JBug's Kitchen Antics

Lasagna - it's different...honest!

It may not be news to you, but it certainly was to me when I realized that one could use something other than noodles to make a pan of lasagna. After all, it's not greek to people in Greece because they've been doing it for centuries when making moussaka (eggplant and potato slices) so when I saw this in myrecipes.com I knew I just had to give it a try.

A marinara sauce chock full of veggies including onion, red bell pepper, mushrooms and zucchini fortified with Italian sausage and slathered between layers of polenta - why it's darn near sinful. I think it would be dynamite with some diced carrots, and/or sauteed spinach too and even a layer of roasted red peppers would be wonderful if you're trying to get more veggies into your family.

Of course I had to spice up the sauce a bit, added a little red wine and definitely used more cheese than they recommended, but I did cheat and use a tube of Trader Joe's prepared polenta and nobody would have been the wiser if I hadn't fessed up just now. Oh well!

This Polenta Lasagna is absolutely delicious, soul satisfying, heart warming and perfect for a fast weeknight dinner or a knifeless nosh while you're watching the hockey playoffs in front of the telly, or a taped version of the Voice like we were. Served with a tossed salad on the side, it certainly met with fist pumping approval in our house. 

Hit the link here for the recipe direct from the source (Cooking Light), and here's my version for your viewing pleasure. By the way, you'll see that I made it in one large casserole, but it would be a great candidate for individual ramekins or even muffin cups, although it might be a little messy when you're removing them. Just sayin'.

Polenta Lasagna (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from myrecipes.com)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 large yellow onion, finely chopped

1/2 red pepper pepper, finely diced

1 pound bulk hot Italian sausage

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1/2 medium zucchini, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

Coarse ground black pepper

1/2 cup red wine

1 – 26 ounce jar marinara sauce, divided (I used Trader Joe’s)

1 – 15 ounce tube of polenta, cut into 18 slices (I used Trader Joe’s)

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large sauté pan and when oil is shimmering add onion and red pepper. Sauté until onion is softened – about 3 minutes, stirring often. Crumble in Italian sausage and cook until sausage is no longer pink. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning and coarse ground black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, and then stir in red wine. Simmer until wine has almost completely evaporated – another minute or 2.

Meanwhile preheat oven to 350 and spray a 9 inch casserole dish with cooking spray and place a half cup of marinara sauce on the bottom.

Stir remaining marinara sauce into the sauté pan, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until sauce is quite thick.

Place 9 slices of polenta in the casserole dish on top of the half cup of marinara sauce. Cover with half of the meat sauce, and sprinkle with half the cheese. Add another layer of polenta slices, the remaining meat sauce and top with the rest of the grated cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove cover from casserole and continue to cook for another 15 to 20 minutes until casserole is bubbling. Remove from heat and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 6 servings. 

A year ago - Bolognese with Panko Crusted Eggplant and Zucchini 

Two year's ago - Carne Asada in Fajitas

Turkey Noodle Casserole with Artichokes

The leftover turkey from Easter dinner's been a real godsend this week as there's nothing that's more versatile than leftover poultry. This quick casserole makes good use of chunks of white or dark meat mixed with artichoke hearts, black olives, green pepper and pimento for color and onion for flavor and some quick cooking wide egg noodles. 

It's a pretty basic recipe from my Wall Drug Cookbook that had not one other spice or herb in it, so I took the liberty of adding garlic, tarragon and lots of salt and pepper. Slathered with grated parmesan cheese, it held admirably in the refrigerator until I got the call that Big Guy's late class was over. Forty minutes later he was home and the casserole was almost ready. 

So what did we think about it? Big Guy said it was OK which means "it's OK but you don't have to put it on the make again list". Me ....I thought it was boring as heck and was much better with a half bottle of Arizona Gunslinger hot sauce slathered over top. OK, so that's an exaggeration, but let's just say it needed more than a few drops to jazz it up.

If you're making lunch for your great aunt Sylvia and the rest of the bridge gang, then this might be just the thing for a ladies who lunch kinda' dish, but I'd be inclined to leave the noodles out of the equation, add some mushrooms and serve the turkey/artichoke/olive/green pepper/pimento/onion mixture in some puff pastry shells instead, garnished with toasted almonds for crunch. Just sayin'. 

For those of you that just dropped by for a look see at JBug's Kitchen Antics, I must apologize for the fancy dinner ware you see in the photograph but we're in the midst of renovating our kitchen and we're without a kitchen sink (among other things). Believe me using disposable plates while the kitchen's being renovated is becoming a life saver ....or should I say wife saver! 

Turkey Noodle Casserole with Artichokes (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Wall Drug Cookbook)

2-1/2 cups cooked turkey or chicken cut into bite size pieces

1 – 14 ounce can artichoke hearts, well drained

1/2 cup sliced black olives

1/2 cup finely diced green pepper

1 small jar pimento

1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic minced

1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup sour cream

Salt and coarse ground black pepper to taste

6 ounces wide egg noodles, cooked to al dente and well drained mixed with 1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a large casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl mix together turkey, artichoke hearts, black olives, green pepper, pimento, onion, garlic, and tarragon until well combined. In a small bowl whisk together chicken soup, white wine and sour cream. Fold into turkey mixture. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.

Place half the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Layer buttered noodles on top then add remaining turkey mixture. Top with grated parmesan cheese. Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes. Serves 6.

A year ago - Zippy Chicken and Rice Soup

Two year's ago - Two Potato Salad with Mustard and Bacon

Cheesy Chili Mac

Shhh, don't tell anyone but I have a confession to make. I've kept this a secret from you for 3 years now but I'm about to spill the beans. I'm a recovering KD-aholic. It can be the original in the blue box or the no name brand in a white one, but as far as I'm concerned it matters not. 

I've been known to buy and secretly stash the stuff until Big Guy goes out of town and then make a pot and gorge on it. Slathered in ketchup, loaded with the dreaded canned tuna fish or served up in a bowl drowned with hot salsa, my tastebuds do not discriminate when it comes to KD. Sometimes I just gotta have it. I mean call it a hormonal thing, but I crave KD like a pregnant woman craves pickles and ice cream. It's that bad. 

Well, last night the jig was up because I finally shared the wealth and served my very, very favorite version of the blessed stuff and now I'd feel really guilty if I didn't share it with you.

Read it and weep. It's ooey, gooey, cheesy, chili-licious and totally addictive. I swear you won't be able to stop at one bowl. I should know ...and now the scale does too and after the leftovers are devoured for lunch, I'll be back in recovery. Best of all now I've got Big Guy to keep me company.

By the way, pardon the fancy place setting but we're still in the midst of kitchen renovations and without a kitchen sink for another 2 weeks or so. Needless to say using disposable dishes and cutlery's helping to save my sanity or at least what's left of it. 

Cheesy Chili Mac (an original from JBug’s Kitchen)

1 package Kraft Dinner or a like no-name version

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 red or green pepper, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound extra lean ground beef

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 – 10 ounce can tomato soup

1 – 14 ounce can diced tomatoes

1 cup cubed processed cheese (Velveeta)

Cook macaroni according to package directions, mixing with powdered cheese package and butter, but leaving out the milk. Set aside. Meanwhile in a large pot, sauté onion, red or green pepper and garlic until onions are softened. Crumble in ground beef and cook until beef is no longer pink, stirring often to break up pieces. Stir in chili powder, cumin, oregano and red pepper flakes. Add tomato soup and diced tomatoes. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring often. Fold in prepared Kraft dinner as well as processed cheese. Continue to heat until cheese has melted. Makes 6 servings. 

A year ago - Slow Roasted Chicken with Lemon

Two year's ago - Croque Madame Sandwich

Cheater Chicken Pot Pie

I'm sure you've noticed we've been eating rather simply the past week and this chicken pot pie is no exception. I've been making it for years and years when I want a quick no fuss but tasty pie and while I enjoy one made with freshly cooked chicken with assorted cubed fresh veggies in a roux based gravy of chicken stock and cream, this version really does in a pinch.

Adapted from a recipe in my old tried and true original Purity Cookbook, it makes use of pre-cooked chicken -  I used Trader Joe's grilled version found in their freezer section, a small package of frozen mixed veggies, a cubed cooked potato and a can of cream of chicken soup jazzed up with sherry and other spices to form the base. Rest assured, I very patiently hand picked all the peas out of the frozen vegetables so I wouldn't hear a groan from you know who.

The pie was topped with a flaky cap made from puffed pastry I happened to have hiding in the freezer. The pastry was baked separately on a sheet pan so it wouldn't get all soggy on the bottom, and decorated appropriately with some chicken shaped cut outs and an ax. Yup, that rather morbid suggestion was Big Guy's idea so don't think I've gone over to the dark side on you. By the way, if you want your puff pastry to puff all over, don't do what I did and slash cutouts in it, but even with the goof, it came out looking rather interesting. 

It was all ready in no time with limited mess and delicious served with a coleslaw loaded with dried cranberries and toasty almonds.  

Cheater Chicken Pot Pie (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Purity Cookbook)

1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted per package instructions

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon butter, room temperature

1/4 cup minced sweet onion

2 cups cooked cubed chicken

1 small packaged frozen mixed vegetables

1 medium potato, peeled, cubed and boiled for 5 minutes then drained

1 – 10 ounce can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup dry sherry

Dash each poultry seasoning, rosemary, sage

Coarse ground black pepper

Unfold puff pastry onto a floured board and roll slightly to remove creases. Cut into shape of casserole dish and move to a parchment lined sheet pan. Decorate as you wish and place pastry into freezer to chill until needed.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400. Grease a medium sized casserole dish with softened butter and add onion, chicken, mixed vegetables, and potato to the casserole. In a small bowl combine cream of chicken soup, sherry and seasonings. Pour over chicken/vegetable mixture and using a fork, fold it into the veggie/chicken mixture. Cover casserole with foil and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes (45 minutes total).  Remove pastry from freezer and brush with egg/water mixture. Bake for 15 minutes or until puffed and golden.  Take casserole from oven and remove foil. Carefully place cooked pastry on top and serve. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

A year ago - Bacon Blue Burger with Bourbon Onions

Two year's ago - Basque Chicken with Chorizo

Home Made Pork, Peccary and Apple Sausages

As you know, Big Guy's been on a sausage making kick and last night's dinner was a celebration of his first batch of home made sausage of the unsmoked kind. Sausage makin' can be a bit tricky particularly if you want to smoke it because in order to avoid botulism it requires the addition of nitrates; however, nitrates are not needed when you're making fresh unsmoked sausage. Bonus, eh?

While the Big Guy included some of this season's javalina mixed with pork, this version of sausage can be made with pork only, if you're not lucky enough to have some wild pig on hand. Moistened with fresh apples and seasoned with marjoram, sage, Herbs de Provence and nutmeg, the flavor and texture is absolutely out of this world.

It cooks up like a dream, except silly me forgot to pierce the skins to prevent them from exploding. One did but you're looking at the survivor. Next time around we may add an additional apple, more nutmeg and maybe a touch of cinnamon too but quite honestly these are absolutely delicious just as you're looking at 'em. That's really something for this non wild meat lover to admit.

If you're not into using casings, just form the meat into patties and cook them in a little butter or oil, but using the casings is more than worth the extra effort. We found ours at Sportsman's Warehouse, but you can definitely find them on-line too. Just follow the package directions for rinsing and soaking them before you stuff the sausage. 

As you can see from the plate, what goes better with sausage than potatoes. Last night's version is a quick oven baked hashbrown casserole adapted from the Best of Bridge Series' of Cookbooks. Loaded with frozen hashbrowns along with sour cream, mushroom soup and cheese it can be lightened up by using fat free products, if you're so inclined and spiced up with chopped green chiles or jalapenos too, although believe it or not I made it without. A perfect dish for a buffet, it'll go with darn near anything. Just double the recipe to feed 10 to 12. 

Home Made Pork and Apple Sausages (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Food.com)

4 pounds pork belly, (we used a combination of pork belly and javalina)

2 large onions cut in large dice

2 to 3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored

4 teaspoons marjoram

2 – 3 teaspoons dried sage (be careful as it can be overpowering)

4 teaspoons Herbs de Provence

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Dash of cinnamon (optional)

Coarse ground black pepper

Sea salt

200 grams fresh white breadcrumbs, finely ground (approximately 1.5 cups)

Put pork through a grinder into a large bowl, followed by the onion and the apple. Add herbs, nutmeg and eyeball the salt and pepper. Mix well using your hands to incorporate the spices then put the meat through the grinder one more time if you wish a finer texture. Mix in breadcrumbs.  Cook a small amount in a skillet and taste to test the seasoning, adding more as required. Be careful with the sage as it tends to be a little overpowering.

Prepare sausage casings according to package directions and fill skins with sausage, going slowly so that the skins do not burst. Twist the finished sausages into required size.  Freeze in zip bags. 

Baked Hash Brown Casserole (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Best of Bridge Series Cookbook, The Best of the Best)

1 pound frozen hash browns, partially thawed

1 cup fat free sour cream

1 – 10 ounce can low fat, low sodium mushroom soup

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 tablespoon dried onion flakes

1/2 teaspoon salt

Coarse ground black pepper

6 ounce can chopped green chiles (optional)

1 large jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (optional)

1-1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a medium sized casserole with cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl combine hash browns, sour cream, mushroom soup, melted butter, onion flakes, salt, pepper, grated cheddar as well as green chiles and jalapeno pepper if using. Mix well to combine. Transfer to casserole dish and top with grated parmesan cheese. Bake for 1 hour. Serves 4 to 6. 

 A year ago - Catfish a la Cajun

Two year's ago - Not So Irish Lamb Stew

Spiced Beef Corn Bread Cobbler

We love casseroles around here although we don't have them very often. For some reason I think they're a little too ordinary except for this one. There's nothing ordinary about it.

Loaded with cinnamon, cayenne, allspice and ginger, it almost has an island flavor. Add lean ground beef, tomatoes, lots of onions and garlic and you've the making of something really special. Of course anything topped with corn bread is special in this house. What can I say but our tastes run the full gamut from pedestrian all the way to posh. 

Had I really been thinking, I'd have made them in individual ramekins so they looked prettier but no matter. Next time you're looking for something to warm the cockles of your heart, give this one a try. It certainly isn't boring. 

Spiced Beef Cornbread Cobbler (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Gourmet Magazine via epicurious.com)

1 large onion, chopped

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 pound lean ground beef

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cayenne (less if you want a little less kick)

1/4 teaspoon allspice

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 – 14 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice

2 tablespoons tomato paste

---

2/3 cup yellow cornmeal

1/3 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup whole milk

1 large egg

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese plus more for garnish

In a 10 inch oven proof skillet (I used cast iron), heat vegetable oil over medium heat. When shimmering add onion and cook until onion has softened and starts to turn brown. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, then crumble in beef. Cook until no longer pink – about 4 minutes, stirring to crumble meat. Add sugar, cinnamon, cayenne, allspice, ginger, pepper and salt and cook for 1 minute stirring constantly. Stir in tomatoes and tomato paste. Bring to a high simmer and cook stirring often for 5 to 8 minutes or until sauce is slightly reduced.

Meanwhile preheat oven to 400. In a small bowl whisk lightly to combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. Fold in cheddar. In another small bowl beat together egg, milk, vegetable oil and hot sauce. Using a fork, mix wet ingredients into dry just until moistened. Using a quarter cup scoop, arrange cornbread mix on top of meat mixture. Sprinkle with about 2 tablespoons of grated cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cornbread is cooked and meat mixture is bubbling. Serves 4. 

Two year's ago -  Sticky Spiced Oven Roasted Ribs

Chicken Casserole in a Squash Bowl

There's the Fiesta Bowl, Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl. Rose Bowl, and the Super Bowl. Of course there's also a bread bowl and low and behold now we can add the squash bowl to the list. That's what we had last night filled with a version of a Chicken Cordon Bleu casserole.

We had our version of Mags' casserole from Other Side of Fifty during our vacation this summer and absolutely loved it. Loaded with chicken, onion, red pepper, ham and swiss cheese it's darn near addictive. In fact it was so good we ate the whole darn casserole. That was then and this is now because we're really trying to cut back on our portions and I figured the way to do it may be to make a single serving sized entree and at the same time try and get some more veggies into our diet. Thus the squash bowl.

I simply cut a Kobocha squash in half, removed the seeds and brushed the innards with a touch of olive oil. Seasoned with salt and pepper, it roasted for 50 minutes in a 350 oven. Then I whipped up the casserole but I left out the rice, and filled the cooked squash with all that flavorful goodness. Dressed with a top hat of crumbs, the squash returned to the oven to bake for an addition 30 minutes until it was all browned and hot and bubbling.

Would I do it all again - you betcha, but next time I'll leave the pre-cooked rice in the mix because somehow the end result was missing a little je ne sais quoi. Oh, I also used leftover roast chicken, low fat mushroom soup and Jarlsberg cheese instead of the Swiss. Regardless, the use of a squash was rather fortuitous and I'd do it again too with all kinds of other fillings - say a lovely chunky vegetable chowder, or beef stew or even chili or curry would be wonderful. The bonus - it sure makes doing dishes a breeze!

Hit the link to head to Mag's site to see her original Chicken Cordon "Lou" casserole and see our version below along with a link to our original. Meanwhile, start thinking about using veggies in a totally different way and you'll be surprised what you too can do with great ingredients and a touch of imagination.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole (adapted  from Mags at www.othersideoffifty.com)

4 skinless boneless chicken thighs

2 tablespoons butter

All-purpose flour

Salt and Pepper

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning

1/2 teaspoon marjoram (optional)

1 cup chicken stock

1 can cream of mushroom soup

6 ounces grated Swiss cheese

1/2 pound cooked ham, cut into cubes

1-1/2 cups cooked rice

2/3 cup dry Italian flavored bread crumbs

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Melt butter in large sauté pan over medium high heat. Cut chicken thighs into 1 inch cubes and season with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Add to sauté pan and cook until golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside. Add onion, red pepper, garlic, and seasonings to pan and cook until vegetables are soft. Return chicken to pan, add chicken stock and simmer, covered for 10 minutes. Stir in mushroom soup and remove pan from heat.

Preheat oven to 350. Spray casserole dish with cooking spray and place cooked chicken with gravy on bottom. Sprinkle evenly with cooked ham. Spoon rice down center of casserole and sprinkle casserole dish evenly with grated cheese. Mix together bread crumbs with melted butter and arrange on top of casserole. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until bubbling and crumbs are browned. Makes 6 servings.

A year ago - Snickerdoodles   Two years ago - Polenta Lasagne

Chicken and Stuffing Casserole

Last night's dinner requirements were speed, comfort and taste and not necessarily all in that order. You see the Big Guy arrived home totally and completely exhausted - I mean a running on adrenaline only kind of exhausted. What it meant was a good martini, a good dinner and a great night's sleep.

I can't give you a perfect martini recipe because perfection is really a matter of personal taste and as for sleep, well it's a relative thing isn't it? Just ask any menopausal woman and they'll tell you all about what constitutes a good night's slumber, but about the "good" dinner - that I can help you with.

We've bragged about this casserole before using leftover turkey as the key ingredient, but believe me it works just as well with leftover rotisserie chicken. Stuffing on the bottom of the casserole, moistened with sherry in this case, followed by chunked up chicken topped with a dusting of shredded cheese, then dressed with spiced up sauteed onions, celery and mushrooms and topped with a can of Campbell's cream of chicken soup. Garnished with a more stuffin' crumbs followed by 35 minutes in the oven yields of richly flavored, quick and easy dinner entree.

Accompanied by a vegetable and a nice crisp salad, it made my favorite guy a very happy camper; however, what made him plum ecstatic at 7 bells was a soft mattress, an extra blanket and dreamland. Ya, I hear ya'. Only the very young and the very old hit the sack at 7:00 pm, right? 

Chicken and Stuffing Casserole (Adapted from Idaho a la Carte)

1 12 ounce package stuffing mix (Stove Top)

1/4 cup dry Marsala or sherry

2-1/2 cups diced cooked chicken or turkey

4 ounces shredded cheese, Swiss or cheddar (optional)

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

2/3 cup chopped celery

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

Coarse ground black pepper to taste

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup milk

2 tablespoons melted butter

Sauté chopped onion, celery and mushrooms in vegetable oil until onion is soft – about 5 minutes. Stir in poultry seasoning and rosemary. Season with black pepper. Mix together cream of chicken soup with water and milk. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350. Spray casserole dish with cooking spray. Reserve 1/2 cup dry stuffing mix and spread remainder of  on bottom of casserole. Sprinkle with Marsala or sherry, and then spread cooked poultry evenly over top. Top poultry with cheese then add sautéed vegetables. Top with soup mixture and sprinkle with reserved stuffing mix. Top with melted butter. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until casserole is hot and bubbling. Serve immediately. Makes 4 to 6 servings. Download Chicken and Stuffing Casserole

A year ago - Apple Fritters

Potato Crust Chicken and Green Chile Quiche

OK so here's the deal. That fabulous roasted chicken from night before last has left us with some great munchin' alternatives. I mean not even WE can't finish an entire 5 pounder in one sitting, and I know you're surprised to hear that.

I did a little research looking for new ideas on what to make and have come up with a couple, one being a great suggestion from my friend Lea that I'll be putting to use PDQ after I do a little grocery shopping. As it happens I had all the necessary ingredients available for this new fangled chicken pie so it made the top of the list.

Thawed hash browns are dried off and pressed into a pie plate then coated with butter and baked. The resulting crisp potato crust is topped with chicken, roasted Hatch green chiles, shredded sharp cheddar and dried onion flakes then topped with the usual egg and milk combination. Forty minutes later we were chowing down on this fabulous creation and enjoying every morsel. It is every bit as delicious as a traditional quiche with a pastry crust - maybe even more so.

Who would have ever thought one could make a pie crust out of shredded hash brown potatoes, but the Big Guy kept saying over and over - "boy is this good". He's right (but don't tell him, OK?). It is good and a perfect solution too for anyone with a wheat or gluten intolerance too. Just thought I'd give that a mention since last weekend we were entertaining a couple that can't eat wheat, dairy or refined sugar.

Potato Crust Chicken and Green Chile Quiche (adapted from Taste of Home)

4 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed

3 tablespoons melted butter

1 cup shredded leftover roast chicken

1/2 cup chopped roasted green chiles

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

4 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

Coarse ground black pepper

1 tablespoon dried onion flakes

Salsa to garnish

Preheat oven to 425. Spray a pie plate with cooking spray. Using paper towels blot moisture from thawed hash browns and place into pie pan. Using a flat bottomed cup or large spoon, press hash browns up sides and onto bottom of dish to form a crust. Brush well with melted butter. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and lower temperature to 350. Spread shredded chicken, green chiles and cheddar on top of crust. Beat eggs, milk, salt, pepper and onion flakes together until well combined. Pour onto other toppings in crust and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted into center comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Cool for 5 minutes before cutting. Garnish with salsa. Serves 6. Download Potato Crust Chicken and Green Chile Quiche

A year ago - Clam, Corn and Basil Cakes

Shepherd's Pie with Mashed Taters 'n Snips

My Big Guy's been under a lot of stress lately. He has a heavy load of classes this semester and he's been working darn near non stop. As a matter of fact, he's marked papers every weekend except one and since he's the guy that sets his own course work, he has nobody to blame. Bummer eh? I'm powerless to help except for making him the odd martini and keeping the home fires burning so it's one less thing for him to worry about.

He loves simple home cookin' though it's likely he doesn't get much that's simple around here, he does get a lot of home cookin'. I decided to indulge him a tad and last night's dinner included some of his favorite things, ground beef and mashed potatoes both married to a couple of my favorites - gravy and parsnips.

Yup, they all went into this fabulous casserole. The gravy was actually leftover from the swiss steak we cooked last week but you could use jarred or canned beef gravy if you want; however, that swiss steak gravy is so darn tasty I couldn't part with it, so dumped it into a container and put it in the freezer with the thought I'd make something wonderful with it. Good recycling huh?

By the way, if you've never tried parsnip and potatoes mashed together now's your chance. The sweet nutty flavor of parsnip really elevates the lowly mashed potato to a higher level - add a little horseradish if you dare and you'll really be on to something!

Shepherd’s Pie with Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips (a creation from JBug’s Kitchen)

1 tablespoon canola oil

1-1/2 cups finely diced yellow onion (approx. 1 large)

1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Coarse ground black pepper to taste

2 cups prepared beef gravy

1/2 cup dry red wine

2/3 cup carrots, shredded or finely chopped

2 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced

2 large parsnips, peeled, woody core removed and diced

2 tablespoons butter

1/3 to 1/2 cup milk

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish (optional)

Heat large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and when shimmering, add onion. Cook until onion has softened. Add ground beef, crumbling well and cook until browned. Add garlic powder and coarse ground black pepper. Stir in prepared gravy and red wine. Transfer to a casserole dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle top with shredded carrot.

Meanwhile, boil potatoes and parsnip together in well salted water until cooked. Drain well then mash with butter and milk. Stir in horseradish. Top casserole with mashed potato mixture, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bake in preheated 350 oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until casserole is bubbling hot. Serves 4 to 6

A year ago - Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

Boy, are we behind the times. About a year ago Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese was incredibly popular in the blogosphere and being the planner that I am, the idea was tucked away for future reference. Thankfully last night the future finally met up with the present.

What can I say except this one's a real keeper! Rich creamy cheesy saucy mac and cheese married to the flavors of buffalo chicken with lots of hot sauce, crisp celery and a top hat of crunchy blue cheese flavored panko ...well, it's about as good as it gets.

Following the recipe from Food Network Magazine, I cut the whole thing in about half so we wouldn't be eating it for the next month and used some leftover chicken breasts the Big Guy grilled on Sunday night. I also threw in a 2 ounce chunk of Velveeta along with the cheddar and pepper jack cheese and used whole milk rather than half and half in the sauce but other than that, I pretty well followed the directions.

We loved it!

Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese (Adapted from Food Network Magazine)

Chicken:

2 tablespoons butter

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 cups diced cooked chicken

1/4 cup hot sauce (I used Franks)

Melt butter in sauté pan over medium heat. Add celery and onion and cook until softened. Stir in garlic and cook 1 more minute. Remove from heat and add chicken and hot sauce. Stir to combine and set aside.

Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter

1 heaping tablespoon flour

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1-1/2 cups whole milk

1/4 cup hot sauce

2 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed

6 ounces sharp cheddar, cubed

4 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded

1/3 cup sour cream

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and mustard and stir well to combine. Cook, stirring constantly for 1 or 2 minutes, then slowly whisk in milk and hot sauce. Cook until thickened, whisking constantly. Lower heat and whisk in cheeses and stir until cheese is melted. Remove from heat and whisk in sour cream. Stir until smooth.

8 ounces elbow macaroni cooked to al dente and drained

1/4 cup panko crumbs

2 tablespoons melted butter

1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 2 quart casserole with cooking spray.  Place half the cooked and drained macaroni on bottom of casserole and top with a cup of sauce. Place the chicken on top and finish with remaining macaroni. Pour remaining sauce over top. Combine panko, butter and crumbled gorgonzola. Sprinkle on top of casserole. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until top is browned and casserole is bubbling. Serves 4 to 6. Download Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese

A year ago - Creamy Buffalo Chicken Salad

Old Settler Beans

When old man hunger comes knocking at your door you can tell him to take a hike if you've got a pot of beans like this in the oven.

Fashioned from an assortment of canned beans with a hint of added sweetness from sugar and a hefty hit of spice via barbecue sauce and Dijon it's the addition of bacon and hamburger that make it really sing. Great as a main course along with some corn bread or as a side dish with steak or ribs, it's the perfect dish for a potluck or just 2 very hungry people that don't mind leftovers - a lot of leftovers.

The Big Guy can vouch for the fact it makes a darn fine lunch, particularly along with those hot dogs he so loves.

Old Settler Beans (Adapted from Jackson Hole Cooks)

3/4 pound lean ground beef

6 slices bacon, finely chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 – 16 ounce can pork and beans

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can pinto (red) beans, drained and rinsed

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup barbecue sauce

1/4 cup ketchup

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 350. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium high heat and add chopped bacon. Cook until bacon is starting to crisp and has released some fat into the pot. Add ground beef and cook crumbling until no longer pink. Add onion and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until onion has softened. Add pork and beans, drained and rinsed kidney and pinto beans. Stir in sugars, barbecue sauce, ketchup, chili powder and Dijon. Cover pot and bake for 1 hour. Serves 4 as a main course or 8 as a side dish. Download Old Settler Beans

A year ago - Baked Fish with Onion and Bacon Crust

Spinach and Mushroom Lasagne Roll-ups with Gorgonzola Bechamel

Second night in a row! Imagine that! Second night I passed an almost meatless meal by the Big Guy and I didn't hear a lot of groaning either. Well maybe a little. When he noticed the spinach in these lasagna roll-ups, he gave me one of his famous "looks" but kept shovelling it in anyway. Am I good or what?

One of Rachel Ray's inventions, I'm not entirely sure this one's a 30 minute meal at least not the way I made it, but it's pretty delicious anyway. Loaded with sauteed mushrooms, onion and garlic and of course spinach along with sweet creamy ricotta cheese, the flavor key seems to be adding enough nutmeg to the mix along with salt and black pepper. Of course I had to sneak in a smidge of red pepper flakes too, just because I felt the need and while you may think loading the filling on the al dente lasagna noodles is a pain, I was surprised at how much easier it was to make this style of lasagna versus the traditional version.

 

I also changed out the sauce recipe too. Since I was in possession of a mere 2 ounces of gorgonzola versus the 8 ounces Rachel's recipe called for, I made a simple bechamel sauce and added the gorgonzola to it rather than the cheese, chicken stock, heavy cream sauce she recommended. I'm really glad I did too because I can't imagine how strong the sauce would have been with 8 ounces of cheese in it! It could have been due to our brand of gorgonzola, but it was plenty flavorful with just the 2 ounces.

I added some crispy bacon pieces and crunchy bacon flavored croutons to the tossed salad to keep the carnivore happy but I've gotta' say this dinner was a real keeper and we've plenty left for lunches too. Bonus!

Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna Roll-ups with Gorgonzola Béchamel (adapted from Rachel Ray via Foodnetwork.com)

8 Lasagna noodles

16 medium mushrooms, finely chopped

1/2 large yellow onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and coarse ground black pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (or more to taste)

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

1 – 10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry

1 – 16 ounce container ricotta cheese

 

Cook lasagna noodles to al dente as per package directions. When cooked, immediately plunge into ice water to stop cooking process. Drain and blot dry with paper towels. Set aside.

Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside. For filling, heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat.  Add olive oil and when shimmering add mushrooms, onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until mushrooms have released all their liquid and begin to brown. Add nutmeg and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and move to a medium sized bowl. Cool to room temperature. Stir in spinach (should be almost dry), along with ricotta cheese. Mix well to combine. To fill, lay lasagna noodles out flat and spread each with approximately a half cup of filling, spreading to within a quarter inch of each end. Roll noodles up and arrange in prepared casserole dish.  Refrigerate until needed.

 Sauce:

1/4 cup unsalted butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups milk (I used whole milk)

2 ounces gorgonzola, crumbled

Coarse ground black pepper

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. When melted stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly for 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk. Cook sauce, whisking constantly until sauce is thickened and almost comes to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in gorgonzola. Stir until cheese has melted. Taste for seasoning and add pepper as required.

1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Pour sauce over lasagna roll ups and top with shredded cheese. Bake for 25 minutes or until roll ups are hot and sauce is bubbling. Serves 4. Download Spinach and Mushroom Lasagne Roll-ups with Gorgonzola Bechamel

A year ago - Cheesy Baked Gnocchi with Cauliflower and Tomatoes

Apple Jack Glazed Baby Back Ribs with Corn Green Chile Gratin

Just imagine enjoying tender juicy baby back ribs coated in a shiny Asian flavored glaze on your weeknight menu. I don't know about you, but we always seem to reserve a meal like this for the weekend thinking it requires a lot of time to prepare, but believe me that's not the case here.

You see the ribs are drizzled with pineapple juice, wrapped in foil and roasted in the oven for an hour and then cooled in the accumulated juices. That makes them perfect for partial prepping in advance - either while you're enjoying coffee and breakfast in the morning, or the night before. Whatever, you can just haul the pre-roasted ribs out of the refrigerator, coat 'em in glaze and finish them just before serving, which is exactly what we did.

We needed an excuse to try out our fancy new little gas grill and these glazed baby back ribs were just the ticket. You see, I've been after the Big Guy for a while to purchase one that I can use when he's out of town because I don't do charcoal plus we were a tad frustrated with the cooking equipment provided at the houses we rent at the beach so after a little research we found the perfect solution - the Coleman Roadtrip Grill LXE. It's perfectly portable so we'll be able to take it with us. How 'bout them apples?

As you can see, it worked beautifully putting a "dew" on the ribs. The spicy boozy Asian flavored glaze takes about 5 minutes to put together and can be made in advance as well which means dinner can be ready in a flash. Talk about make you look good!

We had our ribs along with a creamy corn and green chile gratin which can also be prepped ahead of time, refrigerated and cooked just before you need it. Loaded with roasted green chiles, sweet corn and cheese, the gratin is really like a chile rellano casserole and just a little different from the standard rib "withs" of beans and coleslaw. 

Apple Jack Glazed Baby Back Ribs (adapted from Bon Appetit via epicurious.com)

1 – 2-1/2 pound rack baby back pork ribs

Sea salt and course ground black pepper

1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice

Preheat oven to 350. If desired remove membrane from back of ribs. Season rack well with salt and pepper. Place on a large sheet of aluminum foil and pour pineapple juice over ribs. Seal foil and place on a sheet pan to catch any drips. Roast for 1 hour. Remove from oven, open foil and turn ribs upside down so the meaty part is facing into the juices. Cool to room temperature then refrigerate until just before serving.

Glaze:

5 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup Apple Jack brandy (or bourbon)

1-1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon plum sauce

1-1/2 teaspoons light molasses

1-1/2 teaspoons soy sauce

1-1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon hot chili paste (sambal oelek)

1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper

Place ingredients into a jar or container, seal and shake to combine well. Refrigerate until needed.

To prepare – preheat grill until medium hot. Grill ribs, brushing often with glaze and turning frequently until desired color – about 10 to 15 minutes. Serves 2.

Corn and Green Chile Gratin (inspired by Wall Drug Cookbook)

10 ounces roasted green chiles, chopped

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

1 cup grated cheese (I used combination of sharp cheddar and Monterey jack)

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

5 tablespoons flour

Salt and pepper

Hot sauce (optional)

Fried Onion Rings and Crisp Bacon for garnish

Preheat oven to 350. Spray two 10 ounce ramekins with cooking spray. Arrange 1/4 cup of green chiles in bottom of each ramekin. Top with 1/4 cup frozen corn, then cheese. Repeat layers ending with cheese. Using a whisk, beat egg in a small bowl. Whisk in milk, flour, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Pour mixture into ramekins. Ramekins may be refrigerated at this point and baked later. Place ramekins on a sheet pan to catch any drips and bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Garnish with onions and bacon. Serves 2. Download Corn and Green Chile Gratin

A year ago - Green Chicken Curry

Tomato Cobbler

We love cobbler around here and I've been known to make it often as our sweet treat of the week particularly during berry season; however, I'd never made a savory version before last night.

Apparently we have Martha Stewart to thank for the original, but I've seen different versions on several blogs that I visit during the past couple of weeks. While I just had to go check Martha's out, I trust Mary from One Perfect Bite to give me a version that will suit our taste buds to a "T" and believe me her Tomato Cobbler didn't disappoint.

I used an assortment of large and small pearl tomatoes, along with a little less garlic than called for, a little more red pepper flakes and a lot more basil. Our basil plant is producing like a mad thing since the weather's cooled a tad and I just can't be satisfied using a mere tablespoon of the pungent green herb. The tomatoes, pepper flakes, basil and garlic keep company in the gratin dish with some golden caramelized onions as well as a good amount of coarse ground black pepper and sea salt, and the whole thing's covered with a moist, tender, flakey, cheesy dropped biscuit. It is awesome.

While the dish would be perfect on a Meatless Monday menu, we had our cobbler along with some sweet Italian sausage because there's no way I could pass such an obvious vegetarian dish by my resident carnivore without hearing a roar or two.

I'm sending you to Mary's site for the recipe since the only other thing I did was cut it in half but it's so darn tasty I really wish I'd made the whole recipe so we could enjoy it again and again; however, just so you know the half recipe made a very generous 4 servings so at least we'll have some for lunch today.

By the way, I also used Madragal cheese rather than Gruyere just because we love the stuff, but you really could use a nice sharp cheddar, a swiss or even crumbled blue and the topping would still be superb. Oh, and if you're not into the time it takes to caramelize the onions to a nice sweet finish, just saute them till tender and add a smidge of sugar to the tomatoes instead. I think it would work fine.

A year ago - Oxtails braised in Red Wine

Pork and Squash Pot Pie with White Cheddar Crust

As luck would have it, we're still enjoying the shredded pork from Saturday night. I'd popped some of it in the freezer to hold onto and jury rigged this recipe from High Plains to make use of it instead of the cooked turkey called for.

What can I say - the pork is the bomb and the cookbook is a real keeper. My wonderful sister Joy sent it to me for Christmas in 2001, just when my homesickness for the land of my birth was at its zenith. Quite honestly I had to put the book aside for a while because it just made me cry but enough of that already. After all I've been in the U.S. 11 years now so I should be over it by now, right?

This particular pot pie is about as different as you can get from the old standard, with cubes of buttternut squash, sliced onions and white beans along with the pork all served up in a rich creamy gravy. Just so you know, I adjusted the recipe to our tastes by adding a few more herbs, in no small part to make up for the fact that I used pork rather than roasted turkey. I dare say it would be fabulous with some of that leftover Thanksgiving bird and you could throw in stuffing and turkey gravy too just for good measure. It would be fabulous.

The true topper on the pie's got to be the white cheddar crust which is really a cross between a dumpling and a biscuit. The flavor of the cheddar really makes the pie, so don't leave it out, OK? The only negative about the whole thing is that I found the crust was quite "moist" and dumpling like where it touched the filling. The Big Guy liked it but I'm more fussy than he is (or is it anal and no comments on that one please). I think next time I'll bake the crust separately and pop it on top of the pie just before serving; however, you be the judge because it's all good. Darn good!

Pork and Squash Pot Pie with White Cheddar Crust (adapted from High Plains by Cinda Chavich)

2-1/2 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups peeled, seeded butternut squash cut into half inch cubes

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, slivered

2-1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/4 teaspoon dried ground sage

1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

Salt as required

1 cup cooked white beans (rinse well if using canned)

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

3 cups cooked cubed or shredded pork roast

Boil squash cubes in salted water until barely tender (7 to 8 minutes). Drain, reserving 1 cup of liquid and place cubes in bottom of casserole dish. In saucepan melt butter over medium heat and add onions. Cook, stirring occasionally until onions are softened and just starting to brown – about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir flour into onions and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in reserved squash cooking liquid along with chicken stock. Bring to a boil, stir in seasonings and cook until thickened (about 10 minutes). Taste for seasoning and add salt as required. Cool slightly. Preheat oven to 400.  Arrange cooked roast pork over squash cubes in casserole dish. Add white beans and sprinkle with parsley. Pour prepared sauce over top and using a fork, mix together lightly.

Crust:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into cubes

1-1/2 cups shredded white old Cheddar cheese

2/3 cup milk

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Using a pastry blender cut in butter until crumbly. With a fork, stir in shredded cheddar. Add milk and stir lightly until a soft dough forms. Drop dough on top of casserole and make in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until top is golden and casserole bubbly. Serves 6

Hey people - Great minds think alike. Check out my friend Lea's site because she made Chicken Pot Pie last night. Yum!

 

Italian Stuffed Anaheim Peppers

You want to know what happens when you combine Mexican and Italian flavors? You end up with a feisty Italian sausage stuffed anaheim pepper loaded with attitude that's what.

As you no doubt are aware, peppers of any shape, color, size and description are flooding the market right now and they're incredibly fresh and inexpensive so I figured a frugal shopper such as myself should take advantage of the fact. If you want to know the truth, our friend Betty was looking for a chicken stuffed pepper recipe and that was enough inspiration for me. There's several stuffed pepper recipes on this blog and they're all pretty darn tasty if I do say so myself, but none of them are quite as unique as this one. There's not a spec of rice to be found and no tomatoes either. How's that for going against tradition?

Inspired by a Guy Fieri recipe, this stuffing could be used in any kind of pepper you like but I chose Anaheim's because we really like the extra kick. Prepped in advance so it can cool sufficiently to handle, the filling is made from hot Italian sausage, chopped onion, red pepper, garlic and cheese along with a touch of cream cheese to hold it all together. Placed inside seeded and de-veined peppers, the bundles are cradled in a rich creamy bechamel sauce.

Thirty-five to forty minutes in the oven and you've really got something to brag about. Just be sure to wear gloves when you're seeding the peppers or it'll plum take the joy right out of your evening. Just sayin'.

 Italian Stuffed Anaheim Peppers (adapted from Guy Fieri, Foodnetwork.com)

8 Anaheim peppers

Stuffing:

1 pound hot Italian sausage (chicken or pork)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/3 cup minced onion

1/2 sweet red pepper, minced

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

1/2 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning

4 ounces cream cheese

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Béchamel:

4 tablespoons butter

3-1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups milk, warmed

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Salt and white pepper

Dash nutmeg

Heat large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add vegetable oil and when shimmering add Italian sausage. Cook, crumbling with a fork until meat is no longer pink. Add onion, red pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning. Cook for 5 minutes or until vegetables are softened and meat is well cooked. Remove to a bowl and add cream cheese and mozzarella cheese, stirring until cheeses are melted and mixture is well combined. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as necessary. Cover and refrigerate until cool.

Wearing gloves, wash and dry Anaheim peppers. Leave ends intact and slice peppers down center. Using a melon baller or small sharp spoon, remove seeds and veins. Set aside.

For béchamel sauce, heat butter in medium sized saucepan until butter has melted. Add flour and whisk until well combined. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly for 3 to 4 minutes until roux is a light golden color. Whisk in warmed milk and cook sauce until thickened and smooth – approximately another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Preheat oven to 350. Spray large casserole dish with cooking spray and place 1/3 of sauce on bottom of dish. Stuff peppers with sausage mixture and place in casserole on top of béchamel. Top peppers with remaining béchamel. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Serve with assorted salsa on the side. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Other stuffed pepper recipes you might enjoy from JBug's Kitchen:

 

Chicken Stuffed Anaheims         Stuffed Green Chiles           Super Stuffed Peppers

                
 
Chille Rellano with Tequila Shrimp                   Turkey Stuffed Anaheims

 A year ago - Shrimp Salad with Orange and Tarragon

 

Individual Chicken Pot Pies with Bacon and Marjoram

Chicken pot pie is one of my absolute favorite comfort dishes so I'm always up for trying a different version. I found this recipe on line at epicurious.com and it certainly qualifies as another quick and easy "cheap chicken" dinner, although I admit I made a couple of changes to it.

As you've likely figured out by now, we tend to enjoy stronger flavors in this household and don't go for the namby pamby so I upped the herbs a bit and added a touch of marsala wine too just because I had it, though sherry would work just as well. I also used some of the chicken tenders I bought the other day, although the recipe calls for purchased roasted chicken. For all the time it takes to dice and cook a couple of tenders, I'm not sure I'd bother buying a pre-cooked bird.

So what was the verdict you ask? Well, of course anything with bacon in it has got to be good, but I'm thinking this recipe might need a little more work. It's OK, in fact it is tasty enough, it's just isn't "special" at least in my opinion.

1. Although I'd used some Wondra to thicken the sauce a bit before adding the creme fraiche, in the end the sauce was rather thin anyway.
2. As well, I'm not sure I'd bother using creme fraiche again in the first place for a couple of reasons; I'm too cheap to spend the bucks, too lazy to make it from scratch although with all the fresh berries available right now I may change my mind on that; and more importantly the flavor just didn't come through in the end so heavy or sour cream would work just as well.

If I were to make it again, I might use tarragon instead of marjoram and asparagus and mushrooms as the vegetables. Saying all of that there's plenty of other versions of pot pie on this site that I'd recommend before this one but you be the judge, OK?

Individual Chicken Pot Pies with Bacon (adapted from epicurious.com)

3 slices applewood smoked bacon, diced

3 chicken tenders, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

1 medium onion, chopped

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 tablespoons dry Marsala wine

2 tablespoons Wondra instant blending flour

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup frozen mixed vegetables

1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons crème fraiche

 

1/2 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed per package directions

Spray 2 large (10 ounce) ramekins with cooking spray and set aside. Cook bacon over medium low heat until crisp and fat has rendered. Remove from pan and set aside. Add onion to the pan and sauté until softened and just starting to turn golden. Add chicken tenders, marjoram and rosemary and cook until tenders are no longer pink (about 2 to 3 minutes). Add Marsala and sauté until wine has evaporated, approximately 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with Wondra, stirring well to incorporate. Add chicken stock and cook until thickened. Add vegetables, and cook for another minute. Remove from heat, cover pan and allow to sit for 5 minutes to allow vegetables to continue cooking. Stir in half cup of crème fraiche. Fill ramekins with mixture and sprinkle bacon on top. Cut puff pastry into 2 equal sized squares. Cut an “x” in center of each square and prick all over with a fork. Place on top of ramekins allowing edges drape over sides. Brush top of each crust with a teaspoon of crème fraiche. Bake in preheated 425 oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until pastry is golden and filling bubbling. Makes 2 servings. Download Individual Chicken Pot Pies with Bacon

A year ago - Pan Grilled Salmon With Red Pepper Salsa

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

If you're looking for a great summer casserole or just craving some basic comfort food, by gosh I think we've got it and you can blame it all on the "terrific trio" - Mags from the Other Side of Fifty, Lea from La Casa de Nanan and moi of course.

My friend Mags posted this recipe the other day and then Lea talked about cookin' it up on Facebook so, not to be outdone, I had to join in on the party. I'm so glad I did - I think!

I used Mags' recipe for inspiration but had to tweak it a bit according to what I happened to have on hand - isn't that what cookin's all about? I dredged some chicken thigh chunks in flour and browned 'em off in butter, then sauteed some onions, garlic and red bell pepper, added some spices, and chicken stock along with a can of mushroom soup...cooked some rice and Bob's your uncle; the whole shebang went into the oven and came out looking like this!

I couldn't help but worry that we'd have tons of leftovers with no time left to eat the darn things, but you know what? I need not have worried because it was so blasted delicious we pigged out, big time.

I think I've said here before some drivel like if you get enough exercise, you can eat whatever you want. We all know that's true; however it doesn't mean you can devour as much as you want including but not limited to an entire casserole dish. Now we're off to the gym in a feeble attempt to wear off the third helpings of this wonderful thing. Uhhh...thanks a lot Mags and Lea. It is now official - the Big Guy's a hair under 220 this morning and my butt's outgrown our little kitchen. Good work guys!

I'll post the recipe for my version when we get back from the torture chamber, meanwhile for you early birds, check out Mag's site for the original recipe

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole (adapted  from Mags at www.othersideoffifty.com)

4 skinless boneless chicken thighs

2 tablespoons butter

All-purpose flour

Salt and Pepper

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning

1/2 teaspoon marjoram (optional)

1 cup chicken stock

1 can cream of mushroom soup

6 ounces grated Swiss cheese

1/2 pound cooked ham, cut into cubes

1-1/2 cups cooked rice

2/3 cup dry Italian flavored bread crumbs

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Melt butter in large sauté pan over medium high heat. Cut chicken thighs into 1 inch cubes and season with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Add to sauté pan and cook until golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside. Add onion, red pepper, garlic, and seasonings to pan and cook until vegetables are soft. Return chicken to pan, add chicken stock and simmer, covered for 10 minutes. Stir in mushroom soup and remove pan from heat.

Preheat oven to 350. Spray casserole dish with cooking spray and place cooked chicken with gravy on bottom. Sprinkle evenly with cooked ham. Spoon rice down center of casserole and sprinkle casserole dish evenly with grated cheese. Mix together bread crumbs with melted butter and arrange on top of casserole. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until bubbling and crumbs are browned. Makes 6 servings. Download Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Sausage and Apple Breakfast Casserole

I was going to call this one Sausage and Apple Breakfast Quiche but you know who wasn't going for it. I mean he still maintains real men don't ...well you know the rest of it, but I fooled him, again. I just call it something else and he says "yes dear".

This is a take on another favorite sausage and egg dish - a "Torta" that we had some time ago, but with a couple of adjustments. When you're at the beach you kind of have to do with what you have, so instead of cooking a pretty torta in springform pan, I used my favorite number 9 cast iron that we brought with us as well as regular white bread rather than a crusty rustic loaf.

The filling consists of sauteed onions, bulk sausage, a Granny Smith apple, sharp cheddar and the usual egg/milk mixture, spiced up with some sage, black pepper and mustard. Baked for 45 minutes, it's a sweet and meaty start to your day, kinda' different and as delicious as it is original. By the way, with a salad it would be a great luncheon dish or weeknight dinner - as long a the Big Guy's not home. He doesn't do eggs for dinner, although I have tricked him once.

Our buddy John was here from the Valley for a clammin' safari with the Big Guy, so we had this casserole for breakfast, some Yachats Blush Chowder for late lunch and no dinner because John had to leave early and we've a fridge full of leftovers.

During breakfast John asked a very serious question that needs no answer - at least not from my point of view, but I want to get your opinion on the matter. "If a man is alone in the forest and there's no women around, is he still always wrong?"

Votes please!

Sausage Apple Breakfast Casserole

5 to 6 pieces of thin sliced bread with crusts

2 tablespoons softened butter, divided

1 large onion, chopped

1 pound bulk pork sausage

1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried sage or poultry seasoning (optional)

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and sliced

1-1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar

4 eggs

2/3 cup half and half

1 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

Coarse ground black pepper

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Coat 9 inch cast iron pan or heavy skillet with 1 tablespoon butter. Arrange bread slices in cast iron pan, letting points of bread stick up on sides of skillet and covering pan as well as you can, breaking bread to fill in any holes. Set aside.

Heat another skillet over medium high heat. Add remaining tablespoon of butter and when melted add onion. Sauté until onion is softened. Remove to a bowl and set aside. Add pork sausage to pan and cook, crumbling well with a fork until pork is no longer pink. Sprinkle with crumbled sage or poultry seasoning. Cook for additional 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove from skillet and sprinkle over bread. Sprinkle sausage with cooked onion. Arrange apple slices on top of onion and sprinkle all with grated cheese. Whisk together eggs, half and half, milk, salt, pepper and mustard. Pour on top of sausage, onion, apple, cheese mixture. Bake in pre-heated 350 oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until bread is crisp and casserole is firm to the touch. Makes 6 servings. Download Sausage Apple Breakfast Casserole

Broccoli, Rice and Cheese Casserole

Now don't you go and fall over from shock and awe you hear? We do have ordinary every once in while in JBug's Kitchen although I'm sure you're finding that hard to believe. Since we were having the last of the leftover porchetta that I'd been hiding in the freezer, I figured we needed something different to go with it.

I do have a confession to make though. I'd never made a Broccoli, Rice and Cheese dish before although it seems rather popular on sites like Taste of Home and My Recipes. Not that there's anything wrong with it you know - I just tend to select rather more involved things. In otherwords, I'm a bit of a kitchen snob. Course I didn't have any mushroom soup so I had to make some changes to the old standby recipe and as it turned out, it's a good thing too.

A quick creamy bechamel sauce worked just lovely in this casserole, along with lots of cheese, precooked rice and fresh broccoli instead of the frozen stuff called for in the recipe. I didn't even bother blanching it first so the bonus was a crunchy little bit with every bite. Quite delicious, especially with the crunchy crumbs on top. Even my resident "Mikey" liked it and didn't reach for the hot sauce either.

Just don't go thinking I'll be graduating to Green Bean Casserole, OK? I've never made one of those either and it's extremely doubtful I'll ever try. That one just doesn't turn my crank one bit.

Broccoli, Cheese and Rice Casserole (inspired by myrecipes.com)

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 large sweet onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

3 tablespoons flour (I used Wondra)

1-1/2 cups milk

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 cups cooked rice

2 cups chopped fresh broccoli

2 cups grated cheese

1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons melted butter

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium high heat.Add onion and cook, stirring until onion is soft and transparent – about 3 minutes. Add salt, pepper and flour. Cook stirring for one minute then slowly whisk in milk. Add Dijon, Worcestershire sauce and cook until sauce has thickened. Remove from heat and stir in rice, broccoli, and cheese. Transfer mixture to a greased casserole dish. Arrange buttered crumbs on top and bake in a 350 oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until casserole is bubbling hot and crumbs are golden brown. Makes 6 servings.Download Broccoli, Cheese and Rice Casserole from JBugs Kitchen Antics

A year ago Manhattan Clam Chowder

Moroccan Shepherd's Pie

Have you ever noticed the amount of spices used in a particular cuisine is directly proportionate to the climate of the country? Of course in the old days that was due to lack of refrigeration and the need to disguise off flavors, but I gotta tell you, we're really glad Moroccan cooking hasn't changed much over the generations because we're lovin' the spicy heat.

 
Last night's dinner was a great example. If you're tired of the same old same old and looking for something just a tad different you'll find it here. Loaded with the sunny flavors of cumin, tumeric, and cayenne, the sweetness of cinnamon, honey and raisins and saltiness of green olives, this lamb casserole topped with a sweet potato cap was darn near perfect. The proof - utter silence except for the sound of forks hitting the ramekins and the odd groan of delight.

While I made use of the rest of our leftover leg of lamb that I'd saved in the freezer, you could certainly use fresh shoulder or even ground lamb for this one...or chicken, or pork just adjust the cooking time accordingly. It's certainly delicious enough to put on our regular rotation - no doubt about it.

 Moroccan Shepherd’s Pie (adapted from myrecipes.com)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound leftover roast lamb, in half inch dice

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon ground cumin

11/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1-1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock

1/3 cup pimento stuffed green olives, sliced

1/3 cup raisins

2 tablespoons liquid honey

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons water (or chicken stock)

1 cup frozen peas (optional)

2 medium sweet potatoes or ruby yams, peeled and diced

1 tablespoon butter

Spray 4 ramekins or 1 large casserole with cooking spray and set aside. Heat large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add olive oil and when shimmering add onion. Cook until onion is transparent, then add garlic and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring often so garlic doesn’t burn. Stir in tomato paste, cumin, cayenne, turmeric, cinnamon, and salt. Add chicken stock, green olives, raisins, and honey. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove cover. Stir together cornstarch and water and add to pan, stirring well until mixture is thickened to desired consistency. Stir in lamb and peas. Remove from heat and divide between prepared ramekins.

Meanwhile cook sweet potatoes in boiling water until done (10 minutes). Drain well and return to pot to dry over low heat. Add butter and mash potatoes. Place potatoes on top of lamb mixture in ramekins. Bake in 350 oven until bubbling – about 20 minutes. Download Moroccan Shepherds Pie

A year ago - Spring Vegetable Ragout 

Impossibly Easy Lasagna Pie

What exactly does one make when one is dining alone and doesn't usually cook for her solitary self. Pasta was out because we had it the night before, although that rule's been broken before. Breakfast was out because I'd already had one and the old standby PBJ sandwich just didn't cut the mustard. Oh as for mustard, I didn't have any of that either and didn't feel like making it so a hotdog was out too. I mean can't have one of those without mustard can you? Well when in doubt bring Betty Crocker out. That kinda' rhymes doesn't it? 

An impossible pie seemed like an excellent choice. Did you know that Bisquick's been around since the early 1930's? Apparently an executive from General Mills was on a train and met the dining car chef who mixed lard with dry ingredients in advance to get a jump on his biscuit making. Amazing how something so simple to make can be made even more convenient, but most of us buy the darn stuff don't we. Even I have to admit it come in handy for a multitude of things and most often for our Sunday morning pancakes.

This particular slice of impossible pie was made with a single link of hot Italian sausage, some defrosted frozen spinach, marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, a touch of ricotta and the usual baking mix, eggs and milk. Ready in less than 50 minutes and served with a touch of extra marinara sauce on the side, it's a testament to ingenuity and desperation both of which were hunger driven. Pretty good incentive, wouldn't you say?

By the way I'm also attaching a recipe for a homemade baking mix that you can whip up and hide in your freezer almost indefinitely, if it lasts that long. It's just as good as the brand name stuff and the bonus is you know what goes into it because you put it there.

Impossibly Easy Lasagna Pie (adapted from bettycrocker.com)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 link hot Italian sausage, casing removed

1/2 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and moisture squeezed out

2/3 cup marinara sauce (I used Trader Joe’s)

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

3 tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

½ cup ricotta cheese

½ cup baking mix  (i.e. Bisquick or Pioneer)

2 eggs

1 cup milk

Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add olive oil and when hot, add onion and garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes, then add crumbled Italian sausage and cook until sausage is no longer pink and onion is soft. Stir in spinach, marinara sauce, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella, parmesan cheese, black pepper and red pepper flakes.

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 9 inch pie plate with cooking spray and spread ricotta cheese on the bottom. Top with Italian sausage/spinach mixture, spreading evenly. In a small bowl, beat eggs and add baking mix, beating until smooth.  Whisk in milk until well combined. Place pie plate on a baking sheet to catch any drips, and then pour egg, milk, Bisquick mixture over top of pie. Bake for 35 minutes or until firm in the center. Remove from oven and top with the rest of the mozzarella cheese. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with additional marinara sauce on the side if you wish. Makes 6 servings.

Homemade Baking Mix

8 cups all purpose flour

1-1/2 cups non fat dry powdered milk

1/4 cup baking powder

1 tablespoon salt

1-1/2 cups shortening

Combine dry ingredients together until well mixed. Cut in shortening until the size of small peas. Store  in freezer in an airtight container for several months.

To make biscuits, with a fork combine 2 cups baking mix with 1/3 to 1/2 cup water using just enough liquid to make a soft dough. Turn out onto floured surface and pat until 3/4 inch thick. Cut with biscuit cutter and bake at 450 for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Bacon and Blue Mac and Cheese

Bacon was calling from the refrigerator along with a yen for some mac and cheese. That was all the inspiration required to whip up a casserole that made good use of the odds and sods of cheese left in the snack drawer.

Simply a bechamel sauce made following the old 4, 3, 2 rule...as in 4 tablespoons of butter, 3 tablespoons flour and 2 cups milk along with a mixture of parmesan, cheddar, goat cheese and sharp cave aged blue combined with bacon and in our case fusilli created enough creamy goodness for 4 servings - guess you know what we're having for lunch today. Topped with crispy buttered panko crumbs and baby plum tomatoes cut into stars - well it was a symphony.

Bacon Blue Mac & Cheese (a JBug’s Kitchen original)

6 ounces pasta cooked to al dente per package directions

5 slices bacon, cooked till crisp and crumbled

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

2 cups whole milk

3 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

3 ounces goat cheese

2 ounces freshly grated parmesan

2 ounces grated sharp cheddar

Coarse ground black pepper and salt to taste

Hot sauce to taste (optional)

1/4 cup panko crumbs

1 tablespoon melted butter

1 cup mini plum or cherry tomatoes

Melt butter in medium sized saucepan and add flour. Cook, stirring constantly until roux is golden brown in color – about 4 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk and cook whisking constantly until mixture comes to a boil. Let it bubble for about 30 seconds, then remove from heat and stir in cheeses.  Add pasta and bacon and stir just until combined.

Preheat oven to 350. Coat a gratin dish with cooking spray and place dish on a sheet pan to catch drips. Pour pasta mixture into casserole and arrange buttered crumbs around the outside of the dish. Place sliced miniature tomatoes on top. Bake in 350 oven for 25 minutes until casserole is very hot. Makes 4 servings. Download Bacon Blue Mac and Cheese

 

Stuffed Eggplant

I'm about to say something rather profound. The Greeks sure know how to get the best out of what we call "meadow maggots" in our household. I don't know about you, but I have to justify eating something that looks so darn cute playing in the fields and while adorable, the sight of a lamb will almost but not quite make me want to become vegetarian. Certainly not after I tasted this dish!

Courtesy of Saveur, it makes good use of more of the ground lamb we salvaged from that tough as nails shoulder roast to fill up eggplant in a  dish called "Papoutsakia". Ground lamb mixed with the eggplant's innards along with lots of garlic, onion, tomatoes and red wine of course, all buried under a layer of smooth creamy cheesy bechamel - well it's something else believe me. Who would think a touch of cinnamon and cloves could make meat and tomatoes taste so good?

With almost the same ingredients as moussaka minus the potatoes, I'll be making this again to serve on pasta, or smothering a potato or as an absolute exact replica of what you see because it's a real keeper! By the way, it would be a great dish for a casual dinner with friends since it can be prepped in advance and refrigerated so you can enjoy time with your guests and still pull off a stellar dinner. We had ours with the rest of the crunchy Greek salad from the other day for a completely satisfying full meal deal.

Stuffed Eggplant (Papoutsakia) (adapted from Saveur and Susanna Hoffman’s The Olive and the Caper)

1 medium sized eggplant, or 2 small

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 medium onion, minced

3/4 pound lean ground lamb

1-1/2 cups crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup dry marsala wine

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Dash cloves

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1-1/4 cups milk

3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Cut eggplant in half and scoop out innards, leaving a quarter to half inch shell. Roughly chop innards and reserve. Heat oil in large skillet and cook eggplant shells, turning once until browned and just wilted – about 5 minutes total. Transfer to shallow casserole dish. In same sauté pan over medium heat, cook onion and garlic until softened. Add ground lamb and cook until lamb is no longer pink. Add reserved eggplant, crushed tomatoes, wine, salt, pepper, oregano, cinnamon and cloves. Cook stirring often until mixture is very thick – about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile heat butter in small saucepan and add flour. Cook, stirring constantly until butter and flour are slightly golden in color – about 5 minutes. Whisk in milk and cook until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Remove from heat and stir in parmesan cheese and nutmeg. Taste for seasoning adding salt and pepper as required.

To assemble – fill eggplant shells with tomato eggplant sauce and top with béchamel. May be refrigerated at this point. Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes until hot and bubbling. Finish under broiler to brown béchamel.  Serves 4. Download Stuffed Eggplant (Papoutsakia)

 

Quick Turkey Casserole w Apple Raisin Slaw

Here's a quick and tasty casserole you can whip up on a weeknight in a flash that makes great use of leftover chicken or turkey in my case. You see I found a multitude of "surprises" during my freezer clean out binge, among them a chunk of that turkey roll we made on Thanksgiving. I did the happy dance when I saw it, believe me!

This casserole makes use of stove top stuffing mix, topped with poultry pieces, a bit of swiss cheese which is entirely optional along with some sauteed onions and mushrooms. Spiced with thyme and rosemary and topped with a can of Campbells's Mushroom Soup, quite honestly it tastes very much like a turkey dinner with all the fixin's...or at least my favorite part of it.

We had our casserole along with a slaw that I kinda' made up as I went along, and I'm so sorry that I didn't write anything down. This will be a super slaw to repeat. Loaded with shredded cabbage, carrots, a Rome apple and two kinds of raisins in a creamy sour cream/mayo and honey dressing, it was the perfect crunch component and rounded out our meal quite nicely.

Turkey and Stuffing Casserole (Adapted from Idaho a la Carte)

1 12 ounce package stuffing mix (Stove Top)

1/4 cup dry Marsala or sherry

2-1/2 cups diced cooked chicken or turkey

4 ounces sliced Swiss cheese (optional)

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

Coarse ground black pepper to taste

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup milk

3 tablespoons melted butter

Sauté chopped onion and mushrooms in vegetable oil until onion is soft – about 5 minutes. Stir in poultry seasoning and rosemary. Season with black pepper. Mix together mushroom soup with water and milk. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350. Spray casserole dish with cooking spray. Reserve 1/2 cup stuffing mix and spread remainder on bottom of casserole. Sprinkle with Marsala, then spread cooked poultry evening over top. Top poultry with Swiss cheese slices, then add sautéed onions and mushrooms. Top with mushroom soup mixed with water and milk. Sprinkle with reserved stuffing mix and top with melted butter. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until casserole is hot and bubbling. Serve immediately. Makes 4 to 6 servings. Download Turkey and Stuffing Casserole

 

Cheater Lasagne

The big guy and yours truly spent yesterday doing yard work. Now for those of you who don't live in the sunny south, you must be wondering just how much work can be involved in maintaining a yard made of sand, gravel, brick and river rock but believe me there's more than you think. The record breaking cold weather we endured this winter has taken a huge toll on our plants and trees, and while the meyer lemon, tangelo and ruby red grapefruit are in blossom in the side yard along with flowering plum, the Mexican lime tree bit the dust (I think) although we're going to try and coax it back to life.

As well, the bougainvillea we so carefully tended outside the walls of our house were brutally cut back in error by the HOA's landscapers and look like they haven't made it either, never mind the huge one we had at the front door. 

Our ornamental pistachio whose umbrella of green provided a sea of dappled light in our back yard is now a mere shadow of its former self and almost leafless. 

The good news is a lot did survive! The pomegranate is green like crazy, the Lady Banks (side yard) is a mass of buds and blossoms, the pyracantha lining the back wall is in full berry, and even the palms are OK, though one is a might sickly.

The long and short of it, there was a lot of cuttin', shapin', swearin' and vaccuming going on yesterday at our "casa" and we're both feeling our bones today.

By necessity last night's dinner needed to be quick and carb filled - for energy and comfort of course, so I whipped up a cheater lasagne made from pillows of store bought ravioli along with cottage cheese, pesto from the freezer, and mozzarella. I even managed to sneak in some spinach -gotcha big guy, resulting in one of his famous "looks". Spiced up with cooked crumbled Italian sausage and jarred marinara along with the requisite red pepper flakes, dinner was on the table in 45 minutes flat - just enough time to throw together a salad and enjoy a pre-dinner libation.

Cheater Lasagna (Adapted from Cuisine at Home)

This casserole is extremely versatile and depending on what you’ve hiding in your pantry can be made with just about any kind of cooked meat including pepperoni, ground beef or Italian sausage or even leftover roast chicken. If you’d rather, you could make it vegetarian by eliminating the meat altogether and adding more sautéed veggies, like zucchini, mushrooms or even grilled eggplant..

1 - 18 ounce jar good quality marinara sauce (I used Trader Joe’s)

16 ounce package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (use only 1 cup)

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup cottage cheese

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes

2 tablespoons prepared pesto (or 1 teaspoon dried basil)

Pepper to taste

1 egg

Dash fresh nutmeg

1 large package fresh cheese giant ravioli (uncooked)

8 ounces cooked Italian sausage, crumbled

1/2 cup grated parmesan, mozzarella or provolone

Preheat oven to 400. Spray 4 ramekins with cooking spray and set aside. Mix together spinach, mozzarella, cottage cheese, oregano, Italian seasoning, red chile flakes, pesto, pepper, egg and nutmeg. Place 2 tablespoons marinara sauce on bottom of ramekins, and arrange a layer of ravioli. Top with another 2 tablespoons of marinara. Distribute the cooked Italian sausage among the ramekins, and add a quarter of cheese mixture to each ramekin. Top with more ravioli and press down slightly. Add another 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce on each casserole and sprinkle with cheese. Spray foil sheets with cooking spray, and securely wrap ramekins with foil (spray side down). Place on foil lined baking sheet and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven, remove foil and let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Makes 4. Download Cheater Lasagne

Make Paddy McIrish Proud

That little leprechaun would have been most proud of us last night because we actually made something wonderful out of leftovers. You see, it's not just the Scottish that are frugal cooks - the Irish are too.

Remember the Shortribs in Porter we had last month? Well, I froze the leftover shortribs and gravy to save for another day. I actually had every intention of shredding the shortribs, adding barbecue sauce and making some quesadillas but then what would I do with the gravy and it was too darn delicious to pitch. 

I sauteed some onion and shallots, added a little extra meat in the form of lean ground beef, put in some diced parsnip and carrots, threw in a can of Campbell's French Onion Soup and there you go; the makings of a rather fabulous Shepherd's Pie, or in our case a Cottage Pie created out of mostly leftovers.

Honestly you could do the same thing with leftover lamb or roast pork and gravy, or even make a chicken pie with leftover roast chicken and replace the canned onion soup with cream of chicken. It would all be good and delicious, and for sure it won't be boring. By the way, I topped mine with mixed vegetables to increase the veggie count, but the big guy had corn on his. After all, we know he wouldn't be caught dead eating green beans or peas.

Cottage AKA Shepherd’s Pie (A JBug’s Kitchen original)

You can make a cottage or shepherd’s pie from just about any kind of leftover meat, poultry or even fish. If using chicken, replace the French Onion Soup with Cream of Chicken Soup or Cream of Mushroom. For a fish pie, add Cream of Shrimp or Crab Bisque to a white sauce in place of the gravy.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 shallot, minced (optional)

1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup diced raw parsnip

1/2 cup diced raw carrot

1-1/4 pounds cooked beef (leftover roast or a combination of roast and ground beef)

1 can French Onion Soup, undiluted (I used Campbell’s)

1-1/2 cups beef gravy

Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Add onion and shallot and cook, stirring often, until vegetables are softened. Add parsnip, carrot, French onion soup, and garlic powder and simmer covered until vegetables are soft (about 5 to 8 minutes). Add beef and gravy. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Move ingredients to a 1-1/2 quart casserole or 4 to 6 individual ramekins.

Topping:

2 Idaho Baking Potatoes, peeled

1 tablespoon butter

1/3 cup half and half or milk

1 cup frozen mixed vegetables

Peel and boil potatoes until softened. Put through a ricer or mash well, adding butter and milk. Spoon into a pastry bag and pipe around outside of pie. Fill center with mixed vegetables. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until potatoes are slightly browned and pie is bubbling. Serves 4 to 6. Download Cottage Pie aka Shepherd's Pie

 

Apple Sausage Stuffing

I would imagine it seems a little silly to be serving stuffing so soon after the holidays but I for one never seem to get enough of it. This particular recipe from Real Simple is going on my list for a regular rotation. It's that good!

Full of sausage, beautiful red Rome apples, dried fruit, and sage, the bread component is actually frozen parmesan garlic bread - something I don't usually purchase. It means this side dish is incredibly easy to put together and can even be accomplished ahead of time. How great is that? Believe you me, it put the boots to the packaged stuffing that cooks on top of the stove and was a great change from the usual potatoes or corn - not that one can have too much of either mind you.

While we had our Apple Sausage Stuffing with some turkey meatloaf, it would be great with pork, duck or even goose - if you're in to such a fowl fowl. Next time I may even add some pecans for more crunch! Try it sometime and let me know what you think. We thought it was the hit of last night's dinner!

Apple Sausage Stuffing (adapted from Real Simple)

1/2 pound Italian Sausage (I used hot, casings removed)

2 medium Rome apples, unpeeled, cored and diced

2 ounces dried apricots, snipped

2 ounces dried cranberries

1 teaspoon dried sage

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 – 10 ounce package frozen Parmesan garlic bread (like Pepperidge Farms)

1/2 cup chicken stock

Thaw bread and cut into half inch cubes. Place in a large bowl and set aside. Cook sausage in a large skillet, crumbling as it cooks until it starts to brown. Add apples and cook stirring from time to time until apples are tender (about 5 minutes). Add dried fruit, sage and nutmeg. Toss with bread cubes and add chicken stock to moisten. Transfer to a lightly buttered casserole dish. (May be refrigerated overnight at this point). Bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes or until top is golden brown. Serves 6.

Note: A sage sausage like Jimmy Dean’s would be wonderful as well, or sweet Italian sausage if you don’t like extra spices. Download Apple Sausage Stuffing