Chicken Curry

I love curry, especially the hot Thai variety!  My family, however, doesn't like it too hot, plus I don't always have the time (or the long list of ingredients) for such recipes.  So I make a quick, easy and mild chicken curry that can be adapted to whatever I have on hand.  It's a really quick one dish week night supper for when we want a change of pace from the same old thing.  I can have it on the table in less than 30 minutes.

Here are the ingredients I used this time. Remember you can change them up. I actually like mine best without any meat, but the troops would revolt if I served it that way.

About 2 cups of chopped, cooked chicken
5 or 6 diced red potatoes. Use more or less depending on how many other ingredients you have.
baby carrots (about half a bag)
sliced fresh mushrooms (I just used a couple for my own bowl - I love mushrooms)
1/2 onion, chopped
a couple of teaspoons of chopped fresh garlic
You could also add celery or chopped bell pepper...lots of possibilities.
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup plain Greek yogurt (yes, you can use regular yogurt)
olive oil (a tablespoon or 2)
salt and pepper to taste
curry powder 1 to 2 tablespoons
cilantro leaves and/or diced tomatoes for garnish

Saute the vegetables with the garlic in olive oil for about 10 minutes until crisp tender, except the mushrooms.  You'll want to wait until a little later to add them as they don't need as much time to cook.  Add the broth and the chicken and simmer for a few minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  In a small bowl, stir together the curry powder and the yogurt.  Turn heat to low and gently fold in yogurt mixture.  Don't let it boil or the yogurt will curdle instead of being smooth and creamy.  Serve over rice.  If you're really in a hurry, Minute Rice is fine or if you want to be more authentic, serve over basmati or jasmine rice.  Top with cilantro and diced tomatoes.  To add a little heat you can stir in some cayenne pepper with the curry powder.

Fiesta Lasagna

I made Fiesta Lasagna for my family this weekend.  I got the recipe years ago from a friend and for some reason never made it until now.  It's a fun  and easy Tex-Mex take on lasagna. It's not spicy at all and my kids loved it. One of them picked out the avocado slices, but still liked it other than that.  Maybe your family will like it too!

Ingredients:
1 can Ro-tel
1 can (2 1/4 oz.) sliced black olives
8 flour tortillas (8 inch) torn into pieces
3 cups cooked chicken
2 large avocados, sliced (you can dice them if you like that better)
2 cups sour cream
sprinkle chili powder
3/4 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded

Directions:
Layer 1/2 of each ingredient in a greased 13"x9" pan as listed. Repeat layers. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. This serves 6 to 8 and you can substitute cooked ground beef for the chicken.


Happy Monday!

3 Cheese Baked Penne

This is one of our favorite weeknight meals. It's quick and easy and serves 6 generously.




* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I use the dried kind)
* 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
* 2 cups part skim ricotta cheese
* 1 jar spaghetti sauce
* 1 lb ground hamburger
* 1 egg
* 1 lb Penne pasta
* 2 tsp dried parsley
* 1 tsp dried basil

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In medium saucepan, cook ground beef until browned; drain grease and add spaghetti sauce. Meanwhile boil pasta according to package directions.
2. In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, half the mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, egg, parsley and basil.
3. Lightly grease 2 1/2 quart baking dish. Layer pasta, sauce mixture and cheese mixture. Repeat layers. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese over top. Bake 20 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Enjoy!

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Yes, as a matter of fact, I have been cooking my way through the August/September issue of Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade magazine. And no, I did not get the magazine free nor was I asked to review it. :) I just happen to want to try nearly every recipe.

We recently had stuffed bell peppers and green olive breadsticks. They were SO good and I will definitely be making them again.


Both recipes are on the magazine's website, but I'll go ahead and post the stuffed pepper recipe here.

Ingredients
3 green bell peppers, halved, seeds removed
1/2 cup water
1 (1-pound) package ground hot pork sausage
1 (15.25-ounce) can corn, drained
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup cooked rice
1/4 cup diced green onions
1 (1.25-ounce) package Southwest marinade mix, divided, McCormick Grill Mates®
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese


Directions
Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Place bell peppers, cut sides down, in a microwave-safe dish; add 1/2 cup water. Cover with plastic wrap, and microwave on High for 3 to 4 minutes, or until peppers are soft; drain, and set aside.
In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat until browned and crumbly; drain. Add corn, black beans, tomatoes, rice, and green onions to skillet. Add 2 tablespoons marinade mix to sausage mixture; stir well to combine. (Reserve remaining mix for another use.)
Spoon sausage mixture evenly into pepper halves. Place on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle each evenly with shredded cheese. Broil 5 inches from heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Reprinted with permission from Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade magazine and Hoffman Media, LLC.

Beef and Cheese Calzones

The Southern Housewife asked for this recipe and of course I'm happy to share. :) I hesitate to call it a recipe, but I'll tell you how I make it.

Ingredients:
Your favorite pizza dough recipe, or the refrigerated pizza dough in a tube. It's good too. The amount really depends on the size of your family and how many calzones you want to make.
Sliced roast beef. Use leftover roast if you have some, if not just get some from the deli.
green onions
mushrooms (canned or fresh that you have sauteed)
shredded mozzarella, monterey jack, cheddar, or a combination.
Dijon mustard (for serving)

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a cookie sheet. Roll out your pizza crust and cut into calzone size portions. You can make a couple of extra large ones, or smaller individual sizes. It's up to you. Layer beef, onions, mushrooms and cheeses on half the crust to within 1 inch of the edge. Fold dough over filling and seal with a fork. You may want to cut slits in the top to keep the calzones from puffing up too much. Sometimes I do this and sometimes I forget. Bake 20 minutes or so until the crust is golden brown and the filling is hot. Let cool a few minutes and then serve with mustard.

I also make these with ham and cheese and with pizza fillings.

I call the side dish "zu-squash stir fry". All it is is some zucchini, yellow squash, and chopped onions sauteed in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil.

Chicken Enchiladas Suizas

Friday night has recently become my night for trying new recipes. I don't have to be in a hurry and if it takes longer to make the recipe than I estimate, that's OK. We aren't on a schedule. We had the BEST chicken enchiladas for supper tonight. They sort of remind me of the chicken burrito at On The Border. I found the recipe at Allrecipes (love that website). Here it is:

INGREDIENTS

* 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 1 cup chopped onion
* 1 green bell pepper, chopped
* 1 red bell pepper, chopped (I left this out because I didn't have one)
* 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
* 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chile peppers
* 1 cup green salsa
* 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
* 4 teaspoons ground cumin
* 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
* salt and ground black pepper to taste
* 12 (7 inch) flour tortillas
* 10 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
* 1 cup whipping cream
* 1/2 cup chicken broth

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a rapid boil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the boiling water; cover. Cook 15 to 20 minutes; drain and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 10x15 baking dish.
3. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion, green bell pepper, and red bell pepper in the melted butter until just soft, 5 to 8 minutes; transfer to a large bowl. Add the chicken, Cheddar cheese, green chile peppers, salsa, cilantro, cumin, and chipotle peppers to the bowl. Season with salt and pepper; mix.
4. Place about 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture along the edge of a tortilla; roll tightly into a tube. Place the enchilada, seam-side down, into the prepared baking dish. Repeat until all the chicken mixture is used. Sprinkle Monterrey Jack cheese over the enchiladas. Whisk together the whipping cream and chicken broth in a small bowl; pour over the enchiladas. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
5. Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until cheese is completely melted, about 10 minutes.

Everybody loved it. This recipe is definitely a keeper.

Pasta and Italian Meat Sauce

This is an easy recipe that I make time after time. My family loves it. It's from the January/February 2003 issue of Martha Stewart's Everday Food and is an adaptation of Ragu alla Bolognese (sauce in the style of Bologna). I changed it up slightly.

Ingredients:
4 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 carrot, grated (about 1/2 cup)
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 pound ground beef
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup milk
1 dried bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
salt and pepper
1 pound fettuccine
grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Heat the butter and oil in a large pan.


Stir in the carrot, onion, and garlic.


Add the ground beef and cook until it is browned.



Add the tomatoes and their liquid. Stir in the milk, bayleaf, thyme, nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Simmer 20 minutes.


Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the fettuccine until al dente. Drain the fettuccine and return to warm pot. Add meat sauce and toss. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan and with crusty bread.


Now clean your plate! :)

Crock Pot Lasagna

Tonight's supper was lasagna that I made in the slow cooker. It was the first time for me to make this particular recipe. It was really easy and tasted good. I have to admit it's not quite as good as The Pioneer Woman's best lasagna ever, but much easier because it can simmer all day while you're busy. :)

This recipe came from one of my favorite cookbooks from Gooseberry Patch, Harvest Kitchen.

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
1 t. Italian seasoning
8 lasagna noodles, uncooked and broken into thirds
28 oz. jar spaghetti sauce
1/3 c. water
Optional: 4 oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained
15 oz. container ricotta cheese
8 oz. pkg. shredded mozzarella cheese

Combine ground beef and Italian seasoning. Arrange half the lasagna noodles in a greased slow cooker. Spread half the ground beef mixture over noodles. top with half each of remaining ingredients. Repeat layering process. Cover and cook for 5 hours on low setting. Serves 10 (well, in my house it serves 6).

Notice the handle (or lack thereof) on the lid of my crock pot. It's been that way for years, but since the crock pot works just fine I limp along without a handle.


Make an easy meal by adding some garlic bread and a salad.

Tomato-Basil Pizza

Last night I made Tomato-Basil Pizza. I found the recipe over at The Pioneer Woman Cooks (I love her recipes!). It was SOOO good and easy too.

First you make your favorite pizza crust. I made my regular pizza dough except that I used olive oil instead of regular vegetable oil.

Then you spread some prepared pesto (but don't get too happy with it like I did) on the crust and sprinkle it with some kosher salt. Top with sliced fresh mozzarella, then thinly sliced tomatoes (we finally have some ripe), and finally sprinkle with grated Parmesan. Bake according to the directions for your crust. I bake mine at 450 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.

Mine doesn't look quite as pretty as The Pioneer Woman's, (a little too much pesto and not quite enough cheese) but it tasted absolutely great, if I do say so myself. :)

Homemade Pimiento Cheese

*Edit below*
Pimiento Cheese is a staple here in the South. I especially love to make it in the summertime...no heating anything up. If you don't like pimiento cheese, you've never had it homemade. :) The store bought stuff isn't good at all.

Here's my recipe (adapted from Paula Deen's recipe):
4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise (the real stuff, not Miracle Whip)
1/2 teaspoon or so of Jane's Krazy Mixed Up Salt
a little grated onion
a 2 oz. jar of pimientos, drained
freshly ground black pepper

I stir the cheeses together first, then add the rest of the ingredients. It's good on crackers and makes wonderful sandwiches. I usually have to make a double batch around here. Everyone loves it.

*Edit*

To make your own version of Jane's Krazy Mixed Up Salt (although it's not exactly the same), use:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder
Mix well and store in a shaker.

Chicken Spaghetti

Being the southern girl that I am, I have several favorite recipes that call for cream of mushroom soup and Velveeta. :) This one is so easy it nearly makes itself.

12 oz spaghetti
1 can ro-tel
6 to 8 oz. Velveeta
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 small can sliced black olives
cooked chicken (I usually use about 2 cups of chicken that I have previously cooked and diced. You can use canned chicken in a pinch.)

Cook the spaghetti according to package directions and place in the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13 pan. Combine the remaining ingredients in a large sauce pan on medium heat, stirring until Velveeta is melted. Pour on top of spaghetti. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes until bubbly.

Pizza Dough Recipe

Here's the recipe for the pizza dough I made this weekend. I actually found it at Biblical Womanhood and it is VERY good! I had been making a whole wheat crust prior to this, but Mike and the kids thought it was too "chewy". This recipe is now their favorite.
1 Tbsp. yeast
1 Cup warm water
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil or olive oil
2 1/2 Cups flour

I just dissolved the yeast in the water in my mixing bowl, added the rest of the ingredients and mixed. Then roll out your dough and press into a greased pan and add toppings. Bake at 450 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.

Tonight's menu

Tonight we had pot roast with potatoes and carrots, homemade bread, and dutch apple pie for dessert. The pot roast recipe is from one of my back issues of Martha Stewart Everyday Food and it's my favorite way to make pot roast.

By the way, the table wasn't completely set when I took the picture. We DO have drinks and napkins with our dinner. ;)

Pot Roast

Inexpensive chuck is one of the most flavorful cuts of beef. Simmering it slowly and gently in the oven makes the beef wonderfully tender.

Note: Browning the meat makes the whole dish tastier and gives the pan juices an appetizing deep brown color.

Prep: 25 minutes
Total: 4 hours 25 minutes
Ingredients
Serves 8
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 5-pound beef chuck roast
Salt and pepper
2 cups beef stock or reduced sodium canned beef broth
1/2 cup red wine (optional)
3 onions, cut into large wedges
4 cloves garlic , chopped
2 dried bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 pounds carrots, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
2 pounds potatoes, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle roast all over with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Place in pan, and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes.
Turn meat fat side up. Add stock, wine, if using, onions, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme. Stir in tomato paste. Bring to a simmer, cover; put in the oven, and roast for 3 hours. Add carrots and potatoes, and cook until vegetables are tender, about 1 hour more.
Transfer the roast, carrots, and potatoes to a platter. With a spoon, skim the fat off the surface of the cooking liquid. Cut the roast into thick slices, and serve with the vegetables. Pass the pan juices separately.

When I have enough leftovers (I think I'll just have enough this time), I make Pot Roast Ragu from the February 2002 issue of Martha Stewart Living.

Pot Roast Ragu

serves 4

This recipe can be doubled depending on how much pot roast and vegetable are left over. Cooled completely, it can be frozen for up to one month.

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot, finely chopped (I sometimes just use an onion)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup red wine (or substitute an extra 1/2 cup of beef stock)
2 cups finely chopped leftover roast and vegetables
1/2 cup leftover gravy or homemade or low-sodium canned beef stock
1 28 oz can whole plum tomatoes, roughly chopped, with juice
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme (I usually use dried)
1 tsp coarse salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
Cooked pappardelle or other pasta
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
Crushed red pepper flakes for garnish (you can leave this out, but it really makes this dish for us)

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and garlic and cook until softenend, about 3 minutes. Add wine and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add chopped pot roast, vegetables, gravy or beef stock, tomatoes, and thyme.

2. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Cover; cook 30 minutes for flavors to blend and for sauce to thicken slightly. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Serve hot over cooked pasta, garnished with grated parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.

And here's the pie. Wal-Mart had them on sale for $2.50. I don't think I could make one homemade any cheaper. Plus it was nice to have a special dessert even though I've been out nearly all day helping Peter get his Christmas shopping done. We even braved the mall!

Au Gratin Ham and Potatoes in the crockpot

This is a very easy recipe and is so good on a cold day like today.





6 Cups potatoes, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 Cups cooked, chopped ham
1 Cup American cheese, shredded
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1/2 Cup milk
1/4 tsp. thyme

In your crockpot, layer half each of potatoes, onion, ham and cheese; repeat layers. In a small bowl, combine soup, milk and thyme; pour over top. Cover, cook on high for 1 hour. Reduce to low setting and cook for 6 to 8 hours or until potatoes are tender.