Tag Archives: food

Chicken Cacciatore

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish, Soups and tagged with , , , ,
Chicken Cacciatore with Polenta

Chicken Cacciatore with Polenta

I love this meal served over polenta or pasta but I make it rather infrequently because it takes quite a bit of time to make.  Especially when you slow cook it the way I usually do. This past weekend I decided to try this recipe that is prepared using a slow-cooker.  By using boneless chicken thighs, the chicken doesn’t need all day to become falling apart tender.  A cooking time of 4 – 5 hours is perfect.

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Starting around noon, I browned the chicken as the recipe directs, made the sauce and put it all in the slow cooker and in about 4 hours it had reached saucy perfection, and the aroma in my kitchen was wonderful.  I continued with the “quick” approach and made instant polenta to serve the cacciatore over.  That  along with an inventive green salad and a glass of wine was a perfect ending to a busy weekend.

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When I make polenta I usually use Bob’s Red Mill Whole Grain Polenta which takes about 30 minutes to cook, and requires constant attention and stirring.  This time I opted for  Scalafani Instant Polenta, that cooks in only 3 minutes.  You still need to stir it constantly, but for a much shorter time.

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Hint:  when making polenta always use a long handled spoon ( wooden is best) for stirring, because as it thickens it will “pop” as it boils and can burn your hands. (Ask me how I know.)

CHICKEN CACCIATOREIMG_6903

Yield:   Serves 8

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup dry red or white wine
  • 1/2 cup tomato puree ( 1 6-ounce can tomato paste)IMG_6906
  • 2 tablespoons capers
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can unsalted petite diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1.  Place flour in a shallow dish; dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess.

2.  Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add oil; swirl to coat pan.  Add half of chicken; cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned.

Browning the chicken.

Browning the chicken.

Place chicken in a 6-quart electric slow cooker.  Repeat procedure with remaining chicken.  Reduce heat to medium.

3.  Add a drizzle more oil if necessary.  Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic, sauté 4 minutes.

Saute onions, pepper and garlic.

Saute onions, pepper and garlic.

Add wine and tomato puree, stirring to blend ingredients.

Add puree and wine.

Add puree and wine.

Bring to a simmer, adding diced tomatoes, capers, salt , peppers, and oregano.

Add tomatoes and seasonings.

Add tomatoes and seasonings.

Heat through.  Add to slow cooker, pouring over chicken.

4.  Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours or until chicken is tender.  Sprinkle with parsley.

Slow-cooker chicken cacciatore.

Slow-cooker chicken cacciatore.

.Serve it over polenta or pasta.

Serve it over polenta or pasta.

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If you have leftovers, they can be easily transformed into soup:  Shred the chicken, and place in a pot with sauce.  Add unsalted chicken stock, diced zucchini, and diced carrots;  simmer until veggies are tender. Add in any leftover pasta at the end.  Serve with a little grated cheese on top.      One meal becomes two.  YUM!

SOURCE:   Cooking Light

 

Cauliflower Soup

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Soups and tagged with , , , , , , , ,
Cauliflower Soup

Cauliflower Soup

A cold stormy day calls for hot soup. We were hit with an unexpected snow storm the other day that threw everyone into a tizzy. What is it that is so often said about the last day of March, “out like a lamb”?  Not this one. The lion roared again and tied up traffic for miles with multiple accidents. What did I do? I stayed home and sent a barrage of e-mails to the Weather Goddess. Enough is enough, Mother Nature. Check your calendar; it’s Spring!!  😀

Mr. D was so thankful for a steaming hot bowl of soup. He said it hit the spot. This soup is healthy and light. It has a creamy texture from the cauliflower and would lead you to think it was loaded with cream, but there’s not a drop of cream in it. I served it with a drizzle of olive oil on top. It would make a light lunch or first course or serve with a sandwich for a full meal as I did.

Serve with a drizzle of olive oil on top.

Serve with a drizzle of olive oil on top.

A serving of this soup is 1 3/4 cup, with 93 calories, 3 g. fat, 12 g carbohydrate.

CAULIFLOWER SOUP

Very few ingredients.

Very few ingredients.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup chopped onions
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth, (vegetarians can use vegetable broth)
  • 1 medium head of cauliflower chopped into florets (1 1/2 – 2 pounds)
  • kosher salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan or soup kettle, melt the butter over low heat. Add the onions and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the flour and cook about 1 to 2 minutes.

2. Add the chicken broth and cauliflower and increase heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over medium-low heat until vegetables are tender (about 20 minutes.) Turn off the heat.

Cook the cauliflower in the chicken broth.

Cook the cauliflower in the chicken broth.

3. Puree with an immersion blender until smooth, or use a regular blender and puree in small batches. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.

Puree the cooked cauliflower with a blender.

Puree the cooked cauliflower with a blender.

Cauliflower Soup

Cauliflower Soup

 

SOURCE: adapted from Skinny Taste

Flower Power

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Side Dish, Vegetables and tagged with , , , , , , ,
Roasted Cauliflower with Cranberries and Crispy Onions

Roasted Cauliflower with Cranberries and Crispy Onions

Cauliflower is a beautiful thing!!  With its bunches of tightly clustered florets snuggled into green leaves, cauliflower looks somewhat like a flower.  Cauliflower comes in colors other than white–and with added nutrients.  Orange and green cauliflower provide us with beta carotene.  Green cauliflower also has a little more protein.  Purple cauliflower  gets its color from anthocyanins, said to improve memory.  Since its color fades with cooking, you will get the most benefits by eating it raw.

Cauliflower has been called the “skinny starch”.  It has 16 % less carbs and 79 % fewer calories per 1/2 cup than potatoes.  It also has lots of pectin– the same stuff that thickens jams and jellies–so pureed cooked cauliflower has a velvety texture that adds body to soups, and mimics potatoes when mashed.  Cauliflower may also be shredded or finely chopped, then lightly sautéed to make a low-carb “rice” or “couscous”.

If you prepare cauliflower with a sense of adventure, its mild flavor and unique texture allow it to take the place of other higher calorie, higher-starch foods in  winter dishes.  Forget basic steamed florets.  In this recipe you will see that roasty-browned cauliflower mixes well with dried cranberries and crispy French fried onions to make a side dish that goes well with just about any main entree.

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ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH CRANBERRIES AND CRISPY ONIONS

Yield:   Makes 6 – 8 servingsIMG_6629

Ingredients:

  • 1 large head of cauliflower
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3/4 cup French Fried onions, divided
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries, divided
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pistachios, divided
  • 1/2 cup ricotta cheese

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375*F.

2.  Cut cauliflower into small bite-size florets.  Place on a large baking sheet and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper.   Roast for 10 minutes.  Remove cauliflower from oven.  Add 1/2 cup of the French fried onions to the cauliflower on the baking sheet and toss to mix.  Place the remaining 1/4 cup onions off to one side of the baking sheet (these will be used as garnish.)   Roast mixture an additional 10 minutes or until cauliflower reaches desired tenderness and onions are brown and crispy.

3.  In a small bowl, combine ricotta cheese with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

4.  Set aside 2 tablespoons each of dried cranberries and pistachios ( these will be used as garnish).

5.  In a medium bowl, toss warm cauliflower mixture with dried cranberries and pistachios.  Spoon ricotta mixture on top and fold gently, leaving large bits of ricotta.  Garnish with reserved cranberries, pistachios and crispy onions.  Serve immediately.

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SOURCE:   Eating Well

Broccoli and Rice Casserole

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Side Dish and tagged with , , , , ,
Broccoli Rice Casserole

Broccoli and Rice Casserole

Broccoli, rice and cheese seem to have a natural affinity for each other and this recipe has been around in one form or another for years.  But you know what?   We never had it at our house when I was growing up.  I remember having it at church potluck suppers, and I know my friends had it at their house, but this was not one of my mother’s  side dishes. Other popular meals that my friends had were Shake and Bake Chicken and Hamburger Helper, but nope, not us.  I felt so deprived!   And even to this day, as a grown-up,  when I hear or read about broccoli and rice casserole I still get that “left out” feeling.  So I decided to take the bull by the horns and just make it.  With all the people who have made this dish over the years, how hard could it be?

Success!!

Success!!

I know that some people used “Cheez-Whiz” to make this dish real cheesy, but that, too, had been denied to me.  So I followed the path I know and used a cheddar cheese.  You can make this with fresh broccoli if you precook it sightly,  or as a time saver use frozen broccoli florets.  The type of rice you use can vary according to your taste.  I used long grain white rice, but you could use a wild and white rice combination, brown rice, or any other variety of rice.

The finished casserole was indeed cheesy, and had a good proportion of broccoli to rice, so I didn’t feel that it was too heavy with carbohydrates.  It’s filling and satisfying, and goes well with most any meat or fish, or serve with another vegetable and a salad for a meatless meal.

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BROCCOLI AND RICE CASSEROLE

Yield:   Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 medium onion, dicedIMG_6520
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup rice ( long grain, brown, or other)
  • 2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
  • 1 medium head broccoli, stems trimmed, and cut into florets; or use 1 (14 0z.) bag frozen broccoli florets
  • 1 can ( 11 oz.) cream soup, i.e., cream of chicken, mushroom, or celery
  • 3/4 cup shredded cheddar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*F.

1.  Saute onion in 2 T olive oil;  when onion is translucent stir in rice.  Cook and stir for 2 – 3 minutes more.  Add 2 cups broth, bring to a boil, decrease heat and simmer about 40 minutes with the lid on.  Stir a few times to prevent sticking.

2.  Meanwhile cook (or thaw) broccoli, but not completely.  You want it to be on the crisp side.  Drain off any liquid.  Mix in the soup and pepper.

3.  Add the cooked rice and 1/2 cup cheese.

Mix rice into broccoli mixture.

Mix rice into broccoli mixture.

Add the cheese and mix in.

Add the cheese and mix in.

Transfer to a baking dish that has been prepared with non-stick spray.  Top with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350*F.

So good!

It may be April 1st, but this dish is no joke!  😀

SOURCE:    Adapted from The Casserole Connection

Chili Mac

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

Chili Mac

Talk about the need for comfort foods…..it continues here in the Northeast where forecasters are predicting more snow.  A blizzard at sea they’re saying with howling winds and snow along the eastern seaboard and islands.  Oh, no!!  Is this an early April Fool’s Day joke??

Luckily I found this recipe to try and keep us warm.  It is just a little different from my usual way of making chili.  It uses ground turkey and includes macaroni, making a hearty, filling, family-friendly meal with enough to freeze for another meal if you want to.  You can crank up the heat with ground red pepper, or keep it mild if there are sensitive palates at your dinner table.

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Departing from my usual -make  half a recipe- I made the whole amount with the intent of freezing half of it.  This works well for a future meal when you  are in a hurry.  If you do plan to freeze part of it, be sure that the container you use fits in the freezer and also what you’ll be using to reheat it.  You can also  use a zip-lock bag and lay it flat in the freezer so it will stack nicely with other contents of the freezer.  Include the name of the dish, date made and frozen, and instructions for reheating.  Ideally use within 2 months to avoid freezer burn.  To reheat, first thaw somewhat in the microwave until its pliable,  then pour into a baking dish and bake for about 30 minutes to reheat.  Melt some grated cheddar cheese on top for a “just made” look that no-one would suspect had been frozen.

CHILI MAC

Yield:  Serves 8IMG_6921

Ingredients:

  • 12 ounces uncooked rotini, spiral macaroni, or wagon wheel pasta
  • 2 cups red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
  • 1 8-ounce package small mushrooms, chopped
  • 20 ounces ground turkey
  • 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
  • 4 teaspoons ground cumin

    All the seasonings

    All the seasonings

  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 to 1 teaspoon ground red pepper
  • 4 cups low-sodium marinara sauce
  • cooking spray
  • 1 cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions:

1.   Preheat oven to 350*F.  Spray a 2-quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

2.  Cook pasta in boiling water until almost al dente.  Drain.  Combine pasta with beans in a large bowl.

3.  While pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add oil to pan and swirl to coat.  Add onion, pepper, garlic and mushrooms.  Cook for about 8-10 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates.  Add to bowl with pasta and beans.

Sauté the vegetables.

Sauté the vegetables.

Add turkey, cook for 5 minutes or until done, stirring to crumble.

Cook the turkey, stirring to crumble.

Cook the turkey, stirring to crumble.

Add seasonings. (cumin through ground red pepper); Stir in marinara sauce.  Bring to a boil.

4.  Add marinara/turkey mixture to pasta and beans, toss to coat.  Pour desired amount into prepared baking dish.  Top evenly with grated cheddar cheese.

All mixed together.

All mixed together.

5.  Bake at 350*F for 10 minutes or until cheese melts.

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Freeze the remainder, as described above, for another meal.

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SOURCE:    Cooking Light

Monte Cristo Sandwich

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Breakfast, Brunch, Sandwichs and tagged with , , , ,
Monte Cristo Sandwich

Monte Cristo Sandwich

The Sunday morning after we change our clocks ahead for Daylight Savings Time, I always sleep late.  (We did lose an hour of sleep after all).  As a result breakfast is on the late-side, getting close to lunch. So I combine the two and one meal serves as two, i.e. brunch.

That event took place not long ago, and I ended up making this breakfast sandwich that, served with some fruit, was hearty enough to last us till dinnertime.

I used croissants to make these.

I used croissants to make these.

I don’t know what it is, but we seem to love the convenience of a whole meal in one package!  Or maybe its because these handheld meals are so darn delicious, but I am seeing breakfast sandwiches everywhere.  Whether you choose to use a knife and fork, or just grab them and go, these will certainly make you want to get out of bed and get going!

The Monte Cristo sandwich is an American classic, where you dip ham and swiss cheese sandwiches in egg batter and pan-fry them.  Dust the hot sandwiches with confectioners’ sugar and serve with some jam on the side if you like, or drizzle them with maple syrup for a real treat.

MONTE CRISTO SANDWICH

Yield:   Makes 4 servings/sandwiches

Ingredients:

  • Dijon mustard
  • 8 slices country bread (I used croissants for mine)
  • swiss cheese slices ( I used Muenster cheese)
  • sliced ham
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • confectioners’ sugar, if desired

Directions:

1.  Spread mustard on bread.  Layer 4 bread slices with Swiss cheese, ham, and cheese again.  Place remaining bread slices on top.

Layer up the ham and cheese, then dip the sandwich in egg.

Layer up the ham and cheese, then dip the sandwich in egg.

2.  In a shallow dish, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Dip each sandwich in the egg mixture, turning to coat well.

3.  In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  When butter is foamy, add the sandwiches, and cook, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, 6 to 8 minutes total.

Cooking on the griddle.

Cooking on the griddle.

Second side getting browned.

Second side getting browned.

Serve immediately, dusted with confectioners’ sugar.

Forgot to dust them with sugar. :D

Forgot to dust them with sugar. 😀

SOURCE:   Everyday Food

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.

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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

Glazed Corned Beef with Root Vegetables

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with , , , , ,
Glazed Corned Beef with Root Vegetables

Glazed Corned Beef with Root Vegetables

Neither my husband nor I are the tinniest bit Irish, but we love this meal nevertheless.  I have never deviated from the way I first learned to cook it–that is, as a complete meal all cooked together in a large pot of liquid that first cooked the corned beef, then the vegetables that are added in the last hour.  Everything comes out well seasoned because they “borrow’ each other’s flavors and it all melds together.

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This year’s dinner was just a little different.  My piece of corned beef weighed about 3 pounds, and I started cooking it early, so it would be nice and tender.  When I added the vegetables, however, I removed the meat and placed it in a baking dish.  I made a glaze from brown sugar, orange zest, mustard and a pinch of cloves.  I spread that all over the meat and put it into the oven to bake while the vegetables continued to cook in the cooking liquid on the stovetop.  Since the meat was already tender, the baking time in the oven was simply to melt the glaze ingredients and seal the exterior of the meat.  Once sliced, each piece of corned beef got just a rim of the glaze around the outside of it.

The glaze gets all melty and brown in the oven.

The glaze gets all melty and brown in the oven.

I got idea to do this from a handwritten note I had jotted down and tucked away in my recipe box.  So I don’t know what the original source of it was.  I’m just a little sorry that I hadn’t done this sooner.  This new flavor, mild as it is, added a new dimension to the meat, and I think I will continue to do this in the future when I cook corned beef.

GLAZED CORNED BEEF WITIH ROOT VEGETABLES

Yield:   4 – 6 servingsIMG_6878

Ingredients:

  • 1 piece of corned beef, about 3 pounds
  • 4 potatoes, ( white or red-skinned), quartered
  • 4 – 6 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
  • 1 medium turnip, peeled and cut into large chunks
  • 1 small head cabbage, trimmed and cut into wedges

For the glaze:

  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Procedure:

1.  Start cooking the corned beef.   I usually allow about 1 hour/ pound of meat;  so approximately 3 1/2 hours or more before your meal, put the meat into a large kettle along with any spices that were packaged with it.  Add cold water to cover the meat and turn the heat to medium.  Bring slowly to a boil, and once boiling, reduce the heat so the meat is just barely simmering.  Maintain this heat and check periodically to be sure the meat is not cooking too fast.

2.  In the last hour of cooking time, add all the vegetables to the kettle, and remove the meat to a shallow baking dish.

3.  Preheat the oven to 350*F.   In a small dish, mix together all the glaze ingredients.  With a knife or off-set spatula, spread this mixture all over the surface of the meat.  Put into the oven, and bake for about 1/2 hour.  Remove and let meat “rest” before slicing.  Serve with a mixture of the vegetables around it.

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Served with soda bread biscuits, and Irish Stout. It sure was good!!

Served with soda bread biscuits, and Irish Stout. It sure was good!!

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SOURCE:   Unknown

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pie

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Desserts, Pies, Pastry and tagged with , , , , ,
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pie

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pie

I’m taking a break from bacon and eggs because the date today is 3-14, people, and you know what that means—-it’s Pi day!  A food holiday that it’s a pleasure to celebrate.  Of course, it’s not the only day that most of us make pie,  think of Thanksgiving.  But those pies tend to be the traditional classics like pumpkin, apple, pecan, etc.   I like Pi day because it gives me the chance to bake a new pie I haven’t tried yet.  What could be more fun?  The date on the calendar gives me the prefect excuse to play around and make a pie.

Oh, you are going to love this pie!

Oh, you are going to love this pie!

I mulled over the wide choice of possibilities, considering both sweet and savory options.  Sweet won out this time so here is Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pie, and believe it or not, it’s fabulous.

Never having made it before I had no point of comparison, but we loved this pie.  Basically I made a chocolate chip cookie dough, scooped it into a pie shell and baked the whole thing.  At serving time, a dollop of cream on top will take it the extra mile.  I just love the way this came out.  Are you celebrating Pi day with pie?  I’d love to know what flavors you all are making!

This is a fabulous pie!

This is a fabulous pie!

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH PIE

Yield:    serves 8

Ingredients:

I preferred using mini chocolate chips in this pie.

I preferred using mini chocolate chips in this pie.

  • 1   9-inch regular or deep-dish pie shell, unbaked.  Use your favorite recipe or a frozen pie shell.
  • 1/2  cup flour
  • 1 cup  sugar
  • 2 eggs, slightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup butter (1-stick), melted and cooled to warm
  • 1 cup regular or quick oats ( or 1/2 cup oats and 1/2 cup chopped nuts)
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Directions:

1.   Preheat oven to 350*F  In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and sugar.  Add the eggs and mix.

Add eggs to flour and sugar and mix well.

Add eggs to flour and sugar and mix well.

Add the butter and mix again.

2.  Fold in the oatmeal and nuts, if using, chocolate chips, and vanilla.

Fold in the oatmeal, and chocolate chips.

Fold in the oatmeal, and chocolate chips.

Pour into the pie crust.

Ready for the oven.

Ready for the oven.

3.  Bake at 350*F.  for about 30 – 35 minutes, until golden.

Smells like a chocolate chip cookie. I wonder why!

Smells like a chocolate chip cookie. I wonder why!

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Oooey, gooey, and chewy. :D

Oooey, gooey, and chewy. 😀

SOURCE:   Carolyn’s Originals