Peanut noodles with tofu

I am always looking for yummy dinners that don't cost much to make. This is a yummy dish that we had last night for dinner. This recipe came from the October 2010 Sunset magazine. Enjoy.

8 oz spaghetti
1/2 C reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 C old-fashioned peanut butter
1/4 C sugar
1/2 tsp red chile flakes
3 TBSP reduced-sodium soy sauce
14 0z firm tofu, cut into cubes (I get my kids to eat this more by frying it up in the pan first)
1 English cucmber, cut into matchsticks
3 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced diagonally
1/2 C cilantro leaves
1/3 C roasted peanuts

1. Cook pasta in a large pot according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat broth, garlic, peanut butter, sugar, chile flakes, and soy sauce in pasta pot until boiling, stirring often. Add tofu, cucumber, and pasta and toss to coat.
3. Transfer pasta to a serving bowl; top with onions, cilantro, and peanuts.

tater tot casserole

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 cups frozen tater tots
1 can Cream of Celery soup
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Brown ground beef and onion; drain. If beef is very lean, add 1 tsp. olive oil for best browning results.

Transfer meat mixture into a shallow 2 quart baking dish. Cover meat with undiluted soup. Top with a single layer of tater tots.

Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes.

Crab Ravioli with Lemon Butter

These looked so good in the Martha Stewart magazine that I had to make them. I loved the lemon butter, next time I will try fresh crab.

This would be a great Valentine's Day meal ! :)

For the filling
1 C ricotta cheese
1C lump crabmeat
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/8 tsp red-pepper flakes

For the ravioli
All purpose flour, for the baking sheet
90 wonton wrappers
1 large egg, slightly beaten, for egg wash
Coarse salt

For the butter
1 stick unsalted butter
2 tsp lemon peel, very finely chopped, plus two tsp fresh lemon juice
Garnish: fresh chervil

1. Make the filling: Mix together ricotta, crabmeat, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper and red pepper flakes together.
2. Make the ravioli: lightly flour a baking sheet. Working in batches, arrange 45 wonton wrappers on a work surface; keeping the remaining wrappers covered with a damp paper towel. Mound 1 tsp filling in the center of each. Brush edges of wrappers with egg wash, and top each with another wrapper. Press edges to seal. Cut out circles with a 2 1/4 inch cookie cutter; transfer to baking sheet.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Working in 2 batches, cook ravioli until they rise to the top, 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, make the sauce: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Melt 4 TBSP butter, and heat until just bubbling and frothy. Transfer first batch of ravioli to skillet using a slotted spoon, along with about 2 TBSP cooking liquid. Add 1 tsp chopped lemon peel and 1 tsp juice, and swirl to combine. Transfer to plates.
5. Repeat with second batch of ravioli. Garnish with chervil.

Make ahead: Uncooked ravioli can be frozen fro up to 3 months (boiling time may be a few minutes longer)

Chimichangas

This recipe has come down from my grandmother to my mother and now to me. Hope you like it.

6 large flour tortillas
1 pound lean ground beef (I used ground turkey)
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup salsa or enchilada
Cooking oil for frying
1 C guacamole
1 C sour cream
Shredded lettuce and chopped scallions or green onions

Prepare filling by browning ground beef and adding onion. Cook until soft. Moisten with desired sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Spoon filling down center of tortillas. Fold tortilla around filling, and fold sides in toward middle. Fasten with toothpicks.
Fry in oil over medium heat, turning, until golden; takes 1 to 2 minutes. Lift our with tongs from cooking oil, dry on paper towels. To serve, place on shredded lettuce bed, top with dollops of guacamole and sour cream. Sprinkle with chopped scallions or green onions.

Caramel apple pork chops

4 boneless pork chops, 3/4-inch thick
2 tablespoons brown sugar
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons butter
2 medium tart red apples, cored and sliced into 1/2-inch wedges
3 tablespoons chopped pecans-optional

Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Saute chops, 5-6 minutes, turning occasionally, until internal temperature on a thermometer reads 160 degrees F. Remove; keep warm.

In a small bowl, combine brown sugar,salt, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add butter to skillet; stir in brown sugar mixture and apples. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes or just until apples are tender. Remove apples with a slotted spoon and arrange on top of chops; keep warm. Continue cooking mixture in skillet, uncovered, until sauce thickens slightly. Spoon sauce over apples and chops. Sprinkle with pecans if desired.

Sailor's special

1 lb. extra-lean ground beef-or venison, ground turkey or tuna

1 pkg. (7-1/4 oz.) Macaroni & Cheese Dinner

1 can (14-1/2 oz.) stewed tomatoes-do not drain

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup milk

1 cup mozzarella-or any cheese you have on hand

BROWN meat in lg. skillet on med-high; drain. Return to skillet.

STIR in Macaroni, Cheese Sauce Mix, tomatoes, peas and milk. Bring to boil; cover. Simmer on med-low heat 12 min. or until macaroni is tender, stirring occasionally.

TOP with cheese. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, 5 min. or until cheese is melted.

Four Bean Enchiladas

I used to be a vegetarian, I could go back at any moment! :) My husband and I love these enchiladas and they are so easy to make. We haven't had them since my kids started eating solids. I know what I will be making soon. This recipe came from Better Homes and Gardens Vegetarian Recipes.

16 6-inch corn tortillas
1 15-oz can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz can navy or great nothern beans, rinsed and drained
1 11-oz can condensed cheddar cheese or nacho cheese soup (I use the cheddar sauce with salsa in it in the salsa asile)
1 10-oz can enchilada sauce
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 1/2 C shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
Sliced pitted olives (optional)
Chopped green peppers (optional)
Sour cream (optional)

Stack tortillas and wrap tightly in foil. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or until warm.
For filling, combine beans and cheese soup. Spoon about 1/3 C filling onto one end of each tortilla. Starting at the end with the filling, roll up each tortilla. Arrange tortillas, seam side down, in 8 individual au gratin dishes or two 2-quart rectangular baking dishes.
In a bowl stir together the enchilada sauce and tomato sauce; pour over tortillas. Cover with foil. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes for au grati dishes or 30 minutes for baking dishes or till heated through. Remove foil; sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, about 5 minutes more or till cheese melts. Plate and top with optional toppings.

Sloppy joes

1 1/2-2 lbs Hamburger or venison
1 small onion
3 T. brown sugar
2 T. lemon juice
2 T. vinegar
4 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 t. mustard
2 c. ketchup
1 1/2 c. water
1/2 t. celery salt
Brown and drain meat then add onion, cook on med. until onions are soft. Add everything else and simmer at least 15 minutes. Serve on buns.

Ham and Bell Pepper Calzones

I dusted off the cookbooks yesterday and cooked this up for dinner. Jackson said, "this is actually good, Mom!" Thanks, bud. Seriously, ALL my kids ate up every bite!

2 t olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1 green pepper, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 t dried oregano
1/4 lb. thinly sliced deli ham cut into thin strips
1 lb. refrigerated pizza dough
1 cup shredded mozzarella (whoops, I just realized I used cheddar! But, it was still tasty!)


1. Preheat oven to 400. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. Heat Oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell peppers, garlic and oregano; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5-7 minutes. Add the ham and cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool.

3. Sprinkle a work surface lightly with flour. Turn the pizza dough onto the surface; cut in half. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll each piece into a 10" circle. Spread half the ham mixture over half of one of the circles, leaving a 1" border. Top the mixture with cheese. Fold the dough over the filling, crimping the edges to seal.

4. Transfer the calzones to the baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. Cut each calzone in half.

Since I can't eat the pizza dough, I served mine over rice and it was pretty good. I'm sure not as tasty as a calzone, but still delish!

Roasted Halibut with Pine Nut and Parmesan Crust

OK, I love to try new recipes and haven't posted for awhile. While my son is sleeping I thought I would post some more.

I got this wonderful dish out of the free Costco cookbook they give out during Black Friday.

1/2 Cup pine nuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 Cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 TBSP finely chopped fresh basil
1 galic clove, minced
2 TBSP olive oil
4 6-ounce halibut fillets
sea salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, combine pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic and oil; stir to blend. Place halibut fillets on a baking sheet and season to taste with salt. Pat the pine nut mixture onto the halibut, pressing lightly to make it stick. Bake in the center of the oven for 10-15 minutes until the fish is opaque all the way through.

Do It Yourself Spring Rolls

This is my daughter's favorite meal. They both love helping make it and assembling their own spring roll. Enjoy. I got it out of a Sunset magazine.


Cook 4 oz of thin rice noodles as package directs. On a large platter, set out leaves from 1 head butter lettuce; 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken; 2 peeled, seeded, and sliced papayas; 1 cup fresh mint leaves; 1/2 cup store bought spicy peanut sauce; 1/2 cup chopped roasted, salted peanuts; 3 green onions, sliced into thin strips; and lime wedges. Put 12 large sheets rice paper on a separte plate. Set out a large bowl of boiling water so diners can dip their rice papers (allow 1 minute to soften), then assemble spring roll.

I have had better luck with the rice paper if the water is not boiling, other wise, it is hard to keep from sticking to itself.

Teriyaki Chicken

I tried a new Teriyaki chicken recipe tonight - out of an old Everyday food magazine. We all really liked it! I think next time I may use a bit less honey, but it sure was yummy!

2 T soy sauce
1 T rice vinegar
1/2 cup honey
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp grated, peeled fresh ginger (Winco was out so I used about 1 tsp dry)
1 whole chicken

1. preheat oven to 450. Mix everything in a bowl (except the chicken :). Divide the sauce into two bowls. One for basting, one to use as a sauce at the end.

2. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil. Cut chicken into pieces and place on sheet. (I cooked mine with the skin on - like the picture - and just removed it for eating.) Baste with sauce. Place in oven for 20 minutes basting twice with pan juices. Place chicken on lower rack of oven, basting again, for 10 minutes.

3. It didn't say to heat the extra sauce, but I did. Serve with rice and steamed veggie. Yummo!

Really good Manicotti.

I like to cook good food. Really good food. Unfortunately, not everything that looks good in a recipe turns out so good in the end. Whether it be my lack of cooking skills, the recipe itself, or just a matter of personal taste...it doesn't always turn out so good in the end. This manicotti turned out good in the end. Really good.

I love Italian food. Maybe its my Italian heritage or the fact that Italian food tends to be good 'ole yummy comfort food. Aka: "carbs" :)

This manicotti didn't disappoint. Loved the yummy, chunky sauce on top. All you tomato growers could probably make it even better with your home grown stuff! :)

It came from this recipe blog which I love.

Manicotti.

Serves 6 to 8

Tomato Sauce
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes (in juice)
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons dried basil

Cheese Filling and Pasta
3 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
4 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 cups)
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)
2 large eggs , lightly beaten
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
16 no-boil lasagna noodles (I use the Barilla brand - apparently they are supposed to be the most similar to homemade pasta and I love them, both in this and in lasagna)

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat oil, garlic, and pepper flakes (if using) in large saucepan over medium heat until fragrant but not brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, basil and 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan chese, mozzarella cheese, eggs, salt, pepper, and herbs; set aside.

To assemble, pour 1 inch boiling water into 13 by 9-inch baking dish, then add noodles one at a time. Let noodles soak until pliable, about 5 minutes, separating noodles with tip of sharp knife to prevent sticking. Remove noodles from water and place in single layer on clean kitchen towels; discard water in baking dish and dry baking dish.

Spread bottom of baking dish evenly with 1 1/2 cups sauce. Using soupspoon, spread 1/4 cup cheese mixture evenly onto bottom three-quarters of each noodle (with short side facing you), leaving top quarter of noodle exposed. Roll into tube shape and arrange in baking dish seam side down. (You should be able to fit 8 manicotti in each row, allowing all 16 to fit in the dish). Top evenly with remaining sauce, making certain that pasta is completely covered.

Cover manicotti with aluminum foil. Bake until bubbling, about 40 minutes, then remove foil. Sprinkle manicotti evenly with remaining 1 cup Parmesan. Bake until cheese is browned and bubbly, about 6-7 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

The manicotti can be prepared right up until the baking step then covered with a sheet of parchment paper, wrapped in aluminum foil, and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month. (If frozen, thaw the manicotti in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days.) To bake, remove the parchment, replace the aluminum foil, and increase baking time to 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

Recipe from My Kitchen Cafe (www.melskitchencafe.blogspot.com)

Kelly's Oven Crispy Chicken

1 pound Chicken pieces ( breasts, thighs, legs, or even strips or nuggets if you like)

1 cup buttermilk or milk

1 cup fresh bread crumbs

½ cup shredded parmesan cheese

1 tsp garlic salt

½ tsp paprika

(optional) 1Tbsp ground flax seed, 1Tbsp Wheat germ, 1 Tbsp Whole wheat flour ( I do all of these for extra nutrition)

1Tbsp melted butter.

Soak Chicken in buttermilk or milk for 30min, mix dry ingredients in large Ziploc, put chicken in one piece at a time to coat well. Place on cookie sheet and drizzle with butter. Bake at 400F for 15-35 min depending on size of chicken pieces. Flip once during cooking.

(Kelly’s tip_ take the butts of my bread and pulse them for a few seconds in my food processor or small chopper to make my breadcrumbs- it saves us from wasting the ends and I get to use my own yummy bread. My favorite is with Dave’s Killer Bread)

Korean Beef

This is actually Melissa L's recipe but we love it so much I had to share it.

1-2lb Tri tip sirloin-sliced thin across the grain

Marinate in:

½ tsp salt

1/3 cup sugar

¼ cup soy sauce

3 tbsp sesame oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

4 green onions, finely sliced.

Marinate for 30 min or 3 days- Grill until desired doneness (works best with wire basket because pieces are small)

Serve with rice and your favorite salad or veggie.

(tip- I slice it up as soon as I take it out of the grocery bag and marinate it then so it is ready when I am, that night or later in the week)

Easy Chili Pie

If you're not completely sick of beans after last week's rice and beans fast, this recipe is a perfect fall or winter meal. I got it from a Real Simple magazine a few years ago and it's been a favorite in our house ever since!

1 lb. sweet Italian chicken sausage, casings removed
1 T. chili powder
2 15-oz. cans of kidney beans in sauce (I usually use chili beans instead-not canned chili, just chili beans)
1/2 cup hot salsa
1 8-1/2 oz. box of corn bread mix, plus required ingredients (like Jiffy)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1.) Heat oven to 400 degrees.

2.) Cook sausage over medium heat in an oven-safe skillet (such as cast iron), breaking up the meat until it's no longer pink. Drain the fat.

3.) Add chili powder and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Add beans and salsa. Heat to boiling.

4.) Meanwhile, prepare corn-bread mix according to the label directions. Stir in cheddar cheese.

5.) Remove chili from heat and spread corn-bread mixture over the chili.

6.) Place skillet in the oven and bake 15-20 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

If you don't have a cast iron or oven-safe skillet, you can also transfer the chili to a casserole dish before it goes into the oven.

Enjoy!

Kid's Favorite Cornflake Chicken

Sometimes we make things and forget about them, even if they are great. Seems to be happening to me a lot lately! Benjamin reminded me of a recipe I used to make. Cornflake Chicken! All the kids, and adults gobbled it up. I used chicken tenderloins bc it was easy to defrost and they were already in small pieces, but you could use breasts cut up or any cut of meat, really.

Cornflake Chicken
2 Tbsp butter + 1/4-1/2 c butter
1/2 c crushed corn flakes cereal, maybe a little more
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1.5 lbs cut up chicken in strips or tenderloins

Heat oven to 400. Melt 2 Tbsp butter in 9 x 13 pan. Take out when melted to make sure it doesn't burn. Crush corn flakes. I put enough to fill a ziplock sandwich bag. Zip the bag, with air pushed out , crush with rolling pin. Mix flakes, paprika, salt and pepper. Melt 1/4 c butter in bowl, melt more as needed. Dip chicken in butter, then roll in corn flake mixture. Place in 9 x 13 pan. Bake on 400 for about 20 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken. Test frequently so they don't dry out. Don't turn, otherwise the corn flakes fall off. Serve with BBQ, ranch, ketchup, etc.

Chicken Chow Mein

I can't believe that I have not posted this yet. It is one of my favorites. This is how I discovered that my son loves sugar snap peas. I also like that you use Chinese egg noodles instead of Yakisoba. I got this from my baby food cookbook called, "First Meals." I love the cute presentations of food in there and with my kids, it is how you present it sometimes.

1 large chicken breast (I use about 3 Costco)
1/4 lb fine Chinese egg noodles (found in the asian section, I use the whole bag)
1 Tbsp veg. oil
1 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
1 1/3 cups shiitake mushrooms
1 1/4 cups sugar snap peas
1/2 small red pepper, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup baby sweet corn, cut into quarters
4 green onions, finely sliced
1 cup zucchini
1 cup bean sprouts (I don't use these)

Marinade:
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp sake (I just use more soy sauce)
1 Tbsp soft brown sugar
(If using more chicken, double the marinade)

Mix together the ingredients for the marinade and marinate the chicken for 10 minutes. Strain and reserve the marinade. Cook the noodles in boiling, lightly salted water according to the instructions on the package, then set aside.
Heat the heat vegatable oil in a wok or frying pan and stir-fry the chicken for 5-6 minutes and set aside.
Heat the sesame oil in the wok. Add the garlic and stir-fry for a few seconds. Add the shiitake mushrooms, sugar-snap peas , red pepper, and baby corn and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the green onions, zucchini, and bean sprouts and continue to cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the chicken and noodles together with the reserved marinade. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes or until the noodles are completely heated through.

Pork Chops and Apples

This is a yummy one. I haven't made it in a long time but a friend asked for the recipe and it reminded me of it. How many of us have that great recipe that we just forget about? Organizational system for recipes is needed!!

Pork Chops and Apples

6 pork chops (1/2” thick. About 1 ½ lbs.)
3-4 apples, unpeeled and sliced
¼ c packed brown sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp. butter

Heat oven to 350. Grease 9x13 pan.
Brown chops on medium heat about 5 minutes, turning once.

Place apples in baking dish. Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon. Dot with butter. Top with pork.

Cover and bake 1 hour or until pork is slightly pink in center and apples are done.

Cheddar-topped Shepherd's Pie

Aaaah....good comfort food for a cold night. I only make 1/2 of this for my family with plenty of left-overs. Does anyone know if you could freeze this?


2 pounds potatoes, peeled
6 carrots, diced small
6 celery stalks, diced small
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tomato paste
2 pounds ground beef
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar

Boil potatoes until fork tender. Heat 1 T. oil in skillet. Add carrot, celery, onion. Cook 8-10 minutes or until tender. Add flour and tomato paste. Cook 1 minute longer. Add beef. Cook until no longer pink. Drain off fat. Add 1 cup water. Bring to boil then simmer 1 minute.

Drain potatoes. Return to pan. Add milk and 1 cup of cheese. Mash.

Pour beef filling into 9x13 pan. Top with mashed potatoes. Then top with remaining cheese. Bake at 450 for 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.