Dishing the Divine » meat

pasta with salami, mushroom, & cheese sauce

Paula — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:05:24 +0000

When your mother-in-law gives you a 4 pound hunk of salami for Christmas, you’ve gotta start getting creative about how to use it before it starts to go bad. Fortunately, my hubby and I found this recipe buried in a truly old-school Southern Living pasta book. It takes less than 10 minutes to make and it’s quite delicious. And at 4 ounces of salami per serving, that means we could make this sauce sixteen times before we finish off this block of salami. Gosh. That seems like a lot of pasta. Good thing we love carbs!

pasta with salami, mushroom, & cheese sauce

3 tbsp butter
4 oz salami, cut into 1/4″ cubes
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
3 green onions, optional (if you have ‘em, great… if not, don’t fret!)
1 cup half-and-half cream
2 oz grated Parmesan cheese

Cut the salami into 1/4″ cubes and slice the mushrooms thinly.

Melt the butter over medium high heat in a large saucepan. Add the salami, mushrooms, and green onions and cook, stirring often, until juices evaporate.

Reduce heat to low and add cream. Heat until cream just starts to bubble along sides of pan.

Turn off the heat and add the cheese, stirring until melted. Serve over hot pasta. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

scalloped potatoes (lighter version)

Paula — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:00:55 +0000

If you thought “scalloped potatoes” and “healthy” couldn’t go in the same sentence, you were probably right. However, Cooks Illustrated (there I go talking about them again) has come up with a lighter version that I think, with a little tweaking, is absolutely fantastic. I cut back on the amount of onions they originally called for, changed the topping a bit, and added some cubed ham. I grew up eating ham in my scalloped potatoes, so the thought of omitting it was unfathomable but if you’re vegetarian, by all means, the dish will taste just fine without it. My dad likes adding chopped roasted Anaheim chili peppers to his scalloped potatoes, so if you enjoy a little extra kick, feel free to toss in some of those when the recipe says to add the ham.

You need to slice those potatoes with a food processor or mandolin or they won’t cook evenly. Try as you might, you won’t slice them this thin with a knife, and even if you could, it would mean being in the kitchen all day. Notice that when I am done, my slices are thin enough that you can almost see through them.

For those of you who like to make casseroles and freeze part of them for later, you need to know that potatoes do funny things when you freeze them, so I’d say just hedge your bets and eat all of this when it’s fresh. To play it really safe, just eat it all the first night. This dish is so tasty, that shouldn’t really be a problem.

scalloped potatoes (lighter version)

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated's The Best Light Recipe

These potatoes are just as tasty as their full-fat counterparts!

Ingredients

1 cup onion, minced

1 tsp vegetable oil

1/2 tsp salt

1 medium garlic clove, pressed

1 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

2 1/2 pounds potatoes (preferably russets or Yukon golds), peeled

2 cups 2% milk

2 bay leaves

8 oz sliced or cubed ham

2 tsp corn starch

1 tbsp water

3 tbsp cream cheese, softened in microwave

2 oz grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup), divided

several thin slices of Cheddar Cheese

1-2 tbsp bread crumbs

Instructions

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees.
Combine the onion, oil, and salt in a large pot. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
While the onions are cooking, peel and slice your potatoes.
Once the onions are done, stir in the garlic, thyme, and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
After adding spices, add the potatoes, ham (if using), milk, and bay leaves and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until partially tender, and a fork can be slipped into a potato slice with some resistance, about 10 minutes.
Discard the bay leaves. Whisk the cornstarch and water together, then add to the pot and bring to a simmer. Off the heat, stir in the cream cheese and 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan, being careful not to break up the potatoes.
Transfer the mixture to an 8-inch-square baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Add the slices of cheddar cheese and sprinkle bread crumbs across the top to cover.
Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until the potatoes are completely tender, a fork can be slipped into the center of the dish without resistance, and the top is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

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bacon frittata

Paula — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:07:23 +0000

If you read my post on making honey, you know that my parents now have 10 chickens and that means we get LOTS of farm fresh eggs. Usually I would never use almost a dozen eggs on a single recipe, but when you are getting half a dozen a day, you have that kind of freedom!

My husband is not a big frittata fan, but he really enjoyed this one because it’s chock full of bacon. Now THAT’S something that will appeal to my man!

I used bleu cheese on this because I did not have goat cheese. Take it from me – bad idea. Go with the goat cheese.

This recipe is from Cook’s Illustrated. Once again, they are worth checking out if you haven’t already!

spinach and bacon frittata

6 oz spinach
3/4 lb yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
6 slices bacon (preferably apple wood or some other smoked flavor)
10 large eggs
3 tbsp half and half
salt & pepper
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

Adjust oven rack to 5 inches from heating element and set oven to broil.

Put the spinach in a large bowl covered tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave until wilted, about 1.5 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a clean dish towel and squeeze out excess liquid.

Place potatoes in now-empty bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave until tender, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, fry the bacon in a cast iron skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 6 minutes. Once crisp, place on a paper-towel lined plate and blot off excess grease.

Discard all but one tablespoon of grease from the skillet. Add potatoes to the skillet and cook until golden brown. Add spinach. Cut bacon into 1/2 inch pieces and add to the skillet.

While this is heating, whisk eggs, half and half, 1/4 tsp salt, and1/4 tsp pepper together in a bowl. Add 1/4 cup cheese.

Add egg mixture to the potato mixture and use a rubber spatula to stir until large curds form but eggs are still very wet, about 2 minutes. Cook 30 more seconds without stirring, or until the bottom is set. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

At this point, if your skillet is oven safe, place the entire skillet in the oven for 3-4 minutes, or until surface is spotty brown (eggs should still be wet looking). If you don’t have an oven proof skillet, transfer the egg mixture to a sheet pan and then cook for 3-4 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes to finish cooking. Serve hot.

turkey burritos

Paula — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:07:51 +0000

I’m a big fan of vegetarian burritos (I’ll post a favorite recipe at a later date), but my hubby is a man who likes his meat. <> This recipe is my compromise. It has the meatiness that he likes but still meets my requirement of being healthy and tasty.

Ground turkey burritos are one of my fall back meals when I can’t think of anything to serve for dinner. While the list of ingredients may look long, it’s actually a 45 minute meal, start to finish, and it makes enough for us to eat them for several days. Phew… fewer meals to plan.

If you are intimidated by the amount of filling that this makes, use what you need and freeze the rest in smaller portions for later meals!

As with most Mexican food, you can alter this to your own personal tastes. My recipe is loosely based on this recipe incorporating some of the changes that were suggested by other reviewers.

turkey burritos

for the filling

1 pound ground turkey
1 can whole kernel corn, drained (or cut some off the cob!)
small onion, diced
8 oz can tomato sauce
1/3 cup medium salsa
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tbsp cumin
1/2 tbsp onion powder

extras & toppings

several 10-inch flour tortillas
refried beans
spanish rice
sour cream
salsa
fresh tomatoes
guacamole
cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat your oven to 350.

In a large skillet, over medium heat, brown the ground turkey and onions until turkey is fully cooked.

Stir in the corn, tomato sauce, salsa, and spices. Let simmer until it’s the consistency that you like, 5 to 15 minutes.

If you are using the world’s best flour tortillas, pre-cook them. Place a layer of cheese in the middle of your tortillas and top with meat mixture. If you are using the rice and beans, add those now. Fold the tortillas in thirds and secure with a toothpick.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until tortillas are golden brown. Serve immediately with the toppings of your choice.

turkey chili

Paula — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 02:15:27 +0000

We have had some BIZARRE weather here in the East Bay Area of California these past couple of weeks. Some days, it’s so hot, I am hesitant to leave my house for fear of melting on the sidewalk. And other days, like today, the weather is 72 degrees at the high. Hello, Mr. Weatherman! Make up your mind already!

All this weird weather makes prepping for meals much more challenging than usual. When I think of a typical summer day, for instance, a hot bowl of turkey and a side of cornbread does not usually come to mind. However, when the temps are dipping into the sixties at night, as they have been, it seemed like the perfect thing to hit the spot.

My husband tasted this and declared it fantastic. Usually when I ask him what he thinks of a meal, I get a shrug and, “It was fine.” (He’s so fortunate that I keep feeding him! ). So, a “fantastic” meant “blog worthy.”

My mom emailed me today to say her neighbor gave her a hundred pound zucchini and that she needed some recipe ideas for using it. Mom, if you’re out there, here’s a way to use at least some of it!

This recipe was adapted from www.allrecipies.com.

turkey chili

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 sprinkling chili pepper flakes (or more, to taste)
2 tablespoons tomato paste*
1 (14.5 ounce) can beef broth
1 (7 ounce) can salsa
1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (7 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers (I roast my own and freeze them, so I just chopped a couple of the frozen chiles)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
3 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
sour cream and cheese, to taste

First, prep those ingredients.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Crumble turkey into the pot, stirring with a wooden spoon to break apart as much as possible. Season with taco seasoning mix, coriander, oregano, chili flakes, and tomato paste, and mix until meat is evenly coated with seasonings. Continue cooking, reducing heat if necessary, until turkey is well browned.

Pour in beef broth, and simmer to reduce liquid slightly, about 5 minutes.

Add salsa, tomatoes, and green chilies, and continue cooking at a moderate simmer for ten minutes. Adjust the thickness at any time you feel necessary by adding water (or, alternatively, tomato sauce, which will give your soup a heartier taste).

While chili is still cooking, heat one tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion and green bell pepper, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent and bell pepper is lightly browned. Add onion and bell pepper to the chili, and continue cooking at a very low simmer.

In the same skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini, and cook stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Add the zucchini to the chili, reduce heat, and continue cooking 15 minutes more. Again, adjust the consistency with water as needed.

Ladle chili into serving bowls. Top with sour cream, green onion, and cheddar cheese, and serve.

*To see the best way to preserve tomato paste, click here.

breakfast burritos

Paula — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 06:27:18 +0000

True confessions of an amateur chef: Every day I eat cereal for breakfast. Boring, I know, but nothing is quite as satisfying for me as a huge bowl of Life cereal. Honey Bunches of Oats will work in a pinch, but Life cereal really is the best.

On the rare occasion that my husband and I have nowhere to go on a Saturday morning, I like to offer him something special. His favorite is breakfast burritos. This Saturday we chose to keep the calendar empty. You know what that means? Breakfast burritos, coming right up.

There is no recipe to breakfast burritos. You make them to your own tastes and can add in your own extra favorite ingredients if you so desire.

Start with a couple eggs. We used 3 eggs + one egg white. Whisk them using a fork.

Cook some Italian sausage and bacon. Break into little pieces.

On a tortilla, layer some eggs, bacon, and sausage. Add some cheese.

Lastly, put on some salsa. My husband used some Tostitos salsa, but I am not a fan, so I used some peach salsa instead. I really liked the sweeter taste and highly recommend it if you can find some!

Roll and eat!

big tomato sandwich

Paula — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 07:11:15 +0000

Tomatoes are in season. Ahhh… this is the time of year that I look forward to most after the winter has passed. From December to June, I pester my husband asking, “How long before the tomatoes are ripe?” And, to be honest, ours still aren’t ripe. We grow heirlooms from seed (we’re cheap, and heirloom seeds are designed to be used again and again – see how to save heirloom seeds), and unlike the local plant supply store, our tomatoes are not 15″ tall in January. It’s a lesson in patience, to be sure.

However, this does not mean that we cannot benefit from my friends that DID buy their plants at the plant supply store and that have more tomatoes now than they could ever know what to do with! Mary Peyton delivered 3 pounds of tomatoes to my door on Monday. Here it is Thursday and I haven’t used them yet. For shame, I know.

I first had this sandwich at the local deli. It changed my sandwich eating experience forever. No more Subway or Togos for me. The bar has been set. Ciabatta bread, a vinaigrette made with fresh herbs, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and optional turkey are enough to make your mouth sing. Add some pesto and you might be the next American Idol.

big tomato sandwich

1 loaf ciabatta bread, cut into individual sandwich portions
1-2 large, ripe tomatoes (preferably heirloom)
roasted red peppers, sliced (you can buy these in a jar or make your own)
fresh mozarella cheese
sliced turkey (optional)
1 cup homemade pesto (store bought can be used, but it won’t be as good!)

vinaigrette:

1 tbs fresh parsley (or 1 tsp dried)*
1 tbs fresh marjoram (or 1 tsp dried)*
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped (or 4 tsp dried)*
1 clove garlic
1/3 cup olive oil
1 1/2 to 2 tbs balsamic vinegar (to taste)

Combine spices and garlic in a food processor. Add olive oil and balsamic vinegar and blend until mixed.

Spread some of the vinaigrette onto one side of the bread. Spread pesto on the other half. Layer with tomato, cheese, and turkey (if using).

Lastly, grab some napkins because these sandwiches can be juicy!

*Fresh herbs are ALWAYS better, but dried will work in a pinch. I would definitely try to use fresh basil if you can, seeing as how it makes up a good portion of the vinaigrette.