Spaghetti (Actually Spaghettiless) Stew

Spaghetti (Or Spaghettiless) Stew

Olive oil

Mushroom, sliced (optional)

Celery, finely chopped

Onion, chopped

Zucchini, finely chopped

Carrot, finely chopped

Salt & pepper

1 lb ground sausage (Jimmy Dean preferred)

1/2 jar marinara

Cabbage, shredded 1/4"

Can of diced or stewed tomatoes

Wheat garlic bread

Note on sugar:  Marinara and stewed tomatoes can have a good bit of sugar so just beware when shopping. I've seen marinara  range anywhere from 5-15 g of sugar per serving so be on the lookout. Diced tomatoes would probably be better to use for this dish because the marinara already adds a nice light sweetness. Stewed tomatoes generally have more sugar than diced but that's all I had.

Mushrooms are optional but if you would like to use the sautéed them in olive oil in a heavy pot/dutch oven making sure not to overcrowd them in the pan. Salt& pepper lightly, remove from pan and set aside in separate bowl. Sautéed celery, onions, zucchini and carrot in olive oil for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally,  until lightly brown. Remove from heat and add veggies to mushroom bowl.  Heat pot and brown ground sausage. Remove, drain and add to bowl of veggies. Top the ground sausage with marinara.  Heat a couple of more tablespoons of olive oil in pot and add cabbage. Cook for a few minutes with lid off on high to brown. Cover with lid, reduce heat to medium and cook down 5-10 minutes. Add canned tomatoes and cook down for a minute. Then add veggies, sausage and marinara. Bring just to a boil and reduce heat to low. Season with salt and pepper to taste and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Serve with wheat garlic bread. 

Build Your Own Wedge

We had company the other night and I wanted to do wedge salads, but didn't know what all they liked, so I did a build-your-own wedge bowl.  It has iceberg wedges, apple slices, chopped tomatoes, chopped green onion, cucumber slices, fresh bacon and blue cheese crumbles.  I served it with their choice of Ranch or Balsamic Honey Vinaigrette.   

Leftover BLT Salad

There was a good bit of stuff leftover from the salad fixings, so for dinner the next night I took all of the leftovers and mixed it with some shell pasta, mayo, salt & pepper to make my Mom's BLT salad.  My leftover version had a few extra ingredients, but the original BLT salad has shell pasta, chopped lettuce, chopped tomato, mayo, salt & pepper all mixed well and topped with bacon crumbles.  It's a little odd, but very good!

Eggplant Lasagna

Eggplant Lasagna

Fried Eggplant:

2 eggplant, peeled and sliced 1/4" thick

Salt & pepper

1 egg

2 Tbs milk

1 cup flour

1 cup bread crumbs

3 cups oil (for frying)

Lasagna:

1 lb ground sausage (Jimmy Dean prefered)

Or mixed sauteed veggies (zucchini, squash, onions, bell peppers, spinach, etc.)

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 egg

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese, split

1 tsp parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups 

Eggplant:

Spread your sliced eggplant out on paper towels and sprinkle with salt & pepper.  Let them weep for 10-15 minutes and the pat them dry with more paper towels.  Set up 3 large, shallow bowls with flour in one, egg (scrambled) with milk in the second and breadcrumbs in the last.  Get your oil hot and reduce to medium heat.  Dredge each slice of eggplant in flour, then egg wash and then breadcrumbs.  Fry until golden brown flipping once.  Remove from oil and cool on a rack or paper towels.  Dust with salt & pepper.  

Lasagna Layers:

Preheat oven to 400*  Brown ground sausage and drain grease.  Mix sausage (or sauteed veggies) with 1 cup marinara.  In separate mixing bowl combine ricotta, egg, Parmesan, 1/2 cup mozzarella, parsley and salt & pepper.  Spread 1/4 cup of plain marinara in the bottom of 2 loaf pans.  Spread the ricotta mixture on four slices of eggplant.  Keep in mind that you'll be spreading the mixture on 3 layers of 4 eggplant slices each so ration it out accordingly.  Place 2 cheese spread eggplant slices in the bottom of each loaf pan.  Spread meaty marinara over the 1st layer.  Again, plan on 3 layers in each pan so ration it accordingly.    Repeat ricotta on eggplant and topping with meat sauce until you run out of ingredients or room in your loaf pan.  Top the final layer of meat sauce with plain fried eggplant.  Spread 1/4 cup plain marinara over the top of each lasagna and cover with foil.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Split the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella between the two lasagnas and spread evenly over the top.  Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.  

Personal Cheesecakes

For my dinner party the other night I was getting the cream cheese out to stuff my tenderloins and saw this recipe.  I couldn't resist and so glad I didn't.  They were delightful.  I did not do any fruit to garnish because I LOVE me some plain cheesecake.  This is thick and rich and the personal cupcake servings were the perfect amount. I split the recipe and made six cheesecakes.  I also added a tablespoon of sugar to the whipped cream.    

Lime zest garnish:

Easy, Scrumptious Lima Beans

This may not look like much but they are melt in your mouth, creamy, buttery little pods of heaven.  

Its a bag of frozen baby limas that you follow the directions on the back ...with a little spoon of bacon grease and salt.  Bring water, salt and bacon grease to a boil, add beans, return to boil, reduce heat and cover, simmer for 7 to 12 minutes)  Heaven...truly heavenly!  Serve as a side for dinner or for by itself for lunch with cornbread for sopping up the delicious juice.  

Zucchini Casserole

Zucchini Casserole

Mom

1 Tbs salt

6-8 zucchini, cut ½” slices

1/2 tsp salt & pepper

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 Tbs squeeze margarine

1/2 cup mozzarella

Preheat oven to 425*  Bring a pot of salted water to boil.  Add zucchini and boil for 12-14 minutes.  Drain and spread about 1” think across the bottom of a baking pan.  Sprinkle (in order) salt and pepper, bread crumbs, squeeze margarine and then mozzarella.  Bake for 10-15 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly. 

Rustic Pear Tart

I love this recipe.  Quick, easy, tasty, and pretty.  I serve it for breakfast, dessert or a snack.  

Fresh Fruit Tart 

1 roll out pie crust, unbaked (refrigerated roll-outs or homemade below)

1 1/2 cups fresh fruit, chunked (berries, cherries, pealed peaches, pears, apples, etc.)

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1 Tbs flour

2 Tbs brown sugar

Dash cayenne pepper (optional)

½ tsp vanilla

Dash nutmeg

1 egg white

1-2 Tbs Sugar in the Raw or turbinado sugar (large grain sugar)

Preheat oven to 450*  Roast almond slices on baking pan for 2-4 minutes checking regularly to make sure they don't get overdone. Mix fruit, roasted almonds, flour, brown sugar, cayenne, vanilla and nutmeg in mixing bowl.  Roll pie crusts out on parchment lined cookie sheets.   Spread fruit mixture in the center of the pie crust leaving a 2” border of pie crust.  Pull edges of the pie crust up and over fruit filling all the way around leaving 2” of exposed fruit filling in the middle.  Pie crust should overlap and make flaps creating a rugged pastry. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with Sugar in the Raw crystals.  Bake for 20 minutes or until pastry shell is golden brown and fruit is done.   Cut into 6-10 pieces using a chef’s knife. 

I used the following recipe for my pie crust substituting half wheat flour and it was magnificent.  I did have to use every bit of the cold water it calls for plus a little extra.  

Cheesy Garlic Bread

Cheesy Garlic Bread

1/2 stick butter

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1/4 cup mozzarella, shredded

1 tsp garlic, minced

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp parsley

1 loaf bread (white or wheat)

Preheat oven to 425* mix first 6 ingredients well. Split the loaf of bread in half and spread the mixture evenly along both sides of the loaf. Bake open on a piece of foil for about 7-8 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Let cool for a minute or two and slice.

Roast Pork (Butt)

This was a boneless pork butt. 

Pork Roast

Preheat oven to 425* Season roast generously with salt and pepper to give it a great crust. Place in roasting pan with a rack and grease pan and rack heavily. Roast for 1 hour on 425* then lower the temperature to 375* and bake it an additional hour to hour and a half. Slice and serve. It has great crispy, salty edges and tender, moist, meaty inside - yum!

See entry for gravy to serve with rice or mashed potatoes and gravy. 

Leftover Pork (Carnitas) Tacos

Corn tortillas

Pork roast, chunked

Purple onion, finely diced

Cilantro, chopped

Limes

Sear tortillas individually in olive oil until lightly browned and bubbly. Add pork chunks, chopped raw onion, fresh cilantro and top with freshly squeezed lime juice.  

This fresh, authentic, Mexican treat brings me back to my fist days in Fort Worth. I used to get these little bundles of joy at my favorite little taco truck outside of a Carnival Grocery on 8th Avenue.  

King Cake

This is an old one that I forgot to update with the recipe.  However, it's just in time for Mother's Day.  It's a beautiful pastry and great for Sunday brunch (minus the colored sugar).  So, here it is for any adventurous bakers... it's a time consumer FYI.  

King Cake (large platter-$40)

I got this online a while back, but don't know from where

Pastry:

1 cup milk

1/2 stick butter

2-.25 oz pkg active dry yeast (4 ½ tsp)

½ cup sugar (split)

2 eggs

1 ½ tsp salt

½ tsp nutmeg

5 ½ cups all-purpose flour

Filling:

1 cup brown sugar

½ tsp cinnamon

2/3 cup pecans, chopped

½ cup flour

Optional:  ½ cup raisins

½ stick butter, melted

Or:

8 oz block cream cheese, softened

¼ cup sugar

Topping:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 Tbs water

¼ cup each:  purple, green, gold sugar crystals

Optional: traditional plastic baby

 Pastry:  Scald milk, remove from heat and stir in ½ stick butter.  Allow mixture to cool to room temperature.  In large bowl, dissolve yeast in 2/3 cup of warm water with 1 Tbs sugar.  Let stand until creamy (about 10 minutes).  When yeast mixture is bubbly add the cooled milk and butter mixture.  Whisk in the eggs and stir in the remaining sugar, salt and nutmeg.  Beat the flour into the milk/egg mixture 1 cup at a time.  When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, (about 8-10 minutes).  Kneading can be done using the electric mixer on low speed stopping 2 or 3 times to readjust dough.  Lightly grease a large bowl and place the dough in the bowl turning to coat dough completely.  Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rise in warm place until doubled in volume (about 2 hours).  Once risen, punch down and divided dough in half. 

Filling:  Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, pecans, flour and raisins (optional).  Pour melted butter over dry ingredients and mix until crumbly.  Or, beat cream cheese and sugar until mixed thoroughly.

Formation:  Roll dough halves out into large, long rectangles (about 10”x16”).  Spread the filling evenly down the center of the dough and roll over like a jelly roll beginning with the wide side sealing in the filling.  Bring the ends of each roll together gently mashing to seal the seams to form one large oval shaped rings.  Place each ring on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  With scissors make 1” slits in the top of the dough at 2” intervals.  Let rise in warm spot until doubled in sized (about 45 minutes). 

Baking:  Preheat oven to 375*  Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. Cool on rack for 30 minutes. 

Optional:  Push the plastic baby into the bottom of the cake. 

Topping:  Mix powdered sugar and water until it mixture forms a paste.  Pour down the center of the bread and let the frosting run down the sides of the bread. Heavily sprinkle purple, green and gold sugars alternating colors every 3”.    

Bacon-wrapped, Jalapeño & Cream Cheese Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

This is a fancy little dish that's not too much trouble.  

Bacon-wrapped, Jalapeno Cream Cheese Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

1 pkg pork tenderloin (2 count)

Salt 

Pepper

Garlic Powder

4 oz cream cheese, room temperature

1 jalapeno pepper, seared, chopped

bacon, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 425*  Slice jalapeno meat away from the seeds and membrane.  Discard seeds and membrane.  Sear meaty jalapeno strips in a pan with olive oil.   Remove pepper strips from heat and chop once they have cooled.  Season tenderloins with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Using a very sharp knife make a slit (length-wise) down the center the tenderloins that goes about 3/4 of the way through the meat.  Mix chopped pepper with cream cheese and stuff into the opening.  Wrap bacon around leaving gaps of exposed pork and stuffing (as pictured below).  Place wrapped tenderloins on a baking pan making sure they are not touching so they have plenty of heat circulating around them.  Bake for 20 minutes without opening the oven.  After time is up leave oven sealed shut and let pork rest in hot oven for an additional 20 minutes.  It should be perfect.  This is how I do my regular, unstuffed tenderloins and they are perfectly done every time.  Slice about 1/4" thick.    

Gravy

These drippings make excellent gravy.  Place the baking pan with drippings on the stove top over medium-high heat and add 1/2 cup water.  Take a whisk and start loosening the drippings from the pan.  In a mixing bowl add (in this order) 1 cup cold water, 2 Tbs flour, salt and pepper to taste and 1/2 tsp Kitchen Bouquet (mostly for color - it's okay if you don't have this).  Whisk flour mixture well and add to boiling drippings on the stove top.  Continue cooking over medium-high heat and whisk constantly until gravy has boiled for 1 minute.  Gravy should be thick and ready to serve.

This works with any kind of drippings.  Add more Kitchen Bouquet for beef or lamb to make it darker and less for chicken or turkey to make it lighter.

Cream Cheese & Chili Dip

I wanted something to bring a dinner party down a little so it wasn't so fancy.  I enlisted one of my favs from my sister-in-law... good ole' cream cheese and chili dip.  It's as simple as that:  1 pkg cream cheese, 1 can of no bean chili.  Heat, mix, serve with tortilla chips.  It's not healthy or pretty, but dang it's good.  My husband and I can eat this entire bowl in record time.  

Fried Plantains

This is my third or fourth attempt at making these and they finally came out right.  It was all in finding a ripe plantain.  You want it very soft.  Not firm like a banana.  It's super easy after that.  If at first you don't succeed...try, try, try again.  They are worth it!

Peel the plantain.  Cut it in diagnal slices about 1/4" thick.  Pan fry in olive oil over medium heat until brown on each side.  Optional:  Dust with confection sugar for garnish.  

Open-faced Ham & Swiss English Muffin

Delightful breakfast treat!  

Toasted English Muffin

Mayo

Thinly sliced ham

1/2 slice Swiss cheese

Broiled for a few minutes until bubbly. 

Parmesan Chicken

I keep seeing a Hellmann's mayo commercial for Parmesan chicken and had to finally try it. It was outstanding!

This is directly from the Hellmann's website. I did cut my chicken breast in half width wise and then into smaller cutlets about 2-3" length/width and about 3/4" thick and they were perfectly done at 20 minutes cook time:

I made it with some fresh broccoli crowns (boiled 6 minutes) and a pasta salad. I can't get enough of this salad either with pasta or lettuce. 

Greek Salad

Pasta (shells or spirals preferred), cooked in salted water OR lettuce, chopped

Tomato, chopped

Black olives, sliced

Purple onion, chopped

Cucumber, sliced thin half moons

Celery, thinly chopped

Bell pepper, chopped

Lots of Feta cheese, crumbled

Italian dressing

Toss and let set until ready to serve. If using lettuce let it set in the refrigerator until ready to serve. I like it weepy but cold.