Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Three more recpies

Time for a few more requested recipes.

Beef and Bean Enchilada Casserole

Serves 4

½ pound lean ground beef
½ cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (4 ounces) diced green chili peppers
1 carton (8 ounces) sour cream or light sour cream
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
8 6-inch corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch wide strips
1 can (10 ounces) enchilada sauce or one can (10½ ounces) tomato puree
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
Cilantro sprigs (optional)
Hot chili peppers (optional)

IN a 10 inch skillet cook the ground meat, onion, chili powder, and cumin till the onions are tender and the meat is no longer pink. Drain off the fat and cool.

Stir the pinto beans and the undrained chili peppers into the meat mixture. In a medium bowl stir together the sour cream, flour, and garlic powder until well blended.

Place half the tortilla strips in the bottom of a shallow 2 quart baking dish. Top with half the meat mixture, half the sour cream mixture, and half the enchilada sauce. Repeat layers. Bake covered in a 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with cheese, and bake 5 minutes more. Garnish with cilantro and chili pepper if desired.

Source: What’s for Dinner? From Better Homes and Gardens Books, Inc. © 1995

Notes from the Hare

You can make this up to a day ahead and chill in the refrigerator. After making the sour cream mixture, store it and the meat mixture in containers. When you’re ready to serve, assemble as described above and bake for 45 minutes instead of 30.

If you double the recipe (say for a potluck), use a 3 to 4 quart baking dish and bake for an hour. Using the tomato puree instead of the enchilada sauce will cut down on the spiciness of the dish if that is a concern for you.

Shredded Beef with Pickled Peppers

Serves 8

1 2½ to 3 pound boneless beef chuck pot roast, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 cup chopped onion
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon instant beef bouillon granules
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
½ teaspoon dried basil, crushed
½ teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic, or 2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup chopped pepperocini (Italian pickled peppers) or other pickled peppers
8 hoagie buns, rye buns, or Kaiser buns, split and toasted
6 ounces sliced Swiss cheese

In a 3½ to 4 Quart crockery cooker combine the meat, onion, Worcestershire sauce, bouillon granules, oregano, basil, thyme, and garlic. Stir to mix.

Cover and cook on low heat about 10 hours or on high heat for 5 to 6 hours. Stir to break up meat cubes. Stir in peppers.

Cook, uncovered, on High heat for 30 minutes more, stirring often to break up the meat.

Using slotted spoon, place meat mixture on bottom of toasted buns. Top with cheese. Broil 4 inches from heat about 1 minute or until cheese melts. Add top of buns.

Source: What’s for Dinner? From Better Homes and Gardens Books, Inc. © 1995

Notes from the Hare

You can serve the meat juices in small cups with the sandwiches for dipping if you want.

Spicy Beef Pitas


Serves 8

1 pound thinly sliced cooked beef
½ cup picante sauce
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup olive oil or cooking oil
1 tablespoon snipped fresh cilantro or parsley
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper
4 large pita bread rounds, halved
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 medium avocado, sliced
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (1 ounce)

Place sliced beef in a plastic bag in a bowl and set aside. For marinade, combine picante sauce, vinegar, oil, cilantro, garlic powder, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Pour over beef. Seal bag: marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours, turning the bag occasionally

When ready to serve, drain and discard the marinade. Divide beef among pita halves. Add tomato, avocado, and feta cheese

Source: What’s for Dinner? From Better Homes and Gardens Books, Inc. © 1995

Notes form the Hare

For a quick side dish, cook a package of cheese stuffed tortellini as directed on package. Drain and cool, then toss with strips of sweet pepper, slices of red onion, olives, and Italian dressing

Monday, December 19, 2005

A trio of recipes.

Here are a few more of the Ox requested recipes for you to peruse and prepare as you see fit.

Sassy Beef in Tortillas

Serves 15

2 pounds lean ground meat (beef, chicken, pork, or turkey)
1 cup chopped onion
1½ cups shredded carrot or butternut squash
1 cup finely chopped green sweet pepper
1 can (14½ ounces) diced tomatoes
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/3 cup light raisins
1/3 cup catsup
3 tablespoons steak sauce
2 tablespoons quick cooking barley
1 tablespoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
15 8 to 9 inch flour tortillas

In a large pan or Dutch over cook the meat and the onion until the meat is no longer pink and the onion is tender. Drain off any fat

Stir in carrot or squash, sweet pepper, undrained canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, raisins, catsup, steak sauce, barley, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat.

Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Uncover and cook 10 to 15 more minutes or until the mixture has reached the desired consistency.

Spoon about ½ cup of the meat mixture over tortillas. Fold in half, then fold in half again.

Source: What’s for Dinner? From Better Homes and Gardens Books, Inc. © 1995

Notes from the Hare

You can freeze this mixture for up to three months once it’s cooled down after cooking. To reheat, you can either cook a container over medium low heat until thawed and heated through, stirring occasionally, or you can transfer the mixture to a microwave safe bowl and cook on 70% power (medium high) stirring occasionally. For a 1 cup portion the microwave will take about 6 minutes to thaw and heat: 2 cups will need 10 or 11 minutes.

Instead of spooning this onto tortillas, you can use it as a topping for baked potatoes, spaghetti, or spaghetti squash.

Three Bean and Beef Stew

Serves 6

8 ounces boneless beef chuck, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic, or 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cooking oil
2 cups water
1 can (16 ounces) diced tomatoes
½ cup dry red wine, or 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar plus 1/3 cup water
1/3 cup tomato paste
¼ cup snipped fresh basil, or 1 tablespoon dried basil, crushed
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 carrots, cut into ¼ inch pieces
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 ounces) great northern or navy beans, rinsed and drained
1 package (9 ounces) frozen Italian style green beans
Fresh sprigs of basil (optional

In a large pan or Dutch oven, brown beef cubes with onion and garlic in hot oil until meat is brown and onion is tender.

Stir in water, undrained tomatoes, wine (or vinegar and water), tomato paste, basil, brown sugar, dry mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir in carrots. Bring to boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer 1¼ hours.

Stir in green beans and simmer 8 to 10 minutes more or until meat and beans are tender. Stir in canned beans and heat through. Serve in bowls, garnishing with sprigs of basil if desired.

Source: What’s for Dinner? From Better Homes and Gardens Books, Inc. © 1995

Notes from the Hare

To make this ahead, after simmering for 1¼ hours, stir in canned beans. Transfer the pot to a sink of ice water to shill quickly, stirring occasionally. Transfer the mixture to freezer containers and store for up to 3 months.

To prepare frozen stew, transfer a portion of the stew to a large pan and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally to break mixture up. Stir in half the green beans (depending on portion size – 2 portions in 1½ quart containers are recommended). Reduce heat and simmer, covered, about 10 minutes or until beans are tender.

Along with the soup, you can serve a tasty bit of bread. Brush 6-inch Italian bread shells with olive oil, then top with thinly sliced onions that have been cooked in a little oil until brown. Sprinkle crumbled blue cheese over all and bake in a hot oven for about 10 minutes or until heated through. Cut into wedges to serve.

Parmesan Chicken and Broccoli

Serves 6

1 cup parboiled (converted) rice
½ cup sliced green onion
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon bottled minced garlic, or 1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2¼ cups milk
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, cut up
1½ cups loose pack frozen broccoli
½ cups grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup diced fully cooked ham
2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds

Cook rice according to package directions: remove from heat and stir in half the onion. Rinse the chicken and pat dry.

In a large skillet, cook chicken, Italian seasoning, and garlic in hot oil over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink, turning once. Remove from skillet, reserving drippings.

For sauce, cook remaining onion in skillet with reserved drippings until tender, adding more oil as needed. Stir in cornstarch. Add all the milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until slightly thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat and stir in cream cheese until nearly smooth. Remove from heat, stir in broccoli, Parmesan cheese, and ham. Cool the sauce.

Spread rice into a greased 2 quart rectangular baking dish. Arrange chicken over rice and season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over chicken. Back casserole, uncovered, in a 350 degree F oven for about 10 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with almonds.

Source: What’s for Dinner? From Better Homes and Gardens Books, Inc. © 1995

Notes from the Hare

You can make this ahead and freeze it for up to 4 months. After spooning the sauce over the chicken, cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and freeze. The night before serving, move the dish from the freezer to the refrigerator to thaw while covered. Bake the thawed casserole, covered, in a 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with almonds, then back for 20 to 25 minutes more or until heated through.

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

Black Bean and Salsa Noodle Soup

For everyone looking for a quick and tasty soup recipe for the winter months, I can readily recommend this one.

Black Bean and Salsa Noodle Soup

Serves 6

3 cans (14 to 15 ounces each) vegetable broth
1 jar (16 ounces) salsa
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
1 package (5 ounces) Japanese curly noodles, or 5 ounces spaghetti
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon pepper

Heat broth to boiling in a large pot. Stir in remaining ingredients and reduce heat to medium. Cook 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until noodles are tender

Source: Super Sides in Seconds, © 2004

Notes from the Hare

I like a slightly heartier soup, so I double the black beans in this recipe. I leave the noodles out on occasion as well, depending on mood.

A sprinkling of cheese is pretty tasty on to of this soup, if you are so inclined.