Thanksgiving Side Dish in a Flash!

Good evening everyone!  As you all are well aware, Thanksgiving is just around the corner and there's lots of culinary adventures to find when cooking for family and friends.  Sometimes, you can plan out what you're going to serve this mass of people and sometimes, getting people together might involve short planning.  Tonight, I'll present a recipe that is ready under hour, flavorful, and, not to mention, incredibly healthy.

The Recipe:  Green Bean Casserole with Mushroom Sauce
Adapted from a Recipe Found In:  HyVee Seasons Holiday 2013 issue

What You'll Need:
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
4 Cups fresh Green Beans
1/4 Cup Bacon bits, if desired
1 Cup Italian style or plain Panko bread crumbs
3 Tablespoons melted Butter

To start, preheat an oven to 350 degrees.  While the oven is preheating, add the mushroom soup, green beans, and bacon in a glass, 2 quart baking dish.  Stir until all these ingredients are combined.  Set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, add the breadcrumbs and melted butter.  Toss these ingredients together until the butter coats the bread crumbs evenly.  Next, sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the green bean mixture until an even coat forms.

Once the oven reaches 350 degrees, place the baking dish in the oven and cook for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is hot and bubbly and the bread crumbs are golden brown.  Let the dish stand for five minutes, serve, and enjoy!

The End Result:

Now, I am quite a fan of the traditional Green Bean Casserole and we've done our best to improve this dish, but this might top them all.  Using fresh beans, as proven before, really boosts the whole flavor of this dish.  I guess I don't like my green beans to be a squishy consistency, but if it snaps in your mouth, that is my idea of a good green bean.  Using one can of cream of mushroom soup, instead of two or three, lightly coats the beans and doesn't overwhelm with mushroom flavor.  While the baked onions certainly add to the flavor of the classic casserole, the bread crumbs add a nice crunch to end the perfect trifecta of this dish.  Tyler even quipped that he would eat this variant of Green Bean Casserole again - which is saying a lot, since he doesn't like mushrooms and overdone green beans aren't his thing either.  Overall, this dish is ready in a snap, and is the perfect dish to add to any Thanksgiving spread.

Thanks for joining us tonight.  This will be a short week for us, due to the holiday.  We hope that you get to celebrate Thanksgiving with those you love and you have a list of things your are thankful for.  We know that we are thankful for all our readers and supporters of our blog, so we thank you!  Join us next week as we continue to share great recipes from our kitchen to yours.  Until then,

~Cheers!

Pizza for Breakfast or is it Breakfast in Pizza Form?

Good evening everyone!  Tyler and I are big fans of combining two different food combinations together.  When it comes to swapping flavors in different cuisines or different meals, we are big ones for trying it.  One of these happens to be breakfast pizza.  While the concept is relatively old hat, we are big fans of this "breakfast for supper" idea and we couldn't be more excited to share our first breakfast pizza with our followers!

The Recipe:  Egg and Bacon Breakfast Pizza
Original Recipe Found In:  Cooking Light, December 2013 issue

What You'll Need:
12 Ounces refrigerated fresh Pizza Dough
1 Teaspoon Olive Oil
2.5 Ounces part-skim Mozzarella Cheese, shredded (about 2/3 cup)
3-4 center-cut Bacon slices
4 large Eggs
1 Tablespoon grated Parmesan Cheese
2 Tablespoons minced fresh Chives
2 Tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf Parsley

To start, place a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet in a oven and preheat the oven to 500 degrees.  Keep the pizza stone or baking sheet in the oven the entire time while the oven preheats.  While this is happening, lightly flour a workable surface, place the pizza dough over the flour, and let the dough stand at room temperature for thirty minutes.  You can also cook the bacon slices during this time frame.  Once the bacon is cooked, place on a paper towel lined plate and crumble once cooked.

After the thirty minutes have elapsed, roll the dough into a 14-inch circle, dusting with flour if necessary.  Next, pierce the entire surface of the dough liberally with a fork.  By this time, the oven (and baking sheet) should be preheated.  Take the baking sheet out of the oven and arrange the dough carefully on top.  Brush the dough lightly with oil and begin to assemble the pizza.  

Top the dough with the mozzarella cheese and bacon.  Next, very carefully crack the eggs on top of the pizza, ensuring equal space is between the eggs.  Finally, sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and place the baking sheet back in the oven.  Bake the pizza at 500 degrees for eight minutes or until the crust has browned and the eggs are just set.  Sprinkle the pizza with chives and parsley, cut into eight slices, serve, and enjoy!

The End Result:

Breakfast Pizza has one very distinguishable trait is that it has no marinara sauce or any traditional toppings that one would recognize as pizza.  But with the eggs, bacon, and mozzarella cheese, this definitely stands out on it's own.  While I cooked the pizza a bit too long, the eggs should be runny upon breaking the yolks and will create its own sauce.  The mozzarella is melted perfectly and the bacon adds a final bit of meatiness to the pizza.  If you like a pizza that won't leave you stuffed, but will leave you satisfied, you will find a winner here!

Thanks for joining us this week.  We share two brand new recipes with you next week.  Until then,

~Cheers!

Soup: Simple & Savory

Good evening everyone! I’m frequently asked how I taught myself to cook – people are frequently overwhelmed by the prospect of cooking 100% from scratch meals and don’t even know where to begin when trying a task for themselves. My answer is always the same, I taught myself through trial and error and with a lot of help from Jamie Oliver’s “Food Revolution” cookbook. His cookbook broke complicated cooking concepts into basic English and made an overwhelming task relatively easy for a beginner.

From there, I moved on to America’s Test Kitchen recipes, which carefully laid out WHY flavoring works the way it does. This was supplemented by episodes of Alton Brown’s TV show “Good Eats” which explained the science of cooking alongside easy to follow instructions. It was a process and certainly didn’t happen overnight, but by taking small steps, I was able to effectively teach myself to cook from scratch.

“That’s all well and good” folks typically respond, “But I don’t even know where I’d begin to do something like that” that exchange typically ends the conversation. Most people are looking for the “starter recipe” something that is hard to mess up, but that will teach layering and other basic cooking techniques that are necessary for more advanced recipes. Pity such a recipe doesn’t exist, right?

Wrong.

In fact, we’re in the PERFECT season for just such recipes (yes, recipes, with an “S”). What is this wonder dish, this teacher of all teachers? Soup. Humble soup is the perfect candidate for the beginning chef, or those looking to brush up on their culinary skills (advanced chefs love it too – FYI). It’s almost impossible to mess up (too thick? congratulations, you made stew!) it has a decent amount of prep work (great practice) and it shows you how to layer different ingredients to create beautiful flavors.

If you haven’t figured it out, soup is on the menu tonight – and it’s one of my all time favorite recipes. Let’s get cooking!

The Recipe: Vegetable Soup

Original Recipe From: Good Eats (2004)

What You’ll Need:

(Serves 6 to 8)

4 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 Cups Chopped Leeks (White part only, rinsed well)*

2 Tablespoons Minced Garlic

2 Cups Carrots (Peeled, chopped)**

2 Cups Russet Potatoes (Peeled, diced)

2 Cups Fresh Green Beans (Cut into ¾ inch pieces)

2 Quarts Chicken Broth or Vegetable Broth

4 Cups Tomatoes (Peeled, diced, seeded – canned works well as a substitute)

2 Cups Corn Kernels***

¼ Cup Packed Fresh Parsley Leaves

1 to 2 Teaspoons Fresh Lemon Juice

* By “white part only” the recipe means for you use the base of the leek all the way until the stem turns a darker green. You want everything that’s white to green/white (typically ½ to ¾ of the stem). For 2 cups, you’ll need about 3 medium leeks.

** Two medium carrots should yield two cups. We had smaller carrots, so we used four carrots. Adjust accordingly depending on what you can find.

*** If using fresh, 2 years of corn should yield two cups.

It’s tempting to take a shortcut with this recipe and simply use a bag of frozen vegetables to cut out the prep work. DON’T DO IT. While frozen vegetables certainly have their uses in recipes, they simply aren’t meant for this one. Go with as many fresh ingredients as you can, you’ll appreciate the final result when it’s all said and done. For our recipe, the only thing we could no longer find fresh was corn, so we had to use frozen corn kernels instead. Everything else was fresh and readily found in our grocery store.

Ideally for this recipe, you should use a large stock or soup pot with high sides. We’re not equipped with a stock pot, so we used our largest pot (our dutch oven) and while it worked, the pot was a bit crowded. If you have a tall narrow stock or stew pot – use it!

Begin by heating the olive oil in your pot over medium low heat. Once the oil is hot and shimmering slightly, add the leeks, garlic and a pinch of salt (the salt will help pull the moisture for the leeks) and cook until the leeks begin to soften. This takes about 5 to 8 minutes. Next, add the carrots, potatoes and green beans. Cook, stirring occasionally, for an additional 5 minutes.

Slowly add the stock, then increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a light simmer. Once simmering, carefully stir in the tomatoes and corn kernels. Add a pinch of pepper to the pot as well. Stir to combine and then bring the mixture to a light simmer again before reducing the heat to medium low. Cover the pot and allow the vegetables to cook until they are tender – this take about 30 to 45 minutes, depending on how crowded your pot is (less room, more cooking time).

Once the veggies are tender, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the parsley and lemon juice. Season the soup with additional salt and pepper as needed (careful not to over season, it’s easy to add more salt, darn near impossible to take out excess seasoning after the fact). Serve immediately and enjoy!

Tip: if you find that some “foam” or “scum” from your veggies has risen to the top of the pot, simply use a small strainer or ladle to pull it off the surface and discard.

The Results:

The flavors of this recipe place it in my top 3 soup recipes of all time. The perfect blending of the veggies (hearty potatoes, fresh green beans, bright carrots, sweet corn) melding with the acidic tomatoes creates one of the most harmonious and fresh tasting dishes you’ll ever try.

The extra prep work that comes with this recipe is a great way to learn knife skills (there’s a LOT of cutting) and the diet friendly calorie count (255 per serving) just adds to this recipe’s appeal. If you’re looking for a place to begin your own culinary adventure or is you’re simply looking for a healthy soup for these cool fall nights, this recipe is sure to impress.

That's all we have for you this evening. Maggie takes to the kitchen tomorrow night with a brand new spin on pizza. Be sure to stop by and check it out!

Until then,

~Cheers

Incredibly Tasty (Vegetarian) Tacos

Good evening everyone!  As I have mentioned numerous times here on the blog, I have always tried to strive to find Mexican dishes that are also healthy for you.  It's a win-win all around:  one gets to enjoy the tastiness of Mexican cuisine, plus not feeling guilty after you eat it.  While I have found several recipes that exemplify this perfect balance, tonight's dish might be the pinnacle of that ultimate goal.  While we mix some unique flavors and ingredients, this dish has definitely been well worth the search of the perfect healthy, Mexican recipe.

The Recipe:  Black Bean Tacos with Feta Slaw
Original Recipe Found In:  Cooking Light, November 2013 Issue

What You'll Need:
1 center-cut Bacon slice
1 Cup vertically sliced White Onion
2 Teaspoons minced fresh Garlic
1/2 Jalapeño Pepper, seeded and chopped
1 (15 ounce) can seasoned Black Beans
3/4 Teaspoon ground Cumin
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon White Wine Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Canola Mayonnaise
1/4 Teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper
2 Cups Angel Hair Coleslaw
1/4 Cup Cilantro leaves
2 Green Onions, thinly sliced
8 (6 inch) Corn Tortillas
1 Ounce Feta Cheese, crumbled

To start, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Once heated, add the bacon and cook for two minutes, or until crisp.  Remove from the skillet and place on a plate.  When cool, crumble the bacon into small pieces.  Next, add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño to the drippings in the skillet.  Cook these ingredients until the onion is tender, or three minutes.  Place the onion mixture in a small bowl and set aside.  

In another bowl, lightly mash one cup of the black beans, until the beans have split open, but are not completely smashed.  Add the mashed beans, cumin, salt, and remaining beans from the can into the skillet.  Cook this mixture until everything is thoroughly heated, about two minutes, stirring occasionally.  Once heated, add the bacon crumbles.

Next, in a large bowl, combine the vinegar, mayonnaise, and black pepper.  Whisk together until all the ingredients are incorporated.  Add the coleslaw, cilantro, and green onions.  Toss all the ingredients together, until the dry ingredients are coated.

Place the tortillas on a microwave safe plate and heat, according to package directions.  Once heated, top the tortillas evenly with the bean mixture and sprinkle with the onion and coleslaw mixtures.  Top with the feta cheese, serve, and enjoy!

The End Result:

Oh, my tasty!  The black beans create a texture that is hard to rival with ground beef or chicken, but it leaves you so much more satisfied than what typical meats can do.  All the ingredients are in harmony with one another and there's not one ingredient that stands out from the rest.  The slaw isn't too heavy, but punches the right notes flavor wise.  The onions aren't super potent, but give a slight hint of garlic flavor.  The feta might stand out more than the other ingredients, but it's hard to pick out amongst everything else in the tacos.  Overall, a great, vegetarian, healthy Mexican dish (did I mention it's only 200 calories for two tacos?) with loads of flavor, that will amp up any dinner tonight!

Thanks for joining us this week.  Be sure to stop by next week as we continue our culinary adventures.  Until then,

~Cheers!

New & Improved Chicken Gravy on Mashed Potatoes

Good evening everyone! One of my all-time favorite winter/fall dishes is chicken gravy on biscuits or mashed potatoes. It's one of the simplest, most flavorful dishes you can cook up to really fill up the family on a cool evening while not spending all day in the kitchen. A couple of years ago, I made up my own recipe for chicken gravy and it worked out nicely.

The one downside to these types of dishes, and really this applies to any slow cooker recipe in general, is that the fat of the meat you're using can infiltrate the dish and sabotage the healthy qualities of your dish. This was true of my original recipe as well. The fat from the chicken dissolved right into the gravy, lowering the overall quality of the dish and making it a bit unsightly too.

So, I set out to take my original recipe and fix the fat problem. How exactly do you rid the grease and fat from the gravy, without losing the flavor? It's not a matter of simply cutting off the skin and fat from the chicken before cooking - you'll dry out the meat and the flavor will be underwhelming (we want the fat to add flavor while we're cooking, but we don't want to eat it when it's done...yes, we're picky).

After some brainstorming, I came up with a two part system that actually improves on the final flavor of the dish. Interested? Then let's get cooking!


The Recipe: New & Improved Chicken Gravy
This is an Out of the Culinary Original Recipe!

What You'll Need:

1 Whole Chicken (Neck & Giblets removed - weight determined by the size of crowd you're feeding)
4 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1 Small onion (Diced)
1 Bag Frozen Mixed Vegetables (Fresh are preferred, but we're not really in the season for good fresh veggies)


Begin by prying the skin up from the chicken to form 'pockets' between the meat and skin. Using your choice of herbs and/or spices, rub these pockets with seasoning until both the top and bottom of the bird are covered. (I used thyme and lemon pepper).

Add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of chicken broth into a large slow cooker and place the chicken inside. Cover and cook on high for 3 to 5 hours.

After the chicken has cooked for most of the day, use a pair of tongs and pull off the skin (it should pop off quite easily - if it's still rubbery, give the chicken another hour to cook). Discard the skin.

Use the tongs to pluck the meat from the bones of the chicken, transfer the meat to a large bowl, and the bones and other undesirable pieces (fat, skin remnants) should be transferred to another bowl. Continue until you've removed all of the meat from the chicken, making sure to discard the bones when finished.

Carefully (use oven mitts or a kitchen towel) remove the crock pot bowl (if removable, if not, carry the entire pot) and pour the liquid through a strainer and down the drain. (The strainer catches any bones or other debris that has settled to the bottom during cooking). I know this is recipe blasphemy for many chefs, but my entire premise is to remove the fat from the meat - and the fat is currently living in that broth. By discarding it, we cut out all of the fat.

Return the crock pot bowl to the crock pot and wipe it clean with a lightly damp paper towel. Return the chicken to the crock pot and add 2 cups of low sodium chicken broth. Set on low and cover.

Next, add a drizzle of vegetable oil to a 12 inch non stick skillet over medium high heat and cook the onion until it becomes translucent. Add the frozen veggies to the skillet and cook them for 3 to 5 minutes, or until they begin to thaw.

Finally, add 1/2 cup of the chicken broth to the skillet and cover, allowing the veggies to lightly simmer until cooked through. This should take an additional 5 to 10 minutes.

Once cooked through, carefully transfer the veggies and broth to the crock pot with the chicken. Stir well to incorporate and increase the heat to high. Allow the contents to cook for an additional 1 to 3 hours. Right before serving, stir in flour, one tablespoon at a time, until the mixture reaches the desired thickness. I like a thick gravy, so I used 4 tablespoons of flour, but your results will likely vary.

Serve the gravy over mashed potatoes or biscuits and enjoy!

The Results:

Just like our first foray into chicken gravy, the end result of this dish was delightfully savory and full of great natural flavors. This dish, however, seemed brighter and more fresh than the first version. I cannot attribute this purely to the removal of (most) of the fat, as different veggies or a better quality chicken could have helped this as well. It certainly didn't hurt things by removing the excess fat and cooking in this two stage process. In fact, I may use this two stage method whenever possible when cooking with a slow cooker - it seemed to clean up the flavors and helped greatly in reducing the fat within the dish.

If you're looking for a flavorful and filling dish for these cold fall nights, this chicken gravy recipe certainly hits the spot!

That's all we have for you this evening. We're back tomorrow night with a brand new recipe. Until then,

~Cheers

Bringing Mexican Food to a Casserole Dish Near You!

Good evening everyone!  If you've been living under a rock for the last two years or so, you, or someone you know, is on Pinterest.  It's a great website for anyone wanting to share DIY projects, hair or makeup secrets, travel tips, and recipes.  I'm on Pinterest more than I care to imagine, but when I find stellar recipes, I simply have to transition them from Pinterest to our blog.  Tonight's recipe is no exception and it most definitely excels when there are a lot of not-so great dishes.

The Recipe:  Enchilada Pasta Casserole
An adaption from a recipe found on www.pinterest.com

What You'll Need:
1 Pound Ground Beef
1/2 Teaspoon Chili Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Cumin
1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
5 Ounces Cream Cheese
1/4 Cup light Sour Cream
1 Can (10 oz.) Enchilada Sauce*
1 Cup shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese, divided*
1 Cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese, divided*
1 Cup frozen Corn kernels, thawed
1 Can (4 oz.) diced Green Chiles
12 Ounces Egg Noodles*

*Note:  While the changes I made to this recipe aren't that dramatic, they are worth noting if you want to follow the original recipe or my own.  There are differing degrees of hotness that enchilada sauce comes in.  We played it safe and went with mild.  To save some time (and cheese purchases,) you can buy a large bag of shredded cheddar and jack cheeses, just be sure there are at least two cups of cheese in the bag.  Instead of egg noodles, we chose a variant called Mafalda, which are like egg noodles, but shrunken down and more wrinkly.  More on that substitution later.

To start, preheat an oven to 350 degrees.  While the oven is heating up, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium high heat.  Once at a boil, add the desired pasta and cook according to package directions.  Also, you can begin to brown the ground beef over medium heat in a very large skillet.  When the beef is cooked, drain in a colander and rinse well with water.  Add the beef back to the skillet.

When the beef is back in the skillet, add the chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper.  Stir to combine the spices and beef.  Next, add the cream cheese and stir until all the ingredients are combined.

In a large bowl, combine the sour cream, enchilada sauce, half the cheddar cheese, half the monterey jack cheese, corn kernels, and diced green chills.  Stir to combine.  By this time the cream cheese should be melted in the skillet.  Pour the enchilada sauce mixture in the skillet and let simmer for three to five minutes, until slight bubbling occurs.

Sure it doesn't look like much, but there's tons of flavor, bubbling in that skillet!

Once the pasta is cooked, drain in a colander and transfer to the skillet.  Stir everything slowly and carefully, as the skillet might be at capacity with all the ingredients.  Once all the ingredients are coated with the sauce, transfer to a large casserole dish and top with the remaining cheese.

Place the dish in the oven and cook for 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted.  Remove the dish from the oven, serve, and enjoy!

The End Result:

I've made my fair share of recipes from Pinterest that have often failed.  This recipe is on the completely other end of the spectrum.  All the ingredients were blended together so well and complement each other to a T.  There's not one ingredient that stands out above the rest, although the "mild" enchilada sauce left a little residual heat in the back of my throat.  The Mafalda was an excellent choice for pasta because the sauce clings to it and makes it even more delicious.  I could see this being a great family dish or one of those classic comfort casseroles.  If you enjoy Mexican food, in a recipe that won't be too intimidating to make, this recipe is for you!

Thanks for joining us this week; check back next week as we continue to share our culinary adventures.  Until then,

~Cheers!

Penne With Vodka Sauce - The Sequel!

Good evening everyone! We’ve made a lot of dishes on the blog (over 300 unique recipes in 3 years) and some of them have become personal favorites. The problem is, if we ever want to return to a dish that was a success, we have to alter the recipe or find another, slightly different, form of the same dish (to avoid “double dipping” on the blog).

It’s a fun challenge, taking a recipe that you know works as originally creating and finding an adaptation to it. It really lets your curiosity and creativity reign. Tonight, we’re returning to a dish from the first year of the blog – Penne with vodka sauce. When we cooked up the America’s Test Kitchen version of this recipe, we found that the vodka enhanced tomato sauce became rich and full of flavor, with a nice "bite". So, how do you take an already great sauce and make it better?

If you said “add bacon” you’re wrong. Close. But wrong. Let’s get cooking and find out!

The Recipe: Penne with Vodka Sauce and Pancetta

Recipe Inspired by: America’s Test Kitchen & Eatingwell.com

What You’ll Need:

12 Ounces Penne

8 Ounces Thinly Sliced Pancetta

1 Small Onion, Diced

3 Cloves Garlic, Diced

½ Cup Vodka

28 Ounces Crushed Tomatoes

¼ Cup Half and Half

2 Teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce

½ Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

¼ Cup Chopped Fresh Basil

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and prepare the pasta according to package instructions. Cook the penne until it has just become tender. (12 to 15 minutes on average).

Set a large (12 inch) non stick skillet over medium high heat and add the pancetta (don’t overlap the pieces). Cook until the pancetta crisps slightly, cooking time will vary based on the thickness of your pancetta. Set the cooked pieces aside until they cool slightly then chop them into small pieces with a  chef’s knife.

Using the same skillet over medium high heat, add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion becomes translucent. Next, increase the heat to high and add the vodka. Allow the mixture to come to a boil. Continue to boil until about ½ of the liquid cooks off (5 minutes).

Stir in the tomatoes, half and half, Worcestershire sauce and the crushed red pepper flakes. Reduce the temperature until the mixture is at a light simmer. Allow the mixture to simmer until it thickens, roughly 10 to 15 minutes, before stirring in the pancetta.

Serve the sauce over the pasta, topped with fresh basil. Enjoy!

The Results: 

Both recipes contained almost the same ingredients (although quantities did vary slightly) so it should come as no surprise that this edition tasted very similar to the original recipe cooked up nearly 3 years ago. The sauce is rich, but has a nice "bite" courtesy of the vodka. If you don't like tomato heavy sauces, this is one you may be interested in trying. The sauce itself is very light and simply clings to the penne - you're not drowning the pasta with this sauce, which is a nice bonus. 

The difference between this recipe and the original, however, was the pancetta and the pancetta was the star of the dish. Lightly crispy, full of flavor and still (somehow) juicy - the pancetta transformed the sauce from "nice compliment" to the pasta to "headliner" of the recipe. It's amazing how much one ingredient can transform a dish, but pancetta's inclusion to this recipe makes this an all time favorite. 

That's all we have for you this evening, we're back tomorrow night with a brand new recipe. Until then, 

~Cheers