Diane's Nacho Pasta

• 1 pound farfalle pasta, cooked according to directions,  drained, save 1 cup of pasta water

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
  
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 2 poblano peppers, chopped
• 1 jalapeno (or more to taste) diced
• 1 can black beans, drained
• 1 large can diced tomatoes
  

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup scallions, chopped - whites and greens
• cilantro to taste - I use 1/4 cup

In a large (large enough to hold all ingredients) skillet, on medium, heat olive oil and brown chicken.  

Remove chicken and set aside.  Add additional olive oil to skillet and diced onion. Saute until onion is soft.  Add garlic and peppers.  Saute until peppers are soft.  Add black beans, tomatoes and browned chicken to pan.  Heat until bubbling and chicken is cooked through.

Pour sauce over cooked.  Stir to combine adding pasta water if needed.  Add cheese, scallions and cilantro and stir to combine and melt cheese.

Serve!!🍲

 I Love Mexican Food

I think I didn't have my first Taco until I was in college.  I always like spicy foods, but Mexican just wasn't common.  Now a taco is the least common Mexican item I eat.

This week we will be having two different  meals influenced by the chilies and flavors of Mexico.   I am making my own fajita and taco seasoning.  The store bought varieties have so much salt and sugar in them and by the ounce are fairly expensive.  I also invented a nacho pasta dish that we love.   I will share both.  They can be mixed up in larger quantities and stored in shaker jars. 

 

Diane's Fajita Seasoning

1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground paprika
1 teaspoon Truvia  (1 packet) 
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 

 

Diane's Taco Seasoning

Most taco seasoning mixes contain salt, warming spices (such as paprika, oregano, and chili), onion powder, and garlic powder.

2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½  teaspoon (to taste) kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarsely black pepper
½  teaspoon ground paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon (to taste) crushed red pepper flakes 

 

Menu 4/28 - 5/9

Here is our menu for the next week or so.

Sat 4/28 - OUT
Sun 4/29 - Pulled Pork Quesadillas and Slaw
Mon 4/30 - Chicken Tacos, Bean Tacos
Tue 5/1 -  Black Eyed Peas and Turkey Kielbasa in slow cooker and Slaw
Wed 5/2 - 2 for $20
Thu 5/3 - OUT for 10th Anniversary
Fri 5/4 - Wings, Celery, Carrots
Sat 5/5 - OUT
Sun 5/6 - Bourbon BBQ Ribs (Kentucky Derby), Black Bean, Corn and Pepper Salad (Cinco de Mayo)
Mon 5/7 - Chicken Fajita Wraps
Tue 5/8  - Roast Chicken, Smashed Garlic Potatoes, Broccoli
Wed 5/9 - Chicken a la King with Peas over Brown Rice in Rice Cooker

Nacho Ravioli Bake

Ok, what does that mean??  Nachos and Ravioli???  YES!  It has many good reasons for being a great dish.  First, it adds variety to ravioli.  Second, it allows you to make a full meal in one pan, veggies and all!  And third, it allows you to cut back on the white pasta carbs.

Here is how you do it:

Ingredients:

2 28 ounce bags frozen ravioli
2 cans fat free refried beans.  (If you like it spicy, use the spicy variety.)
1 large can tomato puree
2 large cans diced tomatoes
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3 cups black beans or any beans you like (Canned beans are fine; I make dried beans and freeze in 1 cup portions.)

Preheat oven to 350F

I use a very large roasting pan/lasagne pan size.  But this can be made in any size casserole

In a large casserole dish pour half of the tomato puree.  Place one layer of the ravioli (still frozen) and then begin layering the refried beans (spreading with a spatula), the black beans, the cheddar cheese and the diced tomatoes.  Depending on the size of your casserole you will have at least 3 layers.  So plan accordingly and only use 1/3 of your ingredients at a time.

When you reach the top layer, end with the cheese and pour the last half of the tomato puree over the top.  Be sure all the ravioli is submerged in the liquid.  The secret to being able to cook the ravioli from the frozen state is to keep them under the liquid.  Cover with foil

Bake covered for 45 minutes.  Remove foil and bake additional 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving to allow the liquid to cool enough so it won't swim on your plate.

Today's creativity

Today I am making a Mexican inspired meal.  I am taking boneless skinless chicken thighs that have been cut into chunks and browning them up with an sliced onion and a minced jalapeno pepper.  Then I will add black beans, corn, medium salsa, and some Philadelphia Sante Fe Cooking Creme and toss with cooked pasta.  It will go into the oven to melt some shredded cheddar on top and finish cooking the chicken.  I am looking forward to it.

Menu 9/12/11 - 9/18/11

9/12 - Mon - Pizza
9/13 - Tue - Rice Cooker Sausage Lasagna**
9/14 - Wed - Chinese Take-out
9/15 - Thu - Kielbasa and Red Cabbage Braised in Slow Cooker
9/16 - Fri - Granny's Chicken Stew with Polenta
9/17 - Sat - Chili and Corn Bread
9/18 - Sun - Ravioli Amatriciana

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Rice Cooker Sausage Lasagna

1 pounds (dry - uncooked) lasagna noodles, broken into pieces (or any pasta, I always use whole wheat)
1 pound loose hot Italian sausage, out of casing, browned
16 ounce container ricotta cheese
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 cups mozzarella cheese
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 28 ounce can tomato puree or diced tomatoes
2 1/2 cups marinara sauce (I always have home made, but store bought is fine)
1 cup warm water

Brush inside of rice cooker pan with olive oil.

Brown sausage in a skillet. Use wooden spoon or potato masher to break up into smaller clumps.

Mix together the ricotta cheese, garlic, oregano 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and half cup of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese in a bowl.

Cover the bottom of the rice cooker pan with 1/2 of the can of tomato puree. Place one third of lasagna or pasta on top. Add half of the sausage. Using a tablespoon or ice cream scoop place dollops of the ricotta cheese mixture (using up half)on top of sausage. Repeat with the tomato puree, pasta, sausage and cheese. Top with the last third of pasta.

Add warm water, then 2 1/2 cups of marinara sauce and top with the remaining cup of mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Place pan in rice cooker, and close cooker. Cook on mixture setting (or white setting if you don't have a mix setting) until done.

Menus changing because of Hurricane Irene!

One week ago today,Irene came to visit. Hurricane Irene that is. We lost our electricity for over 48 hours and had to change a bunch of meals around. Also, our favorite local music place where we had planned to go tonight for dinner was destroyed in flooding so another meal changed. So, here is a current menu for today going forward.

Menu 9/3/11 -

Sat 9/3 - Pineapple Pork Ribs, String Beans
Sun 9/4 - Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Mon 9/5 - Pork Chops Murphy**
Tue 9/6 - Kielbasa and Black Bean Stew
Wed 9/7 - Chinese Take Out
Thu 9/8 - Arroz Con Pollo in Rice Cooker
Fri 9/9 - Out
Sat 9/10- Buffalo Chicken Strips over Spinach Salad with (Blue Cheese Crumbles and dressing for me, vinaigrette for hubby)
Sun 9/11- Meatball Strogonoff over Egg Noodles in Rice Cooker

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Pork Chops Murphy

8 small red potatoes, quartered
4 thick pork rib or loin chops (on the bone)
Salt and Pepper to taste
4 TBS olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 cup bottled HOT cherry peppers in vinegar (with juice)(I use more!)
1 8 ounce can tomato sauce


In 2 TBS olive oil, brown potatoes and let cook until knife can be inserted easily, but not falling apart. Remove from pan.

Sprinkle chops with salt and pepper. In same skillet from potatoes heat the other 2 TBS of olive oil and brown chops on both sides. Remove from pan.

Add onion slices and cook over medium heat stirring often for 10 min. Slit peppers and let juices run into pan. Add peppers and stir into onions. Return pork chops to pan and spoon peppers and onions on top. Add tomato sauce and cook 10 minutes until cooked through. Add potatoes back in before serving.

**I love the hot peppers! I often use the ones stuffed with prosciutto and provolone for this recipe. I slice them open and add at least 2 tablespoons of the vinegar brine to the pan in addition to what comes out of the peppers.

Turkey or Chicken Dishes for the Freezer

Roast a small turkey or 2 chickens. Cool and shred the meat into bowls. You should have about 10-12 cups of meat. Or buy a few of those HUGE chicken breast family size packages and roast them all off at once. I personally like dark and white meat mixed, so I choose to roast the whole chicken/turkey. It also saves money to use the whole bird.

Also for growing teens you would probably want to double these recipes.


Chicken Enchilada Casserole
4 cups shredded chicken
garlic salt to taste
18 (6 inch) corn tortillas, torn in half
1 (28 ounce) can green chile enchilada sauce
1 (16 ounce) package shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 (8 ounce) container reduced fat sour cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium baking dish.
With metal tongs, char each tortilla half over the open flame of a gas stove burner for about 1 minute, until lightly puffed.
Pour about 1/2 inch enchilada sauce in the bottom of a medium baking dish, and arrange 6 tortillas in a single layer. Top with 1/2 the chicken, 1/3 cheese, 1/2 the sour cream, and 1/3 of the remaining enchilada sauce. Repeat. Coat remaining tortillas thoroughly with remaining enchilada sauce, and arrange on top of the layers. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, and top with any remaining enchilada sauce
Cover, and bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool slightly before serving.
Freeze before baking. Thaw in refrigerator, then cover and bake for 45-50 minutes in preheated oven.

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CHICKEN BROCCOLI CASSEROLE
1 cup white rice
1 cup boiling water
2 pkg. frozen broccoli (cook according to pkg directions)
10 oz. cream cheese
2 c. milk
1/2 c. sour cream
dash garlic and onion powder
4 cups shredded chicken
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese

Line a 3 qt. casserole dish with butter. Pour rice into pan. Add boiling water. Chop broccoli and layer on top of rice on bottom of casserole dish.
Mix cream cheese, milk, sour cream and seasonings together. Add shredded chicken. Mix well and layer on top of broccoli.
Sprinkle Parmesan cheese ever top. Bake at 350°F for 30-45 minutes or until bubbly and rice is cooked.
Can freeze. Thaw in refrigerator. Add 1/2 cup milk before reheating at 350 until heated through - about 15 minutes.
Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

(This can be varied with frozen spinach or kale.)

*****
For this one - I would mix all of the chicken part without the hot water in a large freezer baggie. When ready to make, thaw in refrigerator. Pour into the slow cooker and add the hot water and then the cornbread topping and continue with the recipe.

Barbecued Chicken and Cornbread Casserole in the Slow Cooker

--2 pound of cooked, or practically cooked chicken, cubed or shredded
--2 small sweet potato, peeled and cut in 1-inch chunks
--1 red onion, diced (optional. I didn't use this, although I intended to, and am kind of kicking myself for the accidental omission.)
--2 cup frozen or fresh corn
--1 bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce (18 oz)
--1 can (28 ounce) diced tomatoes
--1/4 cup molasses
--1/4 cup apple cider

cornbread topping:

use a mix (2 boxes of the Jif Cornbread mix are the perfect size)and follow the directions on the box (minus the oil or butter), or mix together the following:

--3/4 cup corn meal
--1 1/4 cups of flour
--1 cup milk
--1/4 cup sugar
--1 egg
--1 tsp. baking powder

The Directions.

I used a large 7 quart slow cooker for this one.

Grease the inside of your slow cooker with butter or margarine. Or to save calories I often use a brush and olive oil or the "I Can't Believe it's Not Butter Spray". Cut up the chicken and sweet potato, and add to the crock. Add the remaining ingredients. Empty the contents of the barbecue sauce bottle, and then add 1/4 cup of apple cider to the bottle, shake, and pour that out, too. Mix well with a spoon.

In a separate bowl, mix together the cornbread topping. You don't need to mix well, I just used a fork. Spread the topping on to the chicken mixture.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Cooking for the Freezer

Brown up a huge amount of ground beef. Portion in 1 pound (2 cups).

Beef Tamale Pie

This one can be done in slow cooker and also oven. If using oven, combine all ingredients in a greased 4 quart casserole. Put in preheated 350F oven for 10 minutes. (It is important that the filling is hot before you add the corn bread on top of it or the bottom of the corn bread won’t cook.) Remove and top with the corn bread batter. Spread to edges as well as possible. Bake for 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the cornbread comes out clean. If freezing, combine all ingredients except corn bread topping in a large freezer baggy. Thaw in fridge and pour into casserole or slow cooker to continue with the corn bread topping.

If using slow cooker follow directions below.

The Filling.

-- 1 pound ground beef, browned and crumbled
--1 can drained and rinsed black beans
--1 can fire roasted tomatoes
--1 can drained corn
--1 T chili powder
--1 t cumin
--1/2 t paprika
--1/4 cup diced onion
--1 small can diced chilis (if you don't like spicy, use 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper instead)
--1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

The Directions.

Spray your crockpot with cooking spray. Dump in the filling ingredients--cheese, too!-- and stir well to distribute the spices. You will not be able to stir this again, so please check to see that the spices aren't in a clump anywhere.
In a separate bowl, mix together the cornbread topping. (2 Jif mixes works or use recipe I sent earlier )
When finished, pour evenly over the filling, spreading with a spatula if needed.
Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 2-4.

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GROUND BEEF STROGANOFF

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
10 3/4 ounces cream of mushroom soup, condensed
4 ounces mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup sour cream, or yogurt

In medium skillet, brown ground beef and onion; drain excess fat. Stir in garlic salt, pepper, soup and mushrooms and Worcestershire sauce. I use the Worcestershire sauce to clean out the can of mushroom soup. Simmer covered, 15 to 20 minutes. (If freezing, this is the place to do it. When ready to use, thaw in refrigerator, pour into a slow cooker and heat for 3-4 hours on low) Stir in sour cream; heat through, but do not boil. Serve over rice or noodles.

Serving Size: 4

Diane's Chili Mac in Slow Cooker

I am sure many people cook chili in their slow cooker. This is my version. It makes enough for 6 people.

2 lbs ground beef (a mixture of beef and pork also works)
1 29 ounce can tomato sauce
1 29 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 29 ounce can black beans (I often use a mixture of different beans - kidney, white, garbonzo - whatever you prefer)
2 large onions, diced
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons minced garlic (approximately 6 cloves)
2 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1-3 teaspoons cayenne pepper or 2-3 diced fresh jalapenos
1/2 pound sturdy whole wheat pasta (like rigatoni, shells, rotini, elbows etc)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Brown ground meat in skillet, breaking up chunks.

While meat is browning put the rest of the ingredients in a slow cooker except the pasta and cheese. When meat is browned add it to slow cooker and stir to combine. Cook on medium for 8-9 hours. One hour before it's done, turn to high and stir in pasta. When done, stir in cheese. Pass hot sauce if not spicy enough.

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Happy Cinco de Mayo with my Slow Cooker Pork Stew and Cornbread

Cinco de Mayo Pork Stew

2 1/2 pounds pork cutlets (country style pork ribs or pork for stew would also work)
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 jalapeno, diced
1 link chorizo sausage, halved and sliced into half moons
1 14 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 14 oz can kernal corn, drained (or 1 1/2 cups frozen)


Place pork in slow cooker.

Saute chorizo and jalapeno in a dry skillet. (If you start the chorizo first, you won't need any oil at all.) When chorizo is browned and peppers are fragrant pour over the pork in slow cooker. Add seasonings and vegetables then pour orange juice over it.

Cook on high for 4 hours or until pork is cooked through.

Serve with cornbread.

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Mexican Style Chicken and White Beans

After watching a television show about the value of eating white beans I put my thinking cap on and came up with this one.


Mexican Chicken and White Beans in Slow Cooker

3 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (about 18 ounces)
2 14 ounce cans of white beans (sometimes called cannellini)
2 large jalapeno peppers, diced
2 inch piece of chorizo, diced
2 leeks, cleaned, halved and sliced (just the white parts)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon oregano

In a skillet on medium high heat saute the chorizo until heated through and browned. Remove from skillet and add to a slow cooker pot. In oils from chorizo, brown the chicken breasts and then add to the slow cooker. In same pan again, saute jalapenos and add to slow cooker.

Slice up leeks and add to slow cooker. Open cans and add to slow cooker with the liquid. Add the seasonings.

Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours or until chicken is cooked through.

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