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

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with , , , , , ,
Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

A one-dish meal that is easy and quick to prepare using a short cut:  Rotisserie Chicken.  I see absolutely nothing wrong with making my life a little easier at times by picking up a rotisserie chicken at the super market and building a meal around it.  After the first meal, I usually use what’s left for chicken salad sandwiches.

What brought me to making this dish was Mr. D’s request for Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo.   What better time than now when I had a bunch of broccoli on hand and the remains of the rotisserie chicken.  I just combined all that and what resulted was  this dish that was very close to what he asked for.  This is how it went together…..

CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI ALFREDO

Yield:   serves 4

  • Fettuccine or other favorite pasta, cooked according to package directions
  • 1 to 2 cups fresh broccoli florets, add to last 3 minutes of pasta cooking time
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 cups whole milk or half and half
  • 1/8 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cups cooked chicken, cut up

Directions:

1.  Cook fettuccine according to package directions adding broccoli during last 3 minutes of cooking time.  Drain.  Set aside.

Place cooked fettuccine and broccoli in a serving dish.

Place cooked fettuccine and broccoli in a serving dish.

2.  Meanwhile, melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add minced garlic and sauté briefly.  Add milk or half and half, and pepper.

3.  Simmer, uncovered, for 10 – 12 mintes or until thick, stirring frequently.  When sauce has reached desired consistency, stir in Parmesan cheese.

4.  Add cooked chicken to Alfredo sauce and heat through.  Pour over noodles and broccoli……

Pour on Alfredo sauce and chicken. Mix together.

Pour on Alfredo sauce and chicken. Mix together.

Transfer to serving dish and serve with additional Parmesan to grate on at the table.

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

After having made this recipe I would make these changes next time around:  add 2 Tablespoons flour to the melted butter before adding the milk to help the sauce thicken up more;  add some shredded Asiago to the Parmesan for a stronger cheese flavor. You could also use heavy cream in place of milk for a much richer sauce. This is definitely a fantastic meal, one that reheats well in the microwave the next day.

SOURCE:   The Girl Who Ate Everything

Cranberry-Pear Crisp

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Desserts and tagged with , , , , ,
Cranberry and pear crisp.

Cranberry and pear crisp.

If I were to ask you to name the “fruits of fall”,  surely apples would likely be the first you would mention, and then maybe pears would be a close second.  Where would cranberries fall on that list of fall fruits?  Fresh cranberries are in season now, bagged and sold by the pound.  I usually get several bags of them and put them into the freezer for use later on when they’re no longer available at the supermarket.  They are so useful in both sweet and savory dishes.

We think of cranberries when we’re planning the Thanksgiving menu, because cranberry sauce, whether canned or home made is a natural with turkey.  But cranberries seem to get neglected when it comes to baking or making a dessert for the holiday table.  So today I have a recipe that attempts to change that.

This tart-sweet dessert combines fresh cranberries  with dried cranberries and fresh diced pears, plus lovely spices.  It gets topped with a crumble that is made from flour, sugar, oats, chopped nuts and melted butter.  Served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, it could be the grand finale to your holiday dinner, if not this month, maybe next.  The colors are so festive, they remind me of Christmas jewels and ornaments.

Love the color, and it tastes great, too.

Love the color, and it tastes great, too.

CRANBERRY-PEAR CRISP

Yield:   Serves 6 – 8

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound cranberries, thawed if frozen

    The colors of these two fruits are so pretty together!

    The colors of these two fruits are so pretty together!

  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 3 firm pears (such as Bosc), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • pinch of ground allspice
  • 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. flour
  • 1 cup chopped pecans or other nuts of choice
  • 1/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375*F.  Lightly grease or spray a 3-quart baking dish.

2.  Combine the fresh and dried cranberries in a large bowl.  Add 1 cup sugar,  3 Tbsp. water and the vanilla and toss to coat.  Lightly mash with a potato masher or fork to burst some of the cranberries.

Mix cranberries with sugar and vanilla.

Mix cranberries with sugar and vanilla.

Add the pears, cinnamon, allspice and 2 Tbsp. flour and toss to coat.

Add chopped pears and spices.

Add chopped pears and spices.

Transfer to the prepared baking dish.

Arrange mixed fruits in a baking dish.

Arrange mixed fruits in a baking dish.

3.   Make the topping:  Mix the remaining 1 cup flour, the nuts, oats, the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the salt in a medium bowl,  then stir in the melted butter.

Add melted butter to dry ingredients for crumble topping.

Add melted butter to dry ingredients for crumble topping.

Use your fingers to pinch the topping into small clumps and sprinkle it over the fruit.

Sprinkle on crumble topping.

Sprinkle on crumble topping.

4.  Bake until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown, about 40 minutes.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Golden and bubbly after it has baked.

Golden and bubbly after it has baked.

A little sweet, a little tart, a lot of delicious!

A little sweet, a little tart, a lotta delicious!

SOURCE:  Food Network Magazine

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Desserts and tagged with , , , , , , ,
Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

Here we are well into the month of November with Thanksgiving looming just ahead.  If you’re anything like me, you’re probably thinking of your menu for the big day, and maybe trying out a new recipe or two.  That’s what I do.  We seem to want the traditional foods, but I try to give a new twist to one or two of those dishes.

In this case it’s a somewhat different way of enjoying pumpkin pie.  These are individual little “cupcakes” that taste just like pumpkin pie, but without the bother of a crust.  These are pretty easy to make.  They go together in only two steps and are baked in muffin tins.  The only thing you need to be concerned about is to make sure you spray the muffin cups well with non-stick spray or line them with foil liners.  Paper liners make if difficult to remove the “cupcakes” from the muffin tins and are hard to peel away from the pumpkin filling.IMG_5636

I’ve also read a review of this recipe with suggestions for making it very low cal. so I am including those suggestions here for any of you who must maintain a low sugar/calorie intake.

PUMPKIN PIE CUPCAKES

Yield:   Makes 12

Ingredients:

All the same ingredients as for pumpkin pie filling.

All the same ingredients as for pumpkin pie filling.

wet:

  • 1   15oz.can pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 cup sugar (or 1/2 cup all natural Stevia in the raw)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup evaporated milk, fat free is Ok. (or use 3/4 cup 1% milk with 2 Tbsp. cornstarch whisked in.)

dry:

  • 2/3 cup flour
  • 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. baking soda

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350*F.   Line a 12 cup muffin tin with foil liners, or spray well with non-stick cooking spray.

2. In a bowl with a pouring spout (batter bowl) whisk together all the wet ingredients.   In another bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.

3.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and blend well.  Pour the batter into the muffin cups, filling them almost to the tops.  (mine hold 1/3 cup batter each, and this amount filled them to the top).

4.  Bake for 20 minutes.  They will puff up as they bake, but will fall slightly as they cool.  Cool for 20 minutes, them refrigerate to chill until ready to serve.

See how they puff up in the oven--they will fall a little when you take them out.

See how they puff up in the oven–they will fall a little when you take them out.

5.  Carefully run a knife around the edge of each cupcake to remove from the tin.  Top each serving with whipped cream or whipped topping and a sprinkle of more pie spice.   Delicious!!

Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of pie spice.

Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of pie spice.

One is not enough :D

One is not enough 😀

SOURCE:   Allrecipes.com

Broccoli-Cheddar Oven Risotto

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish, Side Dish and tagged with , , , , , , , ,
Broccoli-Cheddar Oven Risotto

Broccoli-Cheddar Oven Risotto

Risotto is one of those old-time comfort foods that I grew up on.  It was prepared by my Northern Italian grandfather who was so fussy about how it was made that he didn’t trust anyone to get it right except himself.  My mother’s sister, my aunt, watched him carefully as he made the risotto in a big copper kettle, and after my grandfather passed on, she was the keeper of the “secret” of how to make a good risotto. And she was the one who continued the tradition of making it for us.

By watching my aunt make this simple rice dish I too learned how to make a “good” risotto.  Without a lot of details here, let me just say it required lots of stirring, and adding the hot chicken broth in small amounts until it was absorbed, then adding a little more, and so on…. Risotto also needed to be flavored with saffron which gave the rice a light yellow color, and enticing aroma and flavor.

IMG_5628

Although we all loved risotto, it was not made frequently, because it was labor intensive beginning with stewing a whole chicken to get the rich broth needed to cook the rice.  All the meat was saved and stirred into the rice at the end of its cooking time, making this dish very filling and hearty.   My Dad particularly loved my aunt’s rice,  rather unusual for a Swede, but you can’t account for a person’s taste, and like him, I love it too.

With this back story in mind, you can imagine my delight when I came across this recipe for risotto, baked in the oven, and no lengthy stirring required.  Well, I was all over that recipe like flies on a dead pig!!

I made it for the first time this week.   Mr. D. thought it was marvelous and I thought it was great, too.  The addition of broccoli that is roasted in the oven while the rice bakes, then added in at the end with cheddar cheese, produces a tasty, cheesy and filling main dish. I treated it as a side dish, and served it with sliced ham.   Not quite the same as the risotto I remember, but certainly a rendition that I plan to make again.

Baked risotto with ham.

Baked risotto with ham.

Times and cooking methods change.  More and more of the old ethnic dishes are being modernized and fused with new ingredients, so that what was once old is new again.  I, for one, like this trend.

BROCCOLI-CHEDDAR OVEN RISOTTO

Yield:    Serves 4

Ingredients:

Use Arborio rice which produces a very creamy risotto.

Use Arborio rice which produces a very creamy risotto.

  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (use vegetable broth for a vegetarian version)
  • 1 bunch broccoli, cut into small florets
  • 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
  • 1/2 small onion, chopped
  • 1 3/4 cups arborio rice
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 4 oz.)

Directions:

1.  Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 425*F.    Bring chicken broth to a low simmer in a saucepan.

Warm the chicken broth.

Warm the chicken broth.

Toss the broccoli with the olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet.

Prepare the broccoli for roasting.

Prepare the broccoli for roasting.

2.  Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a large Dutch oven or ovenproof pot over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes.

Sauté onions in butter.

Sauté onions in butter.

Add the rice and stir to coat.

Add the rice to butter and onions and stir to coat.

Add the rice to butter and onions and stir to coat.

Pour in the wine and cook until evaporated, about 1 minute.  Add the hot both, 3/4 tsp. salt, and pepper to taste;  bring to a boil.

Add the wine and chicken broth all at once.

Add the chicken broth all at once.

3.  Cover the pot and set on the bottom oven rack.  Place the broccoli on the upper rack.  Bake, stirring the rice and broccoli once halfway through cooking, until most of the liquid has been absorbed in the rice and the broccoli is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

4.  Remove the rice and broccoli from the oven.  Add 3/4 cup hot water, the remaining 1 Tbsp. butter, and the cheese to the rice and stir until creamy (add a little more hot water to loosen, if necessary).  Stir in the broccoli.

Add cheese to baked rice.

Add cheese to baked rice.

Stir in roast broccoli.

Stir in roast broccoli.

Incredibly good served with ham.

Incredibly good served with ham.

SOURCE:    Cooking Light

French Dip Sandwiches

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

Once you’ve eaten your fill of the pot roast what do you do with the leftovers?  Reheating the meat in its juices can be boring, but if you use the leftovers and transform them into this tasty French dip sandwich, you may wish you had more for a second time around.

French Dip Sandwiches

French Dip Sandwiches

I made these sandwiches just recently and with the addition of some chips or salad they become a complete meal.  Just layer thinly sliced roast beef or pot roast with grilled onions and cheese into buttered sub rolls, broil, and you’ve got a satisfying quick meal.  The most important element here is the jus, which is used to moisten the beef and is served with the sandwich for dipping.

FRENCH DIP SANDWICHES

Yield:  Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1  tsp. olive oil
  • 1 large onion, halved and sliced then
  • 4  (6-inch) sub rolls
  • 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 cups thinly sliced leftover pot roast or roast beef
  • 1 cup jus, heated in a small saucepan
  • 4 slices provolone cheese, cut in half (Swiss cheese works here, too)

Directions:

1.  Position oven rack 6 inches below heating element and preheat the broiler.  Heat oil in small non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.  Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until browned, about 7 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile, slice rolls in half lengthwise and spread interior of both sides with butter.  Place on baking sheet, butter sides up, and broil until golden, 1 to 3 minutes.  Remove top half of each roll.

Layer thinly sliced beef on toasted sub rolls.

Layer thinly sliced beef on toasted sub rolls.

3.  Using tongs, dip beef slices into hot jus and place about 4 slices beef on bottom half of each roll.

Spoon onions over beef…….

Spoon grilled onions over beef.

Spoon grilled onions over beef.

arrange provolone on top…..

Top with sliced provolone.

Top with sliced provolone.

Broil until cheese has melted.  Set top half of each roll in place and serve with extra jus for dipping.

So sorry folks, but just at this point when I wanted to take a photo of this gorgeous sandwich to tempt you, my camera became ornery, and wouldn’t take the picture.   Dang!!     Guess you will need to use your imagination here.  😦

SOURCE:   Cook’s Country

Brown Sugar Toffee Bars

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Bars and Cookies, Desserts, Snacks and tagged with , , , , , , ,

You know those hard little nuggets of sugar you sometimes get in a bag of brown sugar?   Ya know what I do with them?  I eat them!!   Yup!  In fact whenever I open a new bag of brown sugar I look for them first, so I can give myself a little treat.  Around here I do all the cooking and baking so a girl’s got to reward herself once in a while.

Brown Sugar Toffee Bars

Brown Sugar Toffee Bars

Today I was wishing for something made with brown sugar so I came up with  this idea for brown sugar bars with toffee bits mixed in.  Thus….. Brown Sugar Toffee Bars.  These bars are so simple really, but they have flavors that are so outstanding.  Chewy, buttery, and rich.  They are deceptively delicious.

IMG_5609

The Leaning Tower of Toffee Bars 😀

If you’re not as nuts-o for dark brown sugar as I am then by all means use light brown sugar, you’ll get a somewhat milder flavor, and lighter colored bar.  All the other usual pals go into these bars like butter, eggs, vanilla, etc, but you’ll also need a bag of toffee bits.  I wanted to use the kind that are covered in milk chocolate but didn’t have any on hand.  Went to my grocery store but they didn’t have them so I used the plain toffee bits, and added about 1/2 cup chocolate chips.  You can use  the plain toffee bits, chocolate covered bits, or add chocolate chips as I did.  It’s totally up to you.

This is what I used.

This is what I used.

The batter mixes up quickly, stir in the toffee, spread in a baking pan and pop into the oven.  Before long your tummy will be thanking you in a big way.

Here’s what your bars will look like……

IMG_5603

BROWN SUGAR TOFFEE BARS

Yield:  Makes approximately 30 bars

All this good stuff goes into these fab bars.

All this good stuff goes into these fab bars.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup butter ( 2 sticks), at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar, packed
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 Tbsp. vanilla
  • 2  1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 (8oz)bag of Toffee Bits (Heath Toffee Bits, with or without chocolate covering)

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350*F.   Spray a 9″ x 13″ baking pan with cooking spray.

2.  With an electric mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar together, about 2 minutes on medium speed until combined and fluffy…..

Cream together the brown sugar and butter.

Cream together the brown sugar and butter.

Add in eggs and vanilla and continue mixing until incorporated.

3.  Turn mixer to low speed and add in baking soda, salt and flour, mixing until incorporated.

4.  Pour in the toffee bits and stir until evenly combined…..

Add in all those yummy toffee bits and chocolate chips.

Add in all those yummy toffee bits and chocolate chips.

5.  Spread batter in prepared pan and bake for 20 – 25 minutes until golden and center is just set.  Don’t over bake.

6.  Cool pan on wire rack and cut into squares when ready to serve.

IMG_5607

IMG_5610

SOURCE:   A major adaptation of a recipe for Toffee Squares from Taste of Home Baking Book

Irish Nachos

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Carolyn's Originals, Quick Meals, Snacks and tagged with , , , , , , , ,
Irish Nachos

Irish Nachos

Sometimes on a Friday evening a group of us from the dance studio go out for a bite to eat after a practice session.  Nearby is a pub that serves Irish Nachos that we all love.  We usually order two platters of them and we can devour them in very short  order.  The platter of these nachos comes with a mixture of  waffle fries piled high with seasoned ground beef, onions, peppers, jalepeños and melted cheese. Sour cream, salsa and guacamole are served on the side.  Everyone just digs in and they disappear in no time flat!!

Well, I got the idea that I would like to make a similar dish at home.  First of all, if you’re not familiar with Irish Nachos, you use potato in place of corn chips, but otherwise they are pretty much like regular nachos but so much better, because you can pile on all the ingredients that you like.  They are totally delicious and a great crowd pleaser, not to mention extremely budget friendly.

Add your favorite toppings and dig in!

Add your favorite toppings and dig in!

You start with a big pan of thinly sliced roasted potatoes. Waffle cut french fries work well, too.

Roast sliced potatoes in a heavy oven-ready pan.

Roast sliced potatoes in a heavy oven-ready pan.

Next you pile on some sautéed vegetables….

Pile on sautéed peppers and onions.

Pile on sautéed peppers and onions, diced tomatoes and scallions.

Then, layer on some seasoned cooked meat.  Ground beef or ground turkey are both really good, but you could also use shredded beef or shredded pork….whatever!!   It’s all going to be so delicious.  The version I made here was meatless. Along with this I served turkey burgers minus the bun.

Top with shredded cheese.

Top with shredded cheese.

Add on some diced tomatoes, and chopped scallions, then a big handful of cheese.   Put it back into the oven to melt the cheese.

Hot and melty, so good!!

Hot and melty, so good!!

Once its out of the oven for the final time, serve while hot with sour cream, salsa and guacamole and call it a meal.

Add your favorite toppings and dig in!

Add your favorite toppings and dig in!

These make a wonderful snack or meal on game day when everyone wants to be in front of the TV.

IRISH NACHOS

Yield:    Serves 6

Ingredients:

  • 3 large red skinned potatoes, scrubbed and sliced about 1/4-inch thick
  • 1 red and 1 yellow pepper, sliced
  • 1 large yellow onion, sliced
  • 1/2 pound ground turkey or beef
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • 2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 medium tomato, diced
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese ( I like a Mexican Blend )
  • sour cream, salsa and avocado or guacamole to serve on the side

Directions:

1.  In a large wrought iron skillet or tart pan, layer the sliced potatoes in circles, making sure to cover as much of the bottom of the pan as possible.  Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with the paprika and garlic powder.  Drizzle with the olive oil and bake at 350* F. for about 35 minutes.

2.  While potatoes are baking,  cut up peppers and onion.  In a medium skillet drizzle olive oil to coat the pan and bring to medium high heat.  Add the peppers and onions and sauté for 5 minutes.  Remove to a dish to keep warm.  Next add the beef or turkey and sprinkle with the chili powder.  Season with salt and pepper and sauté  until meat is fully cooked.

3.  When potatoes are cooked, remove from the oven and layer the vegetables mixture over the top.  Then transfer the meat mixture to the pan over the vegetables.  Sprinkle with diced tomatoes and scallions.  Then top with shredded cheese.

4.  Put back into the oven for about 5 – 7 minutes until the cheese has melted.

5.  Once out of the oven, serve immediately with sides of sour cream, salsa, and chopped avocado or guacamole.

SOURCE:  Carolyn’s Originals

Autumn Pot Roast

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

This is one of my all-time favorite ways to cook pot roast.  I use my slow-cooker and start it in the morning.  When the weather is chilly, I am comforted by the aroma coming from my kitchen, especially if I have been out all day.   A home cooked meal without a lot of fuss.

Autumn Pot Roast

Autumn Pot Roast

AUTUMN POT ROAST

Yield:   Serves 6

Ingredients:

  • 1 boneless beef chuck roast (3 pounds)IMG_5583
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper, divided
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, cut into 1″ chunks
  • 2 medium parsnips, cut into 1/2-inch  pieces
  • 2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 large sweet onion, cut into chunks
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp. dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 can (14.5oz.) reduced-sodium beef broth
  • 3/4 cup dry red wine or additional reduced-sodium beef broth

Directions:

1.  Sprinkle roast with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper.   In a large skillet heat olive oil.  Add beef and brown well on all sides. Remove from skillet to a platter.

2.  In same skillet, add onions, and other vegetables.  Sauté lightly just to get them browned.  Transfer to the bottom of the slow cooker.  In the same skillet, pour in about 1/2 cup beef broth.  Heat and scrape up any browned bits from the pan.  Pour into the slow cooker.

3.  Place meat on top of vegetables.   Combine remaining beef broth with the red wine, dried thyme, bay leaf, minced garlic and remaining salt and pepper.  Pour over meat and vegetables.

4.  Cover and cook on low for 6 – 8 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender.  Skim off fat.  Discard bay leaves.  If desired, thicken cooking juices, or serve along side meat and vegetables as “au jus”.

Mashed potatoes served with this meal make this about the most comforting “comfort” food that I know of.  The meat will be falling-apart tender, and the vegetables are tender with a deep rich flavor from the beef broth and wine jus.

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SOURCE:    TASTE OF HOME

Fresh Cranberry and Oat Scones

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Muffins & Scones and tagged with , , , , , , , , ,

Once daylight savings time is over and we’re back to Standard time, the days seem shorter with darkness coming before dinner time.  Whose idea was this any way?  I don’t really need the sun shining in my eyes, waking me up at 6am., nor do I appreciate it when it starts getting dark when I want it to stay light outside. Where’s all the day light we’ve been “saving”?   This whole time change thing makes me grouchy.

Fresh cranberry and oat scones.

Fresh cranberry and oat scones.

To get me over this hissy-fit I needed something good to eat.  Something baked, delicate and crumbly.  Something sweet, but not too sweet, with good-for-me-and-you ingredients.   Into my laboratory/kitchen I went and in about 45 minutes we were having these scones with a cup of coffee.  They didn’t bring back more day light but they did help me to get over the “grouchies”.  If you’re having a “mood” these scones just might help you too.

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CRANBERRY AND OAT SCONES

Yield:    Makes 10 scones

Ingredients:

  • 10 Tbsp. frozen butter

    A variety of "healthy" ingredients.

    A variety of “healthy” ingredients.

  • 1/2 cup milk (regular, almond, coconut are all OK)
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries, chopped in a processor
  • 2  2/3 cup flour ( or flour and oats combination)**
  • 1/3 cup natural cane sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. coarse salt
  • zest of 1 orange
  • 2 large eggs

**  In place of regular flour I made up this combination:  1 cup whole wheat flour, 2/3 cups oats, 2/3 cups oat flour, 1/3 cup potato flour.  Also I used almond milk instead of regular milk soured with lemon juice.  Either works just fine.  You could also use buttermilk and omit the lemon juice.

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400 *F.   Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease lightly.

2.  Mix milk with lemon juice, and keep in refrigerator to chill

3. Coarsely chop cranberries in a food processor and reserve.

Chop 1 cup fresh cranberries.

Chop 1 cup fresh cranberries.

I have a small 2-cup processor that works great for small amounts like this and saves getting out the big processor.

4.  In a large bowl, whisk together the flour (s), baking powder, baking soda, salt and orange zest…..

Mix zest of 1 orange into the dry ingredients.

Mix zest of 1 orange into the dry ingredients.

Grate butter on the large holes of a box grater.  Add to flour and toss gently to integrate.

Use a box grater to add small bits of frozen butter to the dry ingredients.

Use a box grater to add small bits of frozen butter to the dry ingredients.

5.  Whisk 1 large egg into the chilled milk and fold into the flour mixture.  Fold in cranberries.

6.  On a floured surface, knead the dough a few times till it just comes together.  Do not over work it.  Form into a disc.  Roll out to 3/4 – inch thickness.  Cut with a 2-inch round cutter.  Place on parchment lined baking sheet.  Reroll scraps and repeat.

Roll out dough and cut with 2-inch cutter.

Roll out dough and cut with 2-inch cutter.

7.  Brush tops with remaining egg and sprinkle with oat flakes and natural sugar.

Brush tops with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar and oats.

Brush tops with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar and oats.

8.  Bake till golden, about 18 minutes.  Watch carefully, they brown up quickly.  These freeze well.

Fresh cranberry and oat scones.

Fresh cranberry and oat scones.

SOURCE:   Adapted from Everyday Foods