Big Bird Burgers

I haven't blogged about a recipe in a while.  I have a Rachel Ray cookbook but haven't tried anything new in a while from it so last weekend I decided to.  It's the Big Bird Burger.  It's a chicken burger with spinach topped with sauteed mushrooms and Dijon mustard.  They were fantastic and I actually can't wait to try them on the grill this summer.

I'm too lazy to type out the recipe so here's a link to it online.

Cooking Marathon

So I got it in my head that since the weather was not so great I would cook all day.  Maybe because I had just watched an episode of Rachael Ray's Week in One Day.  Surprisingly, I don't feel that wiped out.  Even better, I don't have to cook for the next few days.

Double batch  of banana bread

Macaroni and cheese

Mini  turkey meatloaves

Pasty pie

I have cooked, cleaned dishes, and blogged.  Now I can rest.  Hopefully there's a good movie on tonight!

Jambalaya

I have had this recipe in my collection a long time but was a little intimidated by it.  Lots of ingredients and steps.  I saw it on Paula Dean a few years back.  It is a family recipe of a friend of her's who was born and raised in Louisiana.  I decided it was time to stop being a cooking wimp and tackle it already.  I'm glad I did!  It was one of the best food-gasms I've had.


JAMBALAYA - Amelia Durand

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. sausage (kielbasa), sliced
1 lb. smoked ham, cubed
1 tbsp. butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 cup tomato, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno, minced
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. thyme
2 tbsp. tomato paste
6 cups chicken stock
3 cups rice
3 bay leaves
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. pepper
6-8 dashes hot sauce
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
3/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 lb. medium shrimp (20-24 count)

Heat oil in large pot or dutch oven.  Add sausage, brown, then remove.  Add ham, brown, then remove.  In same pot, add butter, onion, celery, and peppers.  Saute.  Add tomato, garlic, jalapeno, oregano, thyme, and tomato paste.   Cook a couple of minutes.  Add stock and bring to boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.  Add green onion, parsley, lemon juice, and shrimp.  Stir and make sure shrimp are good and covered in mix.  Cover again, remove from heat, and allow to steam for 15 minutes.

A side note:  I forgot to buy tomato paste and it still turned out great.  If you're not a fan of shrimp, leave them out.  I'm sure it will still be orgasmic!

Asian Beef Noodle Soup

I just realized that a majority of my recipes on this blog are for soup!  Note to self:  Non-soup recipe next time.

Anyway, I have a church cookbook that I use frequently.  Church cookbooks are among the best, by the way.  I have always breezed past this one but no longer.  It was a hit with the family.


Asian Beef Noodle Soup

2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or sesame oil)
6 oz. boneless beef sirloin, cut into bite size strips (I used stew meat)
1 red bell pepper
3-4 green onions, sliced
4 1/2 cups water
2 pkgs. oriental flavor Ramen noodles

In large pot heat oil.  Add beef, pepper and onion.  Cook and stir until beef is no longer pink.  Stir in water and contents of ramen seasoning packets.  Bring to a boil.  Break up ramen noodles and add to pot.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes.

Serves 4

Italian Sub Soup

We tried this one out last night.  How do you say, "Holy shit! That's unbelievable!," in Italian?  It was so good, I couldn't wait to get home tonight and have leftovers.

Italian Sub Soup
1 pkg pepperoni, cut in half (I bought a 2-inch hunk at the deli)
1 pkg salami, cut in fourths (I didn't have this so I cut up some bologna)
1 pkg Canadian bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 green pepper, chopped
1 28-oz. can of diced tomatoes
1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
2 tsp. red pepper flakes (I did not use)
1 box chicken stock
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. honey
1/2 - 1 bag of spinach
Salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese

Saute all the meat in olive oil and carmelize.  Add onion, green pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.  When onions are translucent, add stock, tomatoes, and spinach.  Reseason with salt and pepper.  Add honey and balsamic vinegar.

Garnish with parmesan cheese and serve with garlic bread or whatever crusty bread you have.

Swedish Meat Dumpling Stoup

I made this recipe on Sunday.  It's from, "365: No Repeats", by Rachael Ray.  I have had this cookbook for many years but have never made this one.  It's a keeper, fo sho.

Swedish Meat Dumpling Stoup
Serves 4-6

1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp unsalted buter, cut into pieces
1/2 lb. white mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
1 c shredded carrots or l large carrot sut into matchsticks
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 bay leaf
2 Tbsp flour
2 c beef stock or broth
1 qt chicken stock or broth
1 lb. ground veal or meatloaf mix (you could use any ground meat you like)
2 rounded tsps dijon mustard
1 egg, beaten
1/2 to 2/3 c bread crumbs
1 tsp  nutmeg
1/2 lb. medium or wide egg noodles
1 c sour cream
2-3 Tbsp chives or dill, your choice
2-3 Tbsp parsley (optional)

Heat a medium soup pot over medium to medium-high heat.  Add olive oil and butter and when the butter melts into the olive oil, add mushrooms, celery, carrots, onions, and bay leaf.  Cook until the mushrooms are tender and the celery, carrots, and onions begin to soften, about 7-8 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and add the flour.  Cood for another minute.  Whisk in the beef and chicken stock to combine.  Cover the pot and bring to a boil.

While the soup comes to a boil (or do before you make the soup), mix the meat with mustard, egg, bread crumbs,  nutmeg, salt, and pepper.  Roll meat mixture into 1-inch balls.  Remove the lid from the soup and add the meatballs.  They will cook in the soup.  After 2-3 minutes, stire in the egg noodles and cook for 6 minutes more.  Turn off the heat and stir in the sour cream.  Adjust the salt and pepper if needed and fish out bay leaf.  Serve with generous sprinkle of chives or dill and parsley.

Easy Caramel Rolls

Easy caramel rolls?  Shut your whore mouth!  Yes, indeed, my blogging friends.  That's what I said.  I thought my Sunday morning couldn't get any better with the sunshine and some coffee and all.  And then I took these babies out of the oven...

If you are baking challenged or need to impress your in-laws when they pay a visit or you just love a sticky sweet breakfast on Sunday, this is your recipe.

Easy Caramel Rolls
2 loaves frozen bead dough
1/2 cup pecans, fine chopped (optional)
1/2 cup margarine or butter (1 stick)
1 cup brown sugar
2 packages (3 oz.) Vanilla cook-n-serve pudding (not the instant mix)
1 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp milk

Thaw bread in refrigerator acccording to the directions.  Cut bread into walnut size pieces (about 24).  Grease a 9x13 pan.  Sprinkle nuts into the pan.  Evenly distribute dough pieces in pan.  In a bowl, melt margarine then add brown sugar, pudding mix, cinnamon, and milk.  Stir and pour over dough.  Refrigerate overnight.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  Allow to sit a few minutes then flip onto a wax paper covered board.


Thank you to Amy, one of our student employees at the office, for giving us this recipe.  You're getting a high-five when I see you next...and if I ever meet your boyfriend's mother, she's getting one too!  Just sayin.

Blue Cheese Corn

Whoa, momma!  This is good.  If you're looking for something to have with your grilled meat other than coleslaw or potato salad, check this out. 

Blue Cheese Corn
4-6 ears of grilled corn, cut off the cobs
2-3 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 c crumbled blue cheese
2 tbsp lemon juice
Hot sauce to taste (I actually forgot the hot sauce and it still tasted great)
Salt and pepper to taste

Grill corn in husks for about 15 minutes.  Cut corn from the cobs.  Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. 

Yep, that's it.  Super easy and it was so good I almost forgot about the grilled meat!

Wonton Quitos

Got this recipe from the Hungry Girl website.  Well, actually my friend, Lisa, got it from the Hungry Girl website, who then passed it on to me!

Wonton Quitos
1 1/2 cups chicken, shredded
1/2 cup salsa verde
1/3 cup shredded cheddar
1/4 c. corn
1 tbsp. roasted red peppers, chopped (I haven't used these yet)
16 small wonton wraps

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cook and shred chicken.  In bowl, combine chicken with salsa.  Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutees.  Take out and remove excess liquid from mix.  Add cheese, corn, and peppers.  Spray cookie sheet with spray.  Spoon 1 tbsp of mix onto each wonton then roll up.  Place each one on cookie sheet, seam side down.  Bake 15 minutes.

Buffalo Chicken Mac

I saw this recipe on the Food Network (The Neelys)...

Buffalo Chicken Mac
1 pkg Kraft Homestyle mac and cheese
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 tbsp buffalo wing sauce (I put in more, baby!)
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1 tbsp green onion, chopped

Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Cook and chop up chicken.  Prepare mac according to directions except don't add crumbs.  Toss chicken in buffalo sauce then stir into mac and cheese.  Spray casserole dish with sprah and add mixture.  Sprinkle with cheese and crumbs.  Bake 5-10 minutes.  Top with onions.

Chicken Cheesesteaks with Peppers

I made these babies last night and hands down it's one of the best sandwiches I've ever tasted.  I found the recipe in the October 2008 Everyday Food magazine. 

(Excuse the bad picture.  I took a picture of the magazine page with my webcam.)

Chicken Cheesesteak Sandwich with Peppers

1 lb. chicken cutlets

2 tbsps vegetable oil

Salt and pepper

1 orange pepper, thinly sliced

1 red pepper, thinly sliced

1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (I just used jarred garlic)

6 oz. sliced provolone cheese

4 soft hoagie rolls

mayonnaise

Heat broiler, with rack set 4 inches from heat.  On a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, toss chicken with 1 tablesppon of oil then season with salt and pepper.  Broil, without turning, until chicken is opaque throughout (about 5 to 9 minutes).  Transfer to a cutting board (reserve baking sheet); let cool and thinly slice.  Set chicken aside.

On baking sheet, toss together peppers, onion, and garlic with remaining tablespoon of oil.  Broil, tossing occasionally, until crisp-tender and slightly charred (about 8 to 10 minutes).  Season with salt and pepper.  Add chicken to broiled vegetables, toss, and spread in a single layer.  Top with cheese then broil until cheese is bubbling (30 seconds to one minute).  Scoop out most of the doughy center from the rolls and discard.  Spread rolls with mayonnaise and fill with chicken and vegetables. 



Feta Cheese Spread

I made this to snack on for New Year's Eve.

FETA CHEESE SPREAD
1 block feta cheese
1 medium tomato or 2-3 roma tomatoes
1 tsp of dried basil leaves
1 tbsp or so of olive oil
garlic salt to taste

Crumble the cheese. Chop the tomato. Mix in bowl with rest of ingredients. Chill for a half hour or so. Serve with pieces of pita bread or triscuits.

Baking Galore

The kids and I did our Xmas baking yesterday. My son rolled the peanut butter kiss cookies, my daughter rolled the ginger snaps, and we worked together on the sugar cookies which, obviously, are their favorite because there's decorating involved.

Ribollita - Tuscan Bean Soup

I enjoy cooking and trying new recipes. This is one of my favorite soups to make. It actually ends up like a stoup, as Rachel Ray would say. Part stew, part soup. This is a recipe I saw on her show and it's definitely one of my all time favorite things to make in the fall and winter.

RIBOLLITA
2 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 bayleaf
2 cans (15.5 oz) small white beans (I use Great Northerns)
6 cups chicken stock
2 cups tomato sauce
3 cups stale Italian bread, cut into squares, no crust (about 1/2 loaf)
1 cup parmesan or parmesan blend

In a pot heat olive oil and add garlic, onion, carrots, celery, and bay leaf. Add salt and pepper. Add beans, stock, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil. Add bread. Soup should be so thick, a wooden spoon sticks up straight in it. Serve with sprinkle of onions, olive oil, and parm cheese in each bowl. (I only add the cheese and sometimes onions).

Easy peasy and sooo good.