Stuffed Eggplant a "Kudos" Post

I've decided since I started this year with a resolution to try new things, that every weekend I will go to the Farmer's Market and pick one thing I've either never cooked with or tried.

Eggplant accomplished both of those criteria.

In my search for a recipe that had eggplant I kept my husband in mind - he loves anything with meat. So, I came across this recipe and had great success with it. Because I'm only slightly OCD (haha) when it comes to cooking - I laid out all the ingredients needed, including a glass of wine because why not?

Here's what you'll need:

The prep work didn't take too long as you're mostly just cutting up fresh vegetables and herbs. I was really hesitant in using a red pepper but realized the last time I cooked with one that once it's cooked it's not nearly as hot as it is raw.  My taste buds are real wusses when it comes to all things spicy. The combination of flavors and colors make the dish both appetizing and pleasant to look at.

I splurged on a brick of cheese and my God it was worth it. I asked for a cheese grater for Christmas one year and haven't regretted the decision in the slightest. Overall it was a delicious dish and I didn't necessarily tweak it too much. The only thing I changed was (since I have a carnivorous husband) that I increased the meat to a pound and doubled the breadcrumbs and egg.

I will absolutely be making this dish again. If you get around to try it, I hope you enjoy the hell out of it!

Kudos: Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Major kudos must be given to this amazing recipe. I mean, oh my god it is so good! It's a bit of work and I'll admit I did change a couple of things. I only made half the recipe, I used mild Italian sausage (instead of the sweet and hot), and used 2 large portobello mushroom caps. I served my stuffed mushroom cap on a bed of jasmine rice that I mixed with a hint of balsamic vinegar. 

I really recommend going the extra step and grating your own parmesan - I had forgotten how good fresh parmesan tastes that when after I sampled some I did little a happy dance (that my husband totally saw and mocked me for). I don't care though, it deserved a dance. :) 

Most of my time was spent in the prep work. I had everything chopped and separated into bowls and placed in the order that I was going to need them - made the process so much easier. I don't have a food processor though - I thought I'd be able to use a blender, big mistake. So, instead I settled on using my Magic Bullet and that seemed to get the job done. 

My husband commented that the spices did get to him towards the end of the meal, I thought it was perfect. So, maybe my pallet isn't as refined. :P 

I also recommend going the extra step and preparing the "Essence." You'll make quite a lot, but I'm sure with a little creativity you'll be able to find other recipes to use the spice combination in. 

If you don't have an extensive spice rack then this recipe could be more on the pricey end. I only ended up needing 3 spices (which I'll now have to buy spice jars for and whip out my trusty label maker, now making my spice rack have 28 spices - HELL YES!) 

I hope you enjoy this recipe. :) 

Are You Ready For Some Chili!!

Football season, cooler weather, the changing of the leaves (yes this even happens in Florida) - I absolutely LOVE autumn. A classic recipe for this time of year that I always fall back on is chili. I love the simplicity of this recipe, you can tweak the spiciness as you make it. This recipe is based off of a Betty Crocker recipe and after making it for many years - of course I've changed it. :P Everyone has their awesome homemade chili recipe - and while this one certainly isn't anything to write home about - it definitely beats any canned chili on the aisle. 

INGREDIENTS 

1 chopped onion 

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. ground beef 

1 T. chili powder

1 t. dried oregano (or 2 t. fresh) 

1 t. ground cumin

1/2 t. salt

red pepper sauce to suit your tastes 

1 28oz. can diced tomatoes (I buy the can with the oregano, basil and garlic) 

1 can kidney beans, undrained (I like the dark red) 

Toppings of your choice

DIRECTIONS 

Saute your onion, garlic, and ground cumin over medium heat in a large sauce pan. Once the meat is browned add your chili powder, oregano, cumin, salt, red pepper sauce, and diced tomatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil, once boiling reduce heat to a gentle bubble and cover. Cook for about an hour - stirring occasionally. (I'll admit sometimes I can't wait that long - and only cook it covered for half an hour). Stir in the kidney beans and bring to a boil once more. Reduce heat to a gentle bubble, and cook uncovered for 20 minutes. 

Top with whatever you wish and enjoy! :) 

Ginny's Stroganoff

Here is another favorite recipe from my grandmother. This recipe can be found on page 49 of the cookbook for those of you that have it. :) 

INGREDIENTS

1/2 c. chopped onion
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 T. butter
1 lb. of ground beef (or turkey if you prefer)
Mushrooms, either canned or fresh - your preference (I use 1 can sliced mushrooms, drained)
1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 c. sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
Wide egg noodles

DIRECTIONS

Saute the onion and garlic in the butter, slowly. Add meat and brown. Next add the mushrooms and soup and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Stir in the sour cream but do not boil. Serve over noodles.

Easy to make and yummy, too. Enjoy! :)

Braided Pizza

OK, so a cute story for my 6 readers of the blog. I learned how to make this recipe during high school when I was about 16-ish. I invited my best friend and her boyfriend over to "my" house, along with my boyfriend (now husband). It was a double date you see. This is what I made to impress them. Though, come to find out my husband doesn't like the crust on his pizza- and what is this aside from a pizza with A LOT of crust? I like a lot of crust and prefer this over my regular pizza recipe simply because I have more control of how much sauce I use. Since I promised you 6 readers that I would take good photos the next time I made a braided pizza - I had the perfect excuse to make what I wanted. :)

I tweaked the recipe a bit this time around - as I didn't have the energy to go all out and make the sauce completely by hand.

For this recipe you will need a good pizza dough and sauce recipe. Of course you can always buy pre-made dough, I prefer using homemade dough simply because it's always super hard for me to roll out the store bought doughs. You'll also need the ingredients for the inside and outside of the braided pizza, those ingredients are listed later.

First- start with the sauce.

SAUCE

As I mentioned, I used a different sauce recipe than the one attached to the link above. My original sauce recipe is good if you have A LOT of time - and really like chopping fresh tomatoes. This was the first time I used this sauce recipe, and typically I don't tweak recipes unless I've tried the original. I did tweak this recipe this time though. As a personal preference I like "wetter" (for lack of a better word) sauces. The recipe is good - but it's incredibly THICK. I tried to thin it out using a tablespoon at a time of water (ended up adding 6 T. of water) and it only helped a little. I just so happened to have a can of diced tomatoes with oregano, basil and garlic and decided to dump the whole can in and ended up with the perfect consistency. Also, this sauce recipe is really yummy. :)

While the sauce is slowly simmering, start the dough.

PIZZA DOUGH
(Copied from my Pizza blog post I linked to above.)

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 to 3 c. Flour

1 pkg. active dry yeast

1 t. salt

1 c. warm water

2 T. oil

DIRECTIONS

In large mixing bowl combine 1 1/4 c. of flour, the yeast and salt. Stir in the warm water. Beat at low speed with mixer. Stir in as much of the remaining dough as you can mix with a spoon. Turn dough onto lightly floured counter top and kneed in enough of the remaining flour to make a smooth and elastic dough (6-8 minutes). Place dough in a large bowl and cover bowl with a warmed wet towel and let rest for 10 minutes.

***FYI - the above directions are so much easier if you have a dough hook attachment on your mixer. Saves you lots of time.*** 

THE INSIDES (AND OUT) 

INGREDIENTS 

4 ounces-ish of shredded mozzarella cheese (or whatever cheese you prefer)

1 pkg. of pepperoni 

1/4 c. olive (or vegetable) oil 

1 t. dried basil 

1 t. dried oregano

2 T. Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees. 

Ok, let the fun begin. 

Roll the dough out. 

You'll want to cut the dough into about a 12x8 inch rectangle. I didn't measure mine - I just eyed it. A pizza cutter makes cutting the dough a lot easier. 

From here - you'll place a single layer of pepperoni in the center of the dough. Leave yourself about an inch and half buffer on each side. 

Then, top your pepperoni with your cheese. After you placed your cheese on top of your pepperoni, take a paring knife and make slits about 1 inch apart along the sides of the dough coming to within a 1/2 inch of your filling. 

Starting at the top, make your dough "hug" the filling. Once the two sides meet, pinch them together so that they stay. 

Continue this process all the way down to the bottom of the dough. 

Carefully transfer your braided pizza to a cookie sheet. 

In a separate bowl combine the oil, basil, oregano and parmesan cheese. Using a brush, brush the oil and spices on top of your dough. 

Place dough into your pre-heated 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until dough becomes golden brown. 

Serve with your sauce and enjoy. :) 

Kudos for Greek Spanakopita Pie

This recipe is sooo good. Major kudos to Betty Crocker's Greek Spanakopita Pie. I'd never baked with phyllo before and I was really surprised at how easy it was to handle. I was really nervous about picking up all the sheets after they were assembled, but they held together surprisingly well. 

The recipe itself was very simple. The most "difficult" part of the recipe is really just the most time consuming - that being the time it takes to assemble the phyllo. Preparing the meat mixture took about 15 minutes to accomplish. The smell of parsley was just wonderful. 

The recipe took me approximately 2 hours from start to finish. Though, I spent a lot of time in my prep work. 

In the future, I think I'll add more feta to the meat mixture in addition to the crumbles you place on top.

Final verdict - Very good. I'll be making this again (with more cheese).  :)  

5 Spice Steak and Spinach

Alright, so another recipe to give kudos to. I bought a cookbook back when we lived in Alexandria, VA. Its title "Just 5 Things" caught my attention simply because I immediately thought "5 ingredients? These have to be cheap recipes! SCORE!" Well they're not cheap, but they don't exactly break the bank either. You have fewer ingredients, but better quality ingredients give you a great flavor. When my husband and I went up to visit our friends in Georgia for New Years, they took us to a hibachi grill. Ever since I have been wanting to try to make some Asian food. So, tonight that's what I did.

Behold, the 5 Spice Steak and Spinach.....

INGREDIENTS

3 T Asian Sesame oil (I didn't measure, I just coated the pan. This oil smells so good!)

2 thick filet steaks

2 T five-spice powder (this is a real thing, you can find it on the Ethnic foods aisle in the grocery store)

6 oz. baby spinach leaves

1/4 c. soy sauce

DIRECTIONS

I dry rubbed my steaks with the powder, and I know I used more than the recipe called for. So, if you want to sprinkle the powder on the steaks, go for it, or rub it on like I did. You choose. :) Next fill a medium sauce pan with water and start to bring it to a boil. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan on medium - medium/high heat. Once the oil is hot place your steak in the oil and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side. Once you've done that, take the skillet off the burner and cover. Let it sit for about 5 minutes (Or longer if you want your steak well done). If your water has been boiling for a while, it's OK. Once you've taken the pot off the burner, your water should be boiling at this point. Dump all the spinach into the boiling water and then strain it once it's wilted (about 30 seconds). After you've strained your spinach, place it back in your pot and add the soy sauce. Mix well and serve with your steak.

Enjoy!

Kudos

Alright, so I need to give major kudos to this turkey tetrazzini recipe. It is very labor intensive but well work the work. Reserve at least 2 hours time for this recipe. Sorry, I took no pictures this time. My husband and I ate it before I could get the camera out. :)

Chicken Tortellini

I love this recipe. Usually takes less than half an hour from start to finish. It is so easy, and so good.

INGREDIENTS

1 pkg. (9 oz.) refrigerated 3 cheese tortellini

1 lb. chicken tenders (or chicken breast) cut into bite size pieces.

1/4 c. italian dressing

1 can (28 oz.) of diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano

1 (6oz.) bag of fresh spinach

1/4 c. grated parmasen cheese

DIRECTIONS

Cook the tortellini according to its directions, drain. Meanwhile, heat dressing in large pan to medium high heat. Add chicken and cook thoroughly. Add diced tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add spinach, cover and stir occasionally until spinach shrivels. Add tortellini and parmesan. Mix well. Garnish with additional parmesan if desired. Serve.

Meaty Lasagna

I LOVE this recipe. It is quick and easy. We always have leftovers which is fantastic since I won't have to cook the next day. I took a picture of half of the lasagna just so you could see the layers. I don't use a full size lasagna dish either. My dish is just large enough to fit the length of a lasagne pasta (yes, I spelled that one right, it's what Mueller's calls their pasta).

Look at all that cheesy goodness!

INGREDIENTS

clove of minced garlic

1 lb. ground beef

1 jar spaghetti sauce (I use Prego Traditional)

6 Lasagna noodles

8 oz. ricotta cheese

2 c. mozzarella cheese

grated parmesan

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400

Cook the noodles as directed on the package. Strain and let cool. In the meantime cook your meat and garlic on medium-high heat. When meat is cooked through, add the spaghetti sauce to your desired thickness. (I use the whole jar-normal size not the jumbo). Spoon enough of the mixture to cover the bottom of the lasagna dish. Cover with two noodles. Next cover the two noodles with about half of your remaining meat mixture. Top with ricotta cheese, then sprinkle your mozzarella on top of the ricotta. (Eyeball it, I use half the container of ricotta and about a cup of the mozzarella. I found that if you put the ricotta in a bowl and mush it down with a fork it's easier to spoon out onto the lasagna.) Layer 2 more noodles down, followed by the remaining meat and cheeses. Top with the last two noodles. Sprinkle with parmesan. Place foil over your pan and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes remove foil, place back in oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.

* Word to the wise. Sometimes the filling may bubble out of the dish. Line the bottom rack of your oven with foil to catch any drips that may occur during the baking process.

If you have leftovers cover and place in the fridge. To reheat simply cover with foil and add 10 minutes to the original baking time. You may want to place the leftover lasagna in another pan to bake. I've noticed that if I use the same lasagna dish the sauce and the cheese from the eaten side tend to bake onto the dish and it makes the pan harder to clean- not impossible, just harder to clean.

Pizza

I've been making this recipe for at least 10 years. It typically takes me about 2 hours from start to finish. There is another variant of this recipe where you can make a braided pizza. The next time I make a braided pizza I'll take very good pictures and put those instructions up on the blog. :)

Start with the sauce.

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 T olive oil

4 oz. finely chopped onions

2 1/2 t. finely chopped garlic

2 1/2 lbs. Plum tomatoes

2 T. tomato puree

2 1/2 t. dried oregano

2 1/2 t. fresh basil, finely cut

1 bay leaf

2 t. sugar

2 1/2 t. salt

ground pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

In a medium sized sauce pan heat the oil and cook the onion over medium heat stirring frequently for 7-8 minutes or until soft and transparent. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes stirring constantly. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat very low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally for about an hour. Remove the bay leaf. If you want a smoother sauce you can pour sauce into blender.

While the sauce is cooking begin with the dough. By all means you can buy a pre-made dough, I like to make mine from scratch. I always have a hard time rolling out pre-made dough. Homemade dough is easier to manipulate.

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 to 3 c. Flour

1 pkg. active dry yeast

1 t. salt

1 c. warm water

2 T. oil

DIRECTIONS

In large mixing bowl combine 1 1/4 c. of flour, the yeast and salt. Stir in the warm water. Beat at low speed with mixer. Stir in as much of the remaining dough as you can mix with a spoon. Turn dough onto lightly floured counter top and kneed in enough of the remaining flour to make a smooth and elastic dough (6-8 minutes). Place dough in a large bowl and cover bowl with a warmed wet towel and let rest for 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 475.

Roll the dough out and place on your pizza pan. Using a fork and poke holes in several areas of the dough. Place dough in oven and bake for approximately 10 minutes. Check often as ovens vary. You want a dough that is cooked, but not brown.

Next, spoon your sauce on your pizza and cover with your desired toppings. Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Enjoy!