Spaghetti and Meatball "Stoup"

As if you didn't already know from the name, this is a Rachael Ray recipe.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 cups tomato sauce
3 cups chicken stock
1 pound extra lean ground sirloin
1/2 cup grated parmigiano
1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1 large egg, beaten
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 pound spaghetti, broken in half
basil
bread for dipping

Preheat a medium soup pot over medium heat. Add oil, carrots, celery, onions, and garlic and saute 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and stock and cover the pot. Turn up the heat and bring to a fast boil. While soup comes to a boil, mix meat, cheese, breadcrumbs, egg and parsley until just combined. Roll into balls. Remove lid from soup and slide meatballs in. Bring back up to a boil and stir in spaghetti. Reduce the heat and simmer about 10 minutes until pasta is tender and meatballs are cooked through. Stir in basil and take soup off stove. Serve with bread and extra cheese.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

3 c. broccoli florets
4 c. chicken broth
1 c. half & half
1/2 c. flour
8 slices Kraft Sharp Cheddar singles (I use whatever I have)
1/2 c. shredded carrot
1/3 c. diced white onion
pepper

Steam broccoli in a steamer basket about 6 minutes. Remove and dice into small chunks. Pour chicken broth & half & half in saucepan. Whisk in flour and add remaining ingredients. including broccoli. Turn heat to medium, stirring often until mixture begins to bubble. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until carrots are tender and soup is thick.

Basic Chicken Stock

I know this one is not normal but let me plead my case. Roasted chicken is so easy. So easy. Roast a chicken for dinner, make your own stock with the leftovers. It's easy and you can make a really simple chicken noodle soup recipe like this one taste so good. (By the way, I made this chicken noodle soup with store bought chicken broth and it is delightful and very fast.)

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
1 onion halved
chicken bones (whatever is leftover)
2 quarts cold water
4 sprigs parsley
4 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves

Saute the veggies about 4 minutes. Add everything else and simmer one hour. Strain. Refrigerate or freeze.

Chicken Tetrazzini

This recipe is way good but I can't bear to type out all the ingredients and directions. Do you ever notice that when you watch someone make something on a cooking show a recipe that you would have most definately flipped by in a book looks good? Well, I watched Giada make this on Everyday Italian.

You can get the recipe here.

Canadian Bacon Strata

softened butter for pan
6 English muffins, toasted and cut in half
1/2 pound Canadian bacon, halved
1 1/4 cups shredded sharp Cheddar
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
8 eggs
3 cups milk
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco

Butter a baking dish. Alternately arrange, cut side down, muffin halves and Canadian bacon. Sprinkle with cheeses. Whisk together eggs, milk, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pinch of pepper and hot sauce. Pour over muffins and bacon. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Preheat oven to 350. Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until puffed and set in the center about an hour and a half. Tent with foil if strata starts browning too quickly. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Fettuccine Alfredo

12 ounces fettuccine
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup half and half
1 cup parmigiano reggiano
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
black pepper
pinch salt

Bring salted water to a rolling boil for pasta. Preheat large skillet over moderate heat. Add butter to pan and melt. Add half and half to melted butter stirring constantly, add cheese and cook sauce for one minute. Season with nutmeg, pepper and salt. Turn off heat and add drained pasta.

Cheesy Mac

I'll be the first to profess my undying love for Kraft but this is on a whole other level.

4 cups cooked elbow macaroni (I leave mine slightly undercooked)
2 cups grated Cheddar
3 eggs beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons butter, cubed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350. While macaroni is still hot add the cheddar. In a separate bowl combine remaining ingredients. Add to macaroni mixture. Pour in casserole dish and bake 30-45 minutes.

Spaghetti Pie

1 tablespoon butter
1 pound spaghetti
6 large eggs, beaten
1 pound mozarella
1 cup Pecorino Romano
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon parsley
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Cook spaghetti until al dente. Mix all ingredients. Put into cake pan lined with parchment paper. Cover and bake at 375 for 40 minutes. Remove cover and bake 20 more minutes. I like to serve with a marinara sauce on the side.

Chicken Cigars

I have not perfected the art that is Phyllo dough. Not even close. I'm still not giving up on this recipe though.

1 1/2 pounds ground chicken breast
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons grill seasoning
2 tablespoons fresh parsley (fresh makes a huge difference)
Phyllo dough

Combine all and cook in a skillet over medium high heat. Let cool and roll in phyllo dough and butter. Bake in a 425 oven 12-15 minutes.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

I don't make very many recipes using condensed soup but someone recommended this one and now Russell loves it.

2 1/2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
8 ounces of cheese (I use whatever I have, usually Cheddar)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
12 tortillas

Mix chicken, soup, 1/2 the sour cream, 1 cup cheese, and 3 tablespoons cilantro. Spoon 1/4 cup of the mixture into each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in a 9x13 pan. Top with cheese and cover. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining cilantro. Serve with remaining sour cream.

Chicken and Olive Empanadas

8 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons raisins
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon chopped pimento stuffed green olives
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
36 potsticker wrappers
1 large beaten egg
2 cups oil

Combine first 11 ingredients in a heavy skillet. Transfer to food processor - add breadcrumbs. Add one teaspoon of the mixture to a wrapper and seal with egg. Fry until golden brown.

Marinated Salmon Seared in a Pepper Crust

I got this one from Gourmet Magazine.

4 - 6 ounce salmon fillets
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 minced garlic cloves
4 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons sugar
8 teaspoons ground pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil

In a ziplock, combine soy sauce, garlic, lemon, sugar and salmon coating it well. Let it marinade in the fridge for 30 minutes. Remove salmon, discarding the marinade, pat dry and press 2 teaspoons of pepper into each piece of salmon, coating it thoroughly. In a heavy skillet heat the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking and in it saute the salmon for 2 minutes on each side. (I used to have one of those George Foreman grills and I cooked the salmon on that instead)

Orange Chicken

This one is a lot of work but it is really yummy.

Sauce:
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon green onion
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
5 teaspoons corn starch
2 teaspoons arrowroot
3 teaspoons water

Chicken:
4 chicken breast fillets
1 cup ice water
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups flour

First make the sauce. Combine all ingredients except cornstarch, arrowroot and water. Bring up to a boil, remove from heat and let cool completely. Recipe suggests cutting chicken into chunks and marinading it in half the sauce mixture (but I never have time). Once sauce cools, combine cornstarch, arrowroot and water and add to mixture. Heat on high and stir constantly. Sauce will thicken very rapidly. Remove from heat and set aside to let cool. Mix together ingredients for batter - water, egg, baking soda, salt and flour - until just combined. Coat each piece of chicken with the batter and fry until chicken is cooked through.

Slow Cooker French Dip

4 pounds rump roast
10.5 ounce can beef broth
10.5 ounce can condensed French Onion soup
12 ounces beer
rolls
butter

Trim fat off roast. Place in skow cooker with broth, soup and beer. Cook on low setting for 7 hours. Toast buttered rolls under broiler.

Spicy Country Ribs

I put a link on my blog to this recipe before. We've eaten these alone with a fork and on rolls like a BBQ pork sandwich. Way good both ways.

1 small onion
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
4 pounds country pork ribs

Combine all ingredients and cook in a heavy covered casserole at 325 for 3 hours. Remove ribs from casserole, arrange on a broiler pan. Heat broiler. Pour juices from casserole into a bowl and place in the freezer for 10 minutes. Skim fat off the top and pour juices into a saucepan; boil over high heat until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Broil ribs about 6 inches from heat until browned. Serve with the sauce.

Sloppy Joes

olive oil (a turn around the pan)
1 1/4 pounds ground beef
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning (I always get the spicy kind)
1 medium onion
1 small red bell pepper
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce
2 cups tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste

Add oil and ground beef and brown in a pan for a minute. Add brown sugar and steak seasoning. After meat is completely browned, add onion, bell pepper, red wine vinegar, and Worchestershire. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and paste and simmer at least 5 minutes.

Chili

I love making chili from scratch. It's different every time; it just depends on your mood.

2 pounds ground beef
29 ounce can tomato sauce
29 ounce can kidney beans
29 ounce can pinto beans
1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced green chili (we usually use an Anahiem pepper)
1/4 cup sliced celery
3 medium tomatoes
2 teaspoons cumin
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups water

I usually brown the ground beef, then add the onion, pepper, and celery; cook until the onion is soft and then add everything else. The longer you can let it simmer, the tastier it will be but we usually let it boil and then eat. Also, the original recipe calls for the water but we NEVER add it.

Buttermilk Pancakes

I feel like it's a huge waste to buy pancake mix. I always have everything on hand except buttermilk.

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk
1 egg
1 tablespoon oil

Mix dry ingredients, then add wet. Cover and refridge for at least an hour. Add more buttermilk to thin. Cook on medium high heat.

Turkey & Vegetable Hand Pies

This is a recipe that a reader submitted to Everyday Food. The dough was very easy to make but next time, I will use a different recipe for the filling.

1 2/3 cups flour
1 stick butter, chilled & cut into chunks
2 t. baking powder
salt & pepper
1/4 to 1/2 c. ice water
2 T. olive oil
1 small onion minced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 carrot, halved lengthwise & thinly sliced crosswise
1 lb. ground turkey
1 box frozen green beans
1/4 cup heavy cream

In a food processor, combine flour, butter, baking powder, & 1/2 t. salt. Pulse until mixture resembles course meal. While pulsing gradually add ice water, until a dough begins to form. Turn onto a piece of plastic wrap & pat into a 1 inch thick square. Wrap & refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make filling: in a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add onion, garlic and carrot. Cook stirring occasionally until carrot is tender, 5 - 7 minutes. Add turkey and cook until no longer pink. Add green beans and cream and cook until green beans are tender about 2 to 4 minutes. Season with salt & pepper. Cool to room temperature. Preheat oven to 400. Roll chilled dough into 16" square and cut into 4 equal squares. Divide filling between squares. Brush border with water and fold dough over. Press edges to seal, then crimp with a fork. With the tip of a knife, cut 2 - 3 small vents on the top. Transfer pies to rimmed baking sheets; bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

1 small onion
4 T. butter
6 cloves garlic
milk
potatoes
salt & pepper

Boil potatoes until tender. Saute onion in butter until softened. Add garlic and cook for a couple minutes. Take pan off heat and add milk to heat through before adding to potatoes.

Looks Bad, Tastes Good

Enchilada Pie (aka 'Looks bad, tastes good')

1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 large onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies
1 (4 oz.) can sliced ripe olives
1 (10-12 oz. can enchilada sauce
3/4 c. milk
1 pkg. flour tortillas
1/2 lb. cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 lb. monterey jack cheese, grated
sour cream

Brown meat and onion in a skillet and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add soups, green chilies, olives, enchilada sauce and milk. Keep mixture warm. Cut tortillas into small squares and place half in the bottom of a 9" x 13" pan. Top with half the meat mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the cheeses. Repeat layers. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 - 40 minutes. Cool for a few minutes before serving. Top each serving with sour cream.

(Note: This casserole can be made in two 8" or 9" square pans. One casserole can be used and the other frozen. Be sure to thaw the casserole before baking. The baking time may need to be extended an additional 5 to 10 minutes.)