Category Archives: Main Dish

Smoked Soy-Glazed Flank Steak

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

Real barbecue is bragging food.  Maybe it’s the great smoky flavor or maybe it’s the praise of the eaters, but somehow all pit masters develop into natural boasters.  They learn to tell tall tales, wear odd clothes, act in wacky ways, and otherwise promote themselves as magicians of meat.

When asked about their secrets, they often dance around their answer, hinting at mysterious ingredients in their own special dry rub, marinade or sauce.  It’s all part of the fun of barbecue, but beginners shouldn’t be deceived about the main secrets of success.  As long as you know your equipment and understand some barbecue basics you’re well on your way to becoming a master barbecuer.  For the newcomer to smoker cooking its important to get yourself a good cookbook on the subject.  One that describes the different types of smokers and the other equipment you would need to get started.  Having some basic recipes for rubs, marinades, and sauces is also a good place to start, then you can begin to modify a recipe to make it your own.

While visiting in North Carolina over the holidays, I was fortunate to experience this succulent flank steak that was marinated over night and then cooked in a smoker with Jack Daniels-flavored wood chips to produce the smoke and flavor.  Tender and flavorful don’t begin to describe the texture and flavor of meat that has been slow cooked in a smoker.  You must experience this for yourself to appreciate how great it was.

Smoked Soy-Glazed Flank Steak

Smoked Soy-Glazed Flank Steak

SOY MARINADE AND GLAZE

  • 3/4 cup soy sauce, preferably low sodium
  • 1/3 cup hot pepper sauce
  • 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 cup red wine
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 3 Tablespoons packed brown sugar, or more to taste
  • 1  1/2 Tablespoons oil, preferably sesame
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 flank steaks, about 2 1/2 pounds total

Directions:

1.  The night before you plan to barbecue, combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl or lidded jar.  Whisk or shake to combine.  Place the flank steaks in a plastic bag or shallow dish and pour the marinade over them.  Refrigerate the steaks overnight.

2.  Prepare the smoker for barbecuing, bringing the temperature to 200*F. to 220*F.

3.  Remove the steaks from the refrigerator.  Drain them and reserve the marinade.  Let the steaks sit at room temperature for 25 minutes.**

4.  In a heavy saucepan, bring the marinade to a boil and boil it for 5 to 10 minutes, until reduced by one-third.  Keep the mixture warm for glazing the meat.

5.  Brush the glaze over the steaks and transfer them to the smoker.  Brush the steaks with the glaze again after about 25 minutes.  Cook for a total of 45 to 55 minutes, until the meat is rare to medium-rare.

A view into the smoker.

A view into the smoker.

6.  Let the steaks rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing thinly across the grain.  Serve the slices with additional glaze on the top or on the side.

Just removed from the smoker.

Just removed from the smoker.

**Allowing the food to come to cool room temperature before barbecuing promotes quick and even cooking, and with meat, fowl, and fish it reduces the chance that a cool center will harbor bacteria.

The flavor of this steak was deep throughout the meat, not just on the surface.  The smoky flavor from the wood chips penetrates evenly through the meat.  Some of us like our steak med-rare, others like theirs rare.  Using a meat thermometer helped to know the level of doneness, and when it was sliced it was perfectly cooked.  We all got slices that were cooked just the way we like it.

Perfectly cooked at medium rare.

Perfectly cooked at medium rare.

Having meat prepared this way was a special treat for me, as I’ve only had meat prepared this way only once or twice before.

It looks so good!

It looks so good!

Photography done in someone else’s home doesn’t always produce the same quality picture as what I can achieve at my home because of the difference in lighting.  However I hope you got a good idea of what this meat looked like.  So sorry you couldn’t taste it also 😀

SOURCE:  Smoke and Spice, by Cheryl and Bill Jamison

Onion Chicken in Balsamic Sauce

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with , , , , ,
Onion Chicken in Balsamic Sauce

Onion Chicken in Balsamic Sauce

It’s been snowing here all day and the inches are accumulating.  A good day for staying indoors.  My oven was already warmed up from having baked a dessert, so I decided to put together a meal that would be mostly cooked/baked in the oven with only a short period on the stove top for some pre-browning.  I love it when the whole meal is in the oven, and I can set the table and relax while its cooking, don’t you?

This chicken dish was served with stuffed acorn squash.  I thought that chicken would be good with the squash, but wasn’t sure how I wanted to prepare it, so I went looking on the all recipes.com web site and came up with this recipe.  Everyone who had made it rated it very highly for ease of preparation and outstanding flavor.  So I decided to give it a try.  I’m sure glad I did, because I have joined the ranks of all those other folks who made it and loved it.  Although I was missing one of the ingredients, I substituted roasted red peppers for the sun-dried tomatoes with equally tasty results.  I don’t think that I would ever have made a sauce from chicken broth and balsamic vinegar, but here it works and the aroma of this dish while it’s cooking will certainly get your taste buds salivating.

Roast red peppers were a tasty addition.

Roast red peppers were a tasty addition.

ONION CHICKEN IN BALSAMIC SAUCE

Yield:  serves 2  Adjust amounts accordingly to serve more.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 chicken leg quarters
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1  1/2 cups chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350*F.   Lightly spray a 9-inch baking dish or 13 x 9-inch pan.

2.  In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onion and reduce heat to low.  Allow onion to caramelize, stirring only enough to prevent sticking and to be sure that all sides are fully cooked.  Add garlic and sauté briefly.  Transfer to prepared baking dish.

3.  Increase heat to medium.  Add chicken pieces to skillet and brown on both sides.  Remove chicken and place in baking dish.

Pre-browning the chicken before baking.

Pre-browning the chicken before baking.

4.  Combine the chicken stock and vinegar.  Deglaze the skillet with this mixture, then bring to a boil and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened.  Add in the sun-dried tomatoes, or in this scenario, roast red peppers.  Pour mixture over chicken.  Cover dish tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 45 – 50 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.

This chicken went very well with the stuffed squash.

This chicken went very well with the stuffed squash.

Note:  Some modifications can be made to this recipe such as using chicken breasts or thighs instead of leg quarters, add sliced mushrooms to the onion/garlic mixture, serve over pasta of some sort to take advantage of the great sauce.  These are all suggestions by others who made this dish.

SOURCE:   Allrecipes.com

Slow-cooked Ragu

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with , , , , ,
Slow-cooked ragu served over cheese-filled ravioli.

Slow-cooked ragu served over cheese-filled ravioli.

My slow cooker has been a life saver during the past couple of weeks.  I call it “Old Faithful” because I’ve had it for a long time and it just keeps on going and going, working for me, while I’m busy attending to other things.  On those days when I planned on baking several batches of cookies, I would get something started in the slow cooker early in the day, then not worry about dinner except for some finishing touches.

Maybe, like me, you’ve had some disappointments using a slow cooker.  Rather than getting an entree that’s luscious and tasty, it emerged rather tired, defeated and exhausted.  Unless you are following a recipe specially written for a slow cooker that can happen because of the added moisture that a slow cooker/crockpot produces.  Meat can also become dried out and stringy instead of tender due to overcooking.  So how do we solve those problems?   First I’ll talk about the four main ingredients, then I’ll give you a recipe for a well-seasoned meat sauce – a ragu- that you can use in a variety of ways.

1.  Meats:  For the slow cooker, select meats with a moderate amount of fat or internal marbling, such as chuck roast or pork shoulder.  For poultry that is immersed in liquid, try to keep cooking time to about 4 hours; longer than that you will get dry stringy remnants.

2.Vegetables:  Only hearty vegetables like root vegetables can survive 8 hours in a slow cooker and they need to be cut into large pieces, not bite-sized.  Place them in the bottom of the cooker with meat and sauce or liquids poured over the top.  Other vegetables, like tomatoes, will stew down nicely and become sauce-like.  Tender, more delicate vegetables like green beans, corn, squash, and greens should be added in the last 30 minutes of cooking time.

3.  Seasoning:  If a recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of oregano, use 2.  Slow cookers have a funny way of diluting flavor so you will need to add more at the start.  When converting a conventional recipe for the slow cooker, double the amount of herbs or spices you think you need, even ones that are intense, like crushed red pepper.

4.  Garnishes:   When something looks good, it seems to taste better, so sprinkling a fresh garnish onto a completed dish is an easy way to bring the meal to life.  Try using fresh herb leaves or sprigs, or ingredients with a crunch like bread crumb topping or crisp chips to contrast with the softer textures of the dish.

The recipe for this meaty sauce is great ladled over any kind of pasta.  I also use it when making lasagna, sometimes thinning it with traditional spaghetti sauce, and it makes the dish more hearty with veggies.  It makes a large quantity and leftovers freeze well.

SLOW-COOKED RAGU

Yield:  Makes about 12 ( 2/3) cup servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 ounces pancetta, chopped.  Use bacon in a pinch.IMG_5942
  • 1 pound ground beef, 90% lean
  • 12 ounces ground pork
  • 1 (4-ounce) hot Italian sausage link, casing removed
  • 1 Tbsp. canola oil
  • 1  1/3 cup diced onion
  • 2/3 cup diced carrot
  • 2/3 cup celery
  • 1/4 cup unsalted tomato paste
  • 2 Tbsp. minced fresh garlic
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 2 cups unsalted chicken stock
  • 1 (15-ounce) can unsalted crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tsp. salt, divided
  • 1 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1 bay leaf

Directions:

1.  Place pancetta or bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat;  cook 4 minutes or until beginning to brown, stirring occasionally.  Add ground beef;  cook 3 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble.  Place beef mixture in a 6-quart electric slow cooker.

Browning up the beef.

Browning up the beef with bacon.

2.  Return skillet to medium-high heat.  Add ground pork and sausage;  cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble.  Add pork mixture to slow cooker.

Browning the pork and sausage.

Browning the pork and sausage.

3.  Return skillet to medium-high heat once again.  Add oil and swirl to coat.  Add onion, carrot, and celery; sauté 4 minutes.

The big three: onions, carrots and celery.

The big three: onions, carrots and celery.

Add tomato paste and garlic;  Cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add wine; bring to a boil.  Cook 2 minutes or until wine mostly evaporates, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.  Add chicken stock, tomatoes, 3/4 tsp. salt, pepper, and  bay leaf;  bring to a boil.  Carefully pour this mixture into slow cooker; cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours.  Discard bay leaf.  Stir in remaining 1/4 tsp. salt.

Everything together in the crock pot.

Everything together in the crock pot.

The hands-on time spent in the preparation of this sauce is about 30 minutes.  Then you will need a few minutes before dinner to cook up some pasta.   A great dinner without a lot of your time spent on preparation.  I hope you enjoy it.

Easy meal, yet so good!!

Easy meal, yet so good!!

SOURCE:   The Slow Cooker Recipe Book

Chicken Fajita Pizza

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Carolyn's Originals, Main Dish, Quick Meals and tagged with , , , , , ,
Chicken Fajita Pizza

Chicken Fajita Pizza

We first tasted Chicken Fajita Pizza at Uno’s Restaurant.  After that first time we ordered it every time we went there.  But then  for unknown reasons the Uno’s nearest to where we live closed, so I was forced to make it at home if we were ever going to enjoy it again.  And that is the story of how this recipe came to be.  It may not be an exact copy of the original, but we like it a lot, and its one of several pizza flavors that I make on a regular basis.

When I first attempted to make it I was experimenting with the seasonings, trying to recapture that fajita flavor.  Then I discovered that Lowry’s makes a Fajita Seasoning Mix, so now I cheat and use that, and we are happier with how it tastes.

CHICKEN FAJITA PIZZA

Yield:   Makes 1  10-inch pizza,  serves 2

Ingredients:IMG_5762

  • 1  1-pound package pizza dough, thawed if frozen
  • 1  pound skinless, boneless, chicken breasts, or chicken tenderloins
  • 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 pkg. Fajita Seasoning mix
  • 1 medium pepper, any color, cut into strips
  • 1 medium onion, cut into wedges
  • 2 cups shredded Mexican Blend cheese

Directions:

1.  On a 10-inch pizza baking pan, or baking stone,  roll or stretch the dough to fit the pan/stone.  If the dough resists stretching, let it rest for 5 minutes and continue, repeating if necessary.    Preheat oven to 425*F.

2.  Spread 1 cup of the shredded cheese over the dough.

Spread some of the cheese over the dough.

Spread some of the cheese over the dough.

3.  In a large skillet, over medium-high heat,  add the vegetable oil and get it hot, then add the chicken and sauté quickly,  just to brown lightly.    Don’t crowd the pan, do it in two batches if necessary.  Remove chicken to a platter and set aside.

4.  In the same skillet, add a drizzle more oil if needed.  Add the peppers and onion, and sauté them lightly.

Sautéing peppers and onions.

Sautéing peppers and onions.

They should not be thoroughly cooked.  Add the chicken back into the pan.

Chicken with seasonings sprinkled over it.

Chicken with seasonings sprinkled over it.

Everything mixed together.

Everything mixed together.

5.  Sprinkle Fajita Seasoning over all, then add the water.  Cook uncovered over medium heat for about 5  minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender.  Remove from heat.

6.  Spoon chicken mixture over the dough and cheese.   Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top.

7.  Bake at 425*F. for 15 minutes, checking  that it is not getting over browned.  Crust edges should be lightly brown, and topping melty and gooey.

Tastes just like chicken fajita without the tortilla.

Tastes just like chicken fajita without the tortilla.

Note:  for a crispier crust, dust the pizza pan or baking stone with cornmeal before laying out the dough.

SOURCE:   a Carolyn Original

Pork with Fennel and Potatoes

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with , , , , , ,
Pork with Fennel and Potatoes

Pork with Fennel and Potatoes

This morning I found a package of boneless pork chops in the freezer that had been in there for a while and needed to be used.  The usual question arose—how shall I cook them?  Boneless chops can be quite dry since they have little or no fat on them, so I wanted something that would make a sauce or gravy for moisture.

In looking through my file of “pork recipes” I came across this one that called for using pork tenderloin that by serving time would be sliced anyway,  so why not substitute the chops  instead?   So—that’s what I did.  As I hoped, this dish turned out to be very flavorful with thyme as the seasoning of choice, and moist with its sauce made of chicken broth and heavy cream.  YUM!

IMG_5662

The potatoes and vegetable get cooked along with the pork making this almost a one-pot meal.  I sautéed some sliced apples in butter to serve with it.  An added bonus is that one serving equals 482 calories.  Not bad!  It tastes richer than that.IMG_5659

PORK WITH FENNEL AND POTATOES

Yield:   Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1  1/2 pounds pork tenderloin (1 large or 2 small) trimmed

    Pork chops, fennel and red-skin potatoes, a good blending of flavors.

    Pork chops, fennel and red-skin potatoes, a good blending of flavors.

  • 1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme or 3/4 tsp. dried
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large fennel bulb, cut into wedges
  • 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 pound small red-skinned potatoes quartered
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine (or equal amount chicken broth)
  • 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 Tbsp. roughly chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 425*F.  Halve the pork tenderloin crosswise; sprinkle with 1 tsp. thyme (1/2 tsp. dry thyme) and 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper.  Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the pork and cook, turning, until browned all over, about 5 minutes.

Browning up the chops.

Browning up the chops.

Transfer to a roasting pan, roast until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork registers 140*,  12 – 15 minutes.  I cooked the chops for 12 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the fennel, garlic, potatoes, wine and 1 cup water; season with salt and pepper.  Stir, then cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are almost tender, 15 minutes.

Add fennel and potatoes to the skillet.

Add fennel and potatoes to the skillet.

3.  Uncover and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.  Add the broth and the remaining 1/2 tsp. thyme (1/4 tsp. dried thyme).  Simmer until slightly reduced, 1 minute.  Add the cream; increase the heat and gently boil until slightly thickened, about 1 more minute.

Add in the heavy cream and cook to thicken a bit.

Add in the heavy cream and cook to thicken a bit.

Season with salt and pepper.  Slice the pork and serve with the vegetables and sauce.  Top with chopped parsley.

Served with sautéed apples, a wonderful week night meal.

Served with sautéed apples, a wonderful week night meal.

SOURCE:  Cooking Light

Mac and Cheese with Butternut Squash

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with , , , , , , ,
Mac and Cheese with Butternut Squash

Mac and Cheese with Butternut Squash

This entrée is excellent–so flavorful and rich tasting although it uses low-fat ingredients.  You will not notice the lack of fats here, although the final product will be slightly less creamy than traditional mac and cheese.

Instead of making a cheese sauce in the usual way, this recipe uses ricotta cheese and pureed squash to give this familiar dish is creaminess.  I also added a little low-fat sour cream to the squash-cheese mixture to further ensure its creaminess.  For the bread crumb topping, I used seasoned crumbs and coarsely grated Parmesan cheese.  A nice mixture that retained its crunch for a contrast to the macaroni.   The addition of nutmeg to the sauce is important as it brings out the sweetness of the squash, and enhances any cream sauce.

IMG_5698

Although this dish is a departure from the standard mac and cheese we enjoyed it.  I served it with ham and a salad for a complete meal.  Any leftovers warmed up nicely in the microwave, with just a drizzle of milk to bring back its creaminess.

MACARONI AND CHEESE WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Yield:  Serves 6

Ingredients:

  • 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups)IMG_5688
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1  1/2 cups non-fat milk
  • pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
  • pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 3/4 tsp. coarse salt
  • ground black pepper
  • 1 pound elbow macaroni
  • 4  oz. extra sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated (about 1 cup)
  • 4 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, finely grated
  • 2 Tbsp. fine breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp. olive oil
  • Olive-oil cooking spray
  • 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375*F.  Combine squash, chicken broth, and milk in a medium saucepan;  bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat to medium; simmer until squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Mash contents of saucepan; stir in nutmeg, cayenne, and salt, and season with black pepper.  Stir to combine.

2.  Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add macaroni; cook until al dente according to package instructions, about 8 minutes.  Drain, and transfer to a large bowl; stir in squash mixture, cheddar, ricotta, and 2 Tbsp. Parmesan.

Adding cheese to the squash and macaroni mixture.

Adding cheese to the squash and macaroni mixture.

3.  Lightly coat a 9-inch square baking dish (4-inches deep) with cooking spray.  Transfer macaroni mixture to dish.  In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, remaining 2 Tbsp. Parmesan, and oil;  sprinkle evenly over noodle mixture.

Crumb topping ready to be sprinkled over the top.

Crumb topping ready to be sprinkled over the top.

4.  Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes.  Remove foil, and continue baking until lightly browned and crisp on top, 30 – 40 minutes more.  Serve immediately.

Browned and bubbly. Ready for the table.

Browned and bubbly. Ready for the table.

IMG_5700

SOURCE:  Martha Stewart Living

Sirloin Tips in Shallot Butter Sauce

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with , , , , , ,
Sirloin Tips in Shallot Butter Sauce

Sirloin Tips in Shallot Butter Sauce

I was watching an episode of America’s Test Kitchen one day several years ago when Christopher Kimball was talking about how to get a perfect pan-cooked steak.  He used a sirloin steak in his presentation that day, but stressed that any tender cut of steak will do nicely.  From that episode I  learned two important bits of cooking advice:  Always get your pan really hot before adding anything to it, especially meats that need a good sear; and also a dish can taste fantastic without a whole bunch of ingredients. So keeping it simple is often the best way to achieve outstanding results.IMG_5531

Both of those points are illustrated in this recipe for Sirloin Tips in Shallot Butter Sauce.  Using sirloin tips is my own idea, but the rest of the recipe comes from Chris Kimball and Cook’s Illustrated.  This is my preferred way of cooking steaks, outside of grilling them outdoors,  because you end up with a richly flavorful sauce to pour over the steak, and they are quick to prepare this way.  Like me, if you try this once, you may never go back to broiling again.  And who likes cleaning the broiler pan anyway?

SIRLOIN TIPS IN SHALLOT BUTTER SAUCE

Servings:  about 2   Adjust ingredients accordingly to make more.

Ingredients:IMG_5526

  • about 1 pound sirloin tips.  If large, cut in half.
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 medium shallot, diced fine
  • 2 Tbsp. cold butter
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • chopped parsley for garnish

Directions:

1.  Preheat a large skillet to very hot.  Add steak to dry pan.  Do not disturb.  Cook for 4 – 5 minutes before turning over.  Cook another 4 – 5 minutes or less it you like your steak rare.  Season with salt and pepper.IMG_5527

2.  Remove steak from pan to a serving platter and tent with foil to keep warm.

3.  Into the skillet add chopped shallots and the cold butter.

Add shallots and cold butter to pan.

Add shallots and cold butter to pan.

Sauté, and scrape up browned bits and film from the pan’s bottom.  Add the lemon juice and mix in along with any juices that have drained from the steak.

This if flavor you're looking at!

This is flavor you’re looking at!

Warm through, then pour over steak.  Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

IMG_5533

My most favorite way to have steak.

SOURCE:   Cook’s Illustrated

Salmon with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Onions

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish, Quick Meals and tagged with , , , , , ,
Salmon with Roast Tomatoes and Onions

Salmon with Roast Tomatoes and Onions

This recipe is from the archives, published back before I got a good camera, so the pictures didn’t do it justice.  I cooked it again just recently, and appreciated once more what a great recipe it is, so here it is again, updated.   The roast tomatoes and onions produce a tasty sauce that enhances the salmon and keeps it moist.  It all gets baked together in the oven and makes a great weeknight meal.

Salmon is a fish that is highly  recommended for our diet, because of all its heart healthy ingredients and so I try to include it quite often. The problem for me—because I’m someone who likes a lot of variety—is the few ways I know how to prepare it.  And so I’m always on the look-out for new recipes that are easy, without a long list of ingredients, and taste good.  The following recipe is one that meets all those criteria.  Roasting the tomatoes and onions first brings out their sweetness, and creates a flavorful sauce that enhances the salmon.  Serve it with couscous or rice and a green vegetable for a perfect entree.

Salmon with Roasted  Cherry Tomatoes and Onions

SERVES  2

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes

    These are compari tomatoes that I roasted with sliced scallions.

    These are compari tomatoes that I roasted with sliced scallions. and garlic.

  • 1 large onion, cut in wedges
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 ( 6 0z.) salmon fillets, about 1 inch thick, or one large salmon fillet
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice.

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a jellyroll pan or shallow baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. In a large bowl, place tomatoes, onions, and remainder of ingredients thru garlic.  Toss to coat vegetables.
Tomatoes and seasonings ready for roasting.

Tomatoes and seasonings ready for roasting

3.   Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, stirring once during that time.

Lay salmon on top of tomato mixture.

Lay salmon on top of tomato mixture.  

4.  Place salmon on top of tomato mixture, and bake an additional 10 – 12 minutes, until fish flakes easily with a fork.

5.  Serve the tomato mixture over the fish.  Drizzle with lemon juice.

Serve salmon with tomato sauce spooned over the top.

Serve salmon with tomato sauce spooned over the top.

SOURCE:  Cooking Light Magazine

Turkey Tetrazzini

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with , , , , ,
Turkey Tetrazzini

Turkey Tetrazzini

Got lots of leftover turkey?  This is a great recipe to help you use it up.  Even those who may not like turkey will eat this.  It is a creamy casserole that makes use of frozen vegetables and fresh mushrooms.  It may also be made with chicken, so it can be enjoyed most any time.

Turkey Tetrazzini originated early in the 20th century, and was named for Louisa Tetrazzini, an Italian operatic soprano.  It was poured over pasta with mushrooms and almonds, then sprinkled with cheese and baked in the oven.  There are many variations of it available if you do a search,  some made with convenience foods, others made from “scratch”.  This recipe is mainly from scratch which I prefer so that I can control the amount of fat and sodium it contains.

I like to serve it with cranberry sauce or cranberry relish and a salad.

IMG_5870

TURKEY TETRAZZINI

Yield:   Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 12 ounces thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta, broken into thirds

    Not too many ingredients go into this casserole.

    Not too many ingredients go into this casserole.

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 2/3 cup chopped onion
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. ground pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp. dry mustard powder
  • 1  1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
  • 1 (10 oz.) package frozen petite peas, thawed
  • 1 ( 8-oz) package sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 3 cups cooked turkey, cut into chunks
  • 1/2  cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup crushed garlic-and-onion seasoned croutons
  • 1/4 tsp. paprika

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375 *F.  Spray or grease a 13 x 9 inch baking dish, or 2 smaller baking dishes ( 11 x 7-inch) if freezing some.

2.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the pasta and cook as package directs until pasta is still slightly firm.  Drain.

3.  Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion; cook and stir until tender.  Stir in the flour until blended, then gradually stir in the milk so that no lumps form.  Season with salt, pepper, poultry seasoning and mustard.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens.

4.  Remove from heat and add 1 cup cheese;  stir in,  then add the peas, mushrooms, turkey, and pasta.  Stir to coat with the sauce.  Pour into prepared baking dish ( or dishes).

Everything combined in the baking dish.

Everything combined in the baking dish.

5.  Make topping:   In a small bowl, mix together the crushed croutons, remaining 1/2 cup cheddar, the Parmesan cheese and paprika.   Sprinkle over the top.

Topping sprinkled over it.

Topping sprinkled over it.

Cover with foil and bake at 375* for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes, until topping is browned and sauce is bubbling.  Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

After baking.

After baking.

IMG_5870

Note:  Casserole may be assembled and frozen up to 1 month.  Thaw in the refrigerator overnight;  bake, covered, at 375*F for 40 minutes.  Uncover and bake 15 minutes more or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

SOURCE:   Myrecipes.com

For another recipe that uses leftover turkey, check out my recipe for Turkey Frame Soup.

Omelette with Bacon, Ham and Beans

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Brunch, Main Dish, Quick Meals and tagged with , , , , , , , ,
Omelette with Bacon, Ham and Beans

Omelette with Bacon, Ham and Beans

Today was one of those days when I didn’t have a minute to myself—ever have days like that?   I didn’t think I would have time to make dinner, before I needed to turn around and go back out again.  Whew!  Somehow I managed to cook up something that turned out quite good, so I thought I would tell you about it, so when you have “one of those days”, you can do what I did, and still feel that you’ve put something healthy and hearty on the table for dinner.

This is an adaptation of a recipe from Food Network Magazine that was called Grits with Bacon and Beans.  Instead of making grits which can take some time, I made an omelette, thereby saving on time, reducing the carbohydrates and increasing the proteins. To work this into my time crunch, after lunch when I had about an hour, I made the mixture of bacon and beans adding in some diced ham, again to increase the protein content.  With this mixture made in advance, I only needed to reheat it while I made an omelette.  Then I made some rye bread toast to go with it.  Mr. D. raved about this meal.

This was really good!!

This was really good!!

Besides being a quick meal for dinner this could be served for a brunch.  I think eggs cooked just about any way would be good with this mixture of vegetables and ham.  I love a recipe like this that can be adapted several different ways.  Try it!  Next time I make this, I’ll make cheese grits to spoon the ham-bean mixture over.  I’m looking forward to that meal 😀

OMELETTE, WITH BACON, HAM AND BEANS

Yield;  Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 3 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
  • 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1 green bell pepper chopped
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 pkg. frozen chopped collard greens, kale, or spinach, thawed and drained

    Beans, tomatoes, and frozen "greens".

    Beans, tomatoes, and frozen “greens”.

  • 1 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1  (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
  • 1  (15 oz.) can black-eyed peas (do not drain)
  • 1 cup diced ham
  • 4 eggs
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • small amount of milk
  • 1 Tbsp. butter
  • 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1.  Cook the bacon in a large skillet or shallow sauce pan over medium heat until almost crisp, about 8 minutes.  Add the vegetable oil and increase the heat to medium high;  add the peppers, onion, collard greens, cayenne and 1/2 tsp. salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are slightly soft, about 8 minutes.

Cooking up the vegetables.

Cooking up the vegetables.

2.  Add the tomatoes, black-eyed peas (with their liquid) and ham and bring to a simmer, cook 15 minutes.

Dice up some ham to add in.

Dice up some ham to add in.

Season with salt if needed.    Note:  all of this mixture can be made in advance and reheated when needed.

3.  Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, about 2-3 Tablespoons milk, and salt and pepper.  Melt butter in an omelette pan or skillet.  When hot, but not browned, add the egg mixture and cook over medium heat, lifting the edges as they become set, and let uncooked egg run underneath.  When all the egg mixture has been cooked, except for the “wet” top, sprinkle with half the shredded cheddar,  fold the omelette in half, and sprinkle the top with remaining cheese.  Cover and turn off the heat.  Allow cheese to melt.

Cheese omelette, ready to serve with the vegetable-ham mixture.

Cheese omelette, ready to serve with the vegetable-ham mixture.

4.  Serve omelette with the ham and bean mixture on the side.

Cook eggs in your favorite style and serve with this vegetable mixture.

Cook eggs in your favorite style and serve with this vegetable mixture.

SOURCE:   adapted from Food Network Magazine