Category Archives: Quick Meals

Grilled Steak and Vegetables with Lemon-Herb Butter

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish, Quick Meals, Vegetables and tagged with , , , , , , ,
Grilled Steak with Vegetables and Lemon Herb Butter

Grilled Steak with Vegetables and Lemon Herb Butter

 

Spring bulbs are blooming, and flowering trees are showing their vivid display.  This is my favorite month of the year.  We can hope for a beautiful weekend for Mother’s Day.  Maybe some of you have taken the grille out of winter storage and are getting ready to use it or maybe you never but it away–like us.  We just cover it for the winter.  Or maybe you live where the grill is in use year round.  In any situation….this recipe will make you want to get grilling.  If that is not a possibility, you can make it totally indoors on the stove. Either way, it will be delicious.IMG_7199

This is a meal that takes only a short time to make it, but is really big on flavor.  It involves making a spicy sauce that bathes the vegetables and steak, then cooking them quickly on fairly high heat so that a browned exterior forms.  The final touch is the lemon-herb butter on the steak.  The recipe recommends using a beef sirloin steak, but what I used were boneless chuck steaks, that were well marbled with fat, so they were extremely tender.  Cooking it to medium-rare also kept it tender, so that it didn’t dry out.  This is definitely  a meal that men will love, even though I’m suggesting it for Mother’s Day, it would also be great for Father’s Day.    Any guy who loves to grill can easily handle making this dish.

GRILLED STEAK AND VEGETABLES WITH LEMON-HERB BUTTER

Yield:   Serves 4

Ingredients:

Have everything ready in advance.

Have everything ready in advance.

 

  • 1  1/2 pounds sirloin steak, about 1-inch thick (or other tender steak of your choice)
  • 1 large red onion, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds
  • 2 large zucchini or yellow squash, cut diagonally into 3/4-inch slices
  • 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Slice the zucchini on the diagonal for larger slices.

Slice the zucchini on the diagonal for larger slices.

Slice the onion in thick rounds.

Slice the onion in thick rounds.

Directions:

1.  Preheat a grill (or grill pan) to medium high.  Combine the barbecue sauce, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Add steak and vegetables;  toss to coat.  Let stand 5 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile, mash the butter with the parsley, lemon zest and a pinch of salt in a small bowl;  set aside.

Get the herb butter ready.

Get the herb butter ready.

3.  Transfer the vegetables to the grill and cook until crisp tender and slightly charred in spots, about 8 minutes.  Set aside to keep warm.   Add the steak to the grill and cook 4 – 5 minutes per side for medium rare; remove to a cutting board and let rest.

Steaks looking wonderful on the grill.

Steaks looking wonderful on the grill.

4.  Cut the steak into 4 pieces.  Top each piece with some of the lemon-herb butter.  Serve with the grilled vegetables.

An outstanding meal; one your family will love.

An outstanding meal; one your family will love.

You will note in my photos that I also served a twice-baked potato with this meal. This was made by first baking the potatoes, then scooping out most of the insides and mashing the potato with some precooked broccoli, a little non-fat Greek yogurt, a drizzle of milk and some cheddar cheese.  Replace all that back into the potato shell and bake again until heated through and the cheese is melted.

Scoop out most of the potato, leaving a shell.

Scoop out most of the potato, leaving a shell.

Mix potato with cooked broccoli, greek yogurt, milk and cheese.

Mix potato with cooked broccoli, greek yogurt, milk and cheese.

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Pulled Pork Quesadillas

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Carolyn's Originals, Quick Meals, Sandwichs and tagged with , , , ,
Pulled Pork Quesadillas

Pulled Pork Quesadillas

Quesadillas are a fun food to eat.  Cut into small wedges, they can become an appetizer, or serve them for a lunch, or a light supper.  These were made using the remains of my Country Style Pork Ribs.  The meat was so easy to shred because it just fell apart.  I also had a little rice left from that meal, so I included it as part of the filling in the quesadillas.

Basically you can fill these with any variety of foods, just make sure to include the pork, and cheese is an essential ingredient also.  In addition to the pulled pork and rice, mine included refried beans, green onions, 4-cheese Mexican Blend grated cheese, and a small amount of BBQ sauce to help hold it all together.  Flour tortillas provided the top and bottom to this filling.  Brown lightly in a skillet until the cheese melts, cut into wedges and serve warm.

Makes a thickly filled quesadilla for a light lunch or supper.

Makes a thickly filled quesadilla for a light lunch or supper.

One thing to keep in mind is the size of tortilla you use.  Most people use a 6-inch tortilla for tacos, but they can be used for tortillas as well.  If you upsize to an 8-inch tortilla, you nearly double the surface area, meaning it will take twice as much filling.  Suddenly your light lunch or snack becomes a real heavy-weight.  If you use the smaller size tortilla, you can pile on lean meats, veggies and cheese.  Crisp it in a hot skillet with cooking spray instead of butter or oil, and save even more calories from fat.

Here’s the real deal on these quesadillas…..

PULLED PORK QUESADILLAS

Yield:  Makes 2 (6-inch) quesadillas

Ingredients:

Spread refried beans over flour tortilla.

Spread refried beans over flour tortilla.

  • 1 – 1  1/2 cups pulled pork
  • 1/2 cup cooked rice
  • 1/4 cup sliced green onions
  • 1/2 cup refried beans
  • 1 cup shredded cheese (I like the 4-cheese Mexican Blend)
  • 1-2 Tablespoons your favorite BBQ sauce
  • 4  6-inch flour tortillas
  • cooking spray

Directions:

1.  On a flat surface lay out 2 of the tortillas.  With an off-set spatulas or knife, spread 1/4 cup refried beans on each one.

2.  In a mixing bowl, stir together the pork, rice, green onions, cheese and BBQ sauce.  Divide this mixture between the two tortillas, and spread out evenly.   Top with the remaining two tortillas.

Layer on the filling mixture.

Layer on the filling mixture.

3.  Lightly spray a skillet with cooking spray.  Bring to medium heat and place tortillas in the skillet. ( You may need to cook them separately.)   Cook on one side until nicely browned, then flip over and brown the second side.  Keep the heat on low to medium so the filling will get heated and the cheese will melt while the outside browns, but doesn’t burn.

4.  Cut into wedges and serve warm with sour cream, guacamole, sliced tomatoes and shredded lettuce if desired.

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SOURCE:   Carolyn’s Originals

Pasta Primavera with Crab Meat

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

Pasta Primavera with Crab

 

A walk through the produce section of the supermarket at this time of year makes me think of pasta primavera.  The word primavera means “first green” in Italian.  So pasta primavera is, technically, pasta with the first green vegetables of spring,  Many restaurants disregard this meaning, however, and include just about any vegetables they have on hand.  Personally, I’d rather not find corn, summer squash or sweet peppers in my primavera.  I also find that a sauce made with heavy cream and butter is much too thick and rich for what should be a light springtime meal.

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What is supposed to happen goes something like this:  the chef gets up at dawn to browse the farmer’s market, finds the most awesome display of spring vegetables, then goes back to his kitchen and prepares them in a light cream sauce on perfectly cooked pasta.  Unfortunately that chef probably lives nowhere near you.  But here’s the good news!  That chef can be you (and me).  Walking through the market and filling your basket with whatever catches your eye is fun.  You’ll be surprised  at how easy it is to find beautiful spring produce when you actually shop for it in the spring.

Making pasta primavera is quite easy, with the most time spent cutting up the vegetables.  They should all be cut in uniform size so they will cook in the same amount of time. I like to jullien cut my vegetables so they are the same shape as the pasta. Once that’s all done, cooking the veggies till they’re tender and making the sauce takes place while the pasta cooks.  Put it all together, and you will have a dish that is fresh, bright, and attractive to serve.  The version that I put together uses only 8-ounces of fettuccine, lots of vegetables, and some crab meat for added protein. Vegetarians can omit the crab meat.  This dish makes 6 generous servings, so the calorie and carbohydrate content  per serving is low.

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PASTA PRIMAVERA WITH CRAB MEAT

Yield:   Makes 6 generous servings    Recipe can be halved.

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

    Have all the vegetables prepped before you start cooking.

    Have all the vegetables prepped before you start cooking.

  • 1 cup broccoli florets
  • 1 cup sliced asparagus
  • 1 cup spring peas
  • 1 cup carrots, jullienned
  • 1 medium zucchini, jullienned
  • 1 large spring onion, sliced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped, or 1/2 tsp. dried
  • 1 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped, or 1/2 tsp. dried
  • 3/4 pound crab meat, or similar amount crab-flavored chunks
  • 1 cup half and half, or light cream
  • 8 ounces linguine or fettuccine, cooked according to package directions, drained and hot.
  • black pepper to taste
  • grated Parmesan cheese for serving (optional)

Directions:

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Sauté  vegetables 2 -3 minutes or until crisp tender.

Sautéing the vegetables.


Sautéing the vegetables.

Add herbs and crab meat; sauté 1 – 2 minutes.

Add in the herbs and crabmeat.

Add in the herbs and crabmeat.

Add half and half, heat to boiling.Drain pasta, saving about 1/2 cup cooking liquid.  Add to skillet with vegetables and sauce.  Gently toss with pasta, adding some cooking liquid if necessary to loosen the sauce.

Adding in the sauce and pasta.

Adding in the sauce and pasta.

 

Toss all together in a large bowl and serve.

Toss all together in a large bowl and serve.

Transfer to a large serving bowl.  Season to taste with pepper.  Serve with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

 

SOURCE:   A Carolyn Original

In the archives there is a former recipe for pasta primavera that I have worked with to come up with this new and improved recipe that I believe is lighter and healthier.

 

 

 

 

Cheese Ravioli with Zucchini

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Quick Meals and tagged with , , , , , , ,
Cheese Ravioli with Zucchini (and peppers)

Cheese Ravioli with Zucchini (and peppers)

Often my cravings dictate what I cook more than what’s available in the produce department of the supermarket.  However today’s meal is not one of them.  At the market this week bell peppers in all colors were specially priced, there was a load of zucchini, medium sized and tender and in the frozen foods section cheese ravioli in all shapes and sizes were being featured.  All that spoke to me, no, shouted at me, ” hey, don’t you think we belong together?”   Embarrassed by all that shouting, I quietly gathered them up and put them into my grocery cart, while thoughts of sugarplums, casseroles, danced in my head.

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Somewhere in the farthest corner of my brain I remembered seeing a recipe that used cheese ravioli and zucchini together. At the time I thought it seemed rather bland, but after I searched it out, and thought about how I could tweak it, I used it as a basis for this version that turned out to be rather fabulous.  Mr. D. said he thinks he likes it better than vegetable lasagna.  The ravioli and vegetables are surrounded by a creamy, not-too-thick cheese sauce, giving the whole lots of flavor.   This was so satisfying, all it needed for completion was a green salad.  This is definitely  a make-again meal.

A bonus to this meal is that it takes very little time to prepare making it a good week night meal, and its meatless too!

 

CHEESE RAVIOLI WITH ZUCCHINI

Yield:    Servings,  4IMG_7048

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 package ( 9-ounces) cheese ravioli
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 medium red pepper, cut into strips
  • 1 medium zucchini, julienned
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/teaspoon dried parsley

Directions:

1.  Cook the ravioli as its package directs.

IMG_0286

2.  Combine cream and chicken broth in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil.

3.  Melt butter in a large skillet, sauté the onion until translucent.  Add the pepper strips and cook 2 minutes.  Stir in the zucchini, salt and garlic powder.  Cook 1 – 2 minutes until tender.

Sautéing the vegetables.

Sautéing the vegetables.

4.  Add 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, basil and parsley to the cream sauce.   Drain the ravioli and add to the cream sauce.  Add the skillet vegetables.   Toss to coat.

Veggies and cream sauce mixed together.

Veggies and cream sauce mixed together.

5.  Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle remaining cheese over the top before serving.

Ready for serving. Makes a colorful presentation.

Ready for serving. Makes a colorful presentation.

This is so good. :)

This is so good. 🙂

 

SOURCE:   I made major modifications to a recipe from Taste of Home.

Oven-Fried Tilapia with Warm Spinach Salad

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

Oven Fried Tilapia

Fish of some sort is on the menu at least once a week around here, sometimes more often than that.  During the Lenten period especially, fish and seafood is attractively priced at the supermarket, so that is another reason why we have it more often.  One fish that we particularly like and is very easy to cook is tilapia.  It is mild flavored and can be enhanced by a variety of sauces or cooking methods.

This recipe is called oven fried, although there is no frying involved.  I think the meaning is that it will appear to be fried and have a nice crisp, crusty coating on it.  This is achieved by using panko crumbs and toasting them before dredging the tilapia with the seasoned crumbs.  The fish is tender and flaky inside the crust.

I usually serve this fish with rice or noodles and a salad. This time, however, I served it with my potato-fennel hash and a warm spinach salad that I think goes very well with this dish.  Nutritionally speaking this is a very low fat, potentially low carbohydrate (depending what you serve with it), and low calorie meal.

Potato-fennel hash.

Potato-fennel hash.

Warm Spinach Salad

Warm Spinach Salad

OVEN-FRIED TILAPIA

Yield:   4 servings

Ingredients:IMG_6997

  • 1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 tilapia fillets
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • cooking spray
  • lemon wedges for serving

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400*F.  Spray a baking dish with cooking spray.

2.  Place panko and next four ingredients (through pepper) in a large skillet;  cook over medium heat 3 minutes or until toasted, stirring frequently.

3.  Place panko mixture in a shallow dish.   Combine 2 Tbsp. water and egg in a shallow dish.  Place flour in another shallow dish.

4.  Season fish fillets by sprinkling with the salt.  Dredge fish in flour; dip in egg mixture, then place fish in panko mixture, turning to coat.

5.  Arrange in the prepared baking dish.  Bake at 400*F for 15 minutes or until it flakes easily and is done.  Serve with lemon wedges.

WARM SPINACH SALADIMG_7009

  • 6 cups baby spinach
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. minced garlic
  • 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
  • 2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. salt

1.  Place the spinach leaves in a large bowl.

2.  Heat a small skillet over medium heat.  Add the olive oil and swirl to coat.  Add the minced garlic and grape tomatoes; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly . Add the cider vinegar, honey, black pepper and salt, stirring with a whisk.

Sauté tomatoes in oil and seasonings.

Sauté tomatoes in oil and seasonings.

3.  Pour vinegar mixture over spinach and toss to coat.  Serve while warm.

IMG_7013

 

SOURCE:    Cook Yourself  Thin

 

 

 

30-Minute Chicken Enchiladas

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

Chicken Enchiladas

This version of the well loved dish, chicken enchiladas, may be quick to make, but is no less delicious than its lengthy and more calorie laden name sake.  Some traditional chicken enchilada recipes can have more than 1000 calories per serving, while this one comes in at under 400 calories per serving.  Yikes!

The points of this recipe that I particularly liked include using part of a rotisserie chicken, instead of cooking chicken breasts for the filling.  You also make your own tomato-based enchilada sauce, so you can control the salt content, and the spiciness, and eliminate all other unnecessary ingredients.  If, like me, you have someone who loves extra spicy and someone who likes it mild, you can serve chopped jalapeños on the side, or some hot sauce.

IMG_6729

This recipe serves 6 with a serving size being two enchiladas and 1 tablespoon of sour cream weighing in at only 374 calories.  That seems like a great bargin to me.  I made half the recipe for two of us and got seven enchiladas.  The only change I made was to use flour tortillas instead of corn tortillas as we like them better,  and I sprinkled on dried cilantro since I couldn’t get fresh cilantro.

30-MINUTE CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

Yield:   Serves 6

Ingredients:

Have all ingredients laid out before starting to put it all together.

Have all ingredients laid out before starting to put it all together.

  • 1 cup chopped onions
  • 1 cup unsalted chicken stock
  • 1 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1  1/2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1  (15-ounce) can unsalted tomato sauce
  • 3 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
  • 1  (15-ounce) can unsalted black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 12 ( 6-inch) corn tortillas
  • cooking spray
  • 3 ounces shredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese (about 3/4 cup)
  • 1 cup chopped tomato
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 6 Tablespoons sour cream

Directions:

1.   Preheat broiler to high.  Coat a 13 x 9″ baking pan with cooking spray.

2.  Combine the first 9 ingredients in a medium saucepan; stir with a whisk.

Beginning to make the sauce.

Beginning to make the sauce.

Bring to a boil over high heat; cook 2 minutes or until thickened.  reserve 1  1/2 cups sauce mixture.  Add chicken and beans to pan; cook 2 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly heated.

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3.  Stack tortillas; wrap stack in  damp paper towels and microwave at HIGH for 25 seconds.  Spoon about 1/3 cup chicken mixture in center of each tortilla; roll up.  Arrange tortillas, seam sides down, in bottom of prepared baking dish.  Top with reserved sauce and cheese.

Rolling up the tortillas with filling.

Rolling up the tortillas with filling.

4.  Broil 3 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned and sauce is bubbly.  Top with tomato and cilantro.  Serve with sour cream.

Cheese topping gets nicely browned under the broiler.

Cheese topping gets nicely browned under the broiler.

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Top with chopped tomatoes and cilantro.

Top with chopped tomatoes and cilantro.

These are really good!

These are really good!

SOURCE:  Cooking Light

Spinach Ravioli Lasagna

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

Spinach Ravioli Lasagna

If you are looking to make a quick baked dish that is lasagna-like in its layering of ingredients this could very well be it. This is not lasagna in its truest form. This dish uses convenience items like ready-made pesto, jarred Alfredo sauce and frozen cheese-filled ravioli along with a bag of fresh baby spinach.  This makes a very nice meatless meal that is filling and great tasting.

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For added flavor, or to incorporate some meat you could add pieces of cooked chicken, sausage or ground beef.  I thought this was a a great put-together meal for times when you want to have a meatless meal.  We really liked it. and for me, it was another way that I could eat spinach, and not be too aware of what I was eating.  (I am always looking for ways to overcome my aversion to spinach.)  The pesto adds a lot of flavor to this dish.  I used my homemade pesto, but any commercial variety will do nicely.

As I frequently do, I made only half of this recipe for two of us.

SPINACH RAVIOLI LASAGNA

Yield:  Makes 6 – 8 servings

Ingredients:IMG_6827

  • 1 (6-oz) bag fresh baby spinach, thoroughly washed
  • 1/3 cup refrigerated pesto sauce ( I used my homemade pesto)
  • 1 (15–0z.) jar Alfredo sauce
  • 1/4 cup vegetable broth or chicken broth
  • 1 (25-oz.) package frozen cheese-filled ravioli (do not thaw)
  • 1 cup (4-oz.) shredded Italian six-cheese blend
  • Garnishes:  chopped fresh basil, paprika

Preparation:

1.  Preheat oven to 375*F.  Chop spinach, and toss with pesto in a medium bowl.

Chopping spinach.

Chopping spinach.

Mixing spinach with pesto.

Mixing spinach with pesto.

2.  Combine Alfredo sauce and vegetable broth.

Mixing Alfredo sauce with broth.

Mixing Alfredo sauce with broth.

Spoon one-third of alfredo sauce mixture (about 1/2 cup) in a lightly greased 2 qt. or 11 x 7-inch baking dish.  Top with half of spinach mixture.

Layering the spinach on top of sauce.

Layering the spinach on top of sauce.

Arrange half of ravioli in a single layer over spinach mixture.

Cover with half the ravioli.

Cover with half the ravioli.

Repeat layers once more.  Top with remaining Alfredo sauce.

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3.  Bake at 375*F for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven, and sprinkle with shredded cheese.  Bake 5 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  Garnish, if desired.

Super easy to make and so very good.

Super easy to make and so very good.

SOURCE:  Southern Living, 2008

Spaghetti Carbonara with Asparagus

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

Spaghetti Carbonara with Asparagus

Did you ever think you would be eating bacon and eggs with spaghetti?  Carbonara means with bacon in a light egg sauce.  So today we have an entree that includes both bacon and eggs.  Paired up with spaghetti, this is a simple peasant-type meal;  add asparagus for its added nutritional value, green color of spring (you can tell I’m waiting here), and textural crunch.  What results is a dish that is so well balanced with flavor, texture and “dish appeal” that you’ll want to taste it right off this page if you could.

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You probably have all the ingredients in your pantry to make this meal, except the asparagus.  If they are available where you live, I urge you not to waste any time in getting some and making this delectable dish.  You won’t be sorry.

SPAGHETTI CARBONARA WITH ASPARAGUS

Yield:    Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

Just a few ingredients.

Just a few ingredients.

  • 2 large eggs
  • 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 3/4 pound spaghetti
  • 1 bunch asparagus, , ends trimmed, and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 5 slices bacon, coarsely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • salt and pepper

Directions:

1.  In a large bowl, beat together the eggs and cheese.

Mixing the eggs and cheese together.

Mixing the eggs and cheese together.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente, adding the asparagus during the last 2 minutes of cooking.

2.  Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.  Add the hot pasta and asparagus to the egg mixture;  toss to coat.

3.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the bacon and cook until crisp; stir in the garlic.

Cooking up the bacon.

Cooking up the bacon.

Add the wine and cook until slightly reduced, about 1 minute.  Stir the bacon mixture into the pasta, adding enough of the reserved pasta water to moisten; season with salt and pepper.

This is delectable!

This is delectable!

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Serve with more grated cheese at the table to sprinkle on top.  A tossed green salad completes this meal.

SOURCE:   Everyday with Rachael Ray

Huevos Rancheros Salad

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish, Quick Meals, Salads and tagged with , , , , , ,
Huevos Rancheros Salad

Huevos Rancheros Salad

Bacon and eggs.  These two words just seem to go together; they were meant for each other.  So this week on the blog I will be featuring bacon and eggs, separately and together.   So….let’s get crackin’.   😀

First up is this salad that is like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day.  Especially welcome as we experience another Polar Vortex here in my area of the country.  BTW, has that become the new buzz word for 2014?  I seem to be hearing it a lot on weather news, so I’m just going to start dropping it into my conversations like I really know what I’m talking about.  This is what I know for sure:  Polar Vortex = COLD.   And that’s all I need to know about it.  Enough already,  go away.

Anyway, back to the salad.    A bright, sunny-side-up fried egg steals the show on this Southwestern salad topped with queso fresco (cheese), cilantro and a citrusy black bean and tomato salsa. When served, this salad is bright and attractive on the plate.  You can add some toasted tortillas to help scoop up the salsa, and the runny egg yolk.   This meal made a nice change from what we’ve been eating, and Mr. D. and I enjoyed it immensely.

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HUEVOS RANCHEROS SALAD

Yield:   Makes 6 servings  To make less, adjust amounts accordingly.

Ingredients:IMG_6647

  • 1  (15 1/2-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 3 large plum tomatoes seeded and chopped ( about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 1/2 medium red onion, chopped ( about 1/4 cup)
  • 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (2-3 limes)
  • 3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh cilantro, plus more leaves for garnish
  • 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, or more to taste
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 12 cups mixed spring greens (about 8 ounces)
  • 6 corn tortillas
  • 6 large eggs
  • freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco (about 3 oz.)

Directions:

1.  In a medium bowl, gently stir black beans, tomatoes, onion,  olive oil, lime juice, cilantro,  hot sauce, and salt to combine to create a fresh salsa.  Set aside.  Divide greens among 6 dinner plates and set aside.

2.  With a little olive oil, lightly brush all 6 tortillas and sprinkle lightly with salt to taste.  Toast tortillas directly under broiler or over an open flame, 1 minute per side.  Cut tortillas into quarters and wrap in foil to keep warm.

Crispy tortillas stay warm wrapped in foil.

Crispy tortillas stay warm wrapped in foil.

3.  Evenly divide all but 1/2 cup of the salsa among the plated greens.  Divide remaining oil between 2 large nonstick skillets over medium-high heat.  Crack 3 eggs into each pan and reduce heat to medium.  Season eggs with salt and pepper to taste, and cook lightly splashing tops of eggs with pan oil, until whites are opaque and yolks are deep golden, about 3 minutes.  Transfer 1 egg onto each plate.  Sprinkle eggs with queso fresco and remaining salsa;  garnish with cilantro.  Serve salads immediately with reserved tortillas.

All the flavors and textures meld together to make a very pleasant meal.

All the flavors and textures meld together to make a very pleasant meal.

IMG_6649

SOURCE:    Cooking Light

Italian Crescent Casserole

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish, Quick Meals and tagged with , , , , ,
Italian Crescent Casserole.

Italian Crescent Casserole.

By the time Friday rolls around I usually want something fast and easy for dinner, but it still must taste good and be (relatively) healthy.  Frequently it’s pizza that turns up, because I can vary the toppings so we don’t get bored with the same old same old.

Looks like a deep dish pizza.

Looks like a deep dish pizza.

Last Friday I came up with this baked dish that resembles a deep-dish pizza pie.  It uses a package of refrigerated crescent rolls for a crust and is filled with grated cheeses and a ground beef and tomato sauce mixture that tastes like pizza.  The top gets nicely browned and flaky with a sprinkling of cheese and dried basil.  It makes a 9-inch “pie” that can feed 4, but we loved it so much, just two of us ate three quarters of it.  The rest made a quick lunch the next day by rewarming in the oven on low.  This dish served with a tossed green salad is all you need for a complete and satisfying meal.

Add a salad, it's a great meal.

Add a salad, it’s a great meal.

ITALIAN CRESCENT CASSEROLE

Yield:   serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 cup garlic-tomato pasta sauce
  • 1 can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
  • 1  1/2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried basil

Directions:

1.   Preheat oven to 375*F.  In a large skillet, cook ground beef till nicely browned.  Drain off fat drippings.   Add pasta sauce.  Heat oven medium heat to warm through.

2.  Separate dough into triangles.  Place in an ungreased 9-inch pie plate with narrow ends extending out over the edge of the pie plate about 3 inches.

Line a pie plate with crescent dough triangles and grate cheese.

Line a pie plate with crescent dough triangles and grate cheese.

3.  Use fingers to press dough together to form a crust.  Sprinkle  1 cup of cheese over the dough.

Put 1 cup cheese in bottom of pie dish.

Put 1 cup cheese in bottom of pie dish.

4.  Spoon meat mixture over the cheese in the pie plate.

Layer cooked beef and sauce on top of cheese.

Layer cooked beef and sauce on top of cheese.

5.  Bring tips of dough over the filling towards the center.

Bring tips of triangles up over meat filling,

Bring tips of triangles up over meat filling,

Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and the dried basil.

Sprinkle remaining cheese and basil on top of crust.

Sprinkle remaining cheese and basil on top of crust.

6.  Bake at 375*F.  for 15 – 20 minutes

When it comes out of the oven it looks like this. YUM!

When it comes out of the oven it looks like this. YUM!

We loved this, Can't wait to make it again,

We loved this, Can’t wait to make it again,

SOURCE:   Real Mom’s Kitchen