Hello bloggie world!
My blog has a new look and hopfully a new life! As the new year approaches I have started thinking about those New Year's Resolutions and along with the old standards (hello, thighs?) I am going to add blogging to my list.
I will still post about what we are eating but I am also going to post about other things that I am passionate about...parenting, organizing, home decorating/ design, crafty fun...
The new title came from a little project tha tI have brewing in my basement...more details to come soon!!!
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Banana Split Pancakes
Paula Deen. Just thinking her name means 2 things...
1. Stock up on butter
2. stay away from the scale
I have a love/ hate relationship with her. I love that her food tastes good and her recipes are pretty easy to understand. I hate that her food is horrible for you and the recipes, while easy to understand, are not always easy to execute.
I was in the mood for BFD (Breakfast For Dinner) this week so I scheduled in a recipe that I had ripped from a magazine in January of 2010. It's from the "Jack's Corner" page of the magazine...it's usually a recipe that is very kid friendly.
The Recipe: Banana Split Pancakes
Ingredients
Pancakes:
2 C all-purpose flour
2 T sugar
1 T baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 C whole milk
2 lg. eggs, separated
1/4 C butter, melted
1 C banana, mashed
1/2 C miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
whipped cream
maraschino cherries
Hot Pineapple Syrup:
1 (20 oz) can pineapple chunks
1 T cornstarch
2 T butter
1/4 C packed brown sugar
1/2 C pancake syrup
1 t vanilla extract
Preparation
1. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
2. In a medium bowl, combine milk, egg yolks, and melted butter.
3. Add milk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until combined.
4. Stir in mashed banana.
5. In a medium bowl, beat egg whites at high speed with a mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into batter.
6. Add chocolate chips, stirring gently to combine.
7. Spoon about 1/4 C batter for each pancake onto hot griddle or in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook pancakes for 1 minute. turn pancakes, and cook for 1 minute.
8. Repeat procedure with remaining batter. Serve immediately with Hot Pineapple Syrup. Garnish with whipped cream and cherries, if desired.
Hot Pineapple Syrup:
1. In a small bowl, combine 3 T of pineapple juice and cornstarch, stirring to combine; set aside.
2. In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat; add drained pineapple, remaining juice and brown sugar.
3. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer for 2 minutes.
4. Add cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly, and simmer for 1 minute, or until thickened.
5. Remove from heat; stir in pancake syrup and vanilla. Serve immediately.
The Verdict
These are yummy. They are a pain in the but to make...this recipe creates a lot of dishes and it seems like everything needs to be done at once. I am comfortable in my kitchen but I don't have 4 hands so it was a bit of a challenge.
The highlight of the recipe is DEFINITELY the Pineapple Syrup...seriously, it's so good that you just want to drink it. I find it refreshing to have a syrup that is so flavorful that you don't need to put a speck of butter on the pancakes and this syrup definitely does that!
I used just under a cup of banana...any more and it would have over-powered the pancakes.
Word of caution...be VERY careful in the actual cooking of the pancakes. Keep the griddle closer to 300 otherwise they will singe on the outside and the inside won't get cooked. Also...the batter will be VERY thick...you only need about 1/4 C to make a 4"-6" pancake. And as you put it on the griddle try to spread it around as thin as you can...Don't worry, it will fluff up. If you put in on thick, the insides will not cook.
Lastly...these are fun.
1. Stock up on butter
2. stay away from the scale
I have a love/ hate relationship with her. I love that her food tastes good and her recipes are pretty easy to understand. I hate that her food is horrible for you and the recipes, while easy to understand, are not always easy to execute.
I was in the mood for BFD (Breakfast For Dinner) this week so I scheduled in a recipe that I had ripped from a magazine in January of 2010. It's from the "Jack's Corner" page of the magazine...it's usually a recipe that is very kid friendly.
The Recipe: Banana Split Pancakes
Ingredients
Pancakes:
2 C all-purpose flour
2 T sugar
1 T baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 C whole milk
2 lg. eggs, separated
1/4 C butter, melted
1 C banana, mashed
1/2 C miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
whipped cream
maraschino cherries
Hot Pineapple Syrup:
1 (20 oz) can pineapple chunks
1 T cornstarch
2 T butter
1/4 C packed brown sugar
1/2 C pancake syrup
1 t vanilla extract
Preparation
1. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
2. In a medium bowl, combine milk, egg yolks, and melted butter.
3. Add milk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until combined.
4. Stir in mashed banana.
5. In a medium bowl, beat egg whites at high speed with a mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into batter.
6. Add chocolate chips, stirring gently to combine.
7. Spoon about 1/4 C batter for each pancake onto hot griddle or in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook pancakes for 1 minute. turn pancakes, and cook for 1 minute.
8. Repeat procedure with remaining batter. Serve immediately with Hot Pineapple Syrup. Garnish with whipped cream and cherries, if desired.
Hot Pineapple Syrup:
1. In a small bowl, combine 3 T of pineapple juice and cornstarch, stirring to combine; set aside.
2. In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat; add drained pineapple, remaining juice and brown sugar.
3. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer for 2 minutes.
4. Add cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly, and simmer for 1 minute, or until thickened.
5. Remove from heat; stir in pancake syrup and vanilla. Serve immediately.
The Verdict
These are yummy. They are a pain in the but to make...this recipe creates a lot of dishes and it seems like everything needs to be done at once. I am comfortable in my kitchen but I don't have 4 hands so it was a bit of a challenge.
The highlight of the recipe is DEFINITELY the Pineapple Syrup...seriously, it's so good that you just want to drink it. I find it refreshing to have a syrup that is so flavorful that you don't need to put a speck of butter on the pancakes and this syrup definitely does that!
I used just under a cup of banana...any more and it would have over-powered the pancakes.
Word of caution...be VERY careful in the actual cooking of the pancakes. Keep the griddle closer to 300 otherwise they will singe on the outside and the inside won't get cooked. Also...the batter will be VERY thick...you only need about 1/4 C to make a 4"-6" pancake. And as you put it on the griddle try to spread it around as thin as you can...Don't worry, it will fluff up. If you put in on thick, the insides will not cook.
Lastly...these are fun.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Turkey Taco Salad
It's Mexican Monday at the Bussan house! My favorite "Mexican" dish is just a simple taco salad...it's super-quick and tastes good! It's about as basic as you get.
The Recipe: Turkey Taco Salad
Ingredients
1 lb. Ground Turkey
Penzey's Taco Seasoning
Romaine Lettuce
Shredded Cheese - Four Cheese Mexican Blend
Taco Sauce
Salsa
Tostitos Scoops
Preparation
1. Cook turkey in skillet with Taco Seasoning. I tend to shake the seasoning over the raw meat and cook it right in.
2. Chop and clean lettuce. Place in the bottom of a deep casserole dish.
3. Pour warm meat over lettuce. Layer Shredded Cheese over meat.
4. Spoon out of dish, serve over bed of Tostito Scoops.
5. Top with Salsa and/ or Taco sauce as desired.
Yum.
Yum.
Two things that make this recipe fabulous...
1. Penzey's Taco Seasoning.
http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeystacoseas.html
2. The Salad Genius.
No...I am not kidding. This thing lives up to the hype. You place what you want chopped over the grid and smash down the lid...BOOM! The lettuce drops right into the bowl. It's...well...Genius! (Sharp as heck...I've got the scars to prove it!) I chopped 4 hearts of romaine tonight in about 4 minutes flat. This thing rocks. http://www.amazon.com/Genius-Chopper-6-piece-Preparation-System/dp/B003STLBZ8
The Recipe: Turkey Taco Salad
1 lb. Ground Turkey
Penzey's Taco Seasoning
Romaine Lettuce
Shredded Cheese - Four Cheese Mexican Blend
Taco Sauce
Salsa
Tostitos Scoops
Preparation
1. Cook turkey in skillet with Taco Seasoning. I tend to shake the seasoning over the raw meat and cook it right in.
2. Chop and clean lettuce. Place in the bottom of a deep casserole dish.
3. Pour warm meat over lettuce. Layer Shredded Cheese over meat.
4. Spoon out of dish, serve over bed of Tostito Scoops.
5. Top with Salsa and/ or Taco sauce as desired.
Yum.
Yum.
Two things that make this recipe fabulous...
1. Penzey's Taco Seasoning.
http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeystacoseas.html
2. The Salad Genius.
No...I am not kidding. This thing lives up to the hype. You place what you want chopped over the grid and smash down the lid...BOOM! The lettuce drops right into the bowl. It's...well...Genius! (Sharp as heck...I've got the scars to prove it!) I chopped 4 hearts of romaine tonight in about 4 minutes flat. This thing rocks. http://www.amazon.com/Genius-Chopper-6-piece-Preparation-System/dp/B003STLBZ8
Banana Bread
Banana Bread. I'm honestly not a fan of it but the husband loves it. I am so NOT a fan of it that I can't even tell you how it tastes...because I don't even want to eat it. However...Dave has given it his seal of approval so I will share. This recipe is incredibly easy...impossible to screw up!
The Recipe: Banana Bread
Ingredients
1 C Sugar
1/4 C Shortening
1 Egg
3 Ripe Bananas, mashed
2 C Flour
1/2 t Salt
1 t Baking soda
1 t Baking Powder
Dash of Nutmeg
Dash of Cinnamon
Vanilla Sugar
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 300.
2. Combine ingredients in order listed, mixing thoroughly after each new ingredient added.
3. Pour batter into greased loaf pan. Sprinkle Vanilla Sugar generously over top.
4. Bake for 1 hour.
5. Remove from pan to let cool.
The Verdict
Smells good...the husband says it tastes good and tends to eat the entire loaf all by himself so it can't be too bad!
This recipe makes a very dense bread...it is more of a dessert-y type bread.
A couple of notes...
1. I use really ripe bananas because they give a better flavor. Basically...they are best when you are just about to toss them.
2. For a twist...I have made this as a Chocolate-Banana bread. Substitute one container of Chocolate Pudding ( about 1/2 to 3/4 Cup...I usually just use a pre-made Snak-pack or swiss miss type) for one of the bananas. Leave out the nutmeg and cinnamon. It's yummy and has just a hint of chocolate to it! You can add some chocolate chips if you want a bit more bite.
3. I use Penzey's Vanilla Sugar on the top. It gives it a nice sweet crust as it bakes.
The Recipe: Banana Bread
Ingredients
1 C Sugar
1/4 C Shortening
1 Egg
3 Ripe Bananas, mashed
2 C Flour
1/2 t Salt
1 t Baking soda
1 t Baking Powder
Dash of Nutmeg
Dash of Cinnamon
Vanilla Sugar
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 300.
2. Combine ingredients in order listed, mixing thoroughly after each new ingredient added.
3. Pour batter into greased loaf pan. Sprinkle Vanilla Sugar generously over top.
4. Bake for 1 hour.
5. Remove from pan to let cool.
The Verdict
Smells good...the husband says it tastes good and tends to eat the entire loaf all by himself so it can't be too bad!
This recipe makes a very dense bread...it is more of a dessert-y type bread.
A couple of notes...
1. I use really ripe bananas because they give a better flavor. Basically...they are best when you are just about to toss them.
2. For a twist...I have made this as a Chocolate-Banana bread. Substitute one container of Chocolate Pudding ( about 1/2 to 3/4 Cup...I usually just use a pre-made Snak-pack or swiss miss type) for one of the bananas. Leave out the nutmeg and cinnamon. It's yummy and has just a hint of chocolate to it! You can add some chocolate chips if you want a bit more bite.
3. I use Penzey's Vanilla Sugar on the top. It gives it a nice sweet crust as it bakes.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Pulled Pork
;Pulled Pork. Really...enough said. It's pretty simple. Kinda hard to mess up. Though I did make it once with Dr. Pepper and I really wasn't impressed...But that's another story for another day!
Ever heard of Penzey's? I LOVE Penzey's! They sell spices. That's it. It never ceases to amaze me how much better food will taste if you use fresh, quality spices. At first glance they seem a bit expensive...but when you use quality spices then you don't have to use as much...so you use less...so you don't need to buy as often...which makes the "expense" factor a moot point. They ship...or you can visit their store. The Madison store is beautiful...and a bit like a playground for me! http://www.penzeys.com/
This is the key to my pulled pork...
I'm not a big fan of spicy food. I like things to be flavorful but I do not enjoy not being able to taste my food because my taste buds were burned off. We won't even talk about how ridiculous my husband is in this area... BBQ 3000 is perfect...the flavor is amazing and it adds just the right amount of heat.
The Recipe: Pulled Pork
Ingredients
Pork Butt Roast
Chicken Broth
Water
BBQ 3000 Seasoning
Fresh Bakery Buns
Sweet Baby Ray's Hickory and Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce
Preparation
1. Spray crock pot with a light coat of pam.
2. Pour chicken broth into crock pot. Add 1/2 soup can of water.
3. Take roast out of wrapper...dry off with paper towel. Rub roast thoroughly with a VERY generous amount of BBQ 3000. Be sure to rub it into the nooks and crannies of the roast. Place roast in the crock pot.
4. Sprinkle additional BBQ 3000 over top of the roast.
5. Cook on low 8-10 hours.
6. Place cooked roast on a large platter. (Remove twine netting with kitchen shears if necessary.) Use 2 forks to pull meat apart...it should pretty much fall apart all by itself.
7. Use a slotted spoon to remove any large piece of fat that may be floating in the remaining liquid in the crock pot. Put shredded pork back into the broth.
8. Serve on fresh buns. Top with Sweet Baby Ray's. Yum.
The Results
Well...considering it's my recipe I think it's fabulous :) So does my husband...he ate 2 big sandwiches. And Aidyn...who ate 2 helpings and didn't have to asked to "just eat, please..." for the first time in weeks!!!
A couple of notes...
Friday night is date night in the Bussan house. I get to go out to eat with my favorite guy and my favorite girl! We are heading back to my parent's place this weekend so we will be eating out on Saturday, too. Next up will be PW Lasagna on Sunday night! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm........
Ever heard of Penzey's? I LOVE Penzey's! They sell spices. That's it. It never ceases to amaze me how much better food will taste if you use fresh, quality spices. At first glance they seem a bit expensive...but when you use quality spices then you don't have to use as much...so you use less...so you don't need to buy as often...which makes the "expense" factor a moot point. They ship...or you can visit their store. The Madison store is beautiful...and a bit like a playground for me! http://www.penzeys.com/
This is the key to my pulled pork...
I'm not a big fan of spicy food. I like things to be flavorful but I do not enjoy not being able to taste my food because my taste buds were burned off. We won't even talk about how ridiculous my husband is in this area... BBQ 3000 is perfect...the flavor is amazing and it adds just the right amount of heat.
The Recipe: Pulled Pork
Ingredients
Pork Butt Roast
Chicken Broth
Water
BBQ 3000 Seasoning
Fresh Bakery Buns
Sweet Baby Ray's Hickory and Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce
Preparation
1. Spray crock pot with a light coat of pam.
2. Pour chicken broth into crock pot. Add 1/2 soup can of water.
3. Take roast out of wrapper...dry off with paper towel. Rub roast thoroughly with a VERY generous amount of BBQ 3000. Be sure to rub it into the nooks and crannies of the roast. Place roast in the crock pot.
4. Sprinkle additional BBQ 3000 over top of the roast.
5. Cook on low 8-10 hours.
6. Place cooked roast on a large platter. (Remove twine netting with kitchen shears if necessary.) Use 2 forks to pull meat apart...it should pretty much fall apart all by itself.
7. Use a slotted spoon to remove any large piece of fat that may be floating in the remaining liquid in the crock pot. Put shredded pork back into the broth.
8. Serve on fresh buns. Top with Sweet Baby Ray's. Yum.
The Results
Well...considering it's my recipe I think it's fabulous :) So does my husband...he ate 2 big sandwiches. And Aidyn...who ate 2 helpings and didn't have to asked to "just eat, please..." for the first time in weeks!!!
A couple of notes...
- I use a roast that it just over 4 lbs. I also always use a Butt roast. There are other cuts you could use but I use the Butt (of the shoulder...not the heinie!) because it has less fat and because it usually comes pre-tied. It is usually enclosed in a twine mesh and it holds it together as it cooks. Without the twine it will bust apart and can get mushy...especially if you are cooking it for 10ish hours.
- You can use any kind of bread...I like bakery Hamburger buns. They just work. If you have time try smearing them with butter and putting them under your broiler for a few minutes to brown them and make them yummy and crunchy.
- Feel free to add fresh black pepper or more BBQ 3000 to the meat if you want a little more kick.
Friday night is date night in the Bussan house. I get to go out to eat with my favorite guy and my favorite girl! We are heading back to my parent's place this weekend so we will be eating out on Saturday, too. Next up will be PW Lasagna on Sunday night! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm........
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Chocolate Chip Muffins
Hi, my name is Jen...and I'm addicted to Chocolate Chips.
Serious...deep love of all things semi-sweet chocolate!!! We had left-overs for dinner tonight so there is no new dinner recipe to report. However, I did give in to the urge to bake after dinner...
The Recipe
Chocolate Chip Muffins
Ingredients
3/4 lb. Chocolate Chips
1/3 lb. soft butter
4 medium eggs
2 1/2 cups of flour
1 cup of sugar
1/4 cup or milk
1 T baking powder
1/2 t vanilla
1/2 t salt
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Beat the butter and vanilla together to form a light, airy mixture.
3. One at a time, add the eggs, beating gently after each one. Add 1/4 C of the sugar after each egg and mix thoroughly
4. Put baking powder and salt in the milk, then add to the mixture.
5. Fold in the flour and chocolate chips.
6. Pour mixture into your buttered muffin pan, filling each cup two-thirds full.
7. Bake for 25 minutes or until muffins turn golden brown.
Direct Recipe Link:
http://www.muffinrecipes.net/chocolate-chip-muffins.html
The Verdict
In a word...Good.
BUT...let's break it down a bit. My first gripe is with the measuring of the ingredients. Seriously? 1/3 lb. butter? I don't use a kitchen scale and my brain isn't math-ready at 6:45pm. So I used about a stick and half...it was probably a bit much...but it worked. Second issue is that it does not look good while it mixes up. It is lumpy and actually looks curdled...but it's ok because they still tasted fine. Third, there is no way that you can pour this dough into the cups. It is thick...scoopable thick. It looks more like cookie dough than muffin batter...but it certainly doesn't taste that way :)
They didn't rise much...the taste was still good...but they were kind of dense. I'm thinking that my baking powder might need to be replaced.
I am withholding full judgement until tomorrow. We will see how they settle and taste once they are fully cooled and sit for a while.
Serious...deep love of all things semi-sweet chocolate!!! We had left-overs for dinner tonight so there is no new dinner recipe to report. However, I did give in to the urge to bake after dinner...
The Recipe
Chocolate Chip Muffins
Ingredients
3/4 lb. Chocolate Chips
1/3 lb. soft butter
4 medium eggs
2 1/2 cups of flour
1 cup of sugar
1/4 cup or milk
1 T baking powder
1/2 t vanilla
1/2 t salt
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Beat the butter and vanilla together to form a light, airy mixture.
3. One at a time, add the eggs, beating gently after each one. Add 1/4 C of the sugar after each egg and mix thoroughly
4. Put baking powder and salt in the milk, then add to the mixture.
5. Fold in the flour and chocolate chips.
6. Pour mixture into your buttered muffin pan, filling each cup two-thirds full.
7. Bake for 25 minutes or until muffins turn golden brown.
Direct Recipe Link:
http://www.muffinrecipes.net/chocolate-chip-muffins.html
The Verdict
In a word...Good.
BUT...let's break it down a bit. My first gripe is with the measuring of the ingredients. Seriously? 1/3 lb. butter? I don't use a kitchen scale and my brain isn't math-ready at 6:45pm. So I used about a stick and half...it was probably a bit much...but it worked. Second issue is that it does not look good while it mixes up. It is lumpy and actually looks curdled...but it's ok because they still tasted fine. Third, there is no way that you can pour this dough into the cups. It is thick...scoopable thick. It looks more like cookie dough than muffin batter...but it certainly doesn't taste that way :)
They didn't rise much...the taste was still good...but they were kind of dense. I'm thinking that my baking powder might need to be replaced.
I am withholding full judgement until tomorrow. We will see how they settle and taste once they are fully cooled and sit for a while.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Sour Cream Noodle Bake
Ahhh, The Pioneer Woman. I must admit, though I am new to the world of Ree Drummond, I have developed a significant love for her web-site and her recipes. Most recipes are too die for...even if she uses a bit too much onion for my taste :) One of the things that I absolutely adore about her site is the pictures. They make you want to lick your computer screen (and if you are anything like me, your screen hasn't been cleaned in a while so that's just gross...). I've learned a lot about cooking just from watching the pictures and I've tried things that I would not have been comfortable doing without a little pictorial guidance! You will be seeing quite a few recipes from her site here...they are that good!!!
Tonight I had more time to cook so I went with something that takes a bit more effort.
Recipe: Sour Cream Noodle Bake
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 8
Ingredients
1-¼ pound Ground Chuck
1 can 15-ounces Tomato Sauce
½ teaspoons Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
8 ounces, weight Egg Noodles
½ cups Sour Cream
1-¼ cup Small Curd Cottage Cheese
½ cups Sliced Green Onions (less To Taste)
1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. Brown ground chuck in a large skillet. Drain fat, then add tomato sauce. 1/2 teaspoon salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Stir, then simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.
2. Cook egg noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese. Add plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Add to noodles and stir. Add green onions and stir.
4. To assemble, add half of the noodles to a baking dish. Top with half the meat mixture, then sprinkle on half the grated cheddar. Repeat with noodles, meat, then a final layer of cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until all cheese is melted.
Direct Recipe Link:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/03/sour-cream-noodle-bake/
The Verdict:
It was good. It kind of tasted like goulash but with less sauce. Not phenomenal...my eyes didn't close in foodie bliss...but it was good. I left out the onions and I honestly don't think that it would have added much. The cottage cheese was really good...it added just the right amount of cheesy-ness. I do think it needed something...Dave said it needed "more sauce" and I think that he was right. I would add more tomato sauce...maybe even double it.
Will I make it again? Yes...but I think that I would play with it more. Add more sauce. Add some garlic. Add mushrooms. Add more cheddar cheese.
Tomorrow?
Tomorrow night is left over night at the Bussan house! We will have a buffet of...
meatloaf
enchiladas
empanadas
sloppy joes
broccoli
peas
...and who knows what else!!!
Tonight I had more time to cook so I went with something that takes a bit more effort.
Recipe: Sour Cream Noodle Bake
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 8
Ingredients
1-¼ pound Ground Chuck
1 can 15-ounces Tomato Sauce
½ teaspoons Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
8 ounces, weight Egg Noodles
½ cups Sour Cream
1-¼ cup Small Curd Cottage Cheese
½ cups Sliced Green Onions (less To Taste)
1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. Brown ground chuck in a large skillet. Drain fat, then add tomato sauce. 1/2 teaspoon salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Stir, then simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.
2. Cook egg noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese. Add plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Add to noodles and stir. Add green onions and stir.
4. To assemble, add half of the noodles to a baking dish. Top with half the meat mixture, then sprinkle on half the grated cheddar. Repeat with noodles, meat, then a final layer of cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until all cheese is melted.
Direct Recipe Link:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/03/sour-cream-noodle-bake/
The Verdict:
It was good. It kind of tasted like goulash but with less sauce. Not phenomenal...my eyes didn't close in foodie bliss...but it was good. I left out the onions and I honestly don't think that it would have added much. The cottage cheese was really good...it added just the right amount of cheesy-ness. I do think it needed something...Dave said it needed "more sauce" and I think that he was right. I would add more tomato sauce...maybe even double it.
Will I make it again? Yes...but I think that I would play with it more. Add more sauce. Add some garlic. Add mushrooms. Add more cheddar cheese.
Tomorrow?
Tomorrow night is left over night at the Bussan house! We will have a buffet of...
meatloaf
enchiladas
empanadas
sloppy joes
broccoli
peas
...and who knows what else!!!
Monday, March 28, 2011
Creamy Enchiladas
Quick dinner tonight as I had rehearsal at 6:00.
(Direct Recipe Link:
http://www.kraftbrands.com/philly/recipes/Pages/Recipe-Detail.aspx?recipeId=121713#category=817&subcategory= )
But I was unable to get the Santa Fe flavored cooking creme...so here is what I did.
1...I used Roma tomatos. Added a good flavor.
2...I only use a small amount of onion and chopped it fine. It was still too much for me, but the husband was happy.
3...I mixed about 2 T of Taco seasoning (Penzey's, of course...) into the regular-flavored Cooking Creme.
4...I also mixed in about 1/2 C. of Salsa Verde.
5...Added more salsa verde to the top and extra cheese. Baked it covered with foil for 15 minutes, uncovered for 10.
Over all...good. I think that this could be great and will be making it again and leaving out the onion and using the Sante Fe flavored creme.
Tomorrow: Sour Cream Noodle Bake from The Pioneer Woman
Easy Chicken Enchiladas
- Prep Time
- 15 mins
- Total Time
- 35 mins
- servings
- 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 tsp. oil
- 3 cups shredded cookedchicken breasts
- 1 can (14.5 oz.) no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 tub (10 oz.)PHILADELPHIA Santa Fe Blend Cooking Creme, divided
- 1/2 cup KRAFT Mexican Style Finely Shredded Four Cheese
- 8 flour tortillas (6 inch)
Directions
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Cook and stir onions in hot oil in large skillet on medium heat 4 to 5 min. or until crisp-tender. Stir in chicken, tomatoes, 3/4 cup cooking creme and shredded cheese.
- Spoon about 1/3 cup chicken mixture down center of each tortilla; roll up. Place in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; top with remaining cooking creme. Cover.
- Bake 15 to 20 min. or until heated through.
(Direct Recipe Link:
http://www.kraftbrands.com/philly/recipes/Pages/Recipe-Detail.aspx?recipeId=121713#category=817&subcategory= )
But I was unable to get the Santa Fe flavored cooking creme...so here is what I did.
1...I used Roma tomatos. Added a good flavor.
2...I only use a small amount of onion and chopped it fine. It was still too much for me, but the husband was happy.
3...I mixed about 2 T of Taco seasoning (Penzey's, of course...) into the regular-flavored Cooking Creme.
4...I also mixed in about 1/2 C. of Salsa Verde.
5...Added more salsa verde to the top and extra cheese. Baked it covered with foil for 15 minutes, uncovered for 10.
Over all...good. I think that this could be great and will be making it again and leaving out the onion and using the Sante Fe flavored creme.
Tomorrow: Sour Cream Noodle Bake from The Pioneer Woman
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