CHILI HOMINY BAKE

Back when I was a latch key kid I was supposed to go home after school, lock the door, do my chores and homework and then start dinner. Dinners were mainly casseroles and a pre-planned set of recipes at that. One of those recipes was my great aunt Louise’s Chili Hominy Bake. I recently ran across that recipe and it drudged up memories – some good, some not so good. You see I can’t stand kidney beans or black olives and I hated hominy – or so I thought. I did love the overall flavor, but since I didn’t like the parts I decided to rework them to make a better whole!

AUNT LOUISE’S JIFFY CHILI HOMINY BAKE
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 pound can chili with beans (2 cups)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can yellow hominy, drained (2 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons sliced ripe olives
1/2 cup shredded American cheese

Cook ground beef and onion until browned.
Stir in other ingredients except cheese.
Put in casserole.
Cover and bake in medium oven for 25 minutes.
Sprinkle cheese over top, continue baking uncovered 5 minutes more.
Good re-heated.

MY CHILI HOMINY BAKE
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 Vidalia onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 packet Williams Chili seasoning
1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chiles, drained, but save the juice
1 can cream of celery soup
1 large can hominy, drained & chopped small
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt & pepper to taste

Cook ground beef, garlic and onion until browned.
Add in the chili seasoning mix and tomato juice.
Cook until well blended and juice is absorbed.
Chop hominy smaller.
Stir together the soup, tomatoes and chiles, hominy until well blended.
Stir together the soup mixture and beef mixture until well blended.
Put in greased casserole.
Sprinkle cheese over top, continue baking uncovered 25-30 minutes more.
Good re-heated.

The key was taking out the kidney beans, black olives and chopping the hominy into better sized pieces. Now that might not be the key for you so add them back in! This is a very versatile recipe. I guarantee these changes will make this a great kid friendly casserole.

BAKED OMELETS a.k.a. CRUSTLESS QUICHE

The beauty of making individual omelets is that you can truly have what you want. Hubs hates mushrooms and I love them. He likes his with more salt and I like more pepper. You see where I’m going with this? It’s all about what YOU want. They also take half as much time to bake as a whole casserole would.

The one on the left is rotisserie chicken, mushroom, onion, fresh ground pepper and nacho cheese. The one on the right is pot roast, onion, green Tabasco, salt and pepper with sharp cheddar cheese. These are a good place to use up some leftovers!

BAKED OMELETES aka CRUSTLESS QUICHEBASIC EGG MIXTURE – per person

2 eggs
1/8 cup whole milk
1/8 cup sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
Fillings to taste

Spray ramekins with cooking spray,
Fill bottom with your favorites.
Whisk together the eggs, sour cream and milk.
Pour over fillings.
Bake 30 minutes or until cooked through.
Let sit 5 minutes.
Invert onto plate and enjoy.

PASTA FAGIOLI

PASTA FAGIOLI
2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (16 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained
1 (16 ounce) can white kidney beans, drained
2 1/2 cups hot water
1 KNORR beef broth gel tub
3 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons pepper
5 teaspoons parsley
1 teaspoon Frank’s hot sauce (optional)
1-6 ounce V-8
1-8 ounce tomato sauce with herbs (I used Contadina)
8 ounces pasta

Brown beef in a skillet, drain off fat.
Whisk together the hot water, knorr beef broth gel and spices.
Add to crock pot with everything except pasta.
Cook on low 7-8 hours or high 4-5 hours.
During last 30 min on high or 1 hour on low, add pasta.
Enjoy.

BROWN BAG CHICKEN aka IMPERIAL CHICKEN

I found this recipe in my bottomless box of magazine tear outs, clipped recipes from old worn cookbooks, grams old recipe cards and printouts to try. I’ve adapted it to my love of skinless, boneless chicken.

BROWN BAG CHICKEN aka IMPERIAL CHICKEN

1 cup dried bread crumbs (I use my stale sourdough ends and made my own)

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 clove garlic, minced

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons minced parsley

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon white pepper

large brown paper lunch sack, new and clean

PURE

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a small food processor blend bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper until finely ground and well blended.
Spray the inside of the paper bag with PURE really well.
Dip chicken into melted butter and then into bread crumbs.
Place chicken pieces in the bag, fold over and close tightly.
Bake 30-45 minutes. Be careful when you open the bag as the steam escapes. Chicken will be moist on the inside and crispy on the outside.

CHICKEN MARSALA

I loved Italian food long before I met hubby. I’m also a creature of habit. When I find a dish that I absolutely adore I will try it every time I go out to find who makes it best. Unfortunately for this recipe no one makes it quite like it was originally made and I was forced to make my own recipe. I also found out that I have to hide the wine or hubby makes it disappear without benefit of the recipe/meal LOL.

Chicken Marsala

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – pounded 1/4 inch thick
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 small white onion, sliced into thin rings and then separated
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced thin
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup Marsala wine
1/4 cup sweet cooking sherry

With a mortar and pestle grind the oregano.
Sift together the flour, salt, pepper and oregano.
Coat the chicken pieces well with the flour mixture.
In a heavy skillet, heat oil and butter.
When oil and butter is hot, saute’ onions and mushrooms until just caramelized.
Set aside onions and mushrooms and place chicken breasts in skillet and brown on both sides about 6 minutes per side over medium heat. Remove and set aside, but keep warm.
To the skillet, add the wine, lemon juice and sherry. Stir, reduce heat, and cook for about 10 minutes until the sauce is partially reduced and begins to thicken.
Return onions and mushrooms to the skillet.
Plate chicken breasts.
Spoon sauce over the chicken.
Cover and cook over low heat for about 5-10 minutes or until chicken is done.

WEEKLY MENU PLANS

Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie

	DATE	BREAKFAST	LUNCH	DINNER
MONDAY	6/23	YOGURT	SANDWICHES	Black River Meatloaf
TUESDAY	6/24	BAGEL & CREAM CHEESE	FRUIT & CHEESE	Kentucky Hot Brown
WEDNESDAY	6/25	YOGURT	SOUP	Black Eyed Pea Chili
THURSDAY	6/26	FRUIT	FRUIT & CHEESE	Chicken Chow Mein
FRIDAY	6/27	CEREAL	SALAD	Golden Fungus Burger
SATURDAY	6/28	Shirred Eggs	OUT	Black Bean Chicken Nachos
SUNDAY	6/29	Carrot Cake Pancakes with Cream Cheese Syrup	C.O.R.N	C.O.R.N

FRITO PIE RE-VISITED aka BLACK BEAN CHICKEN NACHOS

My mom sent me a recipe recently that she’d made and said they’d really loved. It is sooooo simple, EXTREMELY TASTY, but moreover it was really easy to “modify” – you know me, I MUST modify! I’ll put the original recipe up and note the adjustments in red.

FRITO PIE RE-VISITED aka BLACK BEAN CHICKEN NACHOS
1 tablespoon butter
~~4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 lb.)~~ 1 pound chicken tenders **
~~1 cup TACO BELL thick & chunky salsa~~ 1 cup PACE thick and chunky salsa
~~1 can (15 oz.) black beans, undrained~~ 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained but not rinsed
~~1 cup KRAFT 2% Milk shredded Cheddar Cheese~~ 1 cup TILLAMOOK medium shredded cheddar cheese
FRITOS

Melt butter in skillet and brown chicken until just cooked through.
Add salsa and beans. Bring to a boil and cover. Simmer on medium to low about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Top with cheese. Cover and let stand until cheese is melted – 4-5 minutes.
Serve over Fritos and a dollop of sour cream.

**Next time I’ll cut the tenders into bite sized pieces.

ORANGE or LEMON BANANA NUT BREAD

ORANGE BANANA NUT BREAD or LEMON BANANA NUT BREAD
2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup crushed walnuts
1/3 cup shredded coconut
2 medium or 3 small RIPE bananas
2 eggs
6 oz. can unsweetened orange juice concentrate*
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Sift together the dry ingredients.
In a large mixing bowl blend together the orange juice concentrate, bananas and eggs.
Blend in nuts, coconut and raisins.
Add flour mixture until well mixed.
Pour into greased loaf pan.
Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.
Immediately top with melted butter.

*I use a large can as the small cans are getting hard to find, but using a large serrated knife, cut it in half and then make juice out of the other half. This recipe is also good if you substitute lemonade for the orange juice.

TEXAS CAVIAR

While researching black eyed peas (not an easy thing to do with a band by the same name) I ran across a reference to Texas Caviar. I read and read all those recipes and found the 2 consistent ingredients are black eyed peas and Italian dressing. So I started with those ingredients and from there added the ingredients I like most. We loved the results. We ate it for New Year’s day with fresh tortilla chips, prime rib and twice baked potatoes. Eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day is thought to bring prosperity. See what you think. I also found it ironic, at least in my case that since my family is from and for the majority in Texas that I had never heard of this before.

TEXAS CAVIAR
1 pound black eyed peas
2 cups Italian salad dressing
1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
1 large shallot, chopped
1 bunch finely chopped green onions (tops too)
finely chopped jalapeno peppers to taste
3 cloves finely chopped garlic
Salt & hot pepper sauce to taste (I used Frank’s red pepper sauce)
Tortilla chips

Soak peas in enough water to cover overnight.
Drain well. Pick out bad beans.
Transfer peas to saucepan. Add enough fresh water to cover.
Over high heat bring to boil.
Let slow boil until tender, about an hour or so, but do not overcook.
While peas are cooking chop remaining ingredients and mix well with dressing.
Drain peas well.
Blend into dressing mixture and let cool.
Chill several hours.
Serve with tortilla chips.

Originally native to India, but widely grown in many countries in Asia, the black-eyed pea was introduced into the West Indies and from there to the Southern United States as early as the 1600s in Virginia. Most of the black-eye pea cultivation in the region, however, took firmer hold in Florida and the Carolinas during the 1700s, reaching Virginia in full force following the American Revolution. The crop would also eventually prove popular in Texas. Throughout the South, the black-eyed pea is still a widely used ingredient in soul food and various types of Southern U.S. cuisine. The planting of crops of black-eyed peas was promoted by George Washington Carver because, as a legume, it adds nitrogen to the soil and has high nutritional value. Black-eyed peas are an excellent source of calcium. Isn’t Wikipedia wonderful? I learn something every day!

PASTRAMI BURGERS

These couldn’t have been much simpler and were super tasty!

PASTRAMI BURGERS
1/2 pound ground beef per person
1 slice BOAR’S HEAD pastrami per person
1 green onion, minced per person
1 clove garlic, minced per person
1 slice provolone cheese per person
1/3 cup bread crumbs per 4 burgers
1 JUMBO egg per 4 burgers
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together except cheese.
Form burgers by hand.
Chill 2 hours.
Pan fry or grill.
Top with provolone cheese and serve.

GOLDEN FUNGUS BURGER

This was my first recipe in the BUNLESS BURGER SERIES. Bread in general is expensive and can be timely to make. It also doesn’t help on my diet so thought I would try going “bunless” and we are soooooooooooooooo glad we did. With planning to eat the burger with a knife and fork I was able to add so many more ingredients that would have otherwise made the bun mushy and slippery. I hope you enjoy this as much as we did.

So simple, but oh so yummy too.

GOLDEN FUNGUS BURGER

2 1/3 # burger patties

1/2 large Vidalia onion, sliced thin

4-5 large button mushrooms, sliced thin

1 large Roma tomato or 4 baby Roma tomatoes, sliced thin

1/4 cup Chablis

1/3 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Grill burgers inside or out. I add just a touch of Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to the meat and hand form the patties.
In a large sauce pan melt butter.
When sizzling add onions and saute’ until translucent.
Add mushrooms and saute until tender.
Add wine and continue sauteing until moisture has sizzled away.
Add tomatoes until heated through.
Plate burger.
Top with onion mixture and then cheese. I use the pan lid over the plate for a minute to melt the cheese.

THE PERFECT APPETIZER

THE PERFECT APPETIZER
1 large rich, ripe tomato, sliced 1/4 inch and then halved
1 ripe kiwi, sliced
several large red seedless grapes, halved
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/8 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
coarse fresh ground black pepper
Himalayan pink sea salt
Parmesan cheese, grated

Slice and arrange fruits on small appetizer plates.
Sprinkle each plate generously with the sugar, salt and pepper.
Whisk together the lemon juice, lime juice and white wine vinegar.
Pour vinegar mixture over each plate.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Server immediately.

Category: MISC

Chicken Marsala