Rachel's Chili

Rachel's Chili

1 lb. ground beef, browned
2 cans chili beans
1 can black chili beans
1 can great northern beans
1 can dark red kidney beans
1 c. salsa
1 pint tomatoes
1/4 c. chili powder

Combine ingredients in slow cooker.  Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 adding water as needed.

Briques (Brik in Tunisia)

This is a copy cat of sorts from the Gourmet Guys father from his time working in Tunisia.  It is his version of Briques that are served in Tunisia.  It is a family favorite that we only make occasionally because they are deep fried!

Briques

12 inch thin flour tortillas
leftover ham, pork roast,  turkey or chicken, cut into cubes (We prefer Ham)
eggs
green onions, diced finely (optional)

Take a tortilla, place ham in a circle in the center with the green onion, place egg in the center.  With egg white seal the tortilla in half and deep fry until golden brown, drain and cool.( The Gourmet Guy and his father liked them so that the eggs were barely cooked but the rest of us like it done a little more!) Eat it like an upside down Taco.

 

The Gourmet Guys dad was the original Gourmet Guy!  He was the real cook in his family while my Gourmet Guy was growing up.  He traveled a great deal and had a knack for tasting something that he liked and being able to replicate it when he got home.

 

(In Tunisia is made with a sticky lump dough and filled with tuna, or ground meat, and topped with anchovies, capers and cheese.)

Pasta Shells

This is one of the cookbooks I have collected over the years.  I chose this recipe because I literally had all of the ingredients in my pantry/fridge.  I only had the medium shells so it took longer to stuff them than it would have with the larger shells.  I also put the meat in with the cheese mixture and pulled some of my own homemade marinara sauce (recipe on the bottom of the blog as Lauri's Italian Sauce) out of the freezer.  What I realized is that the reason I chose this recipe on the fly is because I always have these ingredients in stock and it tasted much like my own. I would also use Sweet Italian Sausage rather than the ground beef in the future.  This is so close to the way I make my own Manicotti, not very risky but good flavors and seemed comfortable.

(From the Cookbook-Church Suppers)
 Stuffed Shells

25 jumbo shell
2 c. ricotta cheese
8 oz. mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 t. salt
1/8 t black pepper
1 t dried parsley
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 . ground beef
1 28 oz. jar spaghetti sauce.

Cook shells according to the package directions; drain.  In a large bowl, combine the cheeses, eggs, salt, pepper, parsley, and oregano.  Preheat the oven to 350. Fill each shell with 2 T of the mixture.  In a large skillet, brown the beef and mix with the spaghetti sauce.  Spread a thin layer of sauce in 3 qt. rectangular baking dish.  Place the shells 1 deep in the dish and cover with sauce.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Bake for 35 minutes.  Make 6 servings. 

Fish Tacos (Gourmet Guy)

I always like fish tacos, in fact, rarely do I order a traditional taco at a Mexican Restaurant if fish tacos are an option

So the other day, when Lauri and I decided we would have some fish for dinner, I suggested fish tacos and this is what happened.

Coat fillets with Spice Mix and grill until just done.

Mix mayonnaise, onion, Spice Mix and Chipotle Tabasco for sauce.

Grilled fillet ready to break into bite-size pieces and assemble tacos.

Shredded cabbage and chopped oregano.

Begin with two grilled tortillas. . .

add fish. . .

and sauce. . .

and oregano. . .

and finish with shredded cabbage. I added more Chipotle Tabasco sauce to mine for even more flavor. Delicious!! A little Pico would have been a good addition. Enjoy with sides of your choosing.

Fish Tacos

2 Cod fillets (Any ocean whitefish would work - Snapper would be excellent!)
Spice Mix
8 corn tortillas
1/4 c. onion chopped (1/4 inch cubes)
2-3 T. mayonnaise
1-1/2 cup cabbage shredded (we used purple)
1-1/2 T. fresh oregano minced
1 t. Chipotle Tabasco sauce
extra virgin olive oil

Coat fillets with extra virgin olive oil. Apply half of the Spice Mix to both sides of the fillets. Mix mayonnaise, onion, Chipotle Tabasco sauce, and remaining Spice Mix together in bowl to create the taco sauce. Grill fillets until just done, about 2-3 minutes per side - more for thicker fillets. Grill tortillas until warmed through and just beginning to toast - be careful not to dry them out.

Assemble tacos using two tortillas each, breaking fish into bite-sized pieces (1/2 fillet for each taco), place generous portion of sauce over fish, sprinkle with chopped oregano and top with generous portion of cabbage to fill taco.

Serve with spanish rice and corn or your favorite Mexican sides.


Spice Mix

2 t. chili powder
1 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper (preferably fresh ground)

Mix all ingredients together.

Beef and Broccoli Stif Fry

I love to make Stir Fry because it is so easy. By marinating a round steak or sirloin steak for sometime the meat becomes very tender.

Cut the meat into thin strips, across the grain, and place in the marinade for at least an hour. Overnight is even better. Turn the meat occasionally. In a wok or deep frying pan heat oil until hot and then add the meat and brown. Add the onions, and mushrooms if desired, and cook until tender. Add the broccoli and continue to turn the meat and vegetables to soften. Finally add the zucchini, add the marinade with cornstarch added and cover to steam. When sauce is thickened remove from the heat. Serve over hot rice.

Stir Fry Beef and Vegetables

1 lb. lean beef (sirloin, top round) sliced thinly across the grain
½ c. soy sauce
¼ c. water
1 c. onions, thinly sliced
1 c. celery, sliced diagonally
2 c. broccoli florets
2 c. broccoli stems peeled and slice thin
½ c. vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 medium mushrooms, sliced
1 T. cornstarch prepared rice
Marinate beef in water and soy sauce for at least 30 minutes. Prepare vegetables and set aside. In a wok or large frying pan cook drained meat (reserve the marinade for later) over low heat until browned. Add onions, celery, broccoli, and mushrooms. Cover and steam for about 3-5 minutes. Mix the marinade with the cornstarch and pour into the pan. Stir and heat to boiling until sauce thickens. Serve over warm rice.

Best Lasagna Ever!

Our daughter in Kansas City just had a little baby girl. I am here to help her out for a few days and to play with the her sweet little girls. I have been doing some cooking for her while she recovers and making doubles so that after I leave she can pull something out for dinner on her hectic days (with a 20 month old and a newborn there maybe a few!)

I made a marinara sauce several days in advance for several meals that I would be serving. I think sitting and marinating helped the sauce "mature!" At home I would use the tomatoes that I had canned for myself and I don't add sugar so the taste was a little different. But I made my usual recipe, below, only a smaller batch.

Lauri’s Italian Sauce
3 bottles whole tomatoes (4cans approx. 1 lb size)
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
3 8 oz. cans mushrooms

3 T. dried Oregano
3 T. dried Marjoram
3 T. dried Basil
1 ½ T. dried Thyme

1/2-3/4 c. chopped dried onion or two chopped fresh onions
2 T. minced dried garlic or 5 cloves fresh garlic minced (if using fresh onion and garlic saute them in olive oil until transparent and then add the remaining ingredients)
Combine all of the above ingredients and bring to a boil, simmer on low heat until thickened. (I usually simmer it for several hours)

Meat Sauce
4 lbs, lean ground beef
2 chopped onions
2-3 cloves garlic, minced

Brown the meat and add the onion and garlic and cook until tender. Add to the marinara sauce and simmer.

For Lasagna:
Place marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9x13pan. Place lasagna noodles (uncooked) on top and then layer with Cottage cheese, Cheddar cheese, Mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers again. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for one hour. If freezing cover with foil and freeze, thaw and bake, saves up to six months in the freezer.

The one thing that made this lasagna so good was the local Italian Sausage that I used along with the ground beef I just wish I could take a case of this home with me. Because the marinara sauce was being used in several things I didn't put as much sauce as I typically do and there was a lot of the meat mixture it all blended together so well.

Seriously one of the best Lasagnas I have ever made!

Corn Dogs

When I was a teenager in Arvada Colorado I remember the city having it's annual "Town Party" Our church always had a booth there as a fund raising event. They made corn dogs each year as a tradition and I loved them. Part of the biggest memory for me was that my dad loved to be a part of this tradition. He was such a character and everyone just loved to be around him so he was a popular person at the booth. I love corn dogs and they bring back lots of fun memories.

Natalie surprised us one Saturday and brought all of the fixings for making corn dogs. After a little paint project we set about making the corn dogs together.

Rebecca went about getting the "dogs" on a stick.

Blend the dry and wet ingredients together, without over mixing.
We decided mixing in a tall container would keep the batter on the hot dog better and easier.It did!

Putting the hot dog into the hot oil and gently dropping it in the oil helped keep the batter on better.

These turned out so yummy.

Carnival Corn Dogs

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup white sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 quart vegetable oil for frying
2 (16 ounce) packages beef frankfurters
16 wooden skewers

In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, salt, sugar and baking powder.
Stir in eggs and milk.
Preheat oil in a deep saucepan over medium heat. Insert wooden skewers into frankfurters. Roll frankfurters in batter until well coated.
Fry 2 or 3 corn dogs at a time until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Broccoli Salad

This recipe has been around for a long time but I still have requests for it and so here it is. Usually we serve it in the summer but every now and then it tastes great no matter what season.

Broccoli Salad

Approx 1½ pounds Broccoli Florets
1 lb. bacon- cooked crisp and crumbled
½ lb. Swiss or Monterrey Jack cheese (grated)
1 red onion
raisins, optional

Dressing
1 c. mayonnaise
¼ c. sugar
2 t. vinegar

Chicken Squares

These are a quick and easy meal on a busy day. I keep these ingredients on hand in my pantry to fix easily. This is not a new recipe but one that my girls all liked growing up.

Mix an 8 oz. package of cream cheese with chunk chicken or leftover turkey. (The original recipe called for pimentos but my girls didn't like them.)

Take two of the crescent rolls and pinch them together.
Each can will make four of the chicken squares.

Mix the ingredients together well. I have my own canned chicken so I have to use a little extra salt.

Place even amounts on the square crescent roll dough.

Pull the dough around the meat mixture and seal tightly. Bake until golden brown.
Enjoy!

Turkey or Chicken Squares

2 8 oz. cream cheese
½ t. salt
2-4 c. cooked turkey or chicken or 2 large cans chunk chicken
¼ t. pepper
2 8 oz. can crescent rolls

Blend cream cheese until softened. Add turkey, salt, pepper, onion, chives, and milk. Mix well. Separate the 2 cans of crescent rolls, into 8 squares. Firmly press perforations to seal. Spoon ½ c. of meat mixture into the center of each square. Draw the corners of the dough up and around the meat and twist to seal. Brush top with butter. Dip in seasoned bread crumbs or sesame seeds. Bake at 350’ on cookie sheet for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.

Chicken with Basil Cream Sauce

I continue to look for new recipes for herbs from my garden, I'm loving some of the ones I have found. This one uses Basil.

Just like when I make Chicken Parmesan I always pound my meat out so that it is an even thickness, it makes cooking the meat through much easier. I always place my chicken in a zippered bag to keep the mess inside for an easier clean up.
First place the chicken into the milk and then the breadcrumbs (the picture should be reversed).
In melted butter place the chicken in the pan, on medium heat. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown. While the chicken cooks start the pasta.
Turn and cook the other side.
While the chicken is finishing up cut the basil into thin slices.
When the chicken is finished remove from the pan and add the boullion and bring to a boil this will deglaze the pan and brings all of the flavor into the sauce. Then add the cream, basil, salt, pepper, and the pimentos and mix well. Finally add the Parmesan cheese and stir until melted.
Place the chicken back into the pan and cover with the cream sauce. Serve over the pasta and garnish with fresh basil, you may add a little more of the fresh Parmesan to the top as well.

Chicken with Basil Cream Sauce

2 large skinless chicken breasts
¼ c. milk
¼ c. seasoned dried bread crumbs
3 T. butter
½ t. chicken flavored bouillon
1 c. heavy cream
4 oz jar pimentos, sliced ¼ inch thick
½ c. packed thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 t. pepper
Fresh basil sprigs for garnish
Egg noodles

In a large zippered plastic bag place a chicken breast and pound out to ¼ inch thickness, do the same with the other chicken breast. Place the chicken into a pie plate with the milk then dip into the bread crumbs to coat. In a skillet over medium heat melt the butter then cook the chicken 3-5 minutes on both sides, until tender and slightly golden brown. While the chicken cooks start the egg noodles to boil. Arrange chicken on a warming platter to keep warm. In the same skillet, stir in the chicken bouillon and ½ c. water, heat to a medium boil, stirring frequently. Stir in heavy cream; add pimentos, and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and add sliced basil, grated Parmesan and pepper. Place chicken on top of noodles and pour cream sauce over the top. Garnish with fresh basil sprigs.

New "Bountiful Basket" Challege--Mexican

Another week of Bountiful Baskets, this time it was full of "Mexican" goodies. The tortillas which I forgot to take pictures of are so wonderful, they come in three sizes. Then there are these chile's and tomatillos that made me excited to start cooking.

First I began by pulling the husks off of the tomatillos, the inside is quite sticky once the husks are removed. Tomatillos are not apart of the tomato family even though you may hear that often.

After removing the husks I cut them up to place them into my food processor to make a delicious green sauce.
While I am working on the tomatillos I have the Anaheim chile's under a broiler in the oven.
The chile's will turn black and the skin starts to blister.
Remove them and place them in a plastic bag for a few minutes to let the skin soften and become easy to peel. While the Anaheim's sit cut the Jalapenos and remove the seeds, I ALWAYS USE GLOVES TO DO THIS. After removing the skin from the Anaheim Chile's cut them the Jalapenos and the Tomatillos into chunks and place in the food processor.
Process until they become an even texture.

Place into a bowl and serve with chips or use as a sauce for enchiladas.

While all of this is going on I also saute' a yellow onion to a slight brown color.

I always have cooked, cubed, chicken in my freezer for quick use. So I place the chicken some grated Cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheese and the onions on the fabulous tortillas and roll.

I cheated by using some canned green sauce to the bottom of the pan and place the enchiladas on top to keep them from sticking. Top with the fresh green sauce more of the grated cheese and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly.
Top with sour cream and avocado's and more of the green sauce as needed.

Yum.