6. Tex-Mex Mac-n-Cheddar with Beef and Peppers

Ok, so this one didn’t turn out quite as tex-mexy as I had anticipated.  I couldn’t find shredded white cheddar at the store and I wasn’t in the mood to shred my own (lazy I know!) so I used a mix of white and yellow cheddar.  I also got to cooking this and as it was the end of the week, I realized that I had either not purchased enough peppers this week, or poorly rationed them through earlier meals, thus no peppers.  It was the very last meal of the week so all I had left in the fridge was a bag of spinach, so wilted in spinach it was!

It actually ended up tasting really good, but a bit of a deviation from the original plan :)

**This recipe comes from Rachael Ray 365 – No Repeats.  Most of the recipes are directly from the book, but some I do change out ingredients a bit for things my family prefers. I’ll add my own comments in with a **.

What do you need?

Coarse Salt
1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi (corkscrew-shaped pasta) 
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) (Once around the pan)
1 pound ground sirloin
1 red or yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into thin strips
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
3 cups whole milk
1 cup chicken stock or broth
3 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Freshly ground black pepper

Now what?

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add salt to season the cooking water, then add the pasta.  Cook for 8 minutes or until the pasta is cooked al dente .  Drain well and return to the pot.

While the pasta cooks, preheat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add a drizzle of EVOO and the beef.  Brown the meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon.  Add the peppers and cook together for 5 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

**I actually changed the making of the sauce a bit for this recipe.  I wasn’t in the mood to dirty yet another pan, so I went ahead and cooked the onions with the beef.  I removed it from the pan and used that very same pan to make the cheese sauce – I had to make use of all the caramelized bits at the bottom of the pan!**

While the beef cooks, heat a medium sauce pot over medium-low heat.  Add the EVOO and heat with the butter until it melts.  Add the onions and cook for 3 to 5 minutes to sweat them out and turn the juices sweet.  Raise the heat a bit, then whisk in the four, cayenne, and paprika.  Whisk together until the roux bubbles up, then cook for 1 minute more.  Whisk in the milk and stock and raise the heat a bit higher to bring the sauce to a quick boil.  Once it bubbles, drop the heat back to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens, 3 to 5 minutes. **I whisk in about half of my liquids to see how thick it becomes, then keep adding in more until my sauce is the perfect thickness. **

 

Add the cheese to the thickened sauce and stir to melt it, a minute or so.  Stir in the mustard and season the sauce with salt and pepper.  Pour over the  cooked pasta and toss to combine.   Fold in the beef and bell peppers.  Adjust the seasonings, transfer to a large platter, and serve.

 

4-6 servings

How did yours turn out??

Until the next time…
~The girl behind the lama

12. Spiced Lamb Chops on Sautéed Peppers and Onions with Garlic and Mint Couscous

If you’ve never had couscous before, you are missing out!  It’s a very tiny little pasta and just about goof proof.  Use equal parts broth and couscous.  Bring the broth to a boil,  stir in the couscous, cover, take it off the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes.  Voila!  It’s a little bland when you just use water so I always try to use broth and stir in some kind of vegetable or spice to give it a little flavor.  I also like serving it as a base under whatever my main food is so that is soaks up the juices.

We made a few changes here.  We don’t really like lamb, so we swapped in some New York strip steaks.  We also don’t really like mint in our couscous, so we just took that out and added some parsley.

**This recipe comes from Rachael Ray 365 – No Repeats.  Most of the recipes are directly from the book, but some I do change out ingredients a bit for things my family prefers. I’ll add my own comments in with a **.

What do you need?

8 lamb loin chops **we used 2 strip steaks**
Coarse salt and coarse black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin (1/3 palmful)  **I skipped all spices and just used seasoned salt**
1 teaspoon ground coriander (1/3 palmful)
1 teaspoon sweet paprika (1/3 palmful)
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into 1 inch squares
1 large yellow onion, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 cup grape or cheery tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley (a couple of handfuls), chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth
1 1/2 cups couscous
5 or 6 sprigs of fresh mint, finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons) **I skipped this and used some more parsley)
3 tablespoons pine nuts (I skip this as well)

Now what?

Cove the chops with wax paper or plastic and whack each chop with the heel of your hand to flatten it out.  **Not necessary for steaks** Season the chops on both sides with salt and pepper.  Combine the cumin, coriander, and paprika and sprinkle the mixture evenly over the chops.  Pat the spices in place and wash up.  Let the chops stand for 15 minutes. 

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of the VOO.  When the oil is hot, ad the peppers and cook together for 5 minutes, then add the tomatoes and continue to cook until their skins begin to burst.  Add half of the parsley to the skillet and toss.  Transfer the vegetables to a platter and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.  Do not wash the skillet.

Place a tablespoon of the EVOO (just eyeball the amount) in a small pot for the couscous.  Heat the oil over medium heat and add the garlic.  Sautee for 1 minute, then add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Add the couscous, remove from the heat and cover the pot.  Let stand for 5 minutes.

Fluff the couscous with a fork and stir in the mint, the remaining parsley and the pine nuts.  The couscous makes a nice bed for the veggies and lamb to catch the juices.

Return the skillet you cooked the veggies in to the stove and add another tablespoon of EVOO, once around the pan.  Add the lamb chops and sear for 2 to 3 minutes on each side for medium rare, 4 minutes each side for medium well.  Arrange the chops on top of the peppers and onions.

4 servings

How did yours turn out??

Until the next time…
~The girl behind the lama

A new approach to keeping my house clean- All you need is 15 minutes!

I’ll admit that I’m never one to keep a really clean house.  It’s always tidy-ish, but never clean and I find my self franticly cleaning every time guests are coming over.  Life doesn’t have to be that way.

I also don’t want to miss out on spending time with my cutie 5 month old son, Jake.

More food mom!! Your squash is Yum-o!

Ah, Jake :)

Anyway, this cleaning thing!  So I’ve adopted a new practice and have been going strong for about 3 weeks now and it seems to really be working! 

It’s all about 15 minutes.  My friend Sara commented the other day that if you’re just dreading cleaning your house, break it into 15 minutes.  Clean for 15, then do something fun for 15.  Set a timer and go!

My strategy is all based on nap time.  Jake usually takes about 2 or 3 good naps a day.  So for the first 15 minutes of each nap I clean.  I pick one room or cluster of rooms per day and focus just there.  Rather than dreading dusting the whole house or vacuuming every single room, one or two rooms a day doesn’t seem all that bad! 

The best part is that once you start, it gets easier because you just cleaned that room a week ago.  In theory you can’t have created that much of a mess in a week, so it’s not the deep cleaning you have to do when you only get to it once a  … month?  If I finish before my 15 minutes is up, then it’s just more time I can do something fun. So today in my first 15 minutes I picked up all the baby and dog toys strewn across the living room, picked up all my random knitting projects, dusted the living room and even had enough time to sit down and write this blog post.  The only thing left to do is vacuum, which can easily be done during nap #2 and, voila!  My living room is clean! 

Easy enough since Jake isn’t destroying my house on a daily basis, but you work with what you’ve got right?  Start small, it really works!

Until the next time …
The girl behind the lama
~LMM

13. Saucy BBQ Chicken Sammies with Pepper and Scallion Potato Salad

Who doesn’t love a good shredded BBQ chicken sandwich?  This one will definitely not disappoint!  We weren’t a huge fan of the potato salad, but it was pretty good.  I think I would have preferred roasted potatoes, but this was a pretty good side kick!

**This recipe comes from Rachael Ray 365 – No Repeats.  Most of the recipes are directly from the book, but some I do change out ingredients a bit for things my family prefers. I’ll add my own comments in with a **.

What do you need?

2 1/2 pounds small potatoes, such as baby Yukon Gold or red-skinned
2 ounces jarred hot pepper rings, drained and chopped, about 3 tablespoons (reserve the juice) **I skipped this because I forgot to buy them at the store**
1 small red bell pepper cored, seeded and chopped
4 scallions, chopped
3 tablespoons cider or wine vinegar (eyeball it)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chicken stock or broth
1 cup Mexican beer (or more chicken broth)
4 6 ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 ground cloves, chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (eyeball it)
1 tablespoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco
2 tablespoons grill seasoning blend such as McCormick’s Montreal Steak Seasoning (2 palmfuls)
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar, packed
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 large sour pickle, chopped  **We skipped the pickles on top and just had them on the side
6 to 8 sweet bread and butter pickle slices chopped **not a fan, so I skipped this**
6 soft burger buns

Now what?

Chunk up the potatoes, cutting them into large bite-sized pieces, and place them in a pot with water to cover.  Bring to a boil, then simmer until tender, 10 to 12 minutes.  Drain the potatoes and return them to the hot pot to dry them out.  Add the hot peppers, bell peppers, scallions to the pot, then dress everything with a splash of the hot pepper juice and the vinegar.  **Before I added the seasonings, I added all the veggies and then just put the cover on while the rest of dinner cooked so the peppers steamed a bit** Toss to combine, then drizzle with 1/4 cup of the EVOO to coat the salad evenly.  Season with salt and pepper.

While the potatoes work, bring the stock and beer to a simmer in a small or medium skillet.  Slide in the chicken breasts and gently poach them for 10 minutes, turning once after 5 minutes. **my chicken breasts were HUGE so it took mine an extra 10 minutes to cook**

While the chicken poaches, heat a second medium skillet over medium-low heat.  To the hot skillet, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of EVOO, the garlic, and the onions and gently sauté until cooked through.  Turn off the heat and set the pan aside.

Combine the Worcestershire, hot sauce, grill seasoning, brown sugar and tomato paste in a medium bowl.  Add 2 ladles of the poaching liquid to the bowl and mix well.  Transfer the chicken breasts to the bowl, then use two forks to shred the meat, and combine it with the seasoning.  Stir the shredded chicken into the pan of sautéed onions and garlic and combine well.  Reheat together for 5 to 10 minutes, adding some more of the poaching liquid to make your chicken as saucy as you like.

Combine the sour and sweet pickles in a small bowl.  Split the rolls and fill with scoops of shredded chicken.  Top with pickle relish and serve with the potato salad.

6 servings

How did yours turn out??

Until the next time…
~The girl behind the lama

17. Honey Nut Chicken Sticks

We are a chicken finger loving family.  I would make them any time.  Put them on a salad, in a wrap or just dip in some honey mustard.

I happened to have some extra potatoes on hand so I diced them up and coated them with some EVOO, parmesan cheese, and Penzy’s Sandwich Sprinkle (one of the most useful seasonings ever!) and roasted them at 400 for 45 minutes.  A very tasty side dish!

I’m very perplexed by my missing pictures on this one.  I took pictures while I cooked, yet the only picture on my SD card is of the final meal, which I guess is better than nothing right? 

**This recipe comes from Rachael Ray 365 – No Repeats.  Most of the recipes are directly from the book, but some I do change out ingredients a bit for things my family prefers. I’ll add my own comments in with a **.

What do you need?

2 pounds chicken tenders (**I used one package which was 1.33 pounds)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs
A splash of milk
2 cups Honey Nut Corn Flakes (**For the life of me I couldn’t find the honey nut corn flakes at the store, so I just used plain old corn flakes)
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
2 tablespoons grill seasoning, such as McCormick’s Montreal Steak Seasoning (2 palmfuls)
1/2 cup vegetable oil (eyeball it)

Now what?

Preheat the oven to 400 F

Season the chicken tenders with salt and pepper.  Place the flour in a large, shallow dish.  Coat the chicken in flour.  Beat the eggs and milk in a shallow dish.  Combine the cereal, bread crumbs, paprika, poultry seasoning, grill seasoning, and vegetable oil in a food processor.  Transfer the breading to a shallow dish. 

Place a nonstick baking sheet near the chicken breading station.  In batches, dip the flour-coated chicken into the egg mixture and then in the breading and place on the nonstick cookie sheet. **I like to place a cookie cooling rack onto my cookie sheet and bake the chicken right on the rack.  It helps the heat get around the chicken so it’s crispy all over** When all the tenders have been coated, bake them for 15 minutes, or until evenly browned and cooked through.  Cool enough to handle and serve, or pack up for a picnic!  This chicken may be served hot or cold.

4 servings

How did yours turn out??

Until the next time…
~The girl behind the lama

365 – Week 3

Lots to cook this week! It’s cold out there so a steamy bowl of home cooked food is just what we need. Here’s what I’ve got going for the week:

6. Tex-Mex Mac-n-Cheddar with Beef and Peppers –

7. Smoky Chipotle Mac-n-Cheddar with Tomato and Chorizo – I have no need for mac-n cheese more than once in a week, so we’ll try this one later!

12.  Spiced Lamb Chops on Sautéed Peppers and Onions with Garlic and Mint Couscous – we don’t really like lamb so we’re making this with steaks

13.  Saucy BBQ Chicken Sammies with Pepper and Scallion Potato Salad

14. Fiery Hot Texas T-Bones with Chipotle Smashed Potatoes and Hot and Sweet Pepper Salad – we made this once a few years ago and didn’t really care for it

15.  Super Tuscan Burgers and Potato Salad with Capers and Celery – we aren’t a fan of fancy burgers and hate capers, this one is out!

16.  Oregon-Style Pork Chops with Pinot Noir and Cranberries; Oregon Hash with Wild Mushrooms, Greens, Beets, Hazelnuts and Blue Cheese – We don’t care for mushrooms, kale, beets hazelnuts or blue cheese so this one just doesn’t seem like it’s for us

17.  Honey Nut Chicken Sticks

18.  Turkey Saltimbocca Roll-Ups, Mushroom and White Bean Ragout, and Spinach with Pancetta and Onions

So overall, 5 recipes this week! What are you cooking?

Until the next time …
~The girl behind the lama

11. Italian Sub Stoup and Garlic Toast Floaters

I love soup in the winter.  A steaming warm bowl just warms you up on a blustery snowy day. 

I’ll have to admit that I didn’t love this soup.  It was pretty good, but just not what I like in a soup.  The pepperoni and sausage needed a lot of straining to get all the fat off.  The flavor was great, but there is just something I don’t like about sausage in soup.  I like sausage in sauces …. or on a bun. 

Loved the croutons!  I don’t make croutons often, but I should, yum! I was so in love with the croutons and wanted to eat that I totally forgot to add the spinach.  Sad :(

**This recipe comes from Rachael Ray 365 – No Repeats.  Most of the recipes are directly from the book, but some I do change out ingredients a bit for things my family prefers. I’ll add my own comments in with a **.

What do you need?

Stoup:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) (twice around the pan)
3/4 pound (3 links) hot or sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings
1/4 pound piece pepperoni, diced ***(I don’t like big pieces, so I get the thinly sliced pepperoni and chop it)
1 ham steak, 1/2 to 3/4 pound, diced ***(Not a huge fan of ham in soup so I omit this)
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and quartered, and sliced
1 medium yellow onion, quartered and sliced
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups chicken stock or broth
1 cup gemelli pasta or other shaped pasta
4 cups arugula (2 bunches, trimmed and coarsely chopped) ***I prefer to use a bag of spinach instead

Croutons:
1/4 cup EVOO
3 large garlic cloves, cracked from skins
5 cups crusty bread, cubed
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano0Reggiano (a couple of handfuls)
***I completely skipped the garlic, red pepper flakes and oregano and used Penzy Spice’s Sandwich Sprinkle (otherwise known as crouton seasoning)

Now what?

Place a soup pot on the stovetop and preheat to medium high. ***I love this cast iron pot from Rachael Ray***

Add the EVOO and the sausage.  Brown and crumble the sausage, drain off excess fat if necessary, then add the pepperoni and ham.  **While your meat is browning, cut up the veggies ** Cook for 2 minutes, then add the bell peppers and onions and cook for 2 or 3 minutes more. 

Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.  Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Stir in the pasta and cook for 8 minutes. 

While the pasta cooks, heat the 1/4 cup EVOO in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add the bread cubes, toss and toast the cubes for 5 or 6 minutes.  Season the toasty cubes with the red pepper flakes, oregano and grated cheese.

Stir the arugula (or spinach) into the stoup just before you serve it up.  Float several bread cubes in each bowl.

4-6 servings

How did yours turn out??

Until the next time…
~The girl behind the lama

5. Mac-n-Smoked Gouda with Cauliflower

This recipe is a swap out meal from recipe #4 (Mac-n-Cheddar with Broccoli).  Exact same method, different veggie, different cheese and voila!  A whole new meal!  I loved the flavor of the smoked Gouda in this one.

I also found that since we were out of town this week I definitely didn’t have whole milk on hand.  Usually I just use whatever milk I have instead of buying whole milk just for this dish.  I decided to use up a container of half and half and my oh my was this a good decision!  It was even the low fat version.  YUM!

Another good side note …. we use Fiesta dishes.  We have found that one cereal bowl full of dry macaroni is just enough pasta for the two of us in a meal … plus a little extra for snacking.

**This recipe comes from Rachael Ray 365 – No Repeats.  Most of the recipes are directly from the book, but some I do change out ingredients a bit for things my family prefers. I’ll add my own comments in with a **.

What do you need?

Coarse Salt
1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi (corkscrew-shaped pasta) 
1 head or bag of cauliflower florets  (Fresh if available, frozen if not in season)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) (Once around the pan)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
3 cups whole milk
1 cup chicken stock or broth
3 cups grated smoked Gouda
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Freshly ground black pepper

Now what?

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add salt to season the cooking water, then add the pasta.  Cook for 5 minutes, then add the cauliflower and cook for 3 minutes more or until the pasta is cooked al dente and the florets are just tender.  Drain well and return to the pot.

While the pasta cooks, heat a medium sauce pot over medium-low heat.  Add the EVOO and heat with the butter until it melts.  Add the onions and cook for 3 to 5 minutes to sweat them out and turn the juices sweet.  Raise the heat a bit, then whisk in the four, cayenne, and paprika.  Whisk together until the roux bubbles up, then cook for 1 minute more.  Whisk in the milk and stock and raise the heat a bit higher to bring the sauce to a quick boil.  Once it bubbles, drop the heat back to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens, 3 to 5 minutes. **I whisk in about half of my liquids to see how thick it becomes, then keep adding in more until my sauce is the perfect thickness. **

Add the cheese to the thickened sauce and stir to melt it, a minute or so.  Stir in the mustard and season the sauce with salt and pepper.  Pour over the cauliflower and cooked pasta and toss to combine.  Adjust the seasonings, transfer to a large platter, and serve.

4-6 servings

How did yours turn out??

Until the next time…
~The girl behind the lama

365 – Week Two

My husband and I unfortunately were out of town unexpectedly for the week, so week two was a short one! Here’s what I’ve got going for the week:

5. Mac-n-Smoked Gouda with Cauliflower – This is a swap out recipe.

6. Tex-Mex Mac-n-Cheddar with Beef and Peppers – I have no need for mac-n cheese more than once in a week, so we’ll try this one later!

7. Smoky Chipotle Mac-n-Cheddar with Tomato and Chorizo – See #6

10. The T2 – Turkey Chili-Topped Turkey Chili Burgers with Red Pepper Slaw and Funky Fries – We really like our burgers plain. A good old fashioned beefy burger with cheese, ketchup and mustard. Try as we might, we have never been a fan of these fancy burgers, so we are skipping them all.

11. Italian Sub Stoup and Garlic Toast Floaters

So overall, 2 recipes this week! What are you cooking?

Until the next time …
~The girl behind the lama

9. Turkey Noodle Casserole

This is just a good old fashioned turkey noodle casserole.  Now I know many of you make this and use cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup and love it.  I just can’t do the cream of soups.  My stomach doesn’t like it and all we taste is processed soup.  So it isn’t for us. 

We are all about fresh, made from scratch sauces and this is a great one.  We really don’t like mushrooms, but love the flavor of mushrooms in a sauce, so we usually keep them in.

Another good side note …. we use Fiesta dishes.  We have found that one cereal bowl full of dry pasta is just enough pasta for the two of us in a meal … plus a little extra for snacking.

**This recipe comes from Rachael Ray 365 – No Repeats.  Most of the recipes are directly from the book, but some I do change out ingredients a bit for things my family prefers. I’ll add my own comments in with a **.

What do you need?

Coarse Salt 
1/2 pound extra-wide egg noodles
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) (once around the pan)
3 slices of bacon or turkey bacon, chopped
1 package (about 1 1/2 pounds) ground turkey breast
1 pound white mushrooms, wiped, trimmed and sliced **I buy the ones packaged ones that are already cleaned and sliced!
1 medium onion chopped
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons ground thyme or poultry seasoning
1/2 cup dry white wine (or chicken stock)
1 cup chicken stock or broth
1/2 cup heavy cream (about 3 times around the pan)
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 cups grated Gruyere cheese (one 8 ounce brick) **I am not a huge fan of Gruyere so I use just a shredded mozzarella or pizza cheese, you could also use Swiss if you wanted to keep the Gruyere flavor
1 cup plain bread crumbs
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Now what?

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the egg noodles.  When it boils, salt the water and cook the noodles al dente.  Drain well and return to the pot.

While the pasta cooks, preheat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the EVOO and the bacon.  Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the fat is rendered and the bacon begins to brown at the edges.  Remove to a paper towel.  Add the turkey and brown it, crumbling it with a wooden spoon.  Move the meat over to one side of the pan and add the mushrooms and onions to the opposite side.  Cook the mushrooms and onions for 3 to 5 minutes, then stir the meat and veggies together.  Season the mixture liberally with salt and pepper, and sprinkle in the ground thyme or poultry seasoning.  Cook for another 5 minutes.  Add the wine and deglaze the pan, using a wooden spoon to scrape up pan drippings and browned bits.  Stir in the stock and bring to a bubble, then stir in the cream and reduce the heat to low.  Add the nutmeg and stir.  Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. 

Preheat the broiler to high.  Combine the noodles with the turkey and sauce.  Grease a casserole dish with a little softened butter.  Transfer the turkey-noodle mixture to the dish and top with Gruyere cheese and then bread crumbs.  Place the casserole 8 to 10 inches from the broiler and brown for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the crumbs are brown.  Garnish the casserole with the parsley.

4  servings

How did yours turn out??

Until the next time…
~The girl behind the lama

8. Mega Meatball Pizza

Love homemade pizza!  It’s just so easy and way better than frozen pizza.  This one was fabulous.  My husband wants it ever week now I think. 

I think this one was better than most that we made and it was because of the crust.  This time I used just a Pillsbury pizza crust out of the tube, but I bought the thin crust.  Yum!!  I will say that by using the thin crust I had to adjust my cooking times a little.  I precooked my crust for 10 minutes and it was pretty much done, so instead of cooking the pizza with toppings another 12 minutes, I just popped it under the broiler to melt the cheese.

Now this is a meatball pizza, but doesn’t actually have any meatballs on it, it just has the flavor of a good meatball.  So tasty!

**This recipe comes from Rachael Ray 365 – No Repeats.  Most of the recipes are directly from the book, but some I do change out ingredients a bit for things my family prefers. I’ll add my own comments in with a **.

What do you need?

Coarse Salt 
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) (Once around the pan)
1 pizza dough, store-bought or from your favorite pizza shop
A palmful of all purpose flour or cornmeal
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary (a couple of sprigs) or 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 1/2 lbs ground sirloin
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 to 6 garlic cloves finely chopped
Coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
1 3 ounce can tomato paste
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese **I just use plain Parm
A handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 pound fresh mozzarella or brick mozzarella, sliced or grated **I use a sack of pizza cheese

Now what?

Preheat the oven to 425.

Drizzle a round pizza pan or a rectangular baking sheet with EVOO.  Dust the dough with flour or cornmeal, then spread out eh dough to form your crust.  Poke the pizza dough in several places with the tines of a fork.  Drizzle the dough with EVOO, then season it with the rosemary and a little salt.  Bake for 10 minutes.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the 2 tablespoons of EVOO (twice around the pan), then the meat.  **While the meat is cooking, cut up your onions and garlic** Brown and crumble the meat for a couple of minutes, then add the onions and garlic.  Season the meat with salt and pepper, then work in the tomato paste using the back of a wooden spoon.  Stir in the cheese, parsley, and oregano.

Remove the pizza crust from the oven and top with the meat mixture.  Arrange the cheese over the pizza, working from the center to the outside edge.  Return the pizza to the oven and bake until the cheese is golden, another 10 to 12 minutes.

4  servings

How did yours turn out??

Until the next time…
~The girl behind the lama

4. Mac-n-Cheddar with Broccoli

We always love a good Mac-n-Cheese at our house.  I’m a Wisconsin girl by heart and love cheese, and will cook with it at any given opportunity.  It’s so much fun to swap out different kinds of chesses, veggies and meat. 

We’ve made this one before and it’s a great base recipe.  I’ll have to admit though that I don’t always follow the measured ingredients exactly.  I like my cheese sauce pretty thick, so I only add as much stock and milk as I need to make it as thick as I like.  I’ve found that if you add it all in at once then your sauce is too thin.  It’s always much easier to make it thinner if it’s too thick, than to try to thicken up a cheese sauce. 

Another good side note …. we use Fiesta dishes.  We have found that one cereal bowl full of dry macaroni is just enough pasta for the two of us in a meal … plus a little extra for snacking.

**This recipe comes from Rachael Ray 365 – No Repeats.  Most of the recipes are directly from the book, but some I do change out ingredients a bit for things my family prefers. I’ll add my own comments in with a **.

What do you need?

Coarse Salt
1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi (corkscrew-shaped pasta)
2 1/2 cups broccoli florets (Fresh if available, frozen if not in season)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) (Once around the pan)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
3 cups whole milk
1 cup chicken stock or broth
3 cups grated sharp yellow Cheddar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Freshly ground black pepper

Now what?

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add salt to season the cooking water, then add the pasta.  Cook for 5 minutes, then add the broccoli and cook for 3 minutes more or until the pasta is cooked al dente and the florets are just tender.  Drain well and return to the pot.

While the pasta cooks, heat a medium sauce pot over medium-low heat.  Add the EVOO and heat with the butter until it melts.  Add the onions and cook for 3 to 5 minutes to sweat them out and turn the juices sweet.  Raise the heat a bit, then whisk in the four, cayenne, and paprika.  Whisk together until the roux bubbles up, then cook for 1 minute more. 

Whisk in the milk and stock and raise the heat a bit higher to bring the sauce to a quick boil.  Once it bubbles, drop the heat back to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens, 3 to 5 minutes. **I whisk in about half of my liquids to see how thick it becomes, then keep adding in more until my sauce is the perfect thickness. **

Add the cheese to the thickened sauce and stir to melt it, a minute or so.  Stir in the mustard and season the sauce with salt and pepper.  Pour over the broccoli and cooked pasta and toss to combine.  Adjust the seasonings, transfer to a large platter, and serve.

4-6 servings

How did yours turn out??

Until the next time…
~The girl behind the lama

3. Lamb or Beef Goulash

I think this could have been better.  I decided to go on a limb and try the lamb because I really haven’t had much lamb in my life.  Overall, not a huge fan of the flavor.

I think this would have been awesome with the beef.  Hubby liked it and at it anyway, so I guess that counts as a success. 

If you make the Turkey Shepherd’s Pie yesterday, you’ll notice that this recipe is very similar.  Take out the potatoes, peas, and egg.  Swap lamb or beef for the turkey.  Swap beef stock for chicken stock.  Add in egg noodles and voila!  So if you think you can’t make this … if you made yesterday’s meal – you can make this one!

Sorry, no pictures this time.  Once I start thinking ahead, I’ll actually start taking pictures as I cook.

**This recipe comes from Rachael Ray 365 – No Repeats.  Most of the recipes are directly from the book, but some I do change out ingredients a bit for things my family prefers. I’ll add my own comments in with a **.

What do you need?

Coarse salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) (twice around the pan)
1/4 pound bacon chopped (I used about 5 slices) 
2 pounds ground lamb or sirloin 
1 tablespoon smoked paprika (or substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons each of sweet paprika and cumin)
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (5-6 sprigs) or 1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
3 celery ribs from the heart, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups beef stock or broth
1 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 to 12 fresh chives, chopped or snipped

Now what?

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, salt it, and cook the egg noodles according to package directions while you make the beef topping.

Heat a deep, large skillet over medium0high heat.  Add the EVOO to the skillet, then add the bacon and brown it up.  **While the bacon is browning start chopping the veggies.** Remove the bacon to paper towels and drain off the excess fat from the bowl, then add the lamb or beef to the pan and break it up with a wooden spoon.  Season the lamb or beef with the smoked paprika, salt, pepper and thyme.  **This is a great time to finish copping those veggies!**

When the meat is browned, add the onions, carrots, and celery.  Season the veggies with salt and pepper (**I know you just seasoned the meat, but add more to the veggies, it really makes a difference if you layer the flavor!**).  Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the red bell peppers and cook for another 2 minutes.  Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the stock and combine.  Stir in 1/2 cup of sour cream and simmer the mixture over low heat to thicken.  Stir in the bacon.

Serve the goulash over cooked egg noodles, dressed with the butter and chopped chives.

4-6 servings

How did yours turn out??

Until the next time…
~The girl behind the lama

2. Smoky Turkey Shepherd’s Pie

I LOVE this recipe!  I have made it many times before and will probably make it many times again.  It’s a lighter version of a traditional beef based shepherd’s pie.  By swapping the beef for a lean turkey it can really make this a lean meal.  I also hate cooking with premade sauces. My body just doesn’t agree with cream of soups and premade gravy. Fresh, fresh fresh in my house!!  I’ve really learned how to make a good gravy and sauce thanks to recipes like this.  Want to make it even healthier?  Try turkey bacon, light sour cream, skip the egg, skip the butter and use a little skim milk instead.

I also like to play around with the potatoes on this depending on my mood.  The last time I made it I skipped the whole casserole part and just served the potatoes on the side.  Sometimes I put the filling on top of a baked potato instead of mashing them.  Use your imagination!

**This recipe comes from Rachael Ray 365 – No Repeats.  Most of the recipes are directly from the book, but some I do change out ingredients a bit for things my family prefers. I’ll add my own comments in with a **.

(Image from Food Network)

What do you need?

Coarse salt
3 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) (twice around the pan)
1/4 pound bacon or turkey bacon, chopped (I used about 5 slices)
1 package (about 1 1/3) pounds ground turkey breast
1 tablespoon smoked paprika (or substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons each of sweet paprika and cumin)
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (5-6 sprigs) or 1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
3 celery ribs from the heart, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
2 cups frozen peas
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock or broth
1 cup sour cream
1 large egg, beaten
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 to 12 fresh chives, chopped or snipped

Now what?

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, salt it, and cook the potatoes (10-12 minutes) while you make the turkey filling.

Heat a deep, large skillet over medium0high heat.  Add the EVOO to the skillet, then add the bacon and brown it up.  **While the bacon is browning start chopping the veggies.** Remove the bacon to paper towels and drain off the excess fat from the bowl, then add the turkey to the pan and break it up with a wooden spoon.  Season the turkey with the smoked paprika, salt, pepper and thyme.  **This is a great time to finish copping those veggies!**

When the turkey is browned, add the onions, carrots, and celery.  Season the veggies with salt and pepper (**I know you just seasoned the meat, but add more to the veggies, it really makes a difference if you layer the flavor!**).  Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the red bell peppers and peas and cook for another 2 minutes.  Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the stock and combine.  Stir in 1/2 cup of sour cream and simmer the mixture over low heat. Stir in the bacon.

Preheat the broiler to high.

When the potatoes are tender, stir in a ladle of cooking water into the egg, then drain the potatoes.  Return the potatoes to the warm pot to dry them out  a little.  Add the remaining 1/2 cup of sour cream, the butter, and salt and pepper.  Smash and mash the potatoes, mashing in the beaten, tempered egg.  If the potatoes are too tight, mix in a splash of milk.

Pour the turkey mixture into a medium casserole dish.  Top with the smashed potatoes and spread evenly.  Place the casserole 5 inches from the hot broiler.  Broil until the potatoes are golden at the edges.  Garnish the casserole with the chives and a sprinkle of smoked paprika.

4-6 servings

How did yours turn out??

Until the next time…
~The girl behind the lama

365 – Week One

Let’s start at the beginning shall we!  Here’s what I’ve got going for the week:

1.  Scramblewiches – Not a fan of breakfast for dinner – SKIP

2.  Smoky Turkey Shepherd’s Pie

3.  Lamb or Beef Goulash

4.  Mac-n-Cheddar with Broccoli

5.  Mac-n-Smoked Gouda with Cauliflower – This is a swap out recipe.  I have no need for mac-n cheese more than once in a week, so we’ll try this one later!

6. Tex-Mex Mac-n-Cheddar with Beef and Peppers – See #5

7. Smoky Chipotle Mac-n-Cheddar with Tomato and Chorizo – See #5

8.  Mega Meatball Pizza and Zippy Italian Popcorn

9. Turkey Noodle Casserole

 

So overall, 5 recipes this week!  What are you cooking?

Until the next time …
~The girl behind the lama

Back to Business – Let’s Cook!

New year!  New blog posts right?  Who am I kidding .. I’ll probably forget about my lonely little blog by about February, but I’m back for the moment and I have a sleeping baby, so let’s talk food!

I get in a rut sometimes on what I’m in the mood for, so I thought I’d try something different.  As you well may know, I’m a Rachael Ray fanatic.  I have a fairly large collection of her cookbooks, and I love that I can cook a well balanced, healthy meal from scratch in about 30-40 minutes every single night. 

Now her cooking takes some time to get used to.  Sometimes you have a lot going on at once and you need to learn the method.  You have to be able to look ahead and see that there’s no point in cutting up all those veggies before you even start cooking because you’ll have about 5 minutes of free time to cut them while your ground beef is cooking.  You can’t be afraid to have 3 pots of yummy simmering goodness going at once. 

Anyway, I’ve decided to go back through her cookbook “365: No Repeats!” cookbook.  It’s delightful!  The recipes are arranged in a pretty random order. The idea is that you can cook your way from front to back and have a new meal each day.  Now for those of you that absolutely need organization, there is also a category list in the front if you specifically want to find pasta, chicken or dinner for 2.

It also has a lot of “swap out” recipes.  You learn the technique on how to make the meal in the first recipe, then you swap out 3 or 4 ingredients for 3 or 4 new ones and voila!  Completely new dinner! 

So my plan is to go from front to back and really try some new things.  Now,  I reserve the right to skip things that I know dear hubby and I don’t like.  So I won’t get through 365 of them, but I’ll get through a fair number right?

Want to try it out?  I’ll try to get as many recipes and pictures up as I can, but with a 5 month old – no promises that I’ll remember, so if I post a recipe title that looks awesome and you want the recipe – tell me about it!

Happy cooking!
Until the next time …
~The girl behind the lama