Unlike Lee’s last recipe, this one is as simple and cheap as it comes. Homey flavor – one-pot – done in 15 minutes. P and I also think it could be done with chicken, though we have yet to try, so don’t quote us on that.
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1 lrg chopped green/red pepper
1 can diced tomatoes
½ cup Italian dressing
1 cup water
2 pkgs roman noodles
Mozzarella
Directions
1. Brown ground beef (season if desired, I did with oregano, garlic, and basil) – Drain.
2. Add peppers and tomatoes to beef – heat through.
3. Add dressing and water.
4. Crumble in noodles – Bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to a simmer – Simmer for 5 min or until noodles are done.
6. Sprinkle Mozzarella on top.
Classic Chicken Pot Pie
Nothing worthwhile in this life is easy – with the exception of some of the recipes on this blog, of course. Tonight’s Wolfgang Puck-inspired addition to the blog does not fall in the “I’m tired and want to eat in 15 minutes” category, to be sure; rather, it falls into the equally valuable category of “it’s getting to be fall and I like the sound of spending some quality time in the kitchen.”
This recipe also lends itself to versatility – I think you could put almost any combination of veggies you would like – what makes this particularly special is the crust. Time-consuming to construct, to be sure, but well worth it.
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons snipped chives
3/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 egg yolks
5 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 medium can mushroom pieces
½ chopped onion or 1 10 ounce package frozen pearl onions, thawed
3/4 cup petite peas, thawed
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken stock (I used chicken bullion and water)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water (or just use the egg whites leftover from earlier in the recipe)
Prepare the pastry: Place the flour and chives in a bowl. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, work in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the cheese and work in until just blended. In a small bowl, whisk together the yolks and 5 tablespoons of the cream. Sprinkle the yolk mixture over the pastry dough, a little at a time, stirring with a fork until pastry comes together. Add remaining cream if necessary. Knead lightly until just combined. Press pastry into a circle; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add the butter and vegetable oil. Saute the chicken for 2-3 minutes, until lightly browned but not cooked through. With slotted spoon, remove chicken to bowl.
In the same pan, saute the carrots, celery, mushrooms, and raw onions for 5 minutes. With slotted spoon, remove vegetables to another bowl. Stir onions and peas into vegetables.
Prepare the sauce: In the same pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until the mixture is bubbling and smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and gradually whisk in stock, cream, and thyme. Return skillet to heat, bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Cook for 2 minutes until sauce has thickened and is smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in reserved chicken and vegetables. Set aside to cool for about 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spoon cooled chicken and vegetable mixture into a 10-inch deep-dish pie plate. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry into a circle 11-inches in diameter. Place pastry on top of chicken mixture. Trim pastry edge, fold overhang under and press gently all around baking dish to make a decorative edge. Brush pastry with beaten eggwash. Using a knife, cut 3 slits in center of pie. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until pastry is golden brown, chicken and vegetables are tender and filling is heated through.
This recipe also lends itself to versatility – I think you could put almost any combination of veggies you would like – what makes this particularly special is the crust. Time-consuming to construct, to be sure, but well worth it.
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons snipped chives
3/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 egg yolks
5 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 medium can mushroom pieces
½ chopped onion or 1 10 ounce package frozen pearl onions, thawed
3/4 cup petite peas, thawed
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken stock (I used chicken bullion and water)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water (or just use the egg whites leftover from earlier in the recipe)
Prepare the pastry: Place the flour and chives in a bowl. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, work in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the cheese and work in until just blended. In a small bowl, whisk together the yolks and 5 tablespoons of the cream. Sprinkle the yolk mixture over the pastry dough, a little at a time, stirring with a fork until pastry comes together. Add remaining cream if necessary. Knead lightly until just combined. Press pastry into a circle; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add the butter and vegetable oil. Saute the chicken for 2-3 minutes, until lightly browned but not cooked through. With slotted spoon, remove chicken to bowl.
In the same pan, saute the carrots, celery, mushrooms, and raw onions for 5 minutes. With slotted spoon, remove vegetables to another bowl. Stir onions and peas into vegetables.
Prepare the sauce: In the same pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until the mixture is bubbling and smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and gradually whisk in stock, cream, and thyme. Return skillet to heat, bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Cook for 2 minutes until sauce has thickened and is smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in reserved chicken and vegetables. Set aside to cool for about 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spoon cooled chicken and vegetable mixture into a 10-inch deep-dish pie plate. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry into a circle 11-inches in diameter. Place pastry on top of chicken mixture. Trim pastry edge, fold overhang under and press gently all around baking dish to make a decorative edge. Brush pastry with beaten eggwash. Using a knife, cut 3 slits in center of pie. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until pastry is golden brown, chicken and vegetables are tender and filling is heated through.
Brown Butter Soda Bread
In my quest for the perfect soda bread, I was anxious to try this recipe (another one from Bon Appétit via Epicurious) - especially since I happen to grow rosemary in my herb garden. Although it is a far cry from traditional soda bread in terms of flavor, the texture of both crust and inside is very similar. I followed the advice of those who reviewed the recipe and just stirred the dough instead of kneading, which kept the loaves soft. Unfortunately my oven continues to be unruly in its heat distribution (I set it for about 360 and it was running at 400 the first time I checked the bread!), so this batch got a little dried out, but these free-form loaves are definitely worth repeating, especially if I'm going to have company over and would like some bread to serve with a spread of olive oil, cheeses, and fruit.1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour (can use part wheat flour as well - I used about 1 1/2 cups wheat)
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper plus additional for topping
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
1 egg white, beaten to blend
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Stir butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until melted and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Stir flour, oats, sugar, rosemary, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper in large bowl to blend. Pour buttermilk and melted browned butter over flour mixture; stir with fork until flour mixture is moistened.
Either 1) turn dough out onto floured work surface and knead gently until dough comes together, about 7 turns, OR 2) work dough with fork until thoroughly (but not overly) mixed.
Divide in half. Shape each half into ball; flatten each into 6-inch round. Place rounds on ungreased baking sheet, spacing 5 inches apart. Brush tops with beaten egg white. Sprinkle lightly with ground black pepper. Using small sharp knife, cut 1/2-inch-deep X in top of each dough round.
Bake breads until deep golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool breads on rack at least 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Photo credit: Me (Leeann, for once :P)
Easy Lasagna
When one gets home from work, putting together a real dish of lasagna does not sound appealing. But sometimes one just gets in the mood for the flavors. I (that is Sarah) found this recipe online, but tweaked almost all of the measurements of the ingredients. Enjoy!
Ingredients
8 oz noodles (half a box)
2 tblsp butter
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
2 eggs beaten
1 lb ground beef
½ cup chopped green pepper
½ cup chopped onion
Crushed Garlic cloves to taste
10-16 oz tomato sauce
Oregano to taste
1 ½ - 2 cups cottage cheese (drained)
Mozzarella cheese
Directions
1. Cook noodles – Drain.
2. Transfer noodles to warm saucepan and stir in butter, Parmesan, and eggs.
3. Cook meat w/ onions, pepper and garlic – Drain.
4. Stir in tomato sauce and oregano – heat through.
5. Line a 9 inch pie dish with the noodles – pushing it up the sides. (Squish the noodles with a spatula so they stick to the sides and bottom.)
6. Cover the noodles (up the sides as well) with the cottage cheese.
7. Cover the cheese with the beef.
8. Spread the Mozzarella over the beef w/ a desired amount.
9. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 min or until bubbly and heated through.
10. Let sit for a few minutes and then cut into wedges
Serves 6-8 (depending on how hungry you are).
NOTE: This also is a great freezable recipe. Do everything up to step 7. Let the dish cool and then wrap and put into the freezer. When you want the meal fully defrost and then cook in the oven to the above specifications.
DOUBLE NOTE: To drain the cottage cheese I (Sarah) take a cup sized measuring cup and push the bottom side into the container of cottage cheese while holding it upside down over the sink. I know...real ingenious.
Ingredients
8 oz noodles (half a box)
2 tblsp butter
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
2 eggs beaten
1 lb ground beef
½ cup chopped green pepper
½ cup chopped onion
Crushed Garlic cloves to taste
10-16 oz tomato sauce
Oregano to taste
1 ½ - 2 cups cottage cheese (drained)
Mozzarella cheese
Directions
1. Cook noodles – Drain.
2. Transfer noodles to warm saucepan and stir in butter, Parmesan, and eggs.
3. Cook meat w/ onions, pepper and garlic – Drain.
4. Stir in tomato sauce and oregano – heat through.
5. Line a 9 inch pie dish with the noodles – pushing it up the sides. (Squish the noodles with a spatula so they stick to the sides and bottom.)
6. Cover the noodles (up the sides as well) with the cottage cheese.
7. Cover the cheese with the beef.
8. Spread the Mozzarella over the beef w/ a desired amount.
9. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 min or until bubbly and heated through.
10. Let sit for a few minutes and then cut into wedges
Serves 6-8 (depending on how hungry you are).
NOTE: This also is a great freezable recipe. Do everything up to step 7. Let the dish cool and then wrap and put into the freezer. When you want the meal fully defrost and then cook in the oven to the above specifications.
DOUBLE NOTE: To drain the cottage cheese I (Sarah) take a cup sized measuring cup and push the bottom side into the container of cottage cheese while holding it upside down over the sink. I know...real ingenious.
Brown Soda Bread
My (Leeann’s) recent trip to Ireland coupled with cooler nights that make me want to use my oven have resulted in a quest to perfect a vital part of Irish cuisine – soda bread.The first recipe I tried (from a ’96 issue of Bon Appétit via Epicurious.com) is a basic brown soda bread very similar to the fare served in cafes, restaurants and pubs I visited throughout my trip. Great with your favourite preserves or just toasted with butter, one of the benefits of most soda breads is that little to no rising and/or kneading is required – making preparation a breeze.
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons toasted wheat bran (I couldn’t find this so just doubled the wheat germ – turned out fine insofar as I could tell!)
3 tablespoons toasted wheat germ
2 tablespoons old-fashioned oats
2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 cups (about) buttermilk
Preheat oven to 425°F. Butter 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Combine first 8 ingredients in large bowl; mix well. Add butter; rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles fine meal. Stir in enough buttermilk to form soft dough. Transfer dough to prepared loaf pan. Bake until bread is dark brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Turn bread out onto rack. Turn right side up and cool on rack.
Photo credit: The talented Emily A.
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