It's Springtime Pasta Bake

 

Here’s a delicious veggie-loaded pasta bake that's perfect for a springtime meal!  

 

Delicious!

It’s a great dish for the nights you want to go meatless.

 

Dolly Parton and Her Casserole

                                                 

She's a country music singer, guitarist, philanthropist, and actress known for pioneering the country-pop crossover.

 

Creamy Green Chile Corn Pudding

 

This great savory  

side dish is a cross between 

cornbread and a soufflé.

 

Green chiles give this creamy dish a Southwest twist that you can't go  wrong with. 

 

Old Fashioned Chuck Roast w/Potatoes, Carrots and Onions

I remember it vividly!

It’s “chuck roast,” Mom corrected me, on the day I blurted out “pot roast.”  Must've been because she didn't want the cattle on our farm to be offended... 😉

Spaghetti Squash with Mushrooms and Ripe Olives

This is a fabulous side dish of squash that I could actually make a meal of!

It’s fall and squash season again, with spaghetti squash one of the best, due to its unique texture that has a similarity to spaghetti.  

A SIDE OF ROASTED REDSKIN POTATOES WITH ONIONS

This isn’t a fancy or complicated recipe...

Flavorful and irresistible, these garlic potatoes are good for any meal of the day.

 
I'm a fan of potatoes made about any way, with the exception of potato soup ~ found something else for dinner when Mom made that years ago. 

Creamy Chicken-Broccoli Mac & Cheese with Mushrooms with Birdwatching on the Side

  With this version of mac and cheese, you can eat all you like ~ there’s a helping of greens is in it, as in broccoli.  Broccoli is full of vitamins and minerals and is a classic example of a superfood. 

Actually, there has not been much cooking here lately, as Bill and I have been busy “birding" for a while ~ watching 2 bird nests in bushes on the side of our house; one, a nest of cardinals and the other, a nest of robins.  

Golden Baked Turbot with a Twist

It’s the 

"champagne of the flatfish," 

according to the famous 

German TV-cook Johann Lafer. 

Turbot is not an easy fish to find in the markets around here.  So I was happy when Bubba told me that Fresh Market had turbot for sale.

The Best ~ Classic Chicken and Dumplings

This is an all-time favorite meal here at our house!  

And for good reason ~ 

it’s a delicious comfort dish for chilly snowy weather!

Chicken always gets top billing, but it’s the dumplings that sway people so easily.  There are a plethora of ways to make this dish, and this time I followed Paula Deen’s most of the way...

9th Blogiversary and Even More Potatoes!

I’m an impulsive sort of person at times.  Knowing me, Bill, thought this blog would be a passing whim that wouldn’t make it a couple of months…

And here I am ~ still at it, 9 years later!

Bubba's Oven-fried Cod

This is good and crunchy fish, minus all the fat. 

Bubba just vacationed in London recently and almost had his fill of fish and chips ~ he loved the meal!   Traditionally, fish and chips are served wrapped in paper to soak up all the grease, probably not a good thing.  

Back at home now, to cut the grease and calories, Bubba coats the cod in a corn meal and Parmesan breading and bakes it.  In his cooking, he goes heavy on the spices and seasonings, adjust to your taste. 

Turn Your Easter Ham into a Lighter Ham Tetrazzini!

When Easter's over, wow those around your dinner table with this tasty ham dish!

I’ve made Turkey Tetrazzini from time to time, but this slightly adapted recipe from Cooking Light, replacing turkey with ham, caught my eye.  It’s filled with the same great tetrazzini flavors and is easy to make also, however, it’s that touch of horseradish that takes it up a notch!

Chicken Fajitas, About the Easiest You Will Ever Make!

These could very well be the easiest

~ and maybe the tastiest fajitas ~

you'll ever make!

They are so good and super simple to make, thanks to Perdue Short Cuts, Grilled Fajita-style Chicken! 

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls for a Comfy Winter Meal!

We are paying for last winters’ mild weather! 

There’s no avoiding winter here since we’re just 40 miles northwest of Chicago.  Winter barely started when Mother Nature wasted no time in putting us in the deep freeze and keeping us there for 2 weeks with highs in the single digits, not counting bone-chilling wind chills way below zero ~ it's about unbearable!  A warm-up is on the way today ~ that translates, SNOW!

All of this cold weather leads me to dishes like this stuffed cabbage leaves, a great comforting winter dish!

I have a ton of food memories from when I was growing up, but stuffed cabbage rolls isn't one of them.  I don’t recall ever eating them back then, and Bill says the same.     

While the direct origin of cabbage rolls cannot be certain, its lineage can be traced back some 2,000 years ago to Jewish cooking, according to Gil Marks, author of the 2010 Encyclopedia of Jewish Food.  Cabbage is not mentioned in the Bible, but it is referred to in the Talmud, he says where the rabbis praise the cabbage for “sustenance.”  Though no one knows where the tradition of filling leaves originates, it appears in cultures around the world stretching from Europe and the Middle East to the jungles of the Amazon.

For example, the following names and some of the differences in their recipes…

Jewish “holishkls” is served during the fall harvest festival.  The dish is made with raisins, brown sugar, lemon and tomato for a sweet and sour taste.

Lithuanians call it “balandeliai,” translating to “little doves.”

Ukrainian “holubtsi” is made with sauerkraut, and usually no meat, served with perogie.

The Polish version is “golabki,” meaning “little pigeon feet” and served with sauerkraut and sweet paprika.

Finland’s version is “kaalikaaryle,” and the cabbage rolls are browned before brazing.  

But today in America, it is just simply stuffed cabbage, the exemplary comfort food that makes a complete meal.

Here’s the version we eat:  a savory meat and rice filling wrapped up in tender cabbage leaves that’s slow-baked in a sweet-sour tomato sauce.

While these cabbage rolls are pretty tasty straight out of the oven, there even better the next day, so here’s hoping you’ll be lucky enough to enjoy the leftovers, should you try this recipe!

Yield: 6 servingsAuthor: Pam

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

These cabbage rolls are stuffed with lean ground beef and lean ground pork and rice. It's a comforting winter dish!

prep time: 30 MINScook time: 1 hourtotal time: 1 hours and 30 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 head cabbage
• For the Filling:
• 1/2 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 pound lean ground pork
• 3/4 cup uncooked long grain rice
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon seasoned pepper
• 1/4 cup milk
• For the Sauce:
• 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon vinegar

Instructions:

For the Cabbage:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, remove 10 to 12 whole outer leaves from the cabbage by cutting them off the core. (Reserve the remaining cabbage for another use.) Add the leaves to the boiling water and blanch until wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer the leaves to a colander to drain.

Make the Filling:
Combine the filling ingredients in a bowl.  Scoop out approximately 1/3 cup of meat mixture and form into a log shape.
Place filling in a cabbage leaf close to the core. Fold once, then grab both side and fold in, like a burrito.  If the leaves are too small, overlap 2 leaves.
Arrange cabbage rolls snugly next to each other in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

Make the Sauce:
Combine sauce ingredients in a bowl and pour evenly over the cabbage roll.

Cover with foil and bake in 350° oven for about 1 to 1-1/2 hours, until meat is cooked through.

Enjoy!

Fall's Quintessential Vegetable ~~~ Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Rice

Roasted acorn squash, fall’s quintessential vegetable, is made even better with a hearty mixture of rice, made with Parmesan cheese and a bit of crisp-fried bacon.

  

This recipe here is pretty much everything I like about fall food cooking.  It’s easy.  It uses fresh vegetables from the market.  It’s tasty delicious.  And it’s cozy and comforting.  The only hard part is cutting the squash in half.

This stuffed squash is good for a week night dinner like we just enjoyed last night, but flavorful enough to serve at a holiday dinner this for company this fall.  

I used white long-grain rice, but wild rice would be great with the squash.  There’s a hint of sweetness in the squash itself, use brown sugar or not. 

 

Crispy bacon crumbs and Parmesan make for a heavenly addition to the savory dish.  

The flavors of this simple side are so spot on ~ delicious with its amazing flavors and great for these cooler days!

Yield: 4 servingsAuthor: Pam

Roasted Acorn Squash with Rice Stuffing

A good side of stuffed acorn squash with a rice filling that compliments many main dishes.

prep time: 20 MINScook time: 1 hourtotal time: 1 hours and 20 mins

INGREDIENTS

• 2 acorn squash, halved lengthwise and seeds removed
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned pepper
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 3 strips cooked crisp bacon
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Place squash cut-side up on a baking sheet, brush 1 tablespoon of melted butter over the tops and insides of squash halves. Roast in oven until fork tender, about 40 to 55 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, place 1 tablespoon of melted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When it foams, add brown sugar, onion, celery seed, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just softened, about 5 minutes.
4. Add broth and rice, bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until liquid is absorbent, about 20 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan and bacon.
6. Carefully scoop out 2 to 3 tablespoons flesh from each squash half and stir into rice mixture.
7. Divide rice filling among the roasted squash halves. Drizzle remaining tablespoon of butter over top.
8. Continue roasting for 5 minutes, until warmed through.
9. Serve

Enjoy! 

Not Quite so Dirty Rice

No road trip to 'N’awlins', as Bill calls it, for this tasty little dish ~ you can make it right at home!  

We remember our first taste of dirty rice many years ago ~ and Bubba does too.  It was from Popeye’s, the restaurant chain originating in New Orleans.  And then, our many visits to N'awlins...

However, this time, I made it at home in the Instant Pot now that I have one.  It’s a one pot meal that does the cooking for you quickly. 

The Arcadian classic version of this dish normally comes with chicken livers added for that distinctive flavor and dark color making it “dirty” in appearance.  

It always includes the Cajun holy trinity, you know, celery, onions and bell peppers.  

It's the foundation of so many of the world’s greatest dishes ~ from gumbo to jambalaya to chicken fricassee and étouffée, with every cuisine having its version of it.  

• French cooks call it mirepoix, the combo of onions, carrots and celery. 
• Italians call the same combination of ingredients soffritto.  
• Greek cooks prefer lemon juice, olive oil and oregano.
• In Spain, garlic, onion and tomatoes are combined. 
• Thai:  Kaffir lime, lemongrass and galangal (relative of ginger.)
• Cuban cuisine:  garlic, bell pepper and onion.
• In Spain, it’s garlic, onion and tomato.
• Brazilians season with dende oil, coconut milk and malagueta pepper.

You get the idea ~ every country has its own version of the holy trinity for their cuisine.  

I didn’t add chicken liver to the mix this time, but the basic concept is still there:  ground beef, the holy trinity, spices and rice.  It’s delicious, no matter.  

It’s spicy, but not too spicy, you can always bump up the heat if you prefer.  It’s a loaded dish with the best flavors in it.  

We enjoyed it with grilled catfish, but I could definitely make a meal of just dirty rice.  And, it tastes even better leftover, after the flavors have mingled longer.  

One pot Not-Quite Dirty Rice is a great dish to try in your Instant Pot (providing you can get the lid on.)  It's a perfect dish your family will want second helpings of.  No Instant Pot?  Cook it in a Dutch oven on the stove top.

Next time, same recipe, with the exception of substituting Andouille sausage and chicken liver for the ground beef.

And perhaps a Dirty Martini or two on the side ~ with a little jazz or Zydeco music!  

Woo hoo!  

Enjoy!

Yield: 6 servingsAuthor: Pam

Not Quite so Dirty Rice in an Instant Pot

No road trip to 'N’awlins' for this tasty little dish ~ you can make it right at home!

prep time: 10 MINScook time: 35 MINStotal time: 45 mins

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 small green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 2 cups white rice
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon seasoned pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oil in Instant Pot on sauté setting, or in Crock Pot.
2. Add garlic and onion, cooking until onion starts to soften and brown a little.
3. Add celery and bell pepper, sauté for a minute or two.
4. Remove from pot and set aside.
5. Add beef, brown and crumble, drain fat.
6. Return veggies to pot, add remaining ingredients to meat in IP.
7. Mix all ingredients well, scraping the bottom of the cooker.
8. Place lid on, set the vent to Sealing and press Slow Cooker, low setting for 30 minutes.
9. Do a Quick Pressure release and fluff rice mixture with a fork.
10. If needed, adjust seasonings.
11. Serve immediately, or set IP to warm setting for amount of time you prefer until ready to serve.

Created using The Recipes Generator

Braised Cube Steak w/Mushroom and Onion Gravy

Cube steak is an underrated cut of beef.

The meat has great flavor, but tends to be on the tough side.  I have the butcher run top round steak through the tenderizer machine, which has a series of blades or nails that are designed to puncture the meat, giving it a cubed surface.

Grandma just grabbed a saucer out of the cabinet, and used the edge of it to thoroughly beat the meat to tenderize it.  A mallet will do also, I've used both methods with equal success.

First off, after dusting the meat with flour, I seared it in hot oil in the skillet, over high heat. I transferred the browned meat to a platter, then added onions and mushrooms to the skillet for searing.

The moisture from the vegetables deglazes the browned bits on the bottom of the skillet; scrape it well, and add a little flour. 

Once the onions were tender, the cube steak was returned to the skillet and covered for cooking, while sitting in beef broth with the mushrooms and onions.

This whole technique is known as braising,  cooking tougher cuts of meat into tender, fall-off-the-bone cozy dinner food.  

In other words, the meat is browned, or seared, in fat and then simmered over low heat in a covered pot; braised.  Crock pots, dutch ovens, pressure cookers are great tools for this. You decide, cooked on top of the stove or in the oven, you will like the results either way.  Plus, you'll have a little gravy!

I would normally serve this with mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.  This time, though, I diced and browned leftover baked potatoes ~ they were taking up refrigerator space.

This is all it takes for a delicious comfy dinner on a chilly evening!

And, leftovers make a great tasty sandwich!


Braised Cube Steak w/Mushroom and Onion Gravy

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 (5-ounces each) cube steaks
Salt and seasoned pepper
½ cup flour, plus 1 tablespoon
3 large onions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (8-ounces) can sliced mushrooms, drained
2 cups beef broth or water

Method:

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.
Sprinkle both sides meat with salt and pepper
Place ½ cup flour on plate, coat each piece of meat.
Cook about 3-4 minutes, per side, place on platter and set aside.
Add onions, garlic and mushrooms to skillet, cook until onions are wilted, 3-4 minutes.
Stir to loosen up browned bits from bottom of pan.
Lower heat, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon flour, stirring constantly for about 4 minutes.
Gradually add broth or water, stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low and add steaks to pan.
Simmer, partially covered for 45 minutes.
Transfer to platter, taste pan sauce, adding seasoning, if needed, spoon onto meat.
Serve
Printable recipe


Enjoy!

Cheesy Creamy Broccoli Soup via Dottie

There must be a zillion cheesy broccoli soups out there.  I could never decide on which one to try, so didn't until...

Dottie, over here, at Family Plus Food Equals Love, started "Soupy Tuesday."  I told her I'd like a good cheesy broccoli soup recipe, and she delivered!

This is basically a rich cheese sauce, made with milk, instead of heavy cream; bits of broccoli, a little onion and garlic for extra flavor.  As a huge plus, it's "soup" in under 30 minutes; awesome for a homemade soup!

I can truly say this is a perfect cheesy broccoli soup, because I know what the "unperfect" ones taste like.  It's delicious, so rich and creamy ~ perfect for this time of year!  

It's sinfully delicious and just in time for soup season, thank you Dottie!

Cheesy Creamy Broccoli Soup

Printable recipe 

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
¾ pound (12-ounces) Velveeta cheese, cut into ½" cubes 
1 package (10-ounces) frozen broccoli florets, thawed and drained
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
Salt to taste*

Method: 

Melt butter in large saucepan on medium heat.
Add onions and garlic, cook and stir 5 minutes or until onions are tender, do not burn garlic.
Add flour, cook 1 minute or until bubbly, stirring constantly.
Stir in milk.
Bring to boil, simmer on medium-low heat 1-3 minutes.
Add remainder of ingredients, stir well.
Cook 5-8 minutes or until Velveeta cheese is completely melted and soup is thick and heated through, stirring occasionally.
Pour into cups or bowls.
Serve

*Remember:  Cheese has salt, you can always add but it is hard to take out.  If it is too salty, add a potato, cut up into chunks, that will absorb the salt.



ENJOY!

Baked Midwest Goulash

You all probably know that traditional goulash originates in Hungary, and is closer to beef stew; while the American version of goulash is filled with macaroni and browned, ground beef.

Besides meat and pasta, here in the Midwest, goulash is packed with mushrooms, bell peppers, diced tomatoes with shredded cheese spread over the top before baking. 

Voila!

This recipe makes a lot; it fills two 2½-quart casseroles.  There’s plenty for company, or freeze one to bake on a day when you don’t feel like being in the kitchen for long, preparing dinner!

It’s still chilly here with howling winds the last few days; even a little snow yesterday, so this is the perfect comfort meal for that sort of weather!

Baked Midwest Goulash

Ingredients:

2½ pounds ground round beef

1 pound elbow macaroni 
Olive oil
½ each of green, orange and yellow pepper, diced
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ pound sliced mushrooms
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
3 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
Seasoned salt and seasoned pepper, to taste
Shredded cheddar or mozzarella, optional for garnish
Cooking spray

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook macaroni according to package directions, al dente; rinse and drain well.
In a large skillet, sauté the onions, peppers, garlic and mushrooms, in a little olive oil, until tender, and transfer to a large bowl.
In the same skillet, brown ground beef and chop into bite-size chunks.
Transfer meat to bowl with mushrooms, etc.
Add soy sauce, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes to mixture and combine well.
Season with salt and pepper.
Coat casseroles or large baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Transfer meat mixture to baking dish.
Bake, covered, for 40-45 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Uncover and scatter cheese over top and bake another 15 minutes, if desired.

Serves 8 to 10

ENJOY!