Blog Archives
Thursday Recipe Exchange: Portuguese Beef and Pasta
Years ago, when I was first learning to ski, I was very frustrated by the amount of time I spent on my ass and not skiing. Someone told me that if I wasn’t spending a lot of time picking myself up, I wasn’t really skiing. I needed to push my limits to get better. In other words, it was all good. I find that information works for a lot of things in life. Cooking is no exception.
This week, I spent a lot of time on my figurative ass, playing with the new crock-pot making various recipes. There were epic failures. The first thing I tried was a slow cooker meatloaf. It called for a basic meatloaf recipe – I have a favorite – and then cook all day on low. The results were not stellar. More like steamed meatloaf. An unappetizing color and texture. Not the nice deep brown of a good baked loaf. I was able to salvage it by cutting it into thin slices and frying it up for sandwiches.
I'll stick to these scalloped potatoes from now on.
The next failure was the scalloped potatoes. This called for a slightly modified recipe, a bit more moisture than in the baked method. The flavor was fine, the texture was horrible. Kind of like if you reheated some that you baked. Rubbery and chewy. I’m not sure how you could modify the recipe to get a creamier texture. I’d love to hear any ideas in the comments.
The rest of the week was spent making traditional slow cooker foods – soups and a lovely pot roast. It wasn’t a total loss. I did learn that for a fool-proof slow cooker recipe it’s best to have a recipe that can cook, unattended, all day without risk of ruin. Both the potatoes and the meatloaf really could not have cooked any longer than they did. They would have turned out even worse.
So that was adventures in cooking this week. What foods do you use your slow cooker for successfully? Anything usual that we’ve never thought of? Hit the comments. Next week I think our theme will be Mardi Gras, and I’m hoping you’ll come prepared to share some favorite drinks as well as Cajun food recipes. Someone should bring the King’s cake recipe, too.
Here’s one of my favorite fool-proof slow cooker recipes:
Portuguese Beef & Pasta
This works best if you cook the pasta separately and either add it to the beef the last 15 minutes or serve the beef over the pasta. This is one of those slow cooker recipes that the longer it cooks, the better it gets, usually 10 hours minimum for best flavor.
- 1 lb round steak, cut into thin strips, remove excess fat
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 1 green pepper, cut into thin strips
- 1 tsp crushed garlic
- 6 oz can tomato paste
- 2-14 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- 1 bay leaf (remove before serving)
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper
- 8 oz dry macaroni**
Slow-Cooker and saucepan
Add beef, salt, pepper, onion, green pepper, garlic, paste, diced tomatoes, water, bay leaf & red pepper to Slow-Cooker. Cook according to manufacturer’s directions (usually 8-10 hours on low) until beef tears easily with a fork. In saucepan, cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain well (you don’t want any water in your beef mixture) and mix beef and pasta and serve.
**Ditilani works really, or any tiny pasta, like tiny elbow macaroni or tiny bow-ties.
Whole Wheat Bread
It snowed again today. No one was happy about it. I needed something warm and comforting and bread seemed like the perfect way to cozy up the house.
At altitude, bread is always tricky. I have a few alterations, but no guarantees they will work every time. One thing I usually do is a quick-rise. I turn the kneaded bread out into a prepared pan. In this case my big cast iron skillet.
I cover it with a damp towel and wax paper and let it double. I don’t punch it down and do second rise. This creates a loaf that is denser and a bit yeastier – less complex in flavors than a double-rise loaf, but eliminates the risk of the dough rising too much, and then falling and creating a brick instead of a loaf of bread. Then I brush the loaf with cold water, place a tray of ice cubes in a shallow baking pan on the bottom rack and bake as usual. At the 20 minute mark I do an egg wash and let bake until it reaches 200 degrees F in the center (thanks JeffreyW for that tidbit).
This gives it a nice crisp, chewy crust. Some butter and honey and you’re all set to go. What’s this? I went to the cupboard and the honey pot was empty. Oh bother.
Super Bowl Recipes: Buffalo Chicken Dip
Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images
No secret I have friends in Patriot-land and it seems in the last few years Colorado/Denver and Boston/New England have gone against each other in various sporting events and I’m forced to fall back on my original upbringing – New England all the way. Although I will admit I was truly torn between the Red Sox/Rockies World Series match-up. I alternated between my Rox gear and my BoSox gear. This year, no such dilemma as the Patriots face off with the Giants.
So from the land of the Patriots comes another Super Bowl recipe from my friend Butch Maier. Take it away, Butch:
Now that the Patriots are in the SuperBowl I will reveal my winning dip that I have been making. by the way the Pats record is 7-0 when I make ths dip,Alabama won a national championship with this dip so here goes………….(btw)NO GIANTS FANS can use this weekend.
BUFFALO (not bills) CHICKEN DIP…..
- 8oz pkg of cream cheese
- 1/2 cup of blue cheese or ranch dressing
- 1/2 cup of Texas Pete hot sauce or Franks Hot Sauce will do
- 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
- I use 2-12oz cans of chicken or use 2 boneless breasts
- plenty of scooping chips.
Stir is softened cream cheese,dressing,hot sauce,cheese,and chicken mix it all around in a big bowl then put in a 9 inch pie plate smooth out and I bake 20 mins at 350 until its bubbling…..
In the interest of blog equity, I’m willing to post a Giant’s fan recipe. Email me with it or hit the comments with it. :-D
Super Bowl Recipes: Quick and Easy Chili
I’m nursing a cold, so I put together a spicy chicken soup and let it slow cook all day. It was the perfect dinner when I returned from work. That was not the first recipe I was going to try. I was going to try one of the many recipes I’ve stumbled on since I bought the new crock-pot. It seems I have under estimated the usefulness of slow cookers and am now going to really explore some new ideas like meatloaf and scalloped potatoes – both favorite dishes that take too long for week nights when baked in the oven. If you have any favorite slow cooker recipes, hit the comments, I’d love to hear them.
But until then, I put out a request on facebook for favorite Super Bowl recipes. I was rewarded with some great ideas. Well start with my oldest brother’s chili, including stove top and slow cooker instructions.
Chili layered with fritos and shredded cheese Photo fom Fritos.com
From Gary:
Quick and Easy Chili
- 1 lb ground beef
- 3-5 Jalapenos finely chopped (depending on heat)
- 1/2 green pepper chopped
- 1/2 sweet onion chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic crushed and chopped
- Lg. can V8 Juice
- 2 cans kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 can Original Ro-Tel
- 2 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 Tsp cumin
- 1/2 Tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
Brown ground beef and drain. Saute jalapenos, green pepper, onion and garlic. In large pot combine all ingredients bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer, covered for at least 30 minutes.
In my house we serve chili with fritos and shredded cheddar, layered in a bowl – fritos, chili, cheese and more fritos.
Slow Cooker instructions: Following instructions above, add everything to slow cooker, cook on high for 15 minutes, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 6 to 8 hours.
Also, if you are serving at a party, you can cook in large pot above for 30 minutes and then transfer to slow cooker on low or warm to keep it hot during the festivities.
Thursday Night Recipe Exchange: Spinach Recipes
Recipe Exchange cross-posted at Balloon-Juice.
I thought last week went really well. Thanks for playing along. This week we delve into spinach recipes. I used to hate spinach. This is probably because I am a child of the 70′s and the only spinach I ever saw was canned or frozen, with the consistency of slime. As an adult I discovered fresh, baby spinach and I never looked back. One of my favorite spinach recipes is Spinach Lasagna.
JeffreyW's stuffed manicotti with spinach
To get us started:
Spinach Lasagna
This is one of my most requested recipes. Every time I make it, someone wants the recipe. Since the prep time is long, I usually only break it out for special occasions. It freezes well, so you can make a double batch and freeze two 8×8 pans of uncooked lasagna for two more meals. Thaw the night before (in the refrigerator) and cook until heated through, about 45 minutes to an hour. This recipe is great vegetarian, or you can add ground beef and sausage if desired.
This recipe takes about an hour to prepare and another hour to cook. It easily serves 6 – 8
Sauce:
- 3-15 oz cans tomato sauce
- 2-6 oz cans tomato paste
- 14 oz can diced tomatoes
- 2 tsp oregano, crushed
- 3 tsp basil, crushed
- 3 tsp crushed garlic
- 1 medium carrot, peeled & finely grated
- pinch of sugar (reduces acidity of the tomatoes)
- Optional: ½ lb ground beef and ½ spicy Italian sausage, browned
Saucepan
Add all ingredients to saucepan on medium-high, stirring constantly until it begins to boil lightly. Turn to low and let simmer while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Lasagna:
- 1 pkg lasagna noodles (16 oz), cooked and placed in cool water until layering*
- 16 oz ricotta cheese
- 8 oz fresh baby spinach, washed and dried and chopped
- 1 egg
- 12 oz sliced mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
13×9 baking dish (I prefer glass), lightly oiled
To prepare: Mix ricotta, spinach and egg until well blended. Ladle a layer of sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Cover in a single layer of noodles. Ladle sauce over noodles. Spoon ½ of the ricotta mixture evenly (if you place large dollops evenly like putting cookie dough on a baking sheet, fairly close together, it will spread as it cooks, no need to smooth it). Layer 1/3 of the mozzarella over the ricotta. Repeat: noodles, sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, noodles. On top of the last layer of noodles, add remaining sauce, mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, uncovered – I like to place the baking dish on a baking sheet to catch any spills as it bubbles. Place knife through the center, if it comes out heated through, remove and let stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving. If it needs more cooking time, you can cover with foil to keep the cheese from burning and cook 10 more minutes. Let stand uncovered before serving.
*if you’d like to make your own noodles, here is the recipe I use:
Lasagna Noodles
When I do make the pasta, I make three, pan-sized noodles, rolled very, very thin. I place them uncooked in the dish, so they absorbed much of the sauce. I usually make a bit extra sauce to serve on the side with the lasagna.
- 3 cups unbleached flour
- 3 egg yolks
- 3 eggs
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup water
In a large bowl, add flour. Make a well in the center and add egg yolks, eggs and salt. Mix well with a fork. Mix in water, 1 tbsp at a time until dough forms a ball. Turn out onto a well floured board or pastry sheet. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Divide dough into 3 equal parts. Roll one ball out as thin as possible (I use a marble rolling pin, you can also use a pasta machine). Make sure to cover remaining balls with a damp towel until ready to use. Cut to fit pan. Repeat with remaining dough until you have 3 pan sized noodles. DO NOT COOK homemade noodles before putting lasagna together. Follow directions above for putting lasagna together.
Next Week: Favorite Super Bowl Food
Sesame Brittle
I made a quick batch of sesame brittle today. I love this stuff and it’s so easy to make. Of course it would have been quicker if I’d remembered to oil the wax paper. It comes off unoiled, but it’s a slow process.
Originally from March of 2010:
Sesame Brittle
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
- salt
saucepan, wax paper and baking sheet
In saucepan over high heat, melt butter and sugar and stir to combine. Without stirring, cook until mixture becomes a light to medium caramel color, about 3-5 minutes, then add sesame seeds and stir in. Pour mixture onto a well oiled wax paper or well oiled parchment paper covered baking sheet and spread into an even, thin layer, about 1/8 to 1 /4-inch thick, with wooden spoon. Shape will be irregular, but don’t worry, you are just going to break it into pieces after it cools anyway. Immediately shake a bit of salt over top of mixture and lightly press into caramel using spoon. I used less than a 1/4 tsp for the entire mixture and that was plenty, though your mileage may vary. Allow to set-up for about 10-15 minutes. When brittle has hardened and cooled, break into pieces and enjoy. Store in an air-tight container.
Tes’ Rice Flour Flatbread
I was reading through Tes At Home and she linked back to a recipe I must have missed this summer. I’m posting it here, not just because it sounds good, but I wanted to have it handy so I can try it sometime soon. And bonus, it’s gluten free.
From Tes at Home
Pathiri- Rice Flour Flatbread
Ingredients (make 15 flatbreads)
3 cup rice flour
More rice flour for dusting and rolling
1 1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
Preparation
- Boil water with salt. Add flour, stir to form rough clumps, and cover it for 5 minutes. Let it cool down until manageable by hands.
- Pile the lumps of flour together and knead until smooth.
- Divide the dough into 15 parts and roll each part into thin circle sheet.
- Heat the skillet over the medium heat. Roast flatbreads until puffed up and cooked thoroughly. Serve hot with some curry or spicy meat.
===========================
Head to her blog to see the complete photo instructions. She does beautiful photos. These sound so good. I just put rice flour on the shopping list and hopefully I’ll get to these sometime this week. Yum. I think they would go really well with honey or orange glazed chicken.
Southwestern Quiche
Since I was talking about whisks, thought it would be nice to come up with a recipe that gives the whisk a workout. I thought a southwestern style quiche made with a tortilla crust sounded really tasty and fit the bill. It’s based on a Cook’s Country recipe and called for pre-cooked chicken – I thought that sounded a little blah, so I substituted Queso Blanco. I’ve also seen similar recipes with canned corn and diced tomatoes, too. I think you can safely add what you like and make it your own. This is on my weekend list to prepare so there may be photos later.
Photo by Pleclare
Southwestern Quiche
- 10-inch flour tortilla (burrito size)*
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cup pickled jalapenos, drained and chopped
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 6 oz queso blanco (fresco), cut into small cubes
- salt and pepper
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup unbleached flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- sour cream (opt garnish)
- salsa (opt garnish)
- black olives (opt garnish)
quiche or pie pan, large bowl
Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Press tortilla into a lightly oiled pie plate or quiche dish. Toss 1 cup of cheddar cheese, queso, cilantro, jalapenos, salt and pepper in large bowl until well combined. Spread over tortilla. Whisk together eggs, milk, flour, baking powder, salt and pepper until smooth. Pour over filling mixture and then sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese over the top. Bake until it is golden brown – about 20 minutes – remove and let cool for about 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve with garnishes.
TaMara
jeffreyww
LFern7
indylib
