickened, 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and salt. Pour stock mixture over pasta.
Return Dutch oven to medium-high heat. Add butter, onion, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring often, until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat; add pasta mixture back to Dutch oven. Shred chicken, discarding bones. (You should have about 4 1⁄2 cups meat.) Add chicken and tomatoes to Dutch oven; toss to coat. Pour mixture into a 13- x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with cheese. Lightly coat aluminum foil with cooking spray. Cover with foil; bake until cheese is melted, 25 to 30 minutes.
Chef's Notes
You don't have to be a food stylist to create a casserole that looks as good as it tastes. Instead of pouring the pasta mixture from the pot into the baking dish, use tongs and a large spoon to twirl the noodles into nests, as shown below.
MELT-IN-YOUR-MOUTH MEAT LOAF
This is from Suzanne Codner (from Starbuck, Minnesota), on the Taste of Home website. Suzanne wrote, "When my husband and I were first married, he refused to eat meat loaf because he said it was bland and dry. Then I prepared this version, and it became his favorite meal." Sometimes, all it takes is the right recipe!
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 5 hours 15 minutes + standing time; Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/melt-in-your-mouth-meat-loaf/.
Ingredients
2 large eggs
3/4 cup 2% milk
2/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Directions
Cut two 25x3-in. strips of heavy-duty foil; crisscross so they resemble an X. Place strips on bottom and up sides of a 5-qt. slow cooker. Coat strips with cooking spray.
Combine the first 6 ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into a round loaf; place in center of strips in slow cooker. Cook, covered, on low 5-6 hours or until a thermometer reads at least 160°.
In a small bowl, whisk ketchup, brown sugar, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Spoon over meat loaf. Cook until heated through, about 15 minutes longer. Using foil strips as handles, remove meat loaf to a platter. Let stand 10-15 minutes before slicing.
BLUEBERRY-APPLE SLUSHES
This is from the August 2013 issue of Heart Insight, page 23. (This is the magazine for the American Heart Association.)
This recipe begins, "Refreshing and good for you, this fruit treat comes together in a flash and provides fiber from the apple and antioxidants from the deeply colored blueberries." Serves 4; 1 cup per serving
I was unable to find a link online for this, but did want to give a head's up on where I got this.
Ingredients
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (no thawing necessary)
2 cups ice
1 large apple (about 8 ounces), any variety, cut into chunks (peel left on)
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup fresh blueberries (optional)
Directions
In a blender, process the ingredients except the 1/4 cup blueberries until smooth. Serve garnished with the remaining blueberries.
Friday, December 27, 2024
Friday Recipes
It's finally Friday, the last Friday of the year. Here are six yummy recipes to help you through the weekend, including Beef Empanadas and Grandma’s Chicken Casserole. Enjoy!
LASAGNA
This is from Regina Schrambling on The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “In 2001, Regina Schrambling went on a week long odyssey in search of the ultimate lasagna recipe. She tested several, and finally found her ideal in a mash-up of recipes from Giuliano Bugialli and Elodia Rigante, both Italian cookbook authors.
“‘If there were central casting for casseroles, this one deserved the leading role. But its beauty was more than cheese deep. This was the best lasagna I had ever eaten. The sauce was intensely flavored, the cheeses melted into creaminess as if they were bechamel, the meat was just chunky enough, and the noodles put up no resistance to the fork. Most important, the balance of pasta and sauce was positively Italian. At last I could understand why my neighbor Geoff had told me, as I dragged home more bags in our elevator, that all-day lasagna is the only kind worth making.’”
Time: 4 hours; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
This was featured in “The Noodle and I: A Face-of at the Oven”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9530-lasagna.
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium red onions, finely diced
2 large cloves minced garlic
8 ounces pancetta, diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good red wine, preferably Italian
2 28-ounce cans Italian plum tomatoes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3/4 pound ground sirloin
1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano
2 eggs
10 sprigs fresh parsley, leaves only, washed and dried
2 large whole cloves garlic
1/2 cup flour
1 pound Italian sausage, a mix of hot and sweet
For the Lasagna:
1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
2 extra-large eggs
2 cups freshly grated pecorino Romano
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 pound mozzarella, grated
16 sheets fresh lasagna noodles, preferably Antica Pasteria
Preparation
For the sauce, heat 1/2 cup oil in a large heavy Dutch oven or kettle over low heat. Add the onions, minced garlic and pancetta, and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes, until the onions are wilted. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Raise heat slightly, add the wine and cook until it is mostly reduced, about 20 minutes. Crush the tomatoes into the pan, and add their juice. Add the tomato paste and 2 cups lukewarm water. Simmer for 1 hour.
Combine the sirloin, cheese and eggs in a large bowl. Chop the parsley with the whole garlic until fine, then stir into the beef mixture. Season lavishly with salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix until all the ingredients are well blended. Shape into meatballs and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dust the meatballs lightly with flour, shaking off excess, and lay into the hot oil. Brown the meatballs on all sides (do not cook through) and transfer to the sauce.
In a clean skillet, brown the sausages over medium-high heat. Transfer to the sauce. Simmer 1 1/2 hours.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs, pecorino Romano, parsley and all but 1 cup of the mozzarella. Season well with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
Remove the meatballs and sausage from the sauce, and set aside to cool slightly, then chop coarsely. Spoon a thick layer of sauce into the bottom of a 9-by-12-inch lasagna pan. Cover with a layer of noodles. Spoon more sauce on top, then add a third of the meat and a third of the cheese mixture. Repeat for 2 more layers, using all the meat and cheese. Top with a layer of noodles, and cover with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle reserved mozzarella evenly over the top. Bake 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
BEEF EMPANADAS
This is from Angela Dimayuga in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Angela wrote, "Filipinos take snacking seriously, so much so that we devote an entire meal to it: merienda, which may take place midmorning or midafternoon, if not both. Empanadas are a great treat for this in-between time, but also keep well at room temperature — the grace of food built for a warm climate — so you can graze all day. (My family used to buy these by the tray for parties, but it’s nice to make your own and store them in the freezer for later.) In these, a ground-beef filling is tucked inside sturdy but flaky dough, with raisins added early in the cooking to plump with the beef juices. There are variations on empanadas all over Latin America; ours rely on the potency of onion and garlic, and exploit it to the hilt."
Yield: 40 empanadas; Time: 2 hours
This was featured in "Angela Dimayuga’s 10 Essential Filipino Recipes", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020490-beef-empanadas.
Ingredients
For the empanada dough:
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), diced
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2/3 cup ice water
For the filling:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 large green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 medium russet potato, peeled and cut into 1-centimeter cubes (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup raisins
3/4 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 (48-ounce) bottle neutral oil, such as canola, for frying
Preparation
Prepare the empanada dough: In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt. In a large bowl, combine the flour and 1 tablespoon salt, and mix well. Add the butter and incorporate it into the flour using your hands or a food processor. Combine until mixture is sandy. Combine the egg mixture, vinegar and 2/3 cup ice water, whisking to break up the egg. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, and beat with a fork to bring dough together.
Sprinkle a light layer of flour over a work surface. Place the dough on top. Bring dough together by pressing and folding dough onto itself a few times with the palms of your hands. Being careful not to overwork, split dough in half and form into two equal logs about the thickness of a small sausage, 1 1/2- to 2-inches thick. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
While the dough rests, prepare the filling: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high and bring to a shimmer. Add the tomato paste and toast, stirring frequently, until darkened and caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add the onion, bell peppers, garlic, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the potato and raisins, and cook, stirring, until mixture starts to caramelize, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the beef, increase the temperature to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Stir in oyster sauce and soy sauce until coated, then stir in chicken stock. (Mixture should be glossy but not overtly wet; cook for another 5 minutes or so to reduce liquid, if need be.) Transfer to a sheet pan, dispersing in a thin layer, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 20 minutes.
Fill a small bowl with some cool water for sealing your empanadas, and another small bowl with flour for dusting. Working with one log at a time, remove dough from fridge. Cut each log in half crosswise, then cut each half crosswise into 10 equal pieces, which will be the shape of thick coins. Using a bit of flour, dust your work surface. Round each coin slightly using your thumb and forefinger and on your surface with your hands press each coin lightly to coax it into a flat round shape. Switch to a rolling pin and roll each piece of empanada dough into a 4-1/2-inch circle. You can lightly dust and stack your circles off to the side or transfer them to a parchment lined baking sheet and chill until you are ready to assemble (they are easier to work with when kept cool). Repeat with remaining log. When you have all your pieces rolled out, you are ready to assemble your empanadas. Place about 1-1/2 tablespoons of the meat filling in the center of each circle, leaving at least a 1/2-inch border. Using a brush or your finger, wet the edges of the dough with water and fold the crust over the filling, forming half-moon empanada shapes, sealing out as much air as possible. Crimp the edges of the empanada with the tines of a fork to seal.
In a large heavy Dutch oven or pot, heat about 2 inches of oil over medium-high. Heat oil to 365 degrees. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, maintaining an even heat, fry the empanadas, turning frequently, until they start to bob, 4 to 5 minutes. (They should be crisp and golden brown, the pastry should be cooked through and the meat should be warmed through.) Transfer to a paper-towel lined baking sheet and fry remaining empanadas. Serve warm.
MEME'S PASTA FAGIOLI
This is from Karyn Osborne on AllRecipes. Karyn wrote, "White cannellini beans, ditalini pasta with vegetables, lean hamburger, and herbs are simmered in vegetable juice and chicken broth. It is like an Italian chili like Olive Garden®'s Pasta Fagioli and even better the second day."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Makes 8 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/238014/memes-pasta-fagioli/.
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 thin slice onion, diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (32 ounce) bottle tomato-vegetable juice cocktail (such as V8®)
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1-1/2 cups ditalini pasta
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Directions
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; drain and discard grease.
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; saute carrot, celery, and onion until softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir vegetable juice cocktail, chicken broth, parsley, basil, oregano, and black pepper into vegetable mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer soup for 20 minutes.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook ditalini pasta in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes. Drain.
Stir cannellini beans and ground beef into soup; cook and stir until soup is heated through, about 10 minutes.
Spoon about 1/3 cup pasta into each serving bowl; ladle soup over pasta.
Cook's Note:
Keep pasta separate from soup for leftovers and combine when reheating.
GRANDMA'S CHICKEN CASSEROLE
This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "When it comes to weeknight dinner, casseroles are king. This super-simple, five-ingredient chicken casserole recipe comes together quickly and bakes up beautifully. It’s sure to be your quick-meal go to for at-home dinners and a reliable favorite for bake-and-take potluck dinners."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Makes 8 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 cans (10.5 oz each) condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (8 oz)
3 cups Progresso™ plain panko crispy bread crumbs
6 tablespoons butter, melted
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F.
Place chicken evenly in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish. Spoon and spread soup evenly over chicken; sprinkle with cheese.
In medium bowl, stir bread crumbs and melted butter; sprinkle over cheese. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until cheese is melted and bread crumbs are golden brown and thoroughly heated.
Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens
tip 1
Your grandma probably didn’t use panko bread crumbs, which are crispy crumbs used in Japanese cooking. But she’d definitely embrace them if she were given a box. Panko makes topping a casserole quick and ensures there’s good texture and contrast to the creamy center of the hot dish.
tip 2
Leftover roast turkey is a great substitute for chicken in this recipe—especially the day after Thanksgiving.
tip 3
Sub in crispy French-fried onions to top the casserole or try Colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend instead of cheddar cheese.
TEXAS CHILI
This is from Jennifer Steinhauer in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Jennifer wrote, "Chili tastes are highly personal, often inflexible and loaded with preconceptions — the political party of culinary offerings. “I don’t disagree with anyone’s chili,” Robb Walsh, a Texas food historian, the author of “The Tex-Mex Cookbook” and a restaurateur, told The Times. “If you are making a one-pot meal and you want to put beans in it, that’s fine. If chili is part of your cuisine, like Tex-Mex, there are other things you will want to do." This recipe is an amalgam of styles, with coffee and chocolate for complexity, hot sauce for kick and beans just because."
Yield: 4 to 6 servings (about 8 cups); Time: about 2 hours 30 minutes
This was featured in "If It’s Chili, It’s Personal", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016036-texas-chili..
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound ground bison or ground dark turkey
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 12-ounce bottle of beer
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon chile sauce
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
Half a serrano or other hot pepper, seeded and finely chopped, or to taste
1-1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
1-1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 15-ounce cans kidney beans
1 15-ounce can cannellini or other white beans.
Directions
Place a Dutch oven or other large pot over medium heat. Add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the meat and sauté until browned, then transfer to a plate.
Add the onion to the pot and stir for 1 minute. Take two large sips from the beer, and pour the rest into the pot. Stir in the tomatoes, coffee and tomato paste.
Add the brown sugar, chile sauce, cocoa powder, hot pepper, cumin, coriander, cayenne, salt and kidney beans. Return the meat to the pot. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partly covered, for 1 hour.
Add the white beans to the pot and simmer over very low heat, partly covered and stirring occasionally, for 1 to 2 more hours. (Longer cooking improves the flavor.) Adjust salt and cayenne pepper as needed and serve.
EASY BEEF STROGANOFF IN THE SLOW COOKER
This is from AllRecipes, and begins, "I make my beef stroganoff in the slow cooker with cream of mushroom soup and cream cheese with garlic and herbs. Serve over noodles to your liking."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 4 hours; Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes; Makes 5 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/261152/easy-beef-stroganoff-in-the-slow-cooker/.
Ingredients
1-1/3 pounds cubed beef stew meat
2 cups fresh mushrooms, thickly sliced
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk
2 onions, chopped
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
6 ounces herb and garlic-flavored cream cheese
1 cup fusilli pasta
1/4 cup sour cream (Optional)
Directions
Combine beef, mushrooms, cream of mushroom soup, milk, onions, and Worcestershire sauce in a slow cooker.
Cook on High for 3 to 4 hours, or on Low for 5 to 7 hours. Stir in cream cheese until well dissolved; cook for 1 hour more.
During the last 20 minutes of cooking, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add fusilli to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain.
Serve stroganoff over fusilli and garnish with sour cream.
Cook's Notes:
Use a high-quality cream of mushroom soup, don't buy a cheap brand. It makes a difference.
No need to add extra liquid for the condensed soup, this is what the milk is for.
LASAGNA
This is from Regina Schrambling on The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “In 2001, Regina Schrambling went on a week long odyssey in search of the ultimate lasagna recipe. She tested several, and finally found her ideal in a mash-up of recipes from Giuliano Bugialli and Elodia Rigante, both Italian cookbook authors.
“‘If there were central casting for casseroles, this one deserved the leading role. But its beauty was more than cheese deep. This was the best lasagna I had ever eaten. The sauce was intensely flavored, the cheeses melted into creaminess as if they were bechamel, the meat was just chunky enough, and the noodles put up no resistance to the fork. Most important, the balance of pasta and sauce was positively Italian. At last I could understand why my neighbor Geoff had told me, as I dragged home more bags in our elevator, that all-day lasagna is the only kind worth making.’”
Time: 4 hours; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
This was featured in “The Noodle and I: A Face-of at the Oven”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9530-lasagna.
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium red onions, finely diced
2 large cloves minced garlic
8 ounces pancetta, diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good red wine, preferably Italian
2 28-ounce cans Italian plum tomatoes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3/4 pound ground sirloin
1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano
2 eggs
10 sprigs fresh parsley, leaves only, washed and dried
2 large whole cloves garlic
1/2 cup flour
1 pound Italian sausage, a mix of hot and sweet
For the Lasagna:
1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
2 extra-large eggs
2 cups freshly grated pecorino Romano
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 pound mozzarella, grated
16 sheets fresh lasagna noodles, preferably Antica Pasteria
Preparation
For the sauce, heat 1/2 cup oil in a large heavy Dutch oven or kettle over low heat. Add the onions, minced garlic and pancetta, and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes, until the onions are wilted. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Raise heat slightly, add the wine and cook until it is mostly reduced, about 20 minutes. Crush the tomatoes into the pan, and add their juice. Add the tomato paste and 2 cups lukewarm water. Simmer for 1 hour.
Combine the sirloin, cheese and eggs in a large bowl. Chop the parsley with the whole garlic until fine, then stir into the beef mixture. Season lavishly with salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix until all the ingredients are well blended. Shape into meatballs and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dust the meatballs lightly with flour, shaking off excess, and lay into the hot oil. Brown the meatballs on all sides (do not cook through) and transfer to the sauce.
In a clean skillet, brown the sausages over medium-high heat. Transfer to the sauce. Simmer 1 1/2 hours.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs, pecorino Romano, parsley and all but 1 cup of the mozzarella. Season well with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
Remove the meatballs and sausage from the sauce, and set aside to cool slightly, then chop coarsely. Spoon a thick layer of sauce into the bottom of a 9-by-12-inch lasagna pan. Cover with a layer of noodles. Spoon more sauce on top, then add a third of the meat and a third of the cheese mixture. Repeat for 2 more layers, using all the meat and cheese. Top with a layer of noodles, and cover with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle reserved mozzarella evenly over the top. Bake 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
BEEF EMPANADAS
This is from Angela Dimayuga in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Angela wrote, "Filipinos take snacking seriously, so much so that we devote an entire meal to it: merienda, which may take place midmorning or midafternoon, if not both. Empanadas are a great treat for this in-between time, but also keep well at room temperature — the grace of food built for a warm climate — so you can graze all day. (My family used to buy these by the tray for parties, but it’s nice to make your own and store them in the freezer for later.) In these, a ground-beef filling is tucked inside sturdy but flaky dough, with raisins added early in the cooking to plump with the beef juices. There are variations on empanadas all over Latin America; ours rely on the potency of onion and garlic, and exploit it to the hilt."
Yield: 40 empanadas; Time: 2 hours
This was featured in "Angela Dimayuga’s 10 Essential Filipino Recipes", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020490-beef-empanadas.
Ingredients
For the empanada dough:
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), diced
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2/3 cup ice water
For the filling:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 large green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 medium russet potato, peeled and cut into 1-centimeter cubes (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup raisins
3/4 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 (48-ounce) bottle neutral oil, such as canola, for frying
Preparation
Prepare the empanada dough: In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt. In a large bowl, combine the flour and 1 tablespoon salt, and mix well. Add the butter and incorporate it into the flour using your hands or a food processor. Combine until mixture is sandy. Combine the egg mixture, vinegar and 2/3 cup ice water, whisking to break up the egg. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, and beat with a fork to bring dough together.
Sprinkle a light layer of flour over a work surface. Place the dough on top. Bring dough together by pressing and folding dough onto itself a few times with the palms of your hands. Being careful not to overwork, split dough in half and form into two equal logs about the thickness of a small sausage, 1 1/2- to 2-inches thick. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
While the dough rests, prepare the filling: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high and bring to a shimmer. Add the tomato paste and toast, stirring frequently, until darkened and caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add the onion, bell peppers, garlic, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the potato and raisins, and cook, stirring, until mixture starts to caramelize, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the beef, increase the temperature to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Stir in oyster sauce and soy sauce until coated, then stir in chicken stock. (Mixture should be glossy but not overtly wet; cook for another 5 minutes or so to reduce liquid, if need be.) Transfer to a sheet pan, dispersing in a thin layer, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 20 minutes.
Fill a small bowl with some cool water for sealing your empanadas, and another small bowl with flour for dusting. Working with one log at a time, remove dough from fridge. Cut each log in half crosswise, then cut each half crosswise into 10 equal pieces, which will be the shape of thick coins. Using a bit of flour, dust your work surface. Round each coin slightly using your thumb and forefinger and on your surface with your hands press each coin lightly to coax it into a flat round shape. Switch to a rolling pin and roll each piece of empanada dough into a 4-1/2-inch circle. You can lightly dust and stack your circles off to the side or transfer them to a parchment lined baking sheet and chill until you are ready to assemble (they are easier to work with when kept cool). Repeat with remaining log. When you have all your pieces rolled out, you are ready to assemble your empanadas. Place about 1-1/2 tablespoons of the meat filling in the center of each circle, leaving at least a 1/2-inch border. Using a brush or your finger, wet the edges of the dough with water and fold the crust over the filling, forming half-moon empanada shapes, sealing out as much air as possible. Crimp the edges of the empanada with the tines of a fork to seal.
In a large heavy Dutch oven or pot, heat about 2 inches of oil over medium-high. Heat oil to 365 degrees. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, maintaining an even heat, fry the empanadas, turning frequently, until they start to bob, 4 to 5 minutes. (They should be crisp and golden brown, the pastry should be cooked through and the meat should be warmed through.) Transfer to a paper-towel lined baking sheet and fry remaining empanadas. Serve warm.
MEME'S PASTA FAGIOLI
This is from Karyn Osborne on AllRecipes. Karyn wrote, "White cannellini beans, ditalini pasta with vegetables, lean hamburger, and herbs are simmered in vegetable juice and chicken broth. It is like an Italian chili like Olive Garden®'s Pasta Fagioli and even better the second day."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Makes 8 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/238014/memes-pasta-fagioli/.
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 thin slice onion, diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (32 ounce) bottle tomato-vegetable juice cocktail (such as V8®)
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1-1/2 cups ditalini pasta
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Directions
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; drain and discard grease.
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; saute carrot, celery, and onion until softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir vegetable juice cocktail, chicken broth, parsley, basil, oregano, and black pepper into vegetable mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer soup for 20 minutes.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook ditalini pasta in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes. Drain.
Stir cannellini beans and ground beef into soup; cook and stir until soup is heated through, about 10 minutes.
Spoon about 1/3 cup pasta into each serving bowl; ladle soup over pasta.
Cook's Note:
Keep pasta separate from soup for leftovers and combine when reheating.
GRANDMA'S CHICKEN CASSEROLE
This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "When it comes to weeknight dinner, casseroles are king. This super-simple, five-ingredient chicken casserole recipe comes together quickly and bakes up beautifully. It’s sure to be your quick-meal go to for at-home dinners and a reliable favorite for bake-and-take potluck dinners."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Makes 8 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 cans (10.5 oz each) condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (8 oz)
3 cups Progresso™ plain panko crispy bread crumbs
6 tablespoons butter, melted
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F.
Place chicken evenly in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish. Spoon and spread soup evenly over chicken; sprinkle with cheese.
In medium bowl, stir bread crumbs and melted butter; sprinkle over cheese. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until cheese is melted and bread crumbs are golden brown and thoroughly heated.
Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens
tip 1
Your grandma probably didn’t use panko bread crumbs, which are crispy crumbs used in Japanese cooking. But she’d definitely embrace them if she were given a box. Panko makes topping a casserole quick and ensures there’s good texture and contrast to the creamy center of the hot dish.
tip 2
Leftover roast turkey is a great substitute for chicken in this recipe—especially the day after Thanksgiving.
tip 3
Sub in crispy French-fried onions to top the casserole or try Colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend instead of cheddar cheese.
TEXAS CHILI
This is from Jennifer Steinhauer in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Jennifer wrote, "Chili tastes are highly personal, often inflexible and loaded with preconceptions — the political party of culinary offerings. “I don’t disagree with anyone’s chili,” Robb Walsh, a Texas food historian, the author of “The Tex-Mex Cookbook” and a restaurateur, told The Times. “If you are making a one-pot meal and you want to put beans in it, that’s fine. If chili is part of your cuisine, like Tex-Mex, there are other things you will want to do." This recipe is an amalgam of styles, with coffee and chocolate for complexity, hot sauce for kick and beans just because."
Yield: 4 to 6 servings (about 8 cups); Time: about 2 hours 30 minutes
This was featured in "If It’s Chili, It’s Personal", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016036-texas-chili..
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound ground bison or ground dark turkey
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 12-ounce bottle of beer
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon chile sauce
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
Half a serrano or other hot pepper, seeded and finely chopped, or to taste
1-1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
1-1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 15-ounce cans kidney beans
1 15-ounce can cannellini or other white beans.
Directions
Place a Dutch oven or other large pot over medium heat. Add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the meat and sauté until browned, then transfer to a plate.
Add the onion to the pot and stir for 1 minute. Take two large sips from the beer, and pour the rest into the pot. Stir in the tomatoes, coffee and tomato paste.
Add the brown sugar, chile sauce, cocoa powder, hot pepper, cumin, coriander, cayenne, salt and kidney beans. Return the meat to the pot. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partly covered, for 1 hour.
Add the white beans to the pot and simmer over very low heat, partly covered and stirring occasionally, for 1 to 2 more hours. (Longer cooking improves the flavor.) Adjust salt and cayenne pepper as needed and serve.
EASY BEEF STROGANOFF IN THE SLOW COOKER
This is from AllRecipes, and begins, "I make my beef stroganoff in the slow cooker with cream of mushroom soup and cream cheese with garlic and herbs. Serve over noodles to your liking."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 4 hours; Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes; Makes 5 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/261152/easy-beef-stroganoff-in-the-slow-cooker/.
Ingredients
1-1/3 pounds cubed beef stew meat
2 cups fresh mushrooms, thickly sliced
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk
2 onions, chopped
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
6 ounces herb and garlic-flavored cream cheese
1 cup fusilli pasta
1/4 cup sour cream (Optional)
Directions
Combine beef, mushrooms, cream of mushroom soup, milk, onions, and Worcestershire sauce in a slow cooker.
Cook on High for 3 to 4 hours, or on Low for 5 to 7 hours. Stir in cream cheese until well dissolved; cook for 1 hour more.
During the last 20 minutes of cooking, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add fusilli to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain.
Serve stroganoff over fusilli and garnish with sour cream.
Cook's Notes:
Use a high-quality cream of mushroom soup, don't buy a cheap brand. It makes a difference.
No need to add extra liquid for the condensed soup, this is what the milk is for.
Wednesday, January 24, 2024
Beef
It's Wednesday, half-way through the week. Today's recipes deal with beef, and include Hearty Vegetable Beef Stew and Beef Tortilla Casserole. Enjoy!
LASAGNA
This yumminess is from Regina Schrambling in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. The recipe begins, "In 2001, Regina Schrambling went on a week long odyssey in search of the best lasagna recipe. Her ideal here has an intensely flavored sauce, cheeses melted into creaminess as if they were bechamel, meat that’s just chunky enough and noodles that put up no resistance to the fork.
"Keys to This Recipe
"How to Make Lasagna: To prepare lasagna from scratch, you start by making sauce, then layer it with wide, flat lasagna noodles and cheese before baking. The sauces can vary from tomato-based sauce, with or without meat, to creamy bechamel sauce, which works well with a wide variety of vegetables."How to Layer Lasagna: The basic building formula for lasagna is sauce, noodles, more sauce, then cheese. Repeat the noodle-sauce-cheese order until the pan is nearly filled, then end with sauce and cheese on top."Make-Ahead Tips for Lasagna: Both tomato and cream-based sauces for lasagna can be made and refrigerated for up to 3 days before assembling the lasagna. Once baked, the lasagna can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. To freeze, bake 30 minutes but do not brown, then cool, and freeze for up to 4 weeks. We do not recommend assembling and refrigerating or freezing an unbaked lasagna. This will adversely affect the texture."
How to Reheat Lasagna: To reheat frozen lasagna, defrost, then sprinkle with mozzarella and bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown and bubbling on the surface. Refrigerated lasagna also can be reheated in a 400-degree oven until heated through. Chilled small individual servings can be microwaved."
The Best Pan for Making Lasagna: Wirecutter has recommendations for casserole dishes, including one specifically designed for lasagna."
Time: 4 hours; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
This was featured in "The Noodle and I: A Face-Off at the Oven", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9530-lasagna.
Also, you might want to check out Samin Nosrat's guide, "How to Make Pasta."
Ingredients
For the Sauce
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium red onions, finely diced
2 large cloves minced garlic
8 ounces pancetta, diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 cups good red wine, preferably Italian
2 28-ounce cans Italian plum tomatoes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3/4 pound ground sirloin
1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano
2 eggs
10 sprigs fresh parsley, leaves only, washed and dried
2 large whole cloves garlic
1/2 cup flour
1 pound Italian sausage, a mix of hot and sweet
For the Lasagna
1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
2 eggs
2 cups freshly grated pecorino Romano
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 pound mozzarella, grated
16 sheets fresh lasagna noodles, preferably Antica Pasteria
Preparation
For the sauce, heat 1/2 cup oil in a large heavy Dutch oven or kettle over low heat. Add the onions, minced garlic and pancetta, and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes, until the onions are wilted. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Raise heat slightly, add the wine and cook until it is mostly reduced, about 20 minutes. Crush the tomatoes into the pan, and add their juice. Add the tomato paste and 2 cups lukewarm water. Simmer for 1 hour.
Combine the sirloin, cheese and eggs in a large bowl. Chop the parsley with the whole garlic until fine, then stir into the beef mixture. Season lavishly with salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix until all the ingredients are well blended. Shape into meatballs and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dust the meatballs lightly with flour, shaking off excess, and lay into the hot oil. Brown the meatballs on all sides (do not cook through) and transfer to the sauce.
In a clean skillet, brown the sausages over medium-high heat. Transfer to the sauce. Simmer 1-1/2 hours.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs, pecorino Romano, parsley and all but 1 cup of the mozzarella. Season well with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
Remove the meatballs and sausage from the sauce, and set aside to cool slightly, then chop coarsely. Spoon a thick layer of sauce into the bottom of a 9-by-12-inch lasagna pan. Cover with a layer of noodles. Spoon more sauce on top, then add a third of the meat and a third of the cheese mixture. Repeat for 2 more layers, using all the meat and cheese. Top with a layer of noodles, and cover with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle reserved mozzarella evenly over the top. Bake 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
HEARTY VEGETABLE BEEF STEW
This is from Eating Well, and begins, "The slow cooker makes this veggie-packed beef stew super-easy and extra-savory."
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Additional Time: 8 hours 30 minutes; Total Time: 9 hours; Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/259487/hearty-vegetable-beef-stew/.
Ingredients
2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
12 ounces tiny new potatoes, quartered
4 medium carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
1 (10.75 ounce) can reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of mushroom soup (such as Campbell's® Healthy Request)
1 cup reduced-sodium beef broth
1 teaspoon dried marjoram or dried thyme, crushed
2 cups frozen cut green beans
Directions
Coat a large skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Trim any fat from beef cubes. Add half of the beef cubes. Cook and stir until brown; remove from skillet. Add the remaining beef cubes; cook and stir until brown. Drain off any fat.
Place meat in a 3 1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker. Add potatoes, carrots, onion, cream of mushroom soup, broth, and marjoram. Stir to combine.
Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 9 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 4-1/2 hours.
If using low-heat setting, turn cooker to high-heat setting. Stir in green beans. Cover and cook about 30 minutes more or just until beans are tender.
Tips
Tips: For easy cleanup, line your slow cooker with a disposable slow cooker liner. Add ingredients as directed in recipe. Once your dish is finished cooking, spoon the food out of your slow cooker and simply dispose of the liner. Do not lift or transport the disposable liner with food inside.
ATHENIAN MEATLOAF WITH YOGURT-CUCUMBER SAUCE
Makes 8 servings
Source: TBC
Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1258.shtml
Ingredients
2 pounds 96% lean Ground Beef
1 cup soft bread crumbs*
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup 2% milk
1 large egg
1 tablespoon plus 1-1/2 teaspoons dried Greek seasoning, divided
1 cup low-fat or regular Greek-style yogurt
1/2 cup diced cucumber
* To make soft breadcrumbs: Tear several slices of fresh bread (French or whole wheat work well) into 1-inch pieces and pulse in a blender or food processor to make coarse crumbs. One slice of bread yields about 1/2 cup soft breadcrumbs.
Directions
Preheat oven to 350F. Combine Ground Beef, bread crumbs, onion, milk, egg, 1 tablespoon Greek seasoning in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly.
Shape beef mixture into 10 x 4-inch loaf on rack in broiler pan. Bake in 350F oven 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours, until instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers 160F.
Meanwhile, combine yogurt, cucumber and remaining 1-1/2 teaspoons Greek seasoning in medium bowl. Set aside.
Let stand 10 minutes; cut into slices. Serve with cucumber-yogurt sauce.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 187; Protein: 26 g; Fat: 6 g; Sodium: 240 mg; Cholesterol: 95 mg; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Dietary Fiber:.4 g; Carbohydrates: 6 g
BEEF TORTILLA CASSEROLE
This comes from Old El Paso, and begins, “An enchilada dinner kit creates a hearty beef casserole that's in the oven in just 20 minutes.”
Prep Time: 20 Minutes; Total Time: 50 Minutes; Makes 6 servings
View this online at https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/beef-tortilla-casserole.
Ingredients
1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 box (14.2 oz) Old El Paso™ enchilada dinner kit
1/2 cup water
1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso™ chopped green chiles
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
Preparation
Heat oven to 350°F. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef and onion, stirring occasionally, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in both pouches enchilada sauce (from dinner kit), the seasoning mix (from dinner kit), water and chiles; heat until hot.
In ungreased 11x7-inch baking dish, spread 1 cup of the beef mixture. Cut tortillas (from dinner kit) in half. Place 6 tortilla halves on beef; spread with 1/2 cup of the sour cream. Top with 1/2 cup of the cheese, 1 cup of the beef mixture and remaining 6 tortilla halves. Top with remaining sour cream, remaining beef mixture and remaining cheese.
Bake 30 minutes. If desired, serve with additional sour cream, diced red bell pepper and chopped fresh cilantro.
Expert Tips
Serve a tossed salad wtih fruity chunks of pineapple, mango or oranges.
BEEF EMPANADAS
This is from Angela Dimayuga in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Angela wrote, "Filipinos take snacking seriously, so much so that we devote an entire meal to it: merienda, which may take place midmorning or midafternoon, if not both. Empanadas are a great treat for this in-between time, but also keep well at room temperature — the grace of food built for a warm climate — so you can graze all day. (My family used to buy these by the tray for parties, but it’s nice to make your own and store them in the freezer for later.) In these, a ground-beef filling is tucked inside sturdy but flaky dough, with raisins added early in the cooking to plump with the beef juices. There are variations on empanadas all over Latin America; ours rely on the potency of onion and garlic, and exploit it to the hilt."
Yield: 40 empanadas; Time: 2 hours
This was featured in "Angela Dimayuga’s 10 Essential Filipino Recipes", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020490-beef-empanadas.
Ingredients
For the empanada dough:
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), diced
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2/3 cup ice water
For the filling:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 large green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 medium russet potato, peeled and cut into 1-centimeter cubes (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup raisins
3/4 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 (48-ounce) bottle neutral oil, such as canola, for frying
Preparation
Prepare the empanada dough: In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt. In a large bowl, combine the flour and 1 tablespoon salt, and mix well. Add the butter and incorporate it into the flour using your hands or a food processor. Combine until mixture is sandy. Combine the egg mixture, vinegar and 2/3 cup ice water, whisking to break up the egg. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, and beat with a fork to bring dough together.
Sprinkle a light layer of flour over a work surface. Place the dough on top. Bring dough together by pressing and folding dough onto itself a few times with the palms of your hands. Being careful not to overwork, split dough in half and form into two equal logs about the thickness of a small sausage, 1 1/2- to 2-inches thick. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
While the dough rests, prepare the filling: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high and bring to a shimmer. Add the tomato paste and toast, stirring frequently, until darkened and caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add the onion, bell peppers, garlic, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the potato and raisins, and cook, stirring, until mixture starts to caramelize, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the beef, increase the temperature to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Stir in oyster sauce and soy sauce until coated, then stir in chicken stock. (Mixture should be glossy but not overtly wet; cook for another 5 minutes or so to reduce liquid, if need be.) Transfer to a sheet pan, dispersing in a thin layer, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 20 minutes.
Fill a small bowl with some cool water for sealing your empanadas, and another small bowl with flour for dusting. Working with one log at a time, remove dough from fridge. Cut each log in half crosswise, then cut each half crosswise into 10 equal pieces, which will be the shape of thick coins. Using a bit of flour, dust your work surface. Round each coin slightly using your thumb and forefinger and on your surface with your hands press each coin lightly to coax it into a flat round shape. Switch to a rolling pin and roll each piece of empanada dough into a 4-1/2-inch circle. You can lightly dust and stack your circles off to the side or transfer them to a parchment lined baking sheet and chill until you are ready to assemble (they are easier to work with when kept cool). Repeat with remaining log. When you have all your pieces rolled out, you are ready to assemble your empanadas. Place about 1-1/2 tablespoons of the meat filling in the center of each circle, leaving at least a 1/2-inch border. Using a brush or your finger, wet the edges of the dough with water and fold the crust over the filling, forming half-moon empanada shapes, sealing out as much air as possible. Crimp the edges of the empanada with the tines of a fork to seal.
In a large heavy Dutch oven or pot, heat about 2 inches of oil over medium-high. Heat oil to 365 degrees. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, maintaining an even heat, fry the empanadas, turning frequently, until they start to bob, 4 to 5 minutes. (They should be crisp and golden brown, the pastry should be cooked through and the meat should be warmed through.) Transfer to a paper-towel lined baking sheet and fry remaining empanadas. Serve warm.
MUSTARD ROAST BEEF
Recipe Yield: Yield: 8 servings
Source: 1,001 Delicious Recipes for People with Diabetes
Book Title: 1,001 Delicious Recipes for People with Diabetes
View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/mustard-roast-beef.
Ingredients
1/4 cup apricot preserves
2-4 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
2-3 teaspoons reduced-sodium Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon crushed caraway seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon crushed black, or mixed, peppercorns
1 boneless beef sirloin tip roast, fat trimmed (about 2 pounds)
Directions
Mix all ingredients except beef in medium bowl. Spread on all surfaces of meat. Place meat on rack in roasting pan.
Roast at 350 degrees F. until meat thermometer registers 140 degrees (medium), or 160 degrees (well done), 30 to 45 minutes.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 171; Fat: 5.5 g; Saturated Fat: 2.1 g; Sodium: 118 mg; Cholesterol: 60.3 mg; Protein: 20.7 g; Carbohydrates: 9 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 Fruit, 3 Meat
LASAGNA
This yumminess is from Regina Schrambling in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. The recipe begins, "In 2001, Regina Schrambling went on a week long odyssey in search of the best lasagna recipe. Her ideal here has an intensely flavored sauce, cheeses melted into creaminess as if they were bechamel, meat that’s just chunky enough and noodles that put up no resistance to the fork.
"Keys to This Recipe
"How to Make Lasagna: To prepare lasagna from scratch, you start by making sauce, then layer it with wide, flat lasagna noodles and cheese before baking. The sauces can vary from tomato-based sauce, with or without meat, to creamy bechamel sauce, which works well with a wide variety of vegetables."How to Layer Lasagna: The basic building formula for lasagna is sauce, noodles, more sauce, then cheese. Repeat the noodle-sauce-cheese order until the pan is nearly filled, then end with sauce and cheese on top."Make-Ahead Tips for Lasagna: Both tomato and cream-based sauces for lasagna can be made and refrigerated for up to 3 days before assembling the lasagna. Once baked, the lasagna can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. To freeze, bake 30 minutes but do not brown, then cool, and freeze for up to 4 weeks. We do not recommend assembling and refrigerating or freezing an unbaked lasagna. This will adversely affect the texture."
How to Reheat Lasagna: To reheat frozen lasagna, defrost, then sprinkle with mozzarella and bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown and bubbling on the surface. Refrigerated lasagna also can be reheated in a 400-degree oven until heated through. Chilled small individual servings can be microwaved."
The Best Pan for Making Lasagna: Wirecutter has recommendations for casserole dishes, including one specifically designed for lasagna."
Time: 4 hours; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
This was featured in "The Noodle and I: A Face-Off at the Oven", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9530-lasagna.
Also, you might want to check out Samin Nosrat's guide, "How to Make Pasta."
Ingredients
For the Sauce
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium red onions, finely diced
2 large cloves minced garlic
8 ounces pancetta, diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 cups good red wine, preferably Italian
2 28-ounce cans Italian plum tomatoes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3/4 pound ground sirloin
1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano
2 eggs
10 sprigs fresh parsley, leaves only, washed and dried
2 large whole cloves garlic
1/2 cup flour
1 pound Italian sausage, a mix of hot and sweet
For the Lasagna
1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
2 eggs
2 cups freshly grated pecorino Romano
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 pound mozzarella, grated
16 sheets fresh lasagna noodles, preferably Antica Pasteria
Preparation
For the sauce, heat 1/2 cup oil in a large heavy Dutch oven or kettle over low heat. Add the onions, minced garlic and pancetta, and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes, until the onions are wilted. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Raise heat slightly, add the wine and cook until it is mostly reduced, about 20 minutes. Crush the tomatoes into the pan, and add their juice. Add the tomato paste and 2 cups lukewarm water. Simmer for 1 hour.
Combine the sirloin, cheese and eggs in a large bowl. Chop the parsley with the whole garlic until fine, then stir into the beef mixture. Season lavishly with salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix until all the ingredients are well blended. Shape into meatballs and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dust the meatballs lightly with flour, shaking off excess, and lay into the hot oil. Brown the meatballs on all sides (do not cook through) and transfer to the sauce.
In a clean skillet, brown the sausages over medium-high heat. Transfer to the sauce. Simmer 1-1/2 hours.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs, pecorino Romano, parsley and all but 1 cup of the mozzarella. Season well with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
Remove the meatballs and sausage from the sauce, and set aside to cool slightly, then chop coarsely. Spoon a thick layer of sauce into the bottom of a 9-by-12-inch lasagna pan. Cover with a layer of noodles. Spoon more sauce on top, then add a third of the meat and a third of the cheese mixture. Repeat for 2 more layers, using all the meat and cheese. Top with a layer of noodles, and cover with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle reserved mozzarella evenly over the top. Bake 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
HEARTY VEGETABLE BEEF STEW
This is from Eating Well, and begins, "The slow cooker makes this veggie-packed beef stew super-easy and extra-savory."
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Additional Time: 8 hours 30 minutes; Total Time: 9 hours; Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/259487/hearty-vegetable-beef-stew/.
Ingredients
2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
12 ounces tiny new potatoes, quartered
4 medium carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
1 (10.75 ounce) can reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of mushroom soup (such as Campbell's® Healthy Request)
1 cup reduced-sodium beef broth
1 teaspoon dried marjoram or dried thyme, crushed
2 cups frozen cut green beans
Directions
Coat a large skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Trim any fat from beef cubes. Add half of the beef cubes. Cook and stir until brown; remove from skillet. Add the remaining beef cubes; cook and stir until brown. Drain off any fat.
Place meat in a 3 1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker. Add potatoes, carrots, onion, cream of mushroom soup, broth, and marjoram. Stir to combine.
Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 9 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 4-1/2 hours.
If using low-heat setting, turn cooker to high-heat setting. Stir in green beans. Cover and cook about 30 minutes more or just until beans are tender.
Tips
Tips: For easy cleanup, line your slow cooker with a disposable slow cooker liner. Add ingredients as directed in recipe. Once your dish is finished cooking, spoon the food out of your slow cooker and simply dispose of the liner. Do not lift or transport the disposable liner with food inside.
ATHENIAN MEATLOAF WITH YOGURT-CUCUMBER SAUCE
Makes 8 servings
Source: TBC
Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1258.shtml
Ingredients
2 pounds 96% lean Ground Beef
1 cup soft bread crumbs*
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup 2% milk
1 large egg
1 tablespoon plus 1-1/2 teaspoons dried Greek seasoning, divided
1 cup low-fat or regular Greek-style yogurt
1/2 cup diced cucumber
* To make soft breadcrumbs: Tear several slices of fresh bread (French or whole wheat work well) into 1-inch pieces and pulse in a blender or food processor to make coarse crumbs. One slice of bread yields about 1/2 cup soft breadcrumbs.
Directions
Preheat oven to 350F. Combine Ground Beef, bread crumbs, onion, milk, egg, 1 tablespoon Greek seasoning in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly.
Shape beef mixture into 10 x 4-inch loaf on rack in broiler pan. Bake in 350F oven 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours, until instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers 160F.
Meanwhile, combine yogurt, cucumber and remaining 1-1/2 teaspoons Greek seasoning in medium bowl. Set aside.
Let stand 10 minutes; cut into slices. Serve with cucumber-yogurt sauce.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 187; Protein: 26 g; Fat: 6 g; Sodium: 240 mg; Cholesterol: 95 mg; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Dietary Fiber:.4 g; Carbohydrates: 6 g
BEEF TORTILLA CASSEROLE
This comes from Old El Paso, and begins, “An enchilada dinner kit creates a hearty beef casserole that's in the oven in just 20 minutes.”
Prep Time: 20 Minutes; Total Time: 50 Minutes; Makes 6 servings
View this online at https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/beef-tortilla-casserole.
Ingredients
1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 box (14.2 oz) Old El Paso™ enchilada dinner kit
1/2 cup water
1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso™ chopped green chiles
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
Preparation
Heat oven to 350°F. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef and onion, stirring occasionally, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in both pouches enchilada sauce (from dinner kit), the seasoning mix (from dinner kit), water and chiles; heat until hot.
In ungreased 11x7-inch baking dish, spread 1 cup of the beef mixture. Cut tortillas (from dinner kit) in half. Place 6 tortilla halves on beef; spread with 1/2 cup of the sour cream. Top with 1/2 cup of the cheese, 1 cup of the beef mixture and remaining 6 tortilla halves. Top with remaining sour cream, remaining beef mixture and remaining cheese.
Bake 30 minutes. If desired, serve with additional sour cream, diced red bell pepper and chopped fresh cilantro.
Expert Tips
Serve a tossed salad wtih fruity chunks of pineapple, mango or oranges.
BEEF EMPANADAS
This is from Angela Dimayuga in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Angela wrote, "Filipinos take snacking seriously, so much so that we devote an entire meal to it: merienda, which may take place midmorning or midafternoon, if not both. Empanadas are a great treat for this in-between time, but also keep well at room temperature — the grace of food built for a warm climate — so you can graze all day. (My family used to buy these by the tray for parties, but it’s nice to make your own and store them in the freezer for later.) In these, a ground-beef filling is tucked inside sturdy but flaky dough, with raisins added early in the cooking to plump with the beef juices. There are variations on empanadas all over Latin America; ours rely on the potency of onion and garlic, and exploit it to the hilt."
Yield: 40 empanadas; Time: 2 hours
This was featured in "Angela Dimayuga’s 10 Essential Filipino Recipes", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020490-beef-empanadas.
Ingredients
For the empanada dough:
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), diced
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2/3 cup ice water
For the filling:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 large green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 medium russet potato, peeled and cut into 1-centimeter cubes (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup raisins
3/4 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 (48-ounce) bottle neutral oil, such as canola, for frying
Preparation
Prepare the empanada dough: In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt. In a large bowl, combine the flour and 1 tablespoon salt, and mix well. Add the butter and incorporate it into the flour using your hands or a food processor. Combine until mixture is sandy. Combine the egg mixture, vinegar and 2/3 cup ice water, whisking to break up the egg. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, and beat with a fork to bring dough together.
Sprinkle a light layer of flour over a work surface. Place the dough on top. Bring dough together by pressing and folding dough onto itself a few times with the palms of your hands. Being careful not to overwork, split dough in half and form into two equal logs about the thickness of a small sausage, 1 1/2- to 2-inches thick. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
While the dough rests, prepare the filling: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high and bring to a shimmer. Add the tomato paste and toast, stirring frequently, until darkened and caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add the onion, bell peppers, garlic, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the potato and raisins, and cook, stirring, until mixture starts to caramelize, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the beef, increase the temperature to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Stir in oyster sauce and soy sauce until coated, then stir in chicken stock. (Mixture should be glossy but not overtly wet; cook for another 5 minutes or so to reduce liquid, if need be.) Transfer to a sheet pan, dispersing in a thin layer, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 20 minutes.
Fill a small bowl with some cool water for sealing your empanadas, and another small bowl with flour for dusting. Working with one log at a time, remove dough from fridge. Cut each log in half crosswise, then cut each half crosswise into 10 equal pieces, which will be the shape of thick coins. Using a bit of flour, dust your work surface. Round each coin slightly using your thumb and forefinger and on your surface with your hands press each coin lightly to coax it into a flat round shape. Switch to a rolling pin and roll each piece of empanada dough into a 4-1/2-inch circle. You can lightly dust and stack your circles off to the side or transfer them to a parchment lined baking sheet and chill until you are ready to assemble (they are easier to work with when kept cool). Repeat with remaining log. When you have all your pieces rolled out, you are ready to assemble your empanadas. Place about 1-1/2 tablespoons of the meat filling in the center of each circle, leaving at least a 1/2-inch border. Using a brush or your finger, wet the edges of the dough with water and fold the crust over the filling, forming half-moon empanada shapes, sealing out as much air as possible. Crimp the edges of the empanada with the tines of a fork to seal.
In a large heavy Dutch oven or pot, heat about 2 inches of oil over medium-high. Heat oil to 365 degrees. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, maintaining an even heat, fry the empanadas, turning frequently, until they start to bob, 4 to 5 minutes. (They should be crisp and golden brown, the pastry should be cooked through and the meat should be warmed through.) Transfer to a paper-towel lined baking sheet and fry remaining empanadas. Serve warm.
MUSTARD ROAST BEEF
Recipe Yield: Yield: 8 servings
Source: 1,001 Delicious Recipes for People with Diabetes
Book Title: 1,001 Delicious Recipes for People with Diabetes
View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/mustard-roast-beef.
Ingredients
1/4 cup apricot preserves
2-4 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
2-3 teaspoons reduced-sodium Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon crushed caraway seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon crushed black, or mixed, peppercorns
1 boneless beef sirloin tip roast, fat trimmed (about 2 pounds)
Directions
Mix all ingredients except beef in medium bowl. Spread on all surfaces of meat. Place meat on rack in roasting pan.
Roast at 350 degrees F. until meat thermometer registers 140 degrees (medium), or 160 degrees (well done), 30 to 45 minutes.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 171; Fat: 5.5 g; Saturated Fat: 2.1 g; Sodium: 118 mg; Cholesterol: 60.3 mg; Protein: 20.7 g; Carbohydrates: 9 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 Fruit, 3 Meat
Monday, September 25, 2023
Double-Post Monday
Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Today's offerings include Beef Empanadas and Melt-in-Your-Mouth Meat Loaf. Enjoy!
STEALTH HEALTH MAC AND CHEESE
This was in the September/October 2016 issure of Vegetarian Times, page 46. It begins, "Kids will never guess just how loaded with good-for-them vegetables this pasta favorite is. The 'cream sauce' is actually puréed butternut squash, and finely grated carrot and zucchini melt into the casserole as it cooks. Serve with a tossed salad." Makes 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/stealth-health-mac-and-cheese-recipe/.
Ingredients
1 lb. peeled, cubed butternut squash
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided
4 oz. whole-wheat macaroni
1-1/2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery (3 ribs)
1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
1 large carrot, finely grated (3/4 cup)
1 large zucchini, finely grated (3/4 cup)
1/4 cup jarred roasted red pepper, drained and chopped, optional
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Coat 6- x 6-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add butternut squash, and boil 20 to 25 minutes, or until very tender. Remove to large bowl with slotted spoon. Mash with potato masher, and stir in 1/4 cup cheese. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and set aside.
Cook macaroni in same pot of boiling water 2 minutes fewer than recommended time. Drain, and run under cold water in colander.
Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and garlic, and sauté 3 to 5 minutes, or until translucent. Stir into mashed butternut squash purée. Add carrot, zucchini, roasted red pepper, if using, and pasta, and stir until mixture is coated with squash purée. Spread 1/3 pasta mixture in prepared baking dish, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Repeat layering pasta and cheese twice, ending with a final sprinkling of cheese. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until top is crisp and brown, and casserole is bubbling hot.
BEEF EMPANADAS
This is from Angela Dimayuga in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Angela wrote, "Filipinos take snacking seriously, so much so that we devote an entire meal to it: merienda, which may take place midmorning or midafternoon, if not both. Empanadas are a great treat for this in-between time, but also keep well at room temperature — the grace of food built for a warm climate — so you can graze all day. (My family used to buy these by the tray for parties, but it’s nice to make your own and store them in the freezer for later.) In these, a ground-beef filling is tucked inside sturdy but flaky dough, with raisins added early in the cooking to plump with the beef juices. There are variations on empanadas all over Latin America; ours rely on the potency of onion and garlic, and exploit it to the hilt."
Yield: 40 empanadas; Time: 2 hours
This was featured in "Angela Dimayuga’s 10 Essential Filipino Recipes", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020490-beef-empanadas.
Ingredients
For the empanada dough:
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), diced
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2/3 cup ice water
For the filling:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 large green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 medium russet potato, peeled and cut into 1-centimeter cubes (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup raisins
3/4 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 (48-ounce) bottle neutral oil, such as canola, for frying
Preparation
Prepare the empanada dough: In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt. In a large bowl, combine the flour and 1 tablespoon salt, and mix well. Add the butter and incorporate it into the flour using your hands or a food processor. Combine until mixture is sandy. Combine the egg mixture, vinegar and 2/3 cup ice water, whisking to break up the egg. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, and beat with a fork to bring dough together.
Sprinkle a light layer of flour over a work surface. Place the dough on top. Bring dough together by pressing and folding dough onto itself a few times with the palms of your hands. Being careful not to overwork, split dough in half and form into two equal logs about the thickness of a small sausage, 1 1/2- to 2-inches thick. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
While the dough rests, prepare the filling: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high and bring to a shimmer. Add the tomato paste and toast, stirring frequently, until darkened and caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add the onion, bell peppers, garlic, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the potato and raisins, and cook, stirring, until mixture starts to caramelize, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the beef, increase the temperature to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Stir in oyster sauce and soy sauce until coated, then stir in chicken stock. (Mixture should be glossy but not overtly wet; cook for another 5 minutes or so to reduce liquid, if need be.) Transfer to a sheet pan, dispersing in a thin layer, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 20 minutes.
Fill a small bowl with some cool water for sealing your empanadas, and another small bowl with flour for dusting. Working with one log at a time, remove dough from fridge. Cut each log in half crosswise, then cut each half crosswise into 10 equal pieces, which will be the shape of thick coins. Using a bit of flour, dust your work surface. Round each coin slightly using your thumb and forefinger and on your surface with your hands press each coin lightly to coax it into a flat round shape. Switch to a rolling pin and roll each piece of empanada dough into a 4-1/2-inch circle. You can lightly dust and stack your circles off to the side or transfer them to a parchment lined baking sheet and chill until you are ready to assemble (they are easier to work with when kept cool). Repeat with remaining log. When you have all your pieces rolled out, you are ready to assemble your empanadas. Place about 1-1/2 tablespoons of the meat filling in the center of each circle, leaving at least a 1/2-inch border. Using a brush or your finger, wet the edges of the dough with water and fold the crust over the filling, forming half-moon empanada shapes, sealing out as much air as possible. Crimp the edges of the empanada with the tines of a fork to seal.
In a large heavy Dutch oven or pot, heat about 2 inches of oil over medium-high. Heat oil to 365 degrees. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, maintaining an even heat, fry the empanadas, turning frequently, until they start to bob, 4 to 5 minutes. (They should be crisp and golden brown, the pastry should be cooked through and the meat should be warmed through.) Transfer to a paper-towel lined baking sheet and fry remaining empanadas. Serve warm.
MUSTARD ROAST BEEF
Recipe Yield: Yield: 8 servings
Source: 1,001 Delicious Recipes for People with Diabetes
Book Title: 1,001 Delicious Recipes for People with Diabetes
View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/mustard-roast-beef.
Ingredients
1/4 cup apricot preserves
2-4 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
2-3 teaspoons reduced-sodium Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon crushed caraway seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon crushed black, or mixed, peppercorns
1 boneless beef sirloin tip roast, fat trimmed (about 2 pounds)
Directions
Mix all ingredients except beef in medium bowl. Spread on all surfaces of meat. Place meat on rack in roasting pan.
Roast at 350 degrees F. until meat thermometer registers 140 degrees (medium), or 160 degrees (well done), 30 to 45 minutes.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 171; Fat: 5.5 g; Saturated Fat: 2.1 g; Sodium: 118 mg; Cholesterol: 60.3 mg; Protein: 20.7 g; Carbohydrates: 9 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 Fruit, 3 Meat
CHICKEN SPAGHETTI
This comes from Southern Living, and begins, "Give your traditional chicken casserole a break and serve this bright and lively chicken spaghetti. You only need a Dutch oven and a 9-x-13 baking dish to create this delicious meal, meaning there is less clean-up afterwards. Cook and shred your chicken in advance to save time."
Active Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes; Serves: 10
To view this online, go to https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/easy-chicken-spaghetti.
Ingredients
6 cups unsalted chicken stock
1 (14-oz.) bone-in, skin-on chicken breast, skin removed
3 (7-oz.) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, skin removed
12 ounces uncooked spaghetti
1 (5-oz.) can evaporated milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon lower-sodium Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons hot sauce
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (about 1 medium onion)
1 1/2 cups chopped red bell pepper (about 1 large pepper)
2 cups chopped tomatoes (about 3 medium tomatoes)
4 ounces sharp white Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Bring stock to a boil in a Dutch oven over high. Add chicken to stock. Cover; reduce heat to medium. Cook until a thermometer inserted in thickest piece of chicken registers 160°F, about 25 minutes. Remove chicken; let stand until ready to use. (Inner temperature of chicken will rise as it stands.)
Return stock to a boil over high. Add pasta to Dutch oven, and cook until just tender, about 9 minutes. Transfer pasta to a medium bowl (reserving stock). Return stock to a boil over high; boil until liquid is reduced to about 2-1/2 cups, about 1 minute. Whisk together evaporated milk and flour in a small bowl. Stir into stock; boil until slightly thickened, 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and salt. Pour stock mixture over pasta.
Return Dutch oven to medium-high heat. Add butter, onion, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring often, until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat; add pasta mixture back to Dutch oven. Shred chicken, discarding bones. (You should have about 4 1⁄2 cups meat.) Add chicken and tomatoes to Dutch oven; toss to coat. Pour mixture into a 13- x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with cheese. Lightly coat aluminum foil with cooking spray. Cover with foil; bake until cheese is melted, 25 to 30 minutes.
Chef's Notes
You don't have to be a food stylist to create a casserole that looks as good as it tastes. Instead of pouring the pasta mixture from the pot into the baking dish, use tongs and a large spoon to twirl the noodles into nests, as shown below.
MELT-IN-YOUR-MOUTH MEAT LOAF
This is from Suzanne Codner (from Starbuck, Minnesota), on the Taste of Home website. Suzanne wrote, "When my husband and I were first married, he refused to eat meat loaf because he said it was bland and dry. Then I prepared this version, and it became his favorite meal." Sometimes, all it takes is the right recipe!
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 5 hours 15 minutes + standing time; Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/melt-in-your-mouth-meat-loaf/.
Ingredients
2 large eggs
3/4 cup 2% milk
2/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Directions
Cut two 25x3-in. strips of heavy-duty foil; crisscross so they resemble an X. Place strips on bottom and up sides of a 5-qt. slow cooker. Coat strips with cooking spray.
Combine the first 6 ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into a round loaf; place in center of strips in slow cooker. Cook, covered, on low 5-6 hours or until a thermometer reads at least 160°.
In a small bowl, whisk ketchup, brown sugar, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Spoon over meat loaf. Cook until heated through, about 15 minutes longer. Using foil strips as handles, remove meat loaf to a platter. Let stand 10-15 minutes before slicing.
BLUEBERRY-APPLE SLUSHES
This is from the August 2013 issue of Heart Insight, page 23. (This is the magazine for the American Heart Association.)
This recipe begins, "Refreshing and good for you, this fruit treat comes together in a flash and provides fiber from the apple and antioxidants from the deeply colored blueberries." Serves 4; 1 cup per serving
I was unable to find a link online for this, but did want to give a head's up on where I got this.
Ingredients
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (no thawing necessary)
2 cups ice
1 large apple (about 8 ounces), any variety, cut into chunks (peel left on)
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup fresh blueberries (optional)
Directions
In a blender, process the ingredients except the 1/4 cup blueberries until smooth. Serve garnished with the remaining blueberries.
STEALTH HEALTH MAC AND CHEESE
This was in the September/October 2016 issure of Vegetarian Times, page 46. It begins, "Kids will never guess just how loaded with good-for-them vegetables this pasta favorite is. The 'cream sauce' is actually puréed butternut squash, and finely grated carrot and zucchini melt into the casserole as it cooks. Serve with a tossed salad." Makes 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/stealth-health-mac-and-cheese-recipe/.
Ingredients
1 lb. peeled, cubed butternut squash
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided
4 oz. whole-wheat macaroni
1-1/2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery (3 ribs)
1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
1 large carrot, finely grated (3/4 cup)
1 large zucchini, finely grated (3/4 cup)
1/4 cup jarred roasted red pepper, drained and chopped, optional
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Coat 6- x 6-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add butternut squash, and boil 20 to 25 minutes, or until very tender. Remove to large bowl with slotted spoon. Mash with potato masher, and stir in 1/4 cup cheese. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and set aside.
Cook macaroni in same pot of boiling water 2 minutes fewer than recommended time. Drain, and run under cold water in colander.
Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and garlic, and sauté 3 to 5 minutes, or until translucent. Stir into mashed butternut squash purée. Add carrot, zucchini, roasted red pepper, if using, and pasta, and stir until mixture is coated with squash purée. Spread 1/3 pasta mixture in prepared baking dish, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Repeat layering pasta and cheese twice, ending with a final sprinkling of cheese. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until top is crisp and brown, and casserole is bubbling hot.
BEEF EMPANADAS
This is from Angela Dimayuga in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Angela wrote, "Filipinos take snacking seriously, so much so that we devote an entire meal to it: merienda, which may take place midmorning or midafternoon, if not both. Empanadas are a great treat for this in-between time, but also keep well at room temperature — the grace of food built for a warm climate — so you can graze all day. (My family used to buy these by the tray for parties, but it’s nice to make your own and store them in the freezer for later.) In these, a ground-beef filling is tucked inside sturdy but flaky dough, with raisins added early in the cooking to plump with the beef juices. There are variations on empanadas all over Latin America; ours rely on the potency of onion and garlic, and exploit it to the hilt."
Yield: 40 empanadas; Time: 2 hours
This was featured in "Angela Dimayuga’s 10 Essential Filipino Recipes", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020490-beef-empanadas.
Ingredients
For the empanada dough:
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), diced
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2/3 cup ice water
For the filling:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 large green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 medium russet potato, peeled and cut into 1-centimeter cubes (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup raisins
3/4 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 (48-ounce) bottle neutral oil, such as canola, for frying
Preparation
Prepare the empanada dough: In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt. In a large bowl, combine the flour and 1 tablespoon salt, and mix well. Add the butter and incorporate it into the flour using your hands or a food processor. Combine until mixture is sandy. Combine the egg mixture, vinegar and 2/3 cup ice water, whisking to break up the egg. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, and beat with a fork to bring dough together.
Sprinkle a light layer of flour over a work surface. Place the dough on top. Bring dough together by pressing and folding dough onto itself a few times with the palms of your hands. Being careful not to overwork, split dough in half and form into two equal logs about the thickness of a small sausage, 1 1/2- to 2-inches thick. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
While the dough rests, prepare the filling: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high and bring to a shimmer. Add the tomato paste and toast, stirring frequently, until darkened and caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add the onion, bell peppers, garlic, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the potato and raisins, and cook, stirring, until mixture starts to caramelize, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the beef, increase the temperature to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Stir in oyster sauce and soy sauce until coated, then stir in chicken stock. (Mixture should be glossy but not overtly wet; cook for another 5 minutes or so to reduce liquid, if need be.) Transfer to a sheet pan, dispersing in a thin layer, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 20 minutes.
Fill a small bowl with some cool water for sealing your empanadas, and another small bowl with flour for dusting. Working with one log at a time, remove dough from fridge. Cut each log in half crosswise, then cut each half crosswise into 10 equal pieces, which will be the shape of thick coins. Using a bit of flour, dust your work surface. Round each coin slightly using your thumb and forefinger and on your surface with your hands press each coin lightly to coax it into a flat round shape. Switch to a rolling pin and roll each piece of empanada dough into a 4-1/2-inch circle. You can lightly dust and stack your circles off to the side or transfer them to a parchment lined baking sheet and chill until you are ready to assemble (they are easier to work with when kept cool). Repeat with remaining log. When you have all your pieces rolled out, you are ready to assemble your empanadas. Place about 1-1/2 tablespoons of the meat filling in the center of each circle, leaving at least a 1/2-inch border. Using a brush or your finger, wet the edges of the dough with water and fold the crust over the filling, forming half-moon empanada shapes, sealing out as much air as possible. Crimp the edges of the empanada with the tines of a fork to seal.
In a large heavy Dutch oven or pot, heat about 2 inches of oil over medium-high. Heat oil to 365 degrees. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, maintaining an even heat, fry the empanadas, turning frequently, until they start to bob, 4 to 5 minutes. (They should be crisp and golden brown, the pastry should be cooked through and the meat should be warmed through.) Transfer to a paper-towel lined baking sheet and fry remaining empanadas. Serve warm.
MUSTARD ROAST BEEF
Recipe Yield: Yield: 8 servings
Source: 1,001 Delicious Recipes for People with Diabetes
Book Title: 1,001 Delicious Recipes for People with Diabetes
View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/mustard-roast-beef.
Ingredients
1/4 cup apricot preserves
2-4 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
2-3 teaspoons reduced-sodium Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon crushed caraway seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon crushed black, or mixed, peppercorns
1 boneless beef sirloin tip roast, fat trimmed (about 2 pounds)
Directions
Mix all ingredients except beef in medium bowl. Spread on all surfaces of meat. Place meat on rack in roasting pan.
Roast at 350 degrees F. until meat thermometer registers 140 degrees (medium), or 160 degrees (well done), 30 to 45 minutes.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 171; Fat: 5.5 g; Saturated Fat: 2.1 g; Sodium: 118 mg; Cholesterol: 60.3 mg; Protein: 20.7 g; Carbohydrates: 9 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 Fruit, 3 Meat
CHICKEN SPAGHETTI
This comes from Southern Living, and begins, "Give your traditional chicken casserole a break and serve this bright and lively chicken spaghetti. You only need a Dutch oven and a 9-x-13 baking dish to create this delicious meal, meaning there is less clean-up afterwards. Cook and shred your chicken in advance to save time."
Active Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes; Serves: 10
To view this online, go to https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/easy-chicken-spaghetti.
Ingredients
6 cups unsalted chicken stock
1 (14-oz.) bone-in, skin-on chicken breast, skin removed
3 (7-oz.) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, skin removed
12 ounces uncooked spaghetti
1 (5-oz.) can evaporated milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon lower-sodium Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons hot sauce
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (about 1 medium onion)
1 1/2 cups chopped red bell pepper (about 1 large pepper)
2 cups chopped tomatoes (about 3 medium tomatoes)
4 ounces sharp white Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Bring stock to a boil in a Dutch oven over high. Add chicken to stock. Cover; reduce heat to medium. Cook until a thermometer inserted in thickest piece of chicken registers 160°F, about 25 minutes. Remove chicken; let stand until ready to use. (Inner temperature of chicken will rise as it stands.)
Return stock to a boil over high. Add pasta to Dutch oven, and cook until just tender, about 9 minutes. Transfer pasta to a medium bowl (reserving stock). Return stock to a boil over high; boil until liquid is reduced to about 2-1/2 cups, about 1 minute. Whisk together evaporated milk and flour in a small bowl. Stir into stock; boil until slightly thickened, 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and salt. Pour stock mixture over pasta.
Return Dutch oven to medium-high heat. Add butter, onion, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring often, until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat; add pasta mixture back to Dutch oven. Shred chicken, discarding bones. (You should have about 4 1⁄2 cups meat.) Add chicken and tomatoes to Dutch oven; toss to coat. Pour mixture into a 13- x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with cheese. Lightly coat aluminum foil with cooking spray. Cover with foil; bake until cheese is melted, 25 to 30 minutes.
Chef's Notes
You don't have to be a food stylist to create a casserole that looks as good as it tastes. Instead of pouring the pasta mixture from the pot into the baking dish, use tongs and a large spoon to twirl the noodles into nests, as shown below.
MELT-IN-YOUR-MOUTH MEAT LOAF
This is from Suzanne Codner (from Starbuck, Minnesota), on the Taste of Home website. Suzanne wrote, "When my husband and I were first married, he refused to eat meat loaf because he said it was bland and dry. Then I prepared this version, and it became his favorite meal." Sometimes, all it takes is the right recipe!
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 5 hours 15 minutes + standing time; Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/melt-in-your-mouth-meat-loaf/.
Ingredients
2 large eggs
3/4 cup 2% milk
2/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Directions
Cut two 25x3-in. strips of heavy-duty foil; crisscross so they resemble an X. Place strips on bottom and up sides of a 5-qt. slow cooker. Coat strips with cooking spray.
Combine the first 6 ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into a round loaf; place in center of strips in slow cooker. Cook, covered, on low 5-6 hours or until a thermometer reads at least 160°.
In a small bowl, whisk ketchup, brown sugar, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Spoon over meat loaf. Cook until heated through, about 15 minutes longer. Using foil strips as handles, remove meat loaf to a platter. Let stand 10-15 minutes before slicing.
BLUEBERRY-APPLE SLUSHES
This is from the August 2013 issue of Heart Insight, page 23. (This is the magazine for the American Heart Association.)
This recipe begins, "Refreshing and good for you, this fruit treat comes together in a flash and provides fiber from the apple and antioxidants from the deeply colored blueberries." Serves 4; 1 cup per serving
I was unable to find a link online for this, but did want to give a head's up on where I got this.
Ingredients
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (no thawing necessary)
2 cups ice
1 large apple (about 8 ounces), any variety, cut into chunks (peel left on)
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup fresh blueberries (optional)
Directions
In a blender, process the ingredients except the 1/4 cup blueberries until smooth. Serve garnished with the remaining blueberries.
Monday, August 21, 2023
Double-Post Monday
Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Today's offerings include Beef Empanadas, Grandma’s Chicken Casserole, and a Million Dollar Cream Pie. Enjoy!
WORLD'S BEST LASAGNA
This is from John Chandler at Allrecipes. For this recipe, John wrote, "It takes a little work, but it is worth it."
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes; Additional Timne: 15 minutes; Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes; Makes 12 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/23600/worlds-best-lasagna/.
Ingredients
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
3/4 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons white sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
12 lasagna noodles
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg
3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.
BEEF EMPANADAS
This is from Angela Dimayuga in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Angela wrote, "Filipinos take snacking seriously, so much so that we devote an entire meal to it: merienda, which may take place midmorning or midafternoon, if not both. Empanadas are a great treat for this in-between time, but also keep well at room temperature — the grace of food built for a warm climate — so you can graze all day. (My family used to buy these by the tray for parties, but it’s nice to make your own and store them in the freezer for later.) In these, a ground-beef filling is tucked inside sturdy but flaky dough, with raisins added early in the cooking to plump with the beef juices. There are variations on empanadas all over Latin America; ours rely on the potency of onion and garlic, and exploit it to the hilt."
Yield: 40 empanadas; Time: 2 hours
This was featured in "Angela Dimayuga’s 10 Essential Filipino Recipes", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020490-beef-empanadas.
Ingredients
For the empanada dough:
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), diced
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2/3 cup ice water
For the filling:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 large green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 medium russet potato, peeled and cut into 1-centimeter cubes (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup raisins
3/4 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 (48-ounce) bottle neutral oil, such as canola, for frying
Preparation
Prepare the empanada dough: In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt. In a large bowl, combine the flour and 1 tablespoon salt, and mix well. Add the butter and incorporate it into the flour using your hands or a food processor. Combine until mixture is sandy. Combine the egg mixture, vinegar and 2/3 cup ice water, whisking to break up the egg. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, and beat with a fork to bring dough together.
Sprinkle a light layer of flour over a work surface. Place the dough on top. Bring dough together by pressing and folding dough onto itself a few times with the palms of your hands. Being careful not to overwork, split dough in half and form into two equal logs about the thickness of a small sausage, 1 1/2- to 2-inches thick. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
While the dough rests, prepare the filling: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high and bring to a shimmer. Add the tomato paste and toast, stirring frequently, until darkened and caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add the onion, bell peppers, garlic, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the potato and raisins, and cook, stirring, until mixture starts to caramelize, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the beef, increase the temperature to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Stir in oyster sauce and soy sauce until coated, then stir in chicken stock. (Mixture should be glossy but not overtly wet; cook for another 5 minutes or so to reduce liquid, if need be.) Transfer to a sheet pan, dispersing in a thin layer, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 20 minutes.
Fill a small bowl with some cool water for sealing your empanadas, and another small bowl with flour for dusting. Working with one log at a time, remove dough from fridge. Cut each log in half crosswise, then cut each half crosswise into 10 equal pieces, which will be the shape of thick coins. Using a bit of flour, dust your work surface. Round each coin slightly using your thumb and forefinger and on your surface with your hands press each coin lightly to coax it into a flat round shape. Switch to a rolling pin and roll each piece of empanada dough into a 4 1/2-inch circle. You can lightly dust and stack your circles off to the side or transfer them to a parchment lined baking sheet and chill until you are ready to assemble (they are easier to work with when kept cool). Repeat with remaining log. When you have all your pieces rolled out, you are ready to assemble your empanadas. Place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the meat filling in the center of each circle, leaving at least a 1/2-inch border. Using a brush or your finger, wet the edges of the dough with water and fold the crust over the filling, forming half-moon empanada shapes, sealing out as much air as possible. Crimp the edges of the empanada with the tines of a fork to seal.
In a large heavy Dutch oven or pot, heat about 2 inches of oil over medium-high. Heat oil to 365 degrees. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, maintaining an even heat, fry the empanadas, turning frequently, until they start to bob, 4 to 5 minutes. (They should be crisp and golden brown, the pastry should be cooked through and the meat should be warmed through.) Transfer to a paper-towel lined baking sheet and fry remaining empanadas. Serve warm.
GRANDMA'S CHICKEN CASSEROLE
This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "When it comes to weeknight dinner, casseroles are king. This super-simple, five-ingredient chicken casserole recipe comes together quickly and bakes up beautifully. It’s sure to be your quick-meal go to for at-home dinners and a reliable favorite for bake-and-take potluck dinners."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Makes 8 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 cans (10.5 oz each) condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (8 oz)
3 cups Progresso™ plain panko crispy bread crumbs
6 tablespoons butter, melted
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F.
Place chicken evenly in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish. Spoon and spread soup evenly over chicken; sprinkle with cheese.
In medium bowl, stir bread crumbs and melted butter; sprinkle over cheese. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until cheese is melted and bread crumbs are golden brown and thoroughly heated.
Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens
tip 1
Your grandma probably didn’t use panko bread crumbs, which are crispy crumbs used in Japanese cooking. But she’d definitely embrace them if she were given a box. Panko makes topping a casserole quick and ensures there’s good texture and contrast to the creamy center of the hot dish.
tip 2
Leftover roast turkey is a great substitute for chicken in this recipe—especially the day after Thanksgiving.
tip 3
Sub in crispy French-fried onions to top the casserole or try Colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend instead of cheddar cheese.
TWICE-BAKED POTATOES
This yummy recipes is from Ree Drummond on the Food Network.
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes; Yield: 12 to 16 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/twice-baked-potatoes-recipe-1925596.
Ingredients
8 baking potatoes, washed
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 sticks salted butter
1 cup bacon bits (fry your own!)
1 cup sour cream
1 cup Cheddar or Jack cheese (or a mix of both), plus more for topping
1 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
3 green onions, sliced
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the potatoes on a baking sheet. Rub them with the canola oil and bake for 1 hour, making sure they're sufficiently cooked through.
Slice the butter into pats. Place in a large mixing bowl and add the bacon bits and sour cream. Remove the potatoes from the oven. Lower the heat to 350 degrees F.
With a sharp knife, cut each potato in half lengthwise. Scrape out the insides into the mixing bowl, being careful not to tear the shell. Leave a small rim of potato intact for support. Lay the hollowed out potato shells on a baking sheet.
Smash the potatoes into the butter, bacon and sour cream. Add the cheese, milk, seasoned salt, green onions and black pepper to taste and mix together well. (IMPORTANT: If you plan to freeze the twice-baked potatoes, do NOT add the green onions.)
Fill the potato shells with the filling. I like to fill the shells so they look abundant and heaping. Top each potato with a little more grated cheese and pop 'em in the oven until the potato is warmed through, 15 to 20 minutes.
MILLION DOLLAR CREAM PIE
This comes from Carroll Pellegrinelli, who wrote for The Spruce Eats. (Check out her website at https://carrollpellegrinelli.com/. You won't regret it!)
For this recipe, Carroll wrote, "Million Dollar Pie thankfully doesn't live up to its name cost-wise, but its popularity on Pinterest proves it's worth adding to the recipe vault. Also called Millionaire Pie or Millionaire's Pie, this creamy concoction blends canned pineapple, toasted nuts, and shredded coconut into sweetened condensed milk. It gets its lofty height from the addition of a whipped dessert topping. Some versions incorporate cream cheese, and others call for heavy cream, but they all result in a luxurious bite of sweetness.
"The basic recipe can branch into many directions, with maraschino cherries making frequent appearances, oranges joining the pineapple, shortbread or flaky pastry replacing the standard graham cracker crust, frozen adaptations, and even a chocolate-pecan impostor.
"You can start with this classic rendition, then adjust, modify, and remaster it to your stomach's content. The recipe makes two pies with one can of condensed milk, but you can cut the ingredients in half to make just one."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 0 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Chilling Time: 2 hours; Yield: 2 pies (16 servings)
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/million-dollar-cream-pie-304933.
Ingredients
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 (8-ounce) cans crushed pineapple (drained)
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup chopped toasted pecans
2 (8-ounce) containers frozen whipped topping (thawed)
2 (9-inch) graham cracker crusts
Directions
In a large bowl, combine the condensed milk and lemon juice. Let stand for 5 minutes to thicken.
Add pineapple, 3/4 cup of the coconut and 3/4 cup of the pecans. Stir until thoroughly combined.
Fold in whipped topping and divide evenly between two crusts.
Spread the remaining 1/4 cup of coconut on a cookie sheet and toast in 350 F oven, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, approximately 5 to 8 minutes.
Sprinkle toasted coconut and remaining pecans onto the pie.
Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm.
BLUEBERRY-APPLE SLUSHES
This is from the August 2013 issue of Heart Insight, page 23. (This is the magazine for the American Heart Association.)
This recipe begins, "Refreshing and good for you, this fruit treat comes together in a flash and provides fiber from the apple and antioxidants from the deeply colored blueberries." Serves 4; 1 cup per serving
I was unable to find a link online for this, but did want to give a head's up on where I got this.
Ingredients
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (no thawing necessary)
2 cups ice
1 large apple (about 8 ounces), any variety, cut into chunks (peel left on)
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup fresh blueberries (optional)
Directions
In a blender, process the ingredients except the 1/4 cup blueberries until smooth. Serve garnished with the remaining blueberries.
WORLD'S BEST LASAGNA
This is from John Chandler at Allrecipes. For this recipe, John wrote, "It takes a little work, but it is worth it."
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes; Additional Timne: 15 minutes; Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes; Makes 12 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/23600/worlds-best-lasagna/.
Ingredients
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
3/4 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons white sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
12 lasagna noodles
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg
3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.
BEEF EMPANADAS
This is from Angela Dimayuga in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Angela wrote, "Filipinos take snacking seriously, so much so that we devote an entire meal to it: merienda, which may take place midmorning or midafternoon, if not both. Empanadas are a great treat for this in-between time, but also keep well at room temperature — the grace of food built for a warm climate — so you can graze all day. (My family used to buy these by the tray for parties, but it’s nice to make your own and store them in the freezer for later.) In these, a ground-beef filling is tucked inside sturdy but flaky dough, with raisins added early in the cooking to plump with the beef juices. There are variations on empanadas all over Latin America; ours rely on the potency of onion and garlic, and exploit it to the hilt."
Yield: 40 empanadas; Time: 2 hours
This was featured in "Angela Dimayuga’s 10 Essential Filipino Recipes", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020490-beef-empanadas.
Ingredients
For the empanada dough:
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), diced
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2/3 cup ice water
For the filling:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 large green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 medium russet potato, peeled and cut into 1-centimeter cubes (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup raisins
3/4 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 (48-ounce) bottle neutral oil, such as canola, for frying
Preparation
Prepare the empanada dough: In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt. In a large bowl, combine the flour and 1 tablespoon salt, and mix well. Add the butter and incorporate it into the flour using your hands or a food processor. Combine until mixture is sandy. Combine the egg mixture, vinegar and 2/3 cup ice water, whisking to break up the egg. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, and beat with a fork to bring dough together.
Sprinkle a light layer of flour over a work surface. Place the dough on top. Bring dough together by pressing and folding dough onto itself a few times with the palms of your hands. Being careful not to overwork, split dough in half and form into two equal logs about the thickness of a small sausage, 1 1/2- to 2-inches thick. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
While the dough rests, prepare the filling: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high and bring to a shimmer. Add the tomato paste and toast, stirring frequently, until darkened and caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add the onion, bell peppers, garlic, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the potato and raisins, and cook, stirring, until mixture starts to caramelize, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the beef, increase the temperature to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Stir in oyster sauce and soy sauce until coated, then stir in chicken stock. (Mixture should be glossy but not overtly wet; cook for another 5 minutes or so to reduce liquid, if need be.) Transfer to a sheet pan, dispersing in a thin layer, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 20 minutes.
Fill a small bowl with some cool water for sealing your empanadas, and another small bowl with flour for dusting. Working with one log at a time, remove dough from fridge. Cut each log in half crosswise, then cut each half crosswise into 10 equal pieces, which will be the shape of thick coins. Using a bit of flour, dust your work surface. Round each coin slightly using your thumb and forefinger and on your surface with your hands press each coin lightly to coax it into a flat round shape. Switch to a rolling pin and roll each piece of empanada dough into a 4 1/2-inch circle. You can lightly dust and stack your circles off to the side or transfer them to a parchment lined baking sheet and chill until you are ready to assemble (they are easier to work with when kept cool). Repeat with remaining log. When you have all your pieces rolled out, you are ready to assemble your empanadas. Place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the meat filling in the center of each circle, leaving at least a 1/2-inch border. Using a brush or your finger, wet the edges of the dough with water and fold the crust over the filling, forming half-moon empanada shapes, sealing out as much air as possible. Crimp the edges of the empanada with the tines of a fork to seal.
In a large heavy Dutch oven or pot, heat about 2 inches of oil over medium-high. Heat oil to 365 degrees. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, maintaining an even heat, fry the empanadas, turning frequently, until they start to bob, 4 to 5 minutes. (They should be crisp and golden brown, the pastry should be cooked through and the meat should be warmed through.) Transfer to a paper-towel lined baking sheet and fry remaining empanadas. Serve warm.
GRANDMA'S CHICKEN CASSEROLE
This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "When it comes to weeknight dinner, casseroles are king. This super-simple, five-ingredient chicken casserole recipe comes together quickly and bakes up beautifully. It’s sure to be your quick-meal go to for at-home dinners and a reliable favorite for bake-and-take potluck dinners."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Makes 8 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 cans (10.5 oz each) condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (8 oz)
3 cups Progresso™ plain panko crispy bread crumbs
6 tablespoons butter, melted
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F.
Place chicken evenly in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish. Spoon and spread soup evenly over chicken; sprinkle with cheese.
In medium bowl, stir bread crumbs and melted butter; sprinkle over cheese. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until cheese is melted and bread crumbs are golden brown and thoroughly heated.
Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens
tip 1
Your grandma probably didn’t use panko bread crumbs, which are crispy crumbs used in Japanese cooking. But she’d definitely embrace them if she were given a box. Panko makes topping a casserole quick and ensures there’s good texture and contrast to the creamy center of the hot dish.
tip 2
Leftover roast turkey is a great substitute for chicken in this recipe—especially the day after Thanksgiving.
tip 3
Sub in crispy French-fried onions to top the casserole or try Colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend instead of cheddar cheese.
TWICE-BAKED POTATOES
This yummy recipes is from Ree Drummond on the Food Network.
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes; Yield: 12 to 16 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/twice-baked-potatoes-recipe-1925596.
Ingredients
8 baking potatoes, washed
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 sticks salted butter
1 cup bacon bits (fry your own!)
1 cup sour cream
1 cup Cheddar or Jack cheese (or a mix of both), plus more for topping
1 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
3 green onions, sliced
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the potatoes on a baking sheet. Rub them with the canola oil and bake for 1 hour, making sure they're sufficiently cooked through.
Slice the butter into pats. Place in a large mixing bowl and add the bacon bits and sour cream. Remove the potatoes from the oven. Lower the heat to 350 degrees F.
With a sharp knife, cut each potato in half lengthwise. Scrape out the insides into the mixing bowl, being careful not to tear the shell. Leave a small rim of potato intact for support. Lay the hollowed out potato shells on a baking sheet.
Smash the potatoes into the butter, bacon and sour cream. Add the cheese, milk, seasoned salt, green onions and black pepper to taste and mix together well. (IMPORTANT: If you plan to freeze the twice-baked potatoes, do NOT add the green onions.)
Fill the potato shells with the filling. I like to fill the shells so they look abundant and heaping. Top each potato with a little more grated cheese and pop 'em in the oven until the potato is warmed through, 15 to 20 minutes.
MILLION DOLLAR CREAM PIE
This comes from Carroll Pellegrinelli, who wrote for The Spruce Eats. (Check out her website at https://carrollpellegrinelli.com/. You won't regret it!)
For this recipe, Carroll wrote, "Million Dollar Pie thankfully doesn't live up to its name cost-wise, but its popularity on Pinterest proves it's worth adding to the recipe vault. Also called Millionaire Pie or Millionaire's Pie, this creamy concoction blends canned pineapple, toasted nuts, and shredded coconut into sweetened condensed milk. It gets its lofty height from the addition of a whipped dessert topping. Some versions incorporate cream cheese, and others call for heavy cream, but they all result in a luxurious bite of sweetness.
"The basic recipe can branch into many directions, with maraschino cherries making frequent appearances, oranges joining the pineapple, shortbread or flaky pastry replacing the standard graham cracker crust, frozen adaptations, and even a chocolate-pecan impostor.
"You can start with this classic rendition, then adjust, modify, and remaster it to your stomach's content. The recipe makes two pies with one can of condensed milk, but you can cut the ingredients in half to make just one."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 0 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Chilling Time: 2 hours; Yield: 2 pies (16 servings)
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/million-dollar-cream-pie-304933.
Ingredients
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 (8-ounce) cans crushed pineapple (drained)
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup chopped toasted pecans
2 (8-ounce) containers frozen whipped topping (thawed)
2 (9-inch) graham cracker crusts
Directions
In a large bowl, combine the condensed milk and lemon juice. Let stand for 5 minutes to thicken.
Add pineapple, 3/4 cup of the coconut and 3/4 cup of the pecans. Stir until thoroughly combined.
Fold in whipped topping and divide evenly between two crusts.
Spread the remaining 1/4 cup of coconut on a cookie sheet and toast in 350 F oven, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, approximately 5 to 8 minutes.
Sprinkle toasted coconut and remaining pecans onto the pie.
Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm.
BLUEBERRY-APPLE SLUSHES
This is from the August 2013 issue of Heart Insight, page 23. (This is the magazine for the American Heart Association.)
This recipe begins, "Refreshing and good for you, this fruit treat comes together in a flash and provides fiber from the apple and antioxidants from the deeply colored blueberries." Serves 4; 1 cup per serving
I was unable to find a link online for this, but did want to give a head's up on where I got this.
Ingredients
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (no thawing necessary)
2 cups ice
1 large apple (about 8 ounces), any variety, cut into chunks (peel left on)
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup fresh blueberries (optional)
Directions
In a blender, process the ingredients except the 1/4 cup blueberries until smooth. Serve garnished with the remaining blueberries.
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