Lauren's Lasagna

When I make lasagna it is usually pretty simple. You need the following ingredients:;

no boil lasagna noodles  (i use barilla)
red sauce (i usually use bertolli 4 cheese: 2 bottles typically)
parmesan cheese
mozzarella cheese (3-4 cups? totally depends on your taste)
sausage (i use a package of johnsonville mild or sweet basil)
sometimes I add frozen (drained) spinach to the sausage and cook it together
white sauce (see this post for my white sauce recipe: http://dinnergroupohio.blogspot.com/2011/11/pasta-al-forno.html) you can double this recipe if you like a really creamy lasagna

You can layer these ingredients however you want to. I usually do something like this:

thin layer of red sauce
layer of noodles: 4-6 noodles (depending on size of pan)
1/3 of sausage mixture
1/3 of red sauce
1/3 of white sauce
layer of noodles
1/3 of sausage mixture
1 cup of mox. cheese approx.
1/3 of red sauce
1/3 of white sauce
layer of noodles
1/3 of sausage mixture
1/3 of red sauce
1/3 of white sauce
layer of noodles
thin layer of red sauce (hopefully you have a little left)
1 cup of mozarella cheese approx.
parmesan cheese.

But just follow the directions on the back of the lasagna box if you need to. It is really hard to mess this part up.
Bake according to box instructions.

Turkey Bacon Avocado Sandwich

This is pretty easy. Just a sandwich.

Ingredients:
muenster cheese (melt on the bread)
cracked pepper turkey
avocado spread (see below)
crumbled bacon
lettuce
optional: cucumber and red onion (soak onion slices in red vinegar for 15 min).

Avocado spread:
avocados sliced (I used 4)
plain greek yogurt (1 used one
garlic salt to taste
cut up tomatoes
lemon juice to taste

mix together...keep it chunky

Cheddar Jack Chili Mac

1 pound lean ground beef

3 cups water

15 oz can no-salt-added stewed tomatoes

8 oz can no-salt-added tomato sauce (1 cup)

1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic or 2 medium cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled

½ teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 cup dried macaroni or other small pasta

¼ cup fat-free or reduce fat shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese or a combination (about 1 ounce)

In a Dutch oven, cook beef over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until no longer pink, stirring occasionally. Put beef in a colander and rinse with hot water to remove excess fat; drain well. Wipe Dutch oven with a paper towel; return beef to pot.

Stir in water, tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic, oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, covered, over high heat, 1 to 2 minutes.

Stir in macaroni, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, or until tender. Ladle mixture into soup bowls. Sprinkle with cheese.

Amanda

Southwestern Beef & Bean Burger Wraps

• 12 ounces 93%-lean ground beef
• 1 cup refried beans
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon chopped pickled jalapenos
• 1 avocado, peeled and pitted
• 1/2 cup prepared salsa
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 4 whole-wheat tortillas, warmed (see Tip)
• 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
• 1/2 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese
• 1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

Preparation

1. Position oven rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler. Coat a broiler pan with cooking spray.
2. Gently combine ground beef, beans, cilantro and jalapenos in a medium bowl (do not overmix). Shape into four 5-by-2-inch oblong patties and place on the prepared pan.
3. Broil the patties until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 165°F, 12 to 14 minutes. We don't have a broiler pan, so I used a George Foreman.
4. Meanwhile, mash together avocado, salsa and garlic powder in a small bowl.
5. Place tortillas on a clean work surface. Spread each with the guacamole, then sprinkle with lettuce and cheese. Top each with a burger and roll into a wrap. Serve immediately, with lime wedges.

Tips & Notes

• Tip: To warm tortillas: Wrap in foil; bake at 300°F until steaming, about 5 minutes. Or wrap in barely damp paper towels and microwave on High for 30 to 45 seconds. 

Amanda

Smoky Roasted Chicken and Corn Chowder

Ingredients:

• 1 cup diced onion
• 1/2 cup celery, diced
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes, well drained
• 1 (14 3/4 ounce) can cream-style corn
• 2 cups roasted chicken breast, chopped
• 1 tablespoon hickory flavored barbecue sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Directions:

1. Cook onions, celery, red pepper, and garlic in a large non-stick soup pot over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
2. Add thyme and flour. Mix well. Stir in broth and evaporated milk. Bring mixture to a gentle boil and stir continuously until soup thickens slightly.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve hot.

Amanda

Cajun Orange Pork Chops

Ingredients

• 1 cup orange juice
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 4 tablespoons orange marmalade
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
• 4 boneless pork loin chops (4 ounces each)

Directions

• In a small bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Pour 1/3 cup marinade into a large resealable bag; add the pork. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade for sauce.
• In a small saucepan, bring reserved marinade to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5-7 minutes or until thickened. Keep warm.
• Discard marinade. Using long-handled tongs, moisten a paper towel with cooking oil and lightly coat the grill rack. Grill pork, covered, over medium heat or broil 4-5 in. from the heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 145°. Let meat stand for 5 minutes before serving. Brush with sauce.

 
 Amanda

Super Easy Chicken Manicotti

1 jar (30 ounces) spaghetti sauce

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1 1/2 pounds chicken breast tenders

14 uncooked manicotti shells (8 ounces)

1 can (2 1/2 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 ounces)

1. Spread about one-third of the spaghetti sauce in ungreased rectangular baking dish, 13 x 9 x 2 inches. Sprinkle garlic salt on chicken. Insert chicken into uncooked manicotti shells, stuffing from each end of shell to fill if necessary. Place shells on spaghetti sauce in dish.

2. Pour remaining spaghetti sauce evenly over shells, covering completely. Sprinkle with olives and cheese. Cover and refrigerate overnight to soften the pasta. STOP HERE-see To Store and To Cook below.

TO STORE

Refrigerator: Cover unbaked manicotti tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerate no longer than 24 hours.

Freezer: Wrap unbaked manicotti tightly with aluminum foil and label. Freeze no longer than 1 month.

TO COOK FROM REFRIGERATOR

Oven: About 1 hour before serving, heat oven to 350. Bake in covered baking dish about 1 hour or until shells are tender.

TO COOK FROM FREEZER

Oven: About 1 ½ hours before serving, heat oven to 350. Bake in covered baking dish about 1 ½ hours or untl shells are tender. 

Amanda

Slow-Cooked Harvest Beef and Veggies

2 ½ lb. beef stew meat, cut into 1 ½ in- to 2-inch cubes

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. garlic pepper

3 cups baby carrots

1 lb. medium red potatoes cut into 1 ½- to 2-inch pieces

1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges

1 (15-oz.) can diced tomatoes with green pepper, celery and onion

1 envelope beefy-onion soup mix

2 tsp. dried basil

1 ½ tsp. dried marjoram

¼  cup flour (optional)

1/3 cup water or beef broth  (optional)

1. Place beef in slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt and garlic pepper; toss well. Add carrots, potatoes, onion, tomatoes, soup mix, basil and marjoram, mixing well. Cover and cook 8 to 10 hours on LOW until beef is very tender.

2. If desired, thicken stew by blending ¼ cup flour into 1/3 cup water. Stir into beef mixture. Cover. Cook on high 10 to 20 minutes or until thickened.

Amanda

Calico Beans

1/2 lb. Ground Beef, cooked and drained
1 Onion
1/2 cup Ketchup
2 tsp Vinegar
1 tsp Mustard
1 can Kidney Beans
1 can Pork and Beans
1 can Lima or Great Northern Beans
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 tsp Salt

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot, and cook on medium or high for 2-3 hours.

Amanda

Easy Beef Stuffed Peppers

4  med. green, red, yellow or orange bell peppers

Filling:

1 Ib. lean ground beef

¾ c. chopped onion

¼  c. uncooked white rice

3 Tbsp. ketchup

1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves

Sauce:

1 (14.5 oz.) can ltalian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained

1 Tbsp. ketchup

½ tsp. dried oregano leaves

Heat oven to 350. Cut tops off bell peppers, remove seeds. In large bowl, combine filling ingredients,1/2  tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper mixing lightly but thoroughly. Spoon equal amounts of filling into each pepper. Place in 8x8-inch baking dish. Combine sauce ingredients, pour over peppers. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake 1-1/2 hours. Makes 4 servings.

Amanda

Chunky Tomato Soup

3 Tbsp. butter

4 c. canned chicken broth

¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper

1 med. onion, peeled

1 c. plain yogurt

1/3 c. plus 2 Tbsp. fresh dill, snipped into small bits

6 lg. ripe tomatoes, washed and cored

1 tsp. salt

I Tbsp. sugar

On a cutting board, dice the onion and tomatoes with a serrated knife. Heat butter in a medium-sized pan and saute the onion until transparent, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, chicken broth, I / 3 c. dill, sugar, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve hot. Ladle into soup bowls and top with a spoonful of yogurt. Sprinkle with remaining 2 Tbsp. fresh dill. Makes 6 servings.

Amanda

Quesadillas

2 cups Pinto beans, Drained

1 cup Sliced Green Onions

8 oz, Taco Blend Grated Cheese

6-8'FlourTortillas

Sour Cream

Salsa 

Combine beans, green onions and cheese in a bowl. Top three tortillas with equal amounts of bean mixture, lay a second tortilla 0n top forming a sandwich. Grill each in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat until filling is melted, flipping once. Cut into pie shaped pieces. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Amanda

Family-Favorite Meat Loaf

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste, divided
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish, divided
• 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 envelope onion soup mix
• 1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon steak seasoning
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 pound lean ground turkey
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the egg substitute, 1/2 cup tomato paste, mustard, 1 teaspoon horseradish, oats, soup mix, garlic powder and steak seasoning. Crumble beef and turkey over mixture and mix well.
• Shape into a loaf and place in an 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine the water, sugar, remaining tomato paste and remaining horseradish; spread over meat loaf.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45-55 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165°. Drain if necessary.

Amanda

Ensalada de Chayote

salad:
1 lb of chayote
4 green onions, thinly chopped
½ red pepper, chopped and seeded
1 Tbsp. chopped poblano pepper, or more to taste
dressing:
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 large cloves garlic, minced
juice of 2 lemons
¼ cup olive oil, low fat

1. To prepare the salad, peel the chayote with a potato peeler, then cut in half (look for chayotes at Meijer by the peppers, they looks like green pears. The juice from the chayote makes my skin dry up, so I wear rubber gloves when peeling them). Place them in a pan with  enough water to cover and boil. Cover and cook for 10 minutes until the chayote are tender but still crisp (I generally have to cook them for about 20 minutes). Rinse and allow to cool. Cut in small cubes and put them in a bowl. Add the onions, peppers and poblano chile.

2. mix all dressing ingredients in a food processor or blender. Blend to dissolve. Add dressing to the bowl and stir well. cover and cooling for 1 hour to combine flavors. Before serving, stir again.
  
(If this reads a little odd, it's because I had to translate it. The recipe I have is in Spanish) 


Amanda

Enchilada Casser-Ole!

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cups salsa
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat Italian salad dressing
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium taco seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 6 flour tortillas (8 inches)
• 3/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend
• 1 cup shredded lettuce
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

Directions

• In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the salsa, beans, dressing, taco seasoning and cumin. Place three tortillas in a 2-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Layer with half of the meat mixture, sour cream and cheese. Repeat layers.
• Cover and bake at 400° for 25 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through. Let stand for 5 minutes before topping with lettuce, tomato and cilantro.

Amanda

Crunchy Apple Salad

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons fat-free sugar-free vanilla yogurt
• 6 tablespoons reduced-fat whipped topping
• 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
• 2 medium red apples, chopped
• 1 large Granny Smith apple, chopped
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, whipped topping and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Add apples and cranberries; toss to coat. Refrigerate until serving. Sprinkle with walnuts and remaining cinnamon before serving.

Amanda 

Potluck Lasagna

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) Italian stewed tomatoes, cut up
• 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 eggs
• 1-1/2 cups (12 ounces) 4% cottage cheese
• 1-1/2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 6 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

• In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley and garlic; remove from the heat.
• In a large bowl, combine the eggs, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. In a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish, layer with three noodles, half of the cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and half of the meat sauce. Repeat layers.
• Cover and freeze for up to 3 months. Or, cover and bake 375° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 25-30 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 160°. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.
• To use frozen lasagna: Thaw in refrigerator overnight. Bake as directed. Yield: 12-15 servings.
• Note- I like my lasagna to have more noodles, so I added a few extra.

Amanda

Veggie Cheese Soup

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 celery rib, chopped
• 2 small red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2-3/4 cups water
• 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium chicken bouillon granules
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) reduced-fat reduced-sodium condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
• 3 cups frozen California-blend vegetables, thawed
• 1/2 cup chopped fully cooked lean ham
• 8 ounces reduced-fat process cheese (Velveeta), cubed

Directions

• In a large nonstick saucepan coated with a cooking spray, cook onion and celery over medium heat until onion is tender. Stir in the potatoes, water and bouillon. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; gradually stir into soup. Return to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in condensed soup until blended.
• Reduce heat; add vegetables and ham. Cook and stir until vegetables are tender. Stir in cheese until melted. 
• Note- I like to transfer all the ingredients to a slow cooker before adding the cheese. I think it helps the cheese melt and mix in better.

Amanda

Chilean Empanadas

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/4 cups water, or as needed

                    

2 tablespoons olive oil                    1 small onion, chopped

1 1/2 pounds ground beef              garlic salt to taste

2 tablespoons paprika                    1 tablespoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper  1/2 cup raisins

1 tablespoon white vinegar              2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and chopped

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Cut in shortening using a pastry blender, or pinching into small pieces using your fingers, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Use a fork to stir in water a few tablespoons at a time, until the mixture forms a ball. Pat into a ball, and flatten slightly. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.              

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender. Crumble in the beef, and season with salt, paprika, cumin and black pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until beef is browned. Drain excess grease, and stir in the raisins and vinegar. Refrigerate until chilled, then stir in the hard-cooked eggs.

Form the dough into 2 inch balls. On a floured surface, roll each ball out into a thin circle. Spoon some of the meat mixture onto the center, then fold into half-moon shapes. Seal edges by pressing with your fingers.  Bake at 400 F for 25-30 minutes.

Makes 16 empanadas

Johan

Chicken Broccoli Braid

2 cups diced, cooked chicken meat                    1 cup fresh broccoli, chopped                   
1/2 cup red/green bell pepper, chopped             1 clove crushed garlic

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese                       1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons dried dill weed                                1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons slivered almonds                         1/4 cup diced onion

2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent rolls   1 egg white, beaten

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, toss together chicken, broccoli, bell pepper, garlic, cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, dill weed, salt, almonds and onion.

Unroll crescent roll dough, and arrange flat on a medium baking sheet. Pinch together perforations to form a single sheet of dough. Using a knife or scissors, cut 1 inch wide strips in towards the center, starting on the long sides. There should be a solid strip about 3 inches wide down the center, with the cut strips forming a fringe down each side. Spread the chicken mixture along the center strip. Fold the side strips over chicken mixture, alternating strips from each side. Pinch or twist to seal.

Brush braided dough with the egg white. Bake in the preheated oven 25 to 28 minutes, or until golden brown

Johan

I use 1 full egg to brush the braid

Tacozagna

Click here for a link to the tacozagna recipe I made last week: Or just look below.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 2 1/2 pounds ground turkey or ground sirloin
• 1 zucchini
• 2 carrots, peeled
• 1 onion, peeled
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 3 tablespoons chili powder, 3 palm fulls
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 2/3 palm full
• 1 tablespoon coriander, a palm full
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup beef stock
• 6 (8-inch) flour tortillas
• 3 cups shredded Chihuahua cheese or Monterey Jack
• 4 scallions, chopped
• 2 hearts romaine lettuce, chopped
• 3 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat a large high sided skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add the meat and brown, 5 minutes. While meat browns, grate the zucchini and carrots with a box grater. Add the vegetables to the meat and grate in the onion and garlic. Season the meat with chili, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper and cook 7 to 8 minutes more to soften vegetables. Stir in beef stock. Grease a 8 by 13-inch baking pan with vegetable oil. Layer in 3 overlapping flour tortillas and top with 1/3 meat, 1/3 cheese. Repeat the layers twice and bake 10 to 12 minutes to brown cheese. Top with scallions, lettuce and tomatoes, cut into squares and serve.

Fancy Meatloaf

Ingredients (not including "fancy"  relish on top...see below for that)

2 lbs ground beef

3/4 old-fashioned oats

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 c. ketchup

1/4 c. milk

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 cup ketchup

3 T. brown sugar

2 tsp. mustard

Combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl. Shape into 2 loafs (or divide among muffin tins). Bake at 350 for 40 minutes (or 15 minutes for muffin tins). Combine 1/2 cup ketchup, sugar, and mustard. Spoon over meatloaf. Serves 6.

To make it more "fancy" meatloaf, you can make the relish below and put it on top:

Relish:

1 onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced 

2 bay leaves

1 red pepper, diced

1 (14oz) can petite diced tomatoes, drained

1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley (or 1 1/2 T. dried)

12 oz ketchup

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

salt and pepper to taste

4 slices of bacon

Saute onion, garlic, and bay leaves in olive oil over medium heat. Add bell pepper and saute till soft. Add tomatoes. Stir in parsley, ketchup, Worcestershire and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes; then remove from heat.

When making meatloaf, add 1 1/2 cups of relish to meat mixture. Follow the rest of the meatloaf directions above. After forming 2 logs and placing them on the cookie sheet, coat the top of each meatloaf with 1/2 cup relish. Lay bacon across the top lengthwise.

When done cooking, pull the meatloaf out from the oven and allow it to rest 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with extra relish on the side.

My notes: I think I doubled this recipe and it made A LOT (enough for 4 good sized logs). If you double it, keep in mind that you may not necessarily need to double ALL the ingredients...I did and it felt like it was falling apart really easily. After making it with the bacon, I don't really think the bacon is necessary. Neither is adding the relish directly to the meatloaf mixture before cooking (although it's fine if you want to). Having it on top (or on the side) is good enough in my opinion.

Black Beans with Chorizo and Spinach

Ingredients
2 poblano peppers
10 oz. Mexican (not Spanish) chorizo sausage
10 oz. spinach
2- 15oz. cans of black beans
1/2 cup queso añejo (sometimes called queso cotija)
1/2 cup sliced red onion


Instructions
1. Wash the poblano peppers and place them on a baking sheet under the broiler until the skin begins to blacken and blister, then turn them over and blacken the other side.  Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool.


2. Remove the casing from the chorizo and cook over medium heat in a large soup pot.  Stir regularly and break into small pieces, about 8 to 10 minutes.  It can be hard to tell when the chorizo is finished since it looks the same before and after cooking, so keeping a timer on is a good idea.


3. While the chorizo is cooking, place the spinach in a microwaveable bowl, cover with plastic wrap, poke a few holes in it, and cook on high for 2 minutes to wilt the spinach.  Set aside.


4. Once the chorizo is ready, add the beans with their liquid, and 1 cup of water.  Simmer for 10 minutes.


5.  Remove the stems and seeds from the poblanos, and peel off as much of the skin as possible.  Cut them into thin strips, about 1/4 inch, and add to the beans.  Add the spinach, and return to a boil for 5 minutes.


6. Remove beans from heat and add cheese and onions.

Ham-Broccoli Pasta

The recipe is so easy because you put whatever you may want on it.  I did what I had on hand that day.
Chopped onion
Sliced mushrooms
Alfredo Sauce from jar
Broccoli
Cubed Ham
Bowtie pasta or any other you may like
Salt, Pepper, Nutmeg

Saute the onions and mushrooms using melted butter.  Add alfredo sauce, let flavors mix, taste and add spices.  Add thawed broccoli, ham and finally the pasta.  Adjust the amount of sauce.  Add parmesan before or after serving, depends on your preference.

Johan

Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup

1 1/2 cups chopped celery

1 1/2 cups cuncooked white or brown rice

1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder

2 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth

1 1/2 cups water

1hopped onion

1/2 cup margarine

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups chopped, cooked chicken meat

6 cups milk, divided

salt, pepper, paprika to taste

In a pot over high heat, combine celery, onions, rice, bouillon, broth and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, Remove from heat and set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt margarine. Slowly add the flour, stirring often, to make a roux. Add 4 cups of milk, 1/2 cup at a time, while constantly stirring. Add this and the chicken to the rice mixture and return the rice mixture to the stovetop over low heat.
If the soup seems too thick, add some or all of the remaining 2 cups of milk. (you can also add more chicken broth).  Season with salt, pepper and paprika to taste and allow to simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stir twice.

Johan

Feijoada

Notes

We substituted a few things in this recipe, based on the advice of real Brazilians, since we don't have a Brazilian grocery store nearby.  Instead of linguiça, we used kielbasa.  Instead of carne seca we used brisket.  Instead of pork belly we used bacon.  

Ingredients

6 cans of black beans

2 large white onions, diced

6 garlic cloves, chopped

4 bay leaves

½ cup sliced green onions

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 lb. pork tenderloin

1 large smoked ham hock

1 lb. linguiça sausage

½ lb. carne seca 

1 lb. pork ribs 

½ lb. pork belly 

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Salt, to taste

Instructions

1. In a large pot, sauté 1 chopped onion, 3 cloves of garlic, bay leaves and scallions for 2-3 minutes in 2 tablespoons oil. Cut the pork tenderloin into small pieces, about 1/2 inch cubes, and add to the pot. Saute until meat starts to brown, about 5 more minutes. 

2. Cut the sausage and pork belly into 1 inch pieces, and the carne seca into 2 inch pieces.  Cook the ribs in a smoker, or pan sear them in salt, pepper, and liquid smoke.  Add the meats, and beans.

3.Cook in a pot on the stove over low-medium heat for about 2½ hours. 

4. Remove 2 cups of beans and place in a bowl. Set aside. Remove the ham hock and cut the meat off the bone. Discard the bone and skin.  The stew should contain large chunks of meat.

5. Mash reserved beans into a paste.  Heat remaining oil in a frying pan and add remaining garlic and onions. Cook until golden. Add pepper, hot sauce, vinegar and mashed beans. Heat over medium for 2-3 minutes, and then add to feijoada. The mashed beans will thicken the mixture. Let simmer l0-l5 minutes. Salt to taste and stir well. Stew should be thick, creamy and glossy black.  Serve with white rice, sauteed collard greens and orange slices.

Flautas

Ingredients
30 Corn Tortillas
3 lbs. Chicken
Oil for frying
Salsa
Sour Cream
1 Head of Lettuce
Limes

Instructions
1. Cook and once it has cooled, shred the chicken.  It can really be any piece of the chicken cooked any way.  We usually boil breasts or thighs or roast a whole chicken in the oven.
2. Heat tortillas in a pan or for about 40 seconds in the microwave.  You just want them to be flexible enough to roll.
3.  Heat oil in frying pan over medium heat.  You only need about a half inch to an inch deep oil.  While oil is heating roll tortillas around chicken, and stick a toothpick through the middle.  You can use one toothpick for 2 flautas.
3. Fry flautas a few at a time until they are a light golden brown.  Remove from the oil allowing any excess oil to drip off and then let rest on paper towels.
4.  Serve with salsa, sour cream, shredded lettuce and lime juice.

The Italian American Civic Club Sandwich

This is a sandwich from DiPasquale's in Baltimore.  Not much of a recipe, but here's what's in it.:

Bread
Pesto Mayonnaise (about 80% pesto)
Pancetta
Turkey
Tomatoes
Arugula

Minestrone

Ingredients
2 slices pancetta or bacon
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 tsp. salt
2 crushed garlic cloves
1 cup peeled and sliced carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
28 oz. canned whole tomatoes
1 1/2 cups peeled diced potatoes
8 cups water or broth
1 bunch swiss chard
38 oz. canned cannellini beans
1 zucchini sliced and quartered
3/4 cup ditalini pasta
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
3 tbsp. olive oil


Instructions
In a soup pot, heat pancetta over medium heat. Once it is cooked, add 2 tbsp. olive oil, onions, salt and cook, stirring occasionally for about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking for another minute. Crush the tomatoes and add with their liquid and water or broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes, carrots and celery, bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes.  


Separate the stems and leaves of the swiss chard.  Chop the stems, similar to the celery, and cut the leaves into 1 inch wide strips.  Lay on top of the soup, cover with a lid, and reduce the heat to simmering.  Let it simmer for at least 30 minutes.

Add beans and zucchini and simmer for another 15 minutes.  

15 minutes before you are ready to serve the soup, bring the soup to a rolling boil and add the pasta. 

While the pasta is cooking, combine the basil, grated cheese and oil in a small food processor or blender. Processes until you have a rough paste, adding a little more oil if necessary. Season to taste with salt and add to the soup just before serving.

Cheeseburger Soup

1/2 pound ground beef

3/4 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup shredded carrots

3/4 cup diced celery

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

4 tablespoons butter, divided

3 cups chicken broth

4 cups diced peeled potatoes (1-3/4 pounds)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups (8 ounces) process cheese (Velveeta), cubed

1-1/2 cups milk

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup sour cream

In a 3-qt. saucepan, brown beef; drain and set aside. In the same saucepan, saute the onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1 tablespoon butter until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the broth, potatoes and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt remaining butter. Add flour; cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to soup; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the cheese, milk, salt and pepper; cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from the heat; blend in sour cream