Category Archives: Main Dish

Cheeseburger Pizza

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Bread, Rolls, Main Dish, Snacks and tagged with , , , , , , ,
Cheeseburger Pizza

Cheeseburger Pizza

“Two all beef patties, lettuce, cheese,…….. on a sesame seed bun”.  Sound familiar?   Today, I’m going to show you a fun way  to recreate this fast food burger without a trip to the drive-in.

I was somewhat doubtful that the sauce would come close to tasting like the one on the well-known burger, so I made up a half-recipe just to try it.  My gosh, it is spot on!   This is a great sauce to have made up ready to top off your burgers even if you don’t use all the other toppings.  You could surprise your friends/family this summer with a cookout, serving this “secret” sauce on the burgers.

With that piece of the recipe having proven itself, I was ready to make the whole thing.  Included here is  a good recipe for the dough, but if you don’t want to make you own dough or don’t have the time, a one pound package of pizza dough purchased at the supermarket will do just fine, and it’s a great time saver.

CHEESEBURGER PIZZA

YIELD:   1 large pizza,  8 – 12 pieces

For the crust:

  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons lukewarm water
  • 1-2 Tablespoons sesame seeds

1.  Combine all the above ingredients (except sesame seeds) and mix and knead to make a smooth, soft dough, using a stand mixer, bread machine, or your hands.

2.  Place dough in a lightly greased bowl ( or leave it in the bread machine to rise) and let it rise until it’s very puffy, about 1 1/2 – 2 hours.

3.  Spray a large rimmed baking pan ( 15″ x 10″ is good ) with non-stick cooking spray.  Sprinkle sesame seeds into the pan, if desired;  they’re there to mimic the burger’s ” sesame seed bun.”

4.  Deflate the risen dough, and stretch it into and oval with your hands.  Plop the oval onto the baking sheet, and then press it towards the edges.  When it starts to fight back, walk away for 10-15 minutes.  When you come back, you should be able to continue pressing it to the edges, nearly to the corners.  If you can’t, give it another rest and try again.  The dough should cover as much of the pan as possible—without making yourself crazy over it.

Spread dough in the baking pan.

Spread dough in the baking pan.

5.  Cover the dough, and let it rise until puffy, about 90 minutes.  While the dough is rising, prepare the toppings.

TOPPINGS

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
  • dill pickle slices
  • 10 -12 slices American cheese
  • shredded lettuce

6.  Season the ground beef with 3/4 teaspoon salt, and fry until brown;  drain off the fat.  Dice the onions, and shred the lettuce.  If using whole dill pickles, slice 1-2 large pickles.

Brown the ground beef.

Brown the ground beef.

Chop the onions and slice the dill pickles.

Chop the onions and slice the dill pickles.

SAUCE

Sauce ingredients.

Sauce ingredients.

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/3 cup green pickle relish
  • 2 Tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika (can substitute smoked or hot paprika, if desired)

7.   Combine all the ingredients, mixing until smooth.  Refrigerate  until you’re ready to use.

Mixing up the sauce.

Mixing up the sauce.

8.  Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425 *F.    Bake the crust for 10 minutes, or until very light brown.

9.  Remove crust from the oven, and top it with the diced onion, then the ground beef.  Return pizza to the oven, and bake for 10 minutes.

First layer: chopped onions and ground beef.

First layer: chopped onions and ground beef.

10. Remove from the oven, and top with the pickle slices, then the sliced cheese.  Return to the oven, and bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the edges of the crust are brown.

Second layer: sliced pickles and melted cheese.

Second layer: sliced pickles and melted cheese.

11. Remove the pizza from the oven, and spread with the sauce.  Finally, sprinkle with the shredded lettuce.  Cut into 8 – 12 pieces and serve immediately.

IMG_2629

This size pizza was more than two of us could eat, so we spooned some sauce and then some lettuce on each piece as we ate it.  This tasted just like the famous burger it mimics.   The next day I wrapped the remaining piece in foil and heated it in a low oven,  spooning sauce and topping it with lettuce as we had before.   We loved it and I will definitely be making it again.

It tastes just like the burger, without going to the drive-in.

It tastes just like the burger, without going to the drive-in.

SOURCE:    King Arthur Flour

A Loaded Panini

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish, Quick Meals, Sandwichs and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , ,

By day #4 of not having a refrigerator, I’m really getting to the bottom of the barrel in terms of what I can create for a meal.  This is what I have to work with:  some deli sliced smoked turkey,  sliced cheddar cheese and sliced provolone,  a few strips of bacon, and a tomato.  Does that sound to you like it could become a sandwich?   That’s what I thought, too.  EXCEPT we don’t have any bread.  So, I had to cheat a little.  I stopped at the grocery store and got a few rolls.  So for dinner this evening we had Toasted Panini Sandwiches with Sweet Potato chips and pickles.

Grilled turkey, bacon, cheese and tomato panini.

Grilled turkey, bacon, cheese and tomato panini.

A while ago I treated myself to a Panini//Grill pan.  I’m so glad I did.  I no longer use the electric sandwich toaster I had been using, choosing now to make grilled sandwiches on the stove top using the panini grill.  Plus this grill pan is great for grilling burgers or steaks and chops quickly indoors if you can’t use the outdoor grille.  Note that the pan comes with a weighted flat cover that is used to compress sandwiches, or anything else that you want to keep flat as it grills.

Panini Grill Pan

Panini Grill Pan

This is a little off today’s subject, but I also have a George Forman Grill that I don’t use.  I’m not pleased with the results when I use it.  Instead of getting a nice browned sear on meats, mine seem to steam-cook rather than grill.   Am I doing something wrong?  If anyone reading this has any suggestions for me I’d love to hear them.  Thanks.

The rolls I purchased were sesame bulky rolls.  So, starting with the rolls, slice each one in half, and spread each cut side with a little mayonnaise.   Next start layering in the fillings:  thinly sliced turkey breast, as many slices as you like, and  sliced cheese.

Sliced turkey and sliced cheese placed on the split rolls.

Sliced turkey and sliced cheese placed on the split rolls.

Then lay on the already cooked bacon slices, and sliced tomatoes.  A sprinkle of seasoned salt on the tomatoes is good, or regular table salt.

Lay on the bacon and tomato slices.

Lay on the bacon and tomato slices.

Lightly butter the bottom of each roll and place on the heated panini grill pan.  Place the flat weight on top of the sandwiches to press them, and toast till nicely browned on the bottom.  Now lightly butter the tops and flip over so the top get toasty and browned, the filling continues to heat and cheese melts.  Be careful to keep the heat on low or the rolls will become too crisp before the fillings heat and melt.

This is what the sandwiches looked like while grilling,

Sandwiches grilling.

Sandwiches grilling.

And this is what the finished sandwiches look like:

Plated sandwich with sweet potato chips and pickle.

Plated sandwich with sweet potato chips and pickle.

Note the  top side of the sandwich; it has grill markings on it, and the top is nice and toasty.  I like to use sesame rolls for this because the sesame seeds get toasted and their flavor is more pronounced.   Yum!  Wish you could taste this—-it was great.

A great sandwich whether for lunch or a light supper.

A great sandwich whether for lunch or a light supper.

Chicken with Mushrooms and Onions in Balsamic Cream Sauce

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Carolyn's Originals, Main Dish and tagged with , , , , , , ,
Chicken with mushrooms and onions in a balsamic cream sauce.

Chicken with mushrooms and onions in a balsamic cream sauce.

Challenge day # 3 without a refrigerator.  This is the requirement right now:  cook with what you have on hand, ONLY.  Going to the grocery store to fill in the blanks is not an option.   Today these were the food items that had priority for usage:  a package of 6 chicken tenders that had defrosted,  a half-package of mushrooms,  some  light cream, and part of a can of chicken broth.  To those ingredients I added 1 large onion, some balsamic vinegar and some butter to come up with what turned out to be a very good chicken dish.

The chicken tenders worked well because they cooked quickly, and remained tender in the cream sauce.  You could also use boneless chicken breasts, cut vertically in half, so they are not too thick.  The amount of sauce is plentiful, so it’s a good idea to plan rice or noodles to spoon it over.  I used a package of herbed rice pilaf with our meal.  To go along with this I used up the leftover  herbed butternut squash from day #1.

This is how I created this entree:     CHICKEN WITH BALSAMIC CREAM SAUCE, MUSHROOMS AND ONIONS

YIELD:   Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

  • Chicken tenders, at least 6 pieces, or 2 boneless chicken breasts, cut vertically in half.

  • Chicken Tenders

    Chicken Tenders

  • 1 large onion, cut vertically in half, then sliced into “half-moons”.

  • A large onion, cut into "half-moons".

    A large onion, cut into “half-moons”.

  • 1 pkg. mushrooms, (or less), sliced or halved

    Mushrooms, butter, and chicken broth.

    Mushrooms, butter, and chicken broth.

  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2  cup cream, light cream, or half and half
  • 3 Tablespoons butter, divided
  • 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Over medium heat, in a large skillet, melt 1 Tablespoon butter.

Hot skillet with butter melted.

Hot skillet with butter melted.

Add the sliced onions, reduce heat to low and sauté until nicely caramelized, about 15 minutes.  Remove to a bowl, and set aside.

Nicely browned, caramelized onions.

Nicely browned, caramelized onions.

2.  Melt the remaining 2 Tablespoons butter in the same skillet, add chicken pieces and cook to brown each side.  Chicken will not be fully cooked at this point.  Remove to a plate.

Chicken browned, but not thoroughly cooked.

Chicken browned, but not thoroughly cooked.

3.  Deglaze the pan with the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits into the broth.  Add the cream and balsamic vinegar and stir.  Add the mushrooms and salt and pepper.  Decrease heat to low and simmer a few minutes.

Saute mushrooms, add broth and cream.

Saute mushrooms, add broth and cream.

4.  Bring heat back up to medium.  Add the chicken and onions to the pan mixture and cook the chicken all the way through.

5.  To serve, transfer chicken pieces to a serving dish, pour mushroom-onion-cream-sauce over the top and garnish with parsley if you wish.  (I did not have any parsley on hand.)

A satisfying dish of chicken, mushrooms and onions in a rich cream sauce.

A satisfying dish of chicken, mushrooms and onions in a rich cream sauce.

Our assessment of this dish?  My husband said ” UHMMM! this is great”.  But he loves mushrooms, so anything with mushrooms in it is AOK with him.  I thought it was a very good combination of flavors.  Most importantly for me is that the chicken remained moist and tender.  I always worry about white meat chicken becoming dried out, tough and chewy, but this didn’t.  The cream in the sauce smoothed out the tang of the vinegar, with the vinegar providing a dark color to the sauce. The mushrooms and onions rounded out the dish and were a good compliment over all.  I’m glad I made rice to go with it to put the sauce on.  I will definitely be making this dish again.

SOURCE:   A Carolyn Original

Challenge Day #1: Pan-Seared Steak with Balsamic Onion Sauce

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with , , , , , , ,
Pan-Seared Strip Steak with Balsamic Onion Sauce.

Pan-Seared Strip Steak with Balsamic Onion Sauce.

Day # 1 without a refrigerator.  I produced a pretty terrific dinner today, and I also made chicken broth for a future soup.  My dinner consisted of Strip Steaks with Balsamic-Glazed onions,  Baked Butternut Squash with Garlic and Herbs, and Hasselback Potatoes.   For today’s recipe I will be telling you how to pan-sear a steak, and a quick way to make caramelized onions.

Whenever we go to our favorite steak-house, I like to order a strip steak with a pile of caramelized onions.  I almost like the onions better than the steak.  They are so rich and glossy, they turn a simple seared steak into something really special.  I had purchased a package of two strip steaks with the thought of trying to recreate this simple dish at home.  Faced with the fact they had started to defrost, I realized the time to give this meal a try was now.

The part of this dish that takes the most time is caramelizing the onions–probably about 45 minutes.  When cooking the steaks only takes about eight to ten minutes, I wanted to speed up cooking the onions as much as I could.  So here’s where I hit upon a short-cut.  I cooked the onions in a little oil for about 8-10 minutes till they started to brown,

Onions browning in a little oil.

Onions browning in a little oil.

and then added balsamic vinegar to the pan.

A nice variety of balsamic, with a hint of pomegranate added.

A nice variety of balsamic, with a hint of pomegranate added.

Two minutes later the onions were soft and fully browned.  How could that be, you ask?  Well, the sugar in the vinegar speeds up the browning process, and the steam generated by the simmering vinegar softens the onions in a flash.  Finally, the vinegar turns the onions brown.  My balsamic onion sauce may not taste exactly like caramelized onions, but it came pretty darn close.

PAN SEARED STEAK WITH BALSAMIC ONIONS

SERVES:   2-3

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 Tbspns vegetable oil
  • 2 large onions, sliced
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 boneless 8 – 10 ounce strip steaks
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tspn. minced fresh (or 1/2 tspn. dried) rosemary

1.  Heat 2 Tbspns oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add onions and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 8 – 10 minutes.   Transfer onions to a bowl.

2.  Add remaining oil to skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering.    For a nicely browned and flavorful crust, pat the steaks dry with paper towels, and season with salt and pepper.  Cook steaks, without moving, until browned on first side, 4 – 5 minutes.  Flip steaks and continue to cook until browned on second side, 3 – 4 minutes more.  Transfer steaks to a platter and cover with foil.

3.  Discard fat in skillet, return onions to pan, and set over medium heat.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add 1/4 cup vinegar, rosemary, and cook, scraping up browned bits, until thick and syrupy, about 2 minutes.  Pour any accumulated steak juices into pan and mix in.  Season with salt and pepper.

4.  Slice steaks crosswise into 1/4 -inch slices and transfer to serving platter.

Slice steaks crosswise into 1/4-inch slices.

Slice steaks crosswise into 1/4-inch slices.

Spoon onions and sauce over steak.

Steak with Onions and Sauce.

Steak with Onions and Sauce.

SOURCE:   COOK’S COUNTRY

Butternut Squash and Mushroom Tart

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with , , , , , , ,
Butternut Squash and Mushroom Tart

Butternut Squash and Mushroom Tart

As I was looking through the November issue of Cooking Light Magazine, this recipe for Butternut Squash and Mushroom Tart caught my eye because the picture of it was so appetizing.  I wanted to make and eat it right then and there, but I earmarked the page for a more opportune time.  Well, the time came this past week.  After the cooking and baking frenzy that was Christmas I was ready to prepare a simple meal, and enjoy the process of doing it.

Boy, am I ever glad I finally got around to making this tart.  From the crust on the bottom to the cheese on top, it is one layer after another of delicious flavors that compliment each other perfectly.

Layers that taste delicious and hold together perfectly

Layers that taste delicious and hold together perfectly

Let me start with the crust:  the ingredients are mixed in the food processor and once mixed, go straight into the pie plate where you form the crust with your fingers by pressing it against the bottom and sides of the pan.  Then it goes right into the preheating oven to begin baking.

The recipe as printed in the  magazine relies on prepared ingredients, i.e. pre cubed squash, chopped onions, pre chopped pancetta, and pre sliced mushrooms as time savers.  However as a cost saving measure I don’t usually purchase my vegetables this way, preferring to prep them myself, so that added some time to the preparation of this dish.

Preparation of the tart filling involved peeling and cubing the butternut squash,

Cubed squash

Cubed squash

chopping the onion, grating the cheese  ( I used an Edam cheese that has good flavor and nice melting properties.)

Grated Edam Chese

Grated Edam Chese

The shiitake mushrooms I purchased were whole caps that I sliced, and the pancetta was in slices that I cut into small pieces.

Sliced shiitake mushroom caps

Sliced shiitake mushroom caps

This all added about 15 minutes to the preparation time.

Because I knew the prep work would take a little time, I did all of it before making the crust, so once the crust went into the oven I was ready to continue using the processor to make the filling.  Cutting the squash into fine pieces cuts down on the cooking time, and changed the texture somewhat and when the onions get mixed with it the flavor and “mouth-feel” was very pleasant.  Eggs, cheese and seasonings get mixed with the squash and onions, then poured into the partially baked crust and baked.

While that is happening, you sauté the pancetta till brown and then add and sauté the mushrooms.  The final step is to arrange the mushrooms and pancetta on the tart surface followed by the remaining cheese and bake until the cheese melts.

Hot and melty from the oven.

Hot and melty from the oven.

My final product was as pretty as the picture in the magazine.  The crust was flaky and tender, it remained dry and flaky in spite of the wetness of the filling baked in it.  This tart also cut perfectly; each wedge holding its shape as it was removed from the baking dish.  I will definitely use this recipe and method for making a crust for tarts and quiches that I make from now on.  I might also add that I felt that the time spent making this dish was well worth the effort, because the finished dish was so perfect in every way.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND MUSHROOM TART

SERVINGS:   6

CRUST:

  • 1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 Tablespoons ice water
  • cooking spray

FILLING:

  • 3 cups peeled, precubed butternut squash
  • 2 Tablespoons EVOO, divided
  • 3/4 cup prechopped onion
  • 2/3 cup shredded cheese, divided.  Gruyere, Gouda, Edam are all good choices.
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
  • 1 1/2 ounces prechopped pancetta, or 3 slices cut into small pieces
  • 5 ounces presliced shiitake mushroom caps
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Lightly spray a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray.

2.  To prepare crust, spoon all the flour plus the salt, pepper and baking powder into the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse 2 times to mix.  Combine 1/4 cup oil with the 3 Tablespoons ice water in a measuring cup.  With the processor running, slowly add oil mixture through food chute, and process until dough is crumbly. Pour dough into the pie plate.

Pour crust crumbles into pie plate.

Pour crust crumbles into pie plate.

Working quickly, press dough into an even layer in bottom and up sides of pie plate.

Press crust into pan with your fingers.

Press crust into pan with your fingers.

Place crust into preheating oven, and bake for 10 minutes.

3.  To prepare the filling, place squash into food processor (do not clean from dough), and process for 1 minute or until squash is finely chopped.

Finely chopped squash.

Finely chopped squash.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 1 Tablespoon oil to pan and swirl to coat.  Add squash and onion to pan; sauté for 9 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4.  While squash cooks, combine half the cheese ( 1/3 cup), eggs, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl.  Stir into the squash and onion mixture.

5.  At the end of 10 minute baking time, remove the crust from the oven, spoon squash mixture into the crust and spread evenly.  Return to the oven and continue baking for 9 minutes.

6.  Return skillet to medium-high heat.  Add remaining 1 Tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Add pancetta; cook 1 minute or until beginning to brown.  Add mushrooms and cook for 7 minutes or until browned.

Browning the pancetta and mushrooms.

Browning the pancetta and mushrooms.

Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 cup white wine.  Cook 1 minute or until liquid almost evaporates.

7.  Remove tart from oven.  Arrange the mushroom mixture evenly over the top of the tart;  sprinkle with the remaining 1/3 cup cheese.  Return tart to 425 degrees oven and bake for 3 – 5 minutes until cheese melts.

Hot and melty from the oven.

Hot and melty from the oven.

A fantastic dish on all levels!

A fantastic dish on all levels!

Serve this delicious entree with a mixed green salad for a complete, low calorie, almost meatless meal.  To make it vegetarian just omit the pancetta.

Calories  368,   Fat 21.8 g.,  Carb  31.6 g.

SOURCE:   slightly adapted from Cooking Light Magazine,  November, 2012

Baked Seafood Newburg

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with , , , , , , , ,
Baked Seafood Newburg

Baked Seafood Newburg

New Year’s Eve, a night when many people are out on the town,  Mr. D.  and I are rather low-key in our celebration.  I like to splurge a little on the ingredients for a really nice dinner that includes a good bottle of wine.  After dinner we usually watch a movie.  That’s about as exciting as it gets around here.

This year’s dinner was a baked casserole of Seafood Newburg, along with a salad of mixed baby greens, green grapes, dried cranberries and pistachio nuts, with a raspberry vinaigrette dressing.  A loaf of crunchy ciabatta bread and a bottle of Pinot Grigio completed the meal.   Amazingly I turned down having any dessert.  I know, I can’t believe it, but that casserole was so darn good I couldn’t stop going back for more.

Seafood Newburg with salad and ciabatta bread.

Seafood Newburg with salad and ciabatta bread.

I must give credit for the original recipe  to The Ranting Chef Blog where on a Monday, the guest blogger Maggie, gave a recipe called Seafood Casserole.  It looked really good so I made note to try it.  Then using it as a basis I added some of my own “twists” to it to come up with this one.  So thank you Pat and Maggie at the Ranting Chef for a great recipe.

These are some of the additions I made.  I wanted this to be a rich and decadent kind of dish so I added the meat of one small lobster to the scallops and shrimp  called for.

Just your everyday friendly lobster.

Just your everyday friendly lobster.

I used a can of condensed cream of shrimp soup as the basis for the cream sauce, and thinned it with one cup of half and half;

Condensed cream of shrimp soup and spaghetti, broken into thirds.

Condensed cream of shrimp soup and spaghetti, broken into thirds.

and for the topping I mixed crushed Ritz crackers, a little melted butter and the Parmesan cheese for a more substantial topping with a lot of crunch.  This is without a doubt the best recipe for Seafood Newburg.  Instead of mixing the spaghetti with the seafood and sauce you could serve the sauce over spaghetti, or on toast points, or in a puffed pastry shell.  Once you have a good recipe like this one there are so many ways to change its presentation or how you use it.  I just love its flexibility!

BAKED SEAFOOD NEWBURG

SERVINGS:   about 6

INGREDIENTS

  • 6 ounces spaghetti, broken into thirds,  and cooked as directed on the package 

    Scallops, shrimp and lobster.

    Scallops, shrimp and lobster.

  • 1/2 pound scallops,  If large sea scallops, cut in half or quarters.
  • 1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1/2 pound cooked lobster meat,  ( 1 – 1/4 lb. lobster)
  • 6 Tablespoons butter, divided
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 can condensed cream of shrimp soup
  • 1 cup half and half
  • 4 Tablespoons white wine or Sherry
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 8 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese
  • 10 Ritz crackers, crushed

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 375*F,  Butter a large ( 4 qt. ) casserole

2.  Melt 3 Tablespoons butter in a large skillet.  Add the scallops and shrimp and sauté 6-8 minutes till opaque.  Add the lobster meat just to heat it; then remove all the seafood to a bowl and set aside.  Retain any liquid in the pan.

Saute all the seafood in butter.

Saute all the seafood in butter.

3. Add 1 Tablespoon butter to the pan and melt it.  Add the mushrooms and sauté  until browned.  Remove them and set aside.

4.  Empty the can of condensed soup into the skillet and over medium heat stir to smooth it out.  Gradually add the 1 cup half and half, stirring all the while.  Add the wine or sherry and 4 Tablespoons Cheese.

Newburg sauce with peas added.

Newburg sauce with peas added.

5.  At this point taste the sauce and add salt and pepper as needed.  Add the peas and heat through, then add back the mushrooms and all the seafood.

Mushrooms added.

Mushrooms added.

Seafood added.

Seafood added.

Heat slowly over low heat, while you drain the spaghetti.  Add the spaghetti to the skillet and stir to mix in.  Pour all of this into the buttered casserole.

Spaghetti added.

Spaghetti added.

6.  Melt the remaining 2 Tablespoons butter.  Add the crushed Ritz crackers and stir to coat well,  Stir in the remaining 4 Tablespoons cheese.  Sprinkle evenly over the top of the casserole.

7.  Bake at 375*F for 25 – 30 minutes till brown and bubbly around the edges.

Brown and bubbly round the edges.

Brown and bubbly round the edges.

Baked Seafood Newburg

Baked Seafood Newburg

SOURCE:   adapted from The Ranting Chef Blog

Herbed Chicken Parmesan

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish, Quick Meals and tagged with , , , , , , , ,

Sometimes I am in the mood for a comforting meal that’s filling and delicious, but don’t have a lot of time to prepare it.  I’m sure you have the same experience on many occasions. Well, I am alway on the look-out for easy to prepare, quick meals, and when I find ones that look interesting, I dog-ear the page, or tear out the clipping.  The problem with me is that I can’t remember where I saw it , or where I put the clipping.  I just remember enough to purchase the necessary ingredients,  and then go “where did I see  that recipe? or,” where did I put that clipping?”  I am developing a better system of recipe organization,  but that story will wait for another time!  This recipe meets all my requirements:  quick, easy, well-balanced, not very fancy, but just plain good.

Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Parmesan

For the pasta, I recommend Orzo, because it cooks quickly; and tastes good with some sauce over it.  To round out the meal add a vegetable like broccoli, which  also cooks quickly, and  looks great on the plate with the white pasta and red sauce.  A side salad would go well with this meal, but not really necessary.   I would, however, have a great white wine with it , like a Chardonnay!

Total time to prepare:  about 30 minutes.   Yield:  4 servings

  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
  • 1 tablespoon minced parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 pound chicken breast tenders
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 1/2 cups bottled tomato-basil pasta sauce, or better yet, your own homemade tomato sauce.
  • 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/3 cup shredded provolone cheese
  1. Combine 2 tablespoons of Parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley, basil, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a shallow dish.
  2. Place egg in another shallow dish.  Dip each chicken tender in egg, then dredge in bread-crumb mixture.
  3. Melt butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add chicken;  cook 3 minutes on each side or until done.  Set aside in the pan.
  4. Combine 1/8 teaspoon salt, pasta sauce, vinegar, and pepper in a microwave-safe bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap;  vent.  Microwave sauce mixture at HIGH for 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
  5. Preheat broiler.
  6. Pour the sauce over the chicken in the pan.  Sprinkle  evenly with the remaining Parmesan and all of the provolone cheese.  Wrap handle of pan with foil, and broil 2 minutes or until the cheese melts.
Chicken Parmesan with Orzo and Broccoli

Chicken Parmesan with Orzo and Broccoli

Source:  slightly adapted from Cooking Light Magazine

Old Time Beef Stew

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with , , , ,
Old Time Beef Stew

Old Time Beef Stew

“The weather outside is frightful, and my kitchen is so delightful, and since I’ve no place to go,  let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.”  Well. it’s not actually snowing YET, but the weather forecast is for a winter mixture of sleet, rain and some snow.  A really good day to stay inside where it’s warm and do some baking, and  I am also making a good old fashioned beef stew.  I just love beef stew.

Preparing beef stew takes a few minutes to prep the meat and vegetables, brown the meat and get it all simmering, but once that’s done you can pretty much forget about it for 2-3 hours while you do other things.  It’s probably a good idea to give it a stir now and then to make sure it’s not sticking on the bottom,  but that’s about it until dinner time when you sit down to a hot bowl of brown beefy deliciousness.  So good on a cold winter’s day!IMG_2153

OLD TIME BEEF STEW

SERVINGS:   6 – 8

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 1/2 to 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut  into 1 1/2 inch cubes
  • 2 Tablespoons fat  ( I like to use half butter and half olive oil )
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 1 large rib or 2 medium ribs celery, sliced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 4 cups liquid (this may be water, beef broth, bouillon, or part red wine)
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 Tablespoon salt, or to taste.  You may need less if there is salt in the liquid you use.
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  •  1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika,
  • 1 – 2 bay leaves
  • dash allspice or cloves
  • 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 3 medium – large all purpose potatoes (not baking potatoes)
  • optional:  1 cup cut green beans, 1 cup small white onions

DIRECTIONS

1.  Thoroughly brown meat on all sides in hot fat.  Much of the deep beefy flavor you want in stew comes from properly browning the meat, right at the beginning.  I always dredge my meat in flour to which I have added a little salt and pepper and some paprika.  Then in a large deep pot, melt some butter with some olive oil, and begin to brown the meat in small batches so the pan is not crowded.  Putting in too many pieces of meat causes it to steam and not get nice and brown.

Browning the meat well is the first step in building deep beefy flavor .

Browning the meat well is the first step in building deep beefy flavor .

Once all the meat has been browned, set it aside on a platter or bowl, and add the sliced onions to any drippings left in the pan.  If need be, add a little more butter and oil,  as the onions become fragrant add in the sliced celery, and when both the onions and celery begin to soften add the garlic and sauté just until it gives off its fragrance.

Sauteing the onions, celery and garlic.

Sauteing the onions, celery and garlic.

2.  Return the beef to the pot, and add the 4 cups of liquid, and all the rest of the seasonings (through allspice or cloves).  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer.  Cover and cook slowly for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Add liquid and seasonings.

Add liquid and seasonings.

3.  Add cut up carrots and potatoes and continue cooking for another 20 – 30 minutes until tender.  Add optional vegetables at this time and cook another 10 – 15 minutes to thoroughly warm them.

Add in carrots and potatoes and cook till tender.

Add in carrots and potatoes and cook till tender.

4.  Thicken stew with the following:  1/4 cup water mixed with 1/2 cup flour, or  1/4 cup cornstarch.  Add in small amounts stirring all the while until stew reaches desired level of thickness.

5.  Bring to the table and serve family-style with a good crusty bread or rolls for soaking up all the gravy.

Comforting beef stew, so good on a cold day.

Comforting beef stew, so good on a cold day.

Note:   I have tried cooking this recipe in a crock-pot, but was not satisfied with the end result.  I thought the flavors became too dilute, and the meat was stringy, rather than tender.

SOURCE:    Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

Shrimp Scampi with Linguine

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish, Quick Meals and tagged with , , , , , ,

IMG_1773

Shrimp Scampi over linguine is one of those meals that is quick and easy to put together and most everyone likes it.  I’ve eaten it in restaurants many times and sometimes it is well seasoned and balanced but I’ve also had it when the philosophy  of the restaurant seemed to be ” the more garlic there is, the better”.   WRONG!   This dish is not about how much garlic you throw on some shrimp and linguine and then serve it swimming in clam broth.  It is about the blending of flavors that include shrimp, cooked just until pink, with a light touch of garlic, lemon juice, butter, olive oil, and parsley.  Serve over linguine with a good quality Parmesan cheese grated over the top and you have a dish that tells you it’s right after the first bite, when you sigh and say, Ahhhh, good.

IMG_1771

This is actually a quick pantry meal, if you keep frozen shrimp in the freezer.  In addition to the shrimp you will need a package of linguine or thin spaghetti, a lemon, butter, olive oil, 2-3 cloves of garlic, and fresh flat leaf parsley.

SHRIMP SCAMPI WITH LINGUINE

EVERYDAY ITALIAN, Giada DiLaurentis

A few simple ingredients is all you need.

A few simple ingredients is all you need.

4-6 servings

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound linguine
  • 1 pound medium – large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 4 Tablespoons Olive oil,
  • 6 Tablespoons butter
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • pepper to taste
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • Parmesan cheese to grate at the table

DIRECTIONS

1.  For the pasta, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes.  Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

2.  Meanwhile, in a large heavy skillet, warm the olive oil with the butter over medium heat.  Add the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes.

Saute garlic in butter and olive oil.

Saute garlic in butter and olive oil.

Add the shrimp and cook until pink, about 5 minutes.

Add the shrimp and cook until they are just pink.

Add the shrimp and cook until they are just pink.

Add the salt and pepper, lemon juice, lemon zest, and parsley.  Toss to combine.

Add salt and pepper, lemon juice and parsley.

Add salt and pepper, lemon juice and parsley.

Turn off the heat and add the drained linguine, plus some pasta water; enough to make a loose consistency, but not too juicy.

Add drained pasta and toss to coat.

Add drained pasta and toss to coat.

3.  Toss again to coat the pasta with the sauce.  Serve immediately, with parmesan cheese to grate onto each serving at the table.

Serve with grated Parmesan cheese over the top.

Serve with grated Parmesan cheese over the top.

 

 

 

 

 

Chicken Pot Pie

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Carolyn's Originals, Main Dish and tagged with , , , , , , ,
Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie

Remember Swanson Chicken Pot Pies, or Beef Pot Pies?  A quick one-dish meal.  The idea was a good one but I’m not sure how good they were for you what with the saturated fats used in the crust, high sodium content, and the thickening used in the gravy.  This recipe for chicken pot pie is not like that.  This is a new and improved version of that classic dish.

It makes use of leftover chicken (or turkey), a simple gravy, and lots of vegetables, baked in a casserole with a single top crust that can be a refrigerated pie dough, or a sheet of puff pastry.  It is quite thick and very filling.  It can be served with some cranberry sauce on the side and a mixed green salad for a complete meal that is conservative on calories (around 400 / serving), and low in carbohydrates, fat and sodium.   Not bad for such delicious comfort food!

CHICKEN POT PIE

SERVINGS:  about 6

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • 3 Tablespoons flour
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • pepper to taste
  • 4 cups cooked chicken ( or turkey) cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 4 medium sized carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces, cooked until crisp tender, and drained
  • 3 cups frozen pearl onions ( half a 16-ounce bag), not thawed
  • 8 ounces small whole mushrooms, or medium-sized ones quartered
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • Egg glaze:  1 egg lightly beaten with 1 Tablespoon water
  • 1 refrigerated pie crust, or 1 sheet (half a 17 1/2 ounce package) frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package directions

DIRECTIONS

1.  Peel and cut up carrots.  Bring to a boil and simmer over medium heat until crisp tender.  Drain.

2.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Have ready a 2 quart souffle dish or deep casserole.  Spray lightly with non-stick spray.

3.  Melt butter in a 3-quart saucepan over low heat.  Add flour and stir until smooth and frothy.  Let mixture bubble about 3 minutes and stir often to prevent from browning.  Gradually stir in broth and increase heat to medium.  Simmer stirring constantly, until mixture thickens.  Stir in poultry seasoning, pepper sauce, salt and pepper.

4.  Add cup up chicken, carrots, onions, mushrooms, and peas.  Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes until heated through.  Transfer to prepared dish.

Add chicken and vegetables to the gravy.

Add chicken and vegetables to the gravy.

5.  Roll out the pie dough or puff pastry to a size big enough to cover the top of casserole, with a slight overhang.  Cut vents in the dough.  Use some of the egg glaze to brush the top edge of the casserole.  Lay the dough on top of the casserole, pressing onto the egg wash.  Flute the edges as desired.  Brush the pastry all over with the egg glaze.

Lay on pastry top and brush with egg glaze.

Lay on pastry top and brush with egg glaze.

6.  Place casserole on a baking sheet and bake 25 – 30 minutes until pastry is golden.  If using refrigerated pie dough, it may take 40 – 45 minutes baking time.

Bake till crust is golden.

Bake till crust is golden.

Serve with cranberry sauce on the side.

Serve with cranberry sauce on the side.

SOURCE:  A Carolyn Original