3-4-15
Backyard Produce and snowy weather equals giant box of veggies and the need for some yummy comfort foods! Since my darling daughter has been working some crazy hours decided I needed to do some extra cooking for her as well. Between working and percolating my newest grand baby figured it was the least I could do! Not a huge fan of the traditional pot pie so started doing some recipe exploring and kept reading frozen bag of vegetables. Needless to say, I was on my own. This is the result!
1 large chicken breast, cut in half then sauteed and shredded
2 or 3 pieces of garlic, grated
2 large carrots, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
2 large potatoes, diced
1/2 pound green beans, cut into bite size pieces
1/4 bag of frozen peas or 1 small can
1/2 cup stock (I used vegetable)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 small box of buttermilk biscuit mix
I cooked chicken breast about 4-5 minutes on each side in large skillet with olive oil, salt and ground black pepper then removed and let rest while I sauteed the veggies.
Used the same pan for the veggies, added grated garlic first. After just a few minutes added in potato and cooked until they started to brown (about six minutes). Added carrots and onions, cooked about five minutes, then added in celery and green beans and let cook another five minutes.
Tossed frozen peas on top, poured stock over and stirred, be sure to scrape bottom of pan and get up bits of garlic and onion! Let simmer for a few minutes and then add in shredded chicken and soup and stir well. Bring to a boil and let simmer for another few minutes.
Mix biscuit mix according to package directions. Since I was making for two families I used bread pans. Divided the chicken and veggies between the two pans. Divided the biscuit dough in half and patted flat and placed it on top of the mixture.
Baked at 350 degrees for thirty minutes.
2-16-14
This has been a family favorite for years!
5-6 pound smoked picnic or ham, cut off rind and visible fat
5 large potatoes, cut in cubes
1 bag baby carrots, cut in half
1 cabbage cut into quarters
1 large onion, sliced or diced
Place meat into a large stockpot and cover with water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer at least 3 hours. Add water if necessary to keep meat covered.
Do not put any spices in the water! Smoked pork is salty.
After 3 hours add potatoes let cook about ten minutes, stir, then add carrots, after another ten minutes, stir and add the cabbage and finally wait five more minutes, stir and add the onions. Let simmer at least ten minutes and then turn off heat.
Use slotted spoon to remove veggies and meat from pot and place in large bowl. Try to drain as much water as possible so doesn't get too soggy. Pull meat apart into hunks and serve. Add salt and pepper to individual plates at table if wanted.
2-12-15
Backyard Produce sent me a package of grape tomatoes and Smiley360 sent me a coupon to try a free package of
Seeds of Change rice. This is the result!
3-4 Pork chops
1 container grape tomatoes
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 package Seeds of Change Quinoa and Brown Rice
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp water
Salt and Pepper to taste
In large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Season both sides of pork chops with salt and pepper and put in skillet. Let brown for 4-5 minutes and then turn over. Put onions and tomatoes on top, sprinkle with a bit more salt, pepper and olive oil. Cover and let cook for another 4-5 minutes.
Tomatoes should start to split, mash with a fork to release the juices. Turn over chops one more time so onions are on bottom of pan and chops are on top of them.
Break up rice in package and pour over top of chops. Add couple of tablespoons of water, cover and let simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Remove cover and stir rice into bottom of pan so soaks up tomato juice. Serve.
1-23-15
Ratatouille is a delicious vegetable dish that can stand alone or be served with protein of your choice. One skillet and one casserole dish are all you need, fairly simple prep and then bake for 45 minutes. I add shredded 6 Italian cheese mix to the top the last few minutes and then serve.
1 eggplant, cubed
2 zucchini, sliced
2 tomatoes, diced
3 ribs celery, sliced
1 onion, thin slices (rings)
1 bell pepper, cut into strips
1 cup mushrooms, sliced (optional)
1 cup Parmesan cheese, I like fresh but can use grated
1/2 cup Shredded 6 cheese Italian
3 cloves garlic, grated
2-3 tsp parsley flakes
salt to taste
olive oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat bottom and sides of a 2 quart casserole dish with olive oil.
In skillet, heat about a tbsp of olive oil and add garlic, let garlic start to brown and then add in eggplant and 1 tsp of the parsley flakes. Cook until eggplant starts to turn soft, about 10-15 minutes. Stir often, if starts to stick to pan okay to add a bit more olive oil! Salt to taste.
Put cooked eggplant into bottom of casserole dish, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Layer with veggies and after each layer add a bit more of the parsley, salt and Parmesan cheese.
Zucchini
Mushrooms
Onions
Bell Pepper
Celery
Tomato
I bake about 45 minutes and then take out and add the shredded cheese to the top and put back in the oven for about 5 minutes or so. Long enough to let the cheese melt.
1-20-15
Delicious! Had these fantastic carrots to use from my Backyard Produce box and the grocery store had a great bottom round roast on sale and H needed dinner tonight too. This is the end result:
4 lb beef bottom round roast
6 red potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 ribs celery, sliced
1 pouch beefy onion soup mixed into 1 cup water
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup red wine
4 cloves of garlic peeled and cut in half
1/2 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste
In bottom of crock pot place potatoes, carrots and celery.
Make slits in top of roast and slide garlic into pouch.
Mix rosemary, marjoram, thyme, onion powder, and paprika and rub into top and side of roast. Sprinkle a bit of it over the vegetables and then place roast on top of vegetables.
Mix soup mix, water, Worcestershire and red wine together and pour over roast and veggies.
Roast on high 6-8 hours. Meat will fall apart with a fork!
Sprinkle salt and pepper over top and serve.
1-19-15
This was my attempt to recreate a meal that we ate in Jamaica on our last trip. I had a Smiley360 mission for Seeds of Change that gave me a free coupon to try a pouch of rice and this is where it took me!
1 pouch Seeds of Change Spanish Style Rice
1 15 oz can Mixed beans, heat in small saucepan
1 Beef sausage, sliced
2-3 zucchini peeled and sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
Caribbean jerk spice to taste
1/4 cup water
In large skillet heat olive oil over medium high heat and then add sausage. Sprinkle with jerk spice to taste, we like it a bit spicy so I use about 1 teaspoon of medium heat. Cook 3-4 minutes and then turn over so both sides are brown. Drain off most of the grease then add in zucchini. Sprinkle with a bit more jerk spice. Cook 3-4 minutes and add in beans. Stir until mixture begins to bubble. Break up rice (according to package directions) then open pouch and add along with the 1/4 cup water. Stir well so all rice is mixed with liquid. Bring back to slow bubble and serve. Just before serving I added one more sprinkle of jerk and a dash of salt.
1-11-15
Pork ribs. This recipe involves some prep work so definitely a plan ahead meal. I cut the ribs into sections of 3-4 ribs. I made the marinade and put rub on ribs and then let sit in the fridge for about an hour or so. Next, I seared all sides and then made a foil package on baking sheet to slow cook in oven for 3-4 hours. Removed from oven and put into skillet with cooking juices and barbecue sauce. 10 minutes, rest another 10 and serve. Well worth the effort!
Marinade:
2 cups apple juice or cider
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 green onions diced
Mix marinade in good size pan or bowl with lid. Use something that is large enough for all of the meat to be sitting in the marinade. I usually make about 4 pounds of ribs and that feeds Joe and I with enough left for lunch the next day!
Dry rub base:
2 tsp Caribbean jerk (medium)
2 tsp Cumin
2 tsp Coriander seed (ground)
2 tsp Garlic powder
2 tsp Smoked paprika
1 tsp Nutmeg
I usually keep this mix already made and use it as a base!
After applying dry rub base to ribs I put them in marinade then sprinkle with parsley flakes, thyme and cilantro. Cover and place in fridge. Store left over rub in air tight container, will keep for months! Will probably use about a third to half of rub.
Sear:
Heat skillet on medium high, add enough olive oil to coat bottom of pan. As soon as oil heats up, add ribs and let sear about 4 minutes on each side. Using tongs turn to get ends seared as well. While searing, preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Once seared, place on aluminum foil (shiny side down) on good sized cookie sheet. Fold sides up to form a "pouch" to pour left over marinade in. Sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper then take another piece of foil and make lid. Be sure to close ends and sides so steam stays inside pouch. Bake at 325 degrees for 3-4 hours. I usually check to see if meat is fork tender after 3 hours. Be careful when you open end of pouch to let steam out so you don't get burnt. Also, make sure side of pouch stays up so liquid doesn't spill out! Trust me on this one!!
Once meat is fork tender you will move back to a skillet to finish off with cooking juices and barbecue sauce. Simmer about ten minutes then remove from heat and let rest for ten minutes before serving.
My favorite barbecue sauce is one that I learned from Rachael Ray. I make and use this sauce all the time!
1 cup ketchup
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp coarse ground pepper
2 shots of bourbon
2 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
juice of 1/2 orange
Place all ingredients in saucepan and simmer over medium low about 20 minutes. Be sure to stir sauce every now and then. I have also used grated garlic instead of diced when I use this for burgers.
