Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Beef and Spinach Lasagna



This was a yummy heart healthy meal I found on the internet that looked worth trying! I even used a 55% less sodium spaghetti sauce which made it even more heart friendly for those watching that kind of thing, there are many ways to make a dish like this healthier for you! :) I think I would of used a little fresh parmesean cheese on top next time rather than only mozzarella for a little more flavor. It was quite yummy and I would for sure make it again.

A sweet friend of mine told me I should start selling my meals to those who were interested in a homemade meal ready to go and delivered to you. If you are at all interested let me know and I will get a menu out to you. Thanks for all of ya'lls support!
Spinach Lasagna is Whats Delectable for Dinner Tonight!!! CHEERS!

Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 jars (26 ounces each) meatless spaghetti sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 cups ricotta cheese
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
9 no-cook lasagna noodles
Directions
In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.

Stir in the spaghetti sauce, garlic, basil and oregano.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the spinach, ricotta and 1 cup mozzarella cheese until combined.


Spread 1-1/2 cups meat sauce into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.

Top with three noodles.

Spread 1-1/2 cups sauce to edges of noodles.

Top with half of the spinach mixture.

Repeat layers. Top with remaining noodles, sauce and remaining mozzarella cheese.
Cover and bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Yield: 12 servings.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Beef Fried Rice




This is a favorite of Lances. It is so quick and easy and has such a yummy taste!!!! This is a Taste of Home recipe that someone submitted. You will love it as much as we do!!!! (Hey look no cheese in this receipe!!!! :) Thats for my close cooking buddies, they know what this means!!! :)
ENJOY!

Ingredients
3 eggs
Dash pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 pound ground beef, cooked and drained
2 cups cooked long grain rice
2 small onions, chopped
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
Directions
In a large bowl, beat eggs and pepper until blended.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Pour eggs into skillet. As eggs set, lift edges, letting uncooked portion flow underneath.
When eggs are completely cooked, remove from the skillet; cut into strips; return to pan. Stir in the remaining ingredients.


Cook and stir over medium-low heat in remaining oil for 5 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 6 servings.

If you're using cold leftover rice in Beef Fried Rice, let it come to room temperature before adding it to the skillet so it doesn't cool down the other ingredients.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Chicken Marsala and Pasta Crudo

This was a very tasty dish. Lance requested me make an italian meal and have pasta crudo in it. So I tried 2 things I have never made before, Chicken Marsala and Pasta Crudo. The Marsala turned out just as I had hoped. Very flavorful and just as I had tasted in restaurants before. The pasta crudo was a new one for me as well. I found the recipe online. Pasta crudo is pasta with fresh basil, tomatoes garlic and shredded cheeses. I had no idea Lance liked this pasta dish so much! Learn something new everyday I guess. He used to love this little Italian restaurant back home in Niceville called "The Old Post Office" where his best friend worked. This became one of his favorite pasta dishes Troy would make.
He says my Crudo came out exactly like Old Post Office. I hope he was pleased and not just being a sweet husband with a sweet comment about my cooking! :) No, I really enjoyed cooking this and it was quite delectable I must agree! ENJOY!

Ingredients for Chicken Marsala

1/4 cup all-purpose flour for coating
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded 1/4 inch thick
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup Marsala wine
1/4 cup cooking sherry

Directions
1.In a shallow dish or bowl, mix together the flour, salt, pepper and oregano. Coat chicken pieces in flour mixture.
2.In a large skillet, melt butter in oil over medium heat. Place chicken in the pan, and lightly brown.

Turn over chicken pieces, and add mushrooms.

Pour in wine and sherry. Cover skillet; simmer chicken 10 minutes, turning once, until no longer pink and juices run clear.



Pasta Crudo Recipe

Pasta Crudo Recipe (2 servings):
Boil water
Add 1 c. pasta, cook until al dente.



Meanwhile, chop:
2 tomatoes
3 sprigs of basil
2 cloves garlic
And combine with:
A drizzle of olive oil
A pinch of salt
When the pasta is done cooking, drain and toss with tomatoes.



Stir in:
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 T shredded parmesan cheese




Optional:
Top with toasted pine nuts.
Tastes great hot, cold, or at room temperature

Monday, November 9, 2009

Spinach Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

This is a Taste of Home recipe I have been using for a couple years now. It takes a lot of work, but it is soooo worth it. I also usually double the recipe and get the pork tenderloins that have two in a pack. One trick, ask the butcher at the grocery store for some cooking string and they will normally just cut you some off. That way you dont have to buy any. :) Works everytime! ENJOY. Its SOOOO delectable.

Ingredients
1 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound)
1/2 teaspoon celery salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
4 slices provolone cheese
2 cups fresh spinach
2 thin slices deli ham (1/2 ounce each)
Directions
Cut a lengthwise slit down the center of the tenderloin to within 1/2 in. of bottom. Open tenderloin so it lies flat. On each half, make another, lengthwise slit down the center to within 1/2 in. of bottom; cover with plastic wrap. Flatten to 1/4-in. thickness. Remove plastic wrap; sprinkle pork with 1/4 teaspoon celery salt, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.


Layer with the cheese, spinach and ham.




Press down gently.
Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side. Tie the roast at 1-1/2-inch to 2-inch intervals with kitchen string.

Sprinkle with remaining celery salt, garlic powder and pepper. Place on a rack in a shallow baking pan.
Bake, uncovered, at 425° for 25-30 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160°. Transfer to a serving platter. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

White Bean Chicken Chili

This is a soup I have been making for years. It is a top favorite!!!! Hope you like it as much as we do!

Ingredients
1 lb. of chicken cut up, or 2 cans of cooked chicken, drained (I use the canned chicken and it is just as yummy and a lot less time consuming!)
1 medium onion, chopped
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 cans (15-1/2 ounces each) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth
2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions
In a large saucepan, saute the chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink(if you are using canned chicken just cook long enough to get onions soft).


Add the beans, broth, chilies and seasonings.


Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and cream.

Have a taste tester on hand in the kitchen!!! (Just kidding she was pretending!)


Whooo this is sooooo good!

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Black Bean Quesadilla Casserole



This is Rachel Rays recipe from her magazine. It caught my eye first because I love quesadillas, and secondly because it was under the budget section. This meal turned out to be $9.38 total, which comes out to be $2.35 per person! I have been trying to find ways to cut back on the prices of my meals, and this was one sure way of doing it. It is a meatless entree, so that cuts your costs right there, but full of protein and yummy for vegetarians and meat lovers both to enjoy! It turned out fantastic. For sure a keeper. Next time though I would use fresh cilantro instead of the fresh flat leaf parsley. Im not a big fan of the taste of parsley anyway and I think the cilantro would make it a little more mexican style. Also, I added a clove of fresh garlic to the onions when I was cooking them. I just simply love garlic is why, and it ended up paying off! Great flavor! ENJOY!

Quesadilla Casserole:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 29-ounce can black beans, drained, 1/2 cup liquid reserved
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (I used a 1/4 cup, "parsleys not my fave taste")
5 10-inch flour tortillas
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 cup store-bought green enchilada sauce

Pre-heat the oven to 400˚F.

In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add half of the beans and mash into a chunky paste.

Stir in the reserved liquid.
Grease a heavy, ovenproof skillet. In a bowl, combine the corn, parsley and remaining black beans.

Place a tortilla in the skillet and spread with 1/3 cup of the mashed black bean mixture. Top with 2/3 cup corn-bean mixture and 1/2 cup cheese. Press to compress the layers. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, mashed black beans, corn-bean mixture and cheese.




Bake until the cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through, about 30 minutes. Transfer to the broiler and cook for 1 minute(I ended up not doing the broiling at the end, because it was golden brown on top and looked perfect). Serve with the enchilada sauce on top.


"Thats Whats Delectable for Dinner Tonight!"

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Cheeseburger Chowder


Love, Love, Love this recipe!!!!! Pulled this from Taste of Home cookbook. Cooked this last night for dinner and it is a winner! This is perfect for cool evenings like we have had the last couple of nights. Very warm and filling recipe. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!!!!

1/2 pound ground beef
1 can cheddar cheese soup undiluted
1-3/4 cups milk
1 cup frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies
1 TBS taco seasoning
1 TBS dried minced onion
1/2 tsp chili powder
(coarsely crushed corn chips, shredded Monterey Jack cheese and chopped green onions, optional)

In a largesaucepan, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the soup, milk, potatoes, chilies, taco seasoning, onion and chili powder until blended. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes or until heated through. Garnish with corn chips and green onions if desired. Yummy yummy!!!!

"And thats whats delectable for dinner tonight, ENJOY!"

Monday, October 19, 2009

Cashew Chicken


Okay I finally decided to try it again, this time my fresh broccoli was good.
The recipe is very easy and simple, but the dish wasnt extremely flavorful. I would jazz it up next time. Lacked a little seasoning, still not sure what, but here is the recipe for those who would like to try and add a little spice to it. Enjoy!

1 pound boneless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch cubes
1 medium onion
2 cups broccoli cuts
1 3/4 cups boiling water
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
1 jar sliced mushrooms, drained
1 TBS chicken bouillon granules
1/2 to 1 tsp ground ginger
Pepper to taste
3/4 cup salted cashews, divided

Preheat oven to 375'

In a large bowl, combine the first 9 ingredients. Transfer to a greased shallow 1 and 1/2 qt. baking dish.

Cover and bake at 375' for 45-55 minutes or until rice is tender and chicken is no longer pink. Stir in 1/2 cup cashews.
Sprinkle with remaining cashews.

Enjoy!

Friday, October 16, 2009

Chicken Nachos for Entertaining


With football season, I love to make this for guests at our house. It is so yummy and makes sooo much! There are everyday pantry items in this that you would have on hand. You can add or take away as much as you like!!!!


1 bag of tortilla chips (I prefer the traditional triangular ones for this)
2 (12.5) oz cans of cooked chicken, drained
1 can of refried beans
1 can green chilies
2 small cans sliced olives drained
1 medium size tomato chopped and diced
handful of fresh green onions chopped
shredded cheddar cheese, enough to sprinkle and cover!!! :)
2-3 tsps taco seasoning.


In a medium sauce pan, add the 2 cans of cooked, drained chicken over medium heat until warm. With a spatula try to pull apart the chunks of the chicken to make smaller "same size" bites for the nachos. Once warm add the taco seasoning and enough water to soak it into the chicken. Once fully coated with the seasoning, set aside.
On a pizza pan (or cookie sheet) layer your nachos starting with the chips on the bottom. Next add the refried beans, seasoned chicken, green chilies, olives, green onions, tomatos, and of course top with the cheese covering the entire pan!!! :)

Place nachos into the oven at 400' for about 10 minutes. Watch them closely, it wont take long at this temp. I check mine every 2-3 minutes to see if the cheese has completely melted. Once the cheese has melted, pull them out and enjoy!!!!!

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

TexMex Corn Chip Chili

This is one of my favorite dishes to make during the fall!!!!! It is so hearty and yummy! Got this out of my Rachel Ray magazine a couple years back from a contest on the best chili's people submitted. I have changed it a bit and this is my version of it. I have begun to make it a little less spicy over the years with Kaylin eating it with us, so know that you can cut back on the chili powder and rotel. Enjoy!


2 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 sweet onion finely chopped, (about 1 cup)
1-2 cloves of garlic finely chopped. (I always use 2, but I love garlic)
1 TBS chili powder, "I have cut this back to a tsp and a half when Kaylin is eating it with us, to make it not so hot.
1 tsp ground cumin
One 15-ounce can black beans
One 15-ounce can pinto beans
One 10-ounce can tomatoes with green chiles
Salt and Pepper
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
12 ounces monteray jack cheese (I use block cheese and cut into pieces)
One bag corn chips, such as Fritos

In a Dutch Oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook for 7 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, chili powder and cumin and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add the beans, with their liquid, and the tomatoes; bring to a simmer.

Cook stirring occasionally, until thick, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Finely chop cilantro

Stir in the cilantro,

then top with the cheese,


cover and let stand until cheese melts, 5 to 10 minutes. Place a handful of corn chips in each bowl. Top with chili and serve.
ENJOY!


"Thats whats Delectable for Dinner Tonight!"

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Cashew Chicken

Another time I guess. Bought a bag of fresh cut brocolli for this tonight from Sams and it was ROTTEN! Looked perfect, smelled AWFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Laura

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Maple Baked Pork Loin Roast

Found this one online this weekend and thought I would give it a try. It was pretty good and very tender. Had a very sweet and tangy taste. All my after pictures looked gross since it had a red glaze on top with the ketchup soooo the looks are a little deceiving in this one but it was very yummy. Let me know if you try it.

* 1 tablespoon canola oil
* 1 (4 pound) boneless pork loin roast
* salt and pepper to taste
* all-purpose flour for dredging
* 3/4 cup maple syrup
* 3/4 cup ketchup
* 1/3 cup water
* 1 tablespoon minced garlic



DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Meanwhile, season the pork roast with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour, and shake off excess. Sear in hot oil until browned on all sides, about 1 minute per side.
3. Place onto a large sheet of aluminum foil set on top of a baking sheet; set aside. Stir together the maple syrup, ketchup, water, and garlic. Pour 3/4 of this sauce over the pork.

Fold the foil over the pork, and seal to form a packet.


4. Bake in preheated oven until the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F (75 degrees C), about 1 hour 45 minutes. Carefully open up the foil packet, and broil for a few minutes until the sauce glazes the meat. Serve with remaining sauce.



Thats whats delectable for dinner tonight!