Baked Eggs and Cheese

Baked Eggs and Cheese

6 eggs
salt and fresh ground pepper
3 T. ham, cut into matchsticks or cubes OR 3 T. diced chicken, cooked
6 T. fresh Parmesan Cheese
2 T. butter
3-4 leaves fresh basil (to garnish)
french baguette or french bread, to serve

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter a shallow ovenproof dish, or ramekins if you are making individual servings.

Break the eggs into the dish. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the ham over the whites. Sprinkle the top with the Parmesan Cheese.

Dot with butter. Cover the dish and bake for 7-10 minutes or until the whites have set and the chesse has melted. Garnish with the basil and serve with hot warmed bread.

Ham Hock and Beans

Ham Hock and Beans

A perfect chilly day soup to have with a leftover ham bone!

1 ham hock with some meat still on
1 bag 15 bean mix
3/4 cup celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, minced
6 carrots, diced
4 T. butter

1 T. Kosher salt
1 t. ground sage
1 T. parsley
2 t. ground black pepper
2 t. chili powder
1/2 packet bean seasoning mix

Soak beans overnight. 4 hours before serving, drain beans. Put in a large stockpot with ham hock and add 4 qts. of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 3 hours. At 3 hours, add the carrots and start the rest of the soup.

In a saute pan, melt butter. Add onion, garlic, celery and seasoning. Saute until onions are translucent. Add mixture to soup and simmer until carrots are tender, about 1 hour.

Remove ham bones from soup and peel off remaining meat. Add meat back to soup, discard bones.

French Cranberry Chicken

French Cranberry Chicken

6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup whole cranberry sauce
1 cup French salad dressing
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
2 T. olive oil

Place chicken breasts in a baking dish. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Mix the rest of the ingredients well and pour over chicken. Continue baking for 15-30 minutes or until done.

Serve with vegetables, stuffing or baked potatoes.

Swiss Dips

Swiss Dips

Swiss Dips are just a little spin on a French Dip Sandwich! I use leftover Roast Beef from a beef or venison roast that I have made. You can also used pre-packaged roast beef from the deli.

1 lb. Roast Beef
8 slices Sliced Swiss Cheese
1-2 packages Au Jus mix
4 French Rolls

Turn on the broiler in the oven. Slice the rolls and spread them with butter. Toast them face up slightly in the oven. Prepare the Au Jus according to package directions. Place the roast beef in the Au Jus to warm it and to add juice to the sandwich. Drain and spread 1/4 of the roast beef over each roll and top each sandwich with two slices of Swiss cheese. Return sandwiches to the broiler, watching carefully as the cheese will melt rather quickly.

Enjoy!

Swiss Chicken Rollups

Swiss Chicken Rollups

For the Rollups:
8-10 packaged dried lasagna noodles
1 egg, beaten
15 oz. ricotta cheese or cottage cheese, drained
8 oz. chicken, seasoned and cooked to taste (about 3 breasts)
1/2 t. dried basil

For the sauce:
2 T. butter
2 T. flour
1/2 t. dry mustard
1 t. Kosher salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 1/2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. shredded Swiss cheese

Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cool water.

For the filling, mix the egg, ricotta cheese, chicken and basil. On a work surface, lay out a noodle and spread with about 1/3 c. of the filling. Roll up lasagna noodle in a spiral. starting from a short end. Place roll up in a baking dish. Repeat with all noodles. (You will get 8 rollups, the extra two noodles are just in case of tearing).

Meanwhile, in a saucepan melt the butter. Add the flour and stir with a whisk to make a roux. Add the milk and seasonings. Cook while stirring until thick and bubbly. Add the Swiss cheese a little at a time, stirring. Pour the sauce over the rollups in the baking dish. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 6-8.

Hawaiian Haystacks

Hawaiian Haystacks

4-6 Chicken Breasts or 10-12 Chicken Tenders
1 cup chicken broth
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can evaporated milk
4-6 cups cooked rice

Place chicken in 4 qt. crock pot. Cook on high 2-3 hours. Shred or cut up chicken and add remaining ingredients, except the rice. Stir well and cover. Cook an additional 2 hours on high or 3-4 hours on low.

Serve over hot rice. Top with your favorites. Our favorites include: shredded cheddar cheese, coconut, diced tomatoes, Chinese Rice noodles, olives, pineapple tidbits and diced green onions.

Serves 4-6.

Back in the saddle again

I do believe it has been about a year since I made any effort whatsoever on this blog. So here I am, recommitting. The original purpose was to consolidate all of my recipes in one place, including the ones inside my head. I pulled up the blog the other day to find a recipe, only to find that I had never posted it in the first place! So back at it I go.

Enjoy the upcoming recipes, I know I am going to!

Kabobs

Kabobs
1 lb. meat of choice
Vegetables to chop:
Tomatoes
Onions
Zucchini
Bell Peppers
Whatever you like

Marinate the meat chunks overnight in your favorites marinade. Today I used venison and I marinated it in Coke to tenderize it.
Soak wooden skewers in water for at least ten minutes to prevent them from burning on the grill. Skewer vegetables and meat. Sprinkle vegetables with olive oil, kosher salt and pepper. Season meat if necessary. Cook on bbq grill over medium high heat until cooked through.

Quiche

Quiche is probably a breakfast food, but I like to serve it for dinner with a little salad on the side. Delish!

Quiche
1 1/2 cups chopped spinach, kale, collards, or swiss chard
1 small onion, diced
1 T. butter
1 1/2 cups grated cheese
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 c. heavy cream
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. nutmeg
1 pastry shell

Prepare the pastry shell and set aside. Cook the onion in butter until translucent. Put cheese onion and greens in pastry shell. Beat together remaining ingredients and pour into shell. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.

Add mushrooms, ham, green pepper, etc. if desired.

Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken Cacciatore
6 chicken thighs and breasts with skin and bones
2 t. salt
1 t. ground black pepper
1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dredging
3 T. olive oil
1 large bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 ( 28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons drained capers
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour to coat lightly. In a large heavy saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute just until brown, about 5 minutes per side. If all the chicken does not fit in the pan, saute it in 2 batches. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic to the same pan and saute over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes with their juice, broth, capers and oregano. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through.

Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. If necessary, boil the sauce until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the basil and serve with pasta.

Baked Penne

Baked Penne
1 lb. ground beef
1 can. Petite diced tomatoes, drained
Kosher Salt
Ground Black Pepper
1 t. Parsley
1 t.Rosemary
1/2 t. Oregano
2 c. Penne Pasta
1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese

Saute ground beef in skillet until cooked thoroughly. Drain excess fat and set aside. Cook penne pasta according to package directions. Combine cooked pasta, ground beef, drained tomatoes and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add herbs. Place in casserole or 13x9 baking dish. Cover and bake in oven at 350 degrees until heated through. Top with cheeses and continue cooking until melted.

Chicken and Rice Casserole

Chicken and Rice Casserole
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 1/3 cups water
3/4 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice
1 T. dehydrated minced onion
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 cups frozen vegetables
4 chicken thighs, skinned
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
kosher salt
ground black pepper

Stir the soup, water, rice, onion, black pepper and vegetables in an 13x9 baking dish. Top with the chicken. Season the chicken with kosher salt and pepper. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake at 375°F. for 50 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender. Top with cheese. Let casserole stand for 10 minutes. Stir rice before serving.

Zuppa Toscana

Another OG knockoff. This is tasty with Caesar Salad and breadsticks. And great for a cold snowy day! This recipe makes about 8 servings, so scale down or invite over some friends.

Zuppa Toscana
1 lb ground Italian sausage
1½ tsp crushed red peppers
1 large diced white onion
4 Tbsp bacon pieces
2 tsp garlic puree
10 cups water
5 cubes of chicken bouillon
1 cup heavy cream
1 lb sliced Russet potatoes, or about 3 large potatoes
¼ of a bunch of kale

Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Remove from pan and set aside. In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions and garlic for approxiamtly 15 minutes or until the onions are soft. ix together the chicken bouillon and water, then add it to the onions, bacon and garlic. Cook until boiling.

Add potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour. Add heavy cream and cook until thoroughly heated. Stir in the sausage. Add kale just before serving.

Lime Tenderloin

BBQ turned out this week to be a grilled Lime Infused Tenderloin. Very simple and quick!

Lime Infused Tenderloin
3-4 lb. beef or venison tenderloin
4 limes
2 T. kosher salt

With the palm of your hand, roll limes on countertop to loosen juices. Cut limes in half and juice. Pierce tenderloin with a kitchen fork. This allows the juices to get inside and makes it very tasty! Sprinkle kosher salt on both sides of the tenderloin. Pour lime juice over the tenderloin and let marinate (the longer... the better!). Grill tenderloin on BBQ until pink in center.

Beef Stew

The great thing about having a roast is having the leftovers! Leftover roast makes the best stew.

Roast Stew
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 potatoes, washed and chopped
2 stalks celery, washed and chopped
1 clove garlic minced
kosher salt
ground black pepper
2 T. butter
2 T. flour
24 oz. beef stock/broth
leftover roast, course chopped

Melt butter in large cast iron skillet. Add vegetables and saute until just tender. Add flour to remaining butter to make a roux (add a little extra butter if needed). Pour in 8 oz. of the broth to absorb roux. Add vegetables, roux and leftover roast bits into crock pot and 'stew' for 3-4 hours or until vegetables are cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.

Teriyaki Stir Fry

Teriyaki Stir Fry
3 large chicken breasts
3 carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1 can bamboo shoot or water chestnuts

Teriyaki Sauce
2/3 cup sugar
8 T. rice vinegar
6 T. soy sauce
4 level tbsp corn starch
1 cup water

Saute chicken breast and vegetables in a large non stick skillet. In a saucepan combine sugar, vinegar and soy sauce. Stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Combine corn starch and water and stir. Add to sugar mixture a little at a time until all is incorporated. Stir and heat until boiling and sauce thickens.

Serve over chicken, vegetables and steamed white rice.

Mom's Roast

I call this Mom's Roast because this is how my mom always prepares her roasts! It is delicious with my Grandma's Chile Tomato Salsa (recipe to come soon... I hope!).

Mom's Roast
3-5 lb. beef or venison roast
2 onions, sliced
kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
1 T. Olive oil

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Heat olive oil in a dutch oven on the stove top over medium high heat. Season the roast with salt and pepper on both sides. When the olive oil is hot, add the roast and sear on both sides (about 5 minutes per side). Add the onions and cook until just translucent. Finish roast in oven for 2 hours or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

Stuffed Shells

Stuffed Shells
1 box (14-16 oz.) shell shaped pasta
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 egg
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. Italian herb seasoning
1 tsp. parsley
1 jar marinara

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta shells according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, combine ricotta, half of the mozzarella, parmesan, egg, bread crumbs and seasonings. Mix thoroughly. Spread 1/3 of the marinara in the bottom of a 13x9 baking dish. When shells are cooled stuff them with cheese mixture, using a large table spoon. Place in baking dish on top of the marinara. Cover stuffed shells with the remainder of the marinara. Bake in oven about 20 minutes. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese and cook an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Serve with salad and breadsticks.

Chicken and Gnocchi Veronese

This recipe is an Olive Garden knockoff. It is rich and creamy and should only be eaten once in awhile!

Gnocchi are an Italian potato dumpling. They are very popular in Argentina as well. They can be made from scratch but it is much easier to pick up a package in the pasta section of any grocery store.

Chicken and Gnocchi Veronese
1/4 cup olive oil
1 small vidalia onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1/2 zucchini, julienned
4 chicken breasts, sliced in 1/2 strips
2 small sprigs of rosemary
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 lemon, juiced

1 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
14 oz. heavy cream

Combine garlic, lemon juice, rosemary and chicken slices in a mixing bowl. Let marinate for at least 2 hours.

Combine Parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese and heavy cream in a mixing bowl and set aside.
Heat sauté pan on medium high. Add extra virgin olive oil, onions, bell peppers, and zucchini. Saute until onions are translucent.

Add marinated chicken slices and cook until slices are cooke through. Reduce heat and add sauce mixture. Bring to a simmer.

Meanwhile, cook gnocchi according to package directions. When finished, drain cooked gnocchi and add to pan with chicken, vegetables and sauce. Stir to coat gnocchi with sauce. Serve gnocchi topped with extra Parmesan cheese.

Venison Medallions in Red Wine Sauce

Venison is just a fancy name for deer meat! We eat alot of deer at our house. Not only is it better for you than beef (way less fat) but we have lots since the husband is a hunter. And don't worry... the alcohol in the red wine evaporates in the cooking process. Or you can use a high quality 100% grape juice. I actually used half and half because I didn't have enough of either!

Venison Medallions in Red Wine Sauce
1 1/2 lbs. venison tenderloin, cut into medallions
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 T. butter, divided use
4 large garlic cloves, finely minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 t. dried thyme
1 T all-purpose flour
2 cups beef broth
2 cups dry red wine

Pound venison rounds to flatten to generous 1/4-inch-thick medallions. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook meat in skillet until brown on outside but still pink in center, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer meat to plate. Add remaining butter to same skillet.

Add garlic, onion and thyme to skillet; sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Add flour; stir 1 minute to make a roux. Add broth and wine. Boil until sauce thickens and is reduced to 1 1/4 cups, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Return meat and any collected juices to sauce in skillet; heat through, about 1 minute.

Serve with mashed potatoes and a steamed or grilled veggie.