Category: CASSEROLES & SIDES

CHICKEN COUNTRY CASSOULET ~ CLASSIC GOOD EATS

CHICKEN COUNTRY CASSOULET
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 pound thick-cut bacon, diced
1 pound fat sausages of choice, cut into bite sized pieces
3 tablespoons butter
1 large Vidalia onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 carrots, sliced
1/2 pound snap peas, washed and deveined
1/4 cup fresh minced parsley
1 14-ounce can petit diced tomatoes, basil, garlic & oregano
1 tablespoon Classico sun-dried tomato puree
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon dried
2 +/- cups chicken stock
2 cups seasoned bread crumbs**
salt and ground black pepper

  •  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  • Brown the bacon until browned and crumbly in Dutch oven casserole dish.  Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
  • Add chicken and sausages and brown on all sides. Remove from fat and set aside. 
  • Add the onions and garlic and cook 3-4 minutes until softened. 
  • Add the carrots, snap peas and parsley, sauteing 3-4 more minutes.
  • Add tomatoes, tomato puree, spices and salt and pepper to taste.
  • Add meat back in.
  • Add enough of the stock to just cover the meat and veggies, you don’t want things swimming around too much.  You can always add more stock during the cooking if needed. 
  • Cover dish and cook 1 hour.
  • Add more stock if necessary. Spread crumbs over the top and cook uncovered for 40 more minutes or until browned. 
  • Try adding other vegetables such as broccoli or white beans for variety.  

    **I used crushed ritz crackers today and they worked reallllllllllllllly well as a substitute!

      IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCEED, TRY, TRY AGAIN

      OOPS wrong adage, but the try, try again really fits.  I like to succeed, but I also LOVE to experiment.  My dear friend Jenn and hubby both gave yesterday’s Bleu cheese spread for the DANISH CUBE STEAK REVISITED two thumbs up, but I couldn’t stop there – I still had spread left!  I also had a fresh pork loin and had just read Martha’s STUFFED FLANK STEAK recipe and voile’ just like Melanie Griffith, er Tess McGill in Working Girl combining Trask and radio to succeed, I had an idea! I combined pork roast, our new favorite Bleu cheese spread and Martha’s flank steak style with superb results – true success!

      STUFFED PORK LOIN – serves 4

      1 small pork roast, cut in half
      1 1/2 ounces Bleu cheese crumbles
      1/4 cup mayonnaise
      1/8 cup minced green onions
      • In a small food processor blend together the mayonnaise, bleu cheese crumbles and green onions until smooth.
      • Cut volcano shaped slice out of the center of each pork half.  Next time I will buy a large roast and have it butterflied, but today I worked with what I had.
      • Fill with bleu cheese mixture.
      • Salt and pepper generously.
      • Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour- 1 1/4 hours.
       

      Now nothing goes to waste at our house.  We use it until it can be used NO more.  If it’s a sauce, it may become a dressing for hubby’s salads by adding flavored vinegars or oils or a filling for a casserole, but it gets used.  I had  a tiny bit of BBQ sauce left and it is one of our favorites, but it wasn’t enough to do much with, so I used it as a rub on the baked potatoes and then mixed the last couple of tablespoons with some butter and sour cream and darned if it wasn’t super yummy and flavorful too!

      Spicy Sausage, Chicken, and Beans

      Spicy Sausage, Chicken and Beans
      adapted from Rachel Ray’s 30 Minute Meals
      2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
      3/4 pound bulk Italian hot sausage
      3/4 pound, 1 package, andouille sausage, cut into 1-inch lengths on an angle
      1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into large chunks
      Salt and freshly ground black pepper
      1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced
      2 carrots, shredded
      3 to 4 ribs celery from the heart, thinly sliced
      1 fresh bay leaf
      2 (15-ounce) cans white cannellini beans
      5 to 6 fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced
      1 cup dry white wine
      2 cups chicken stock
      1/2 loaf baguette
      3 tablespoons butter, melted
      A handful fresh parsley sprigs, left whole
      3 to 4 sprigs fresh thyme, left whole

      Directions: Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat with extra-virgin olive oil. Crumble the Italian sausage into large pieces, add to Dutch oven and begin to brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the andouille and crisp at edges, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove browned sausages to a paper towel lined plate and add chicken, season with salt and pepper. Lightly brown chicken a couple of minutes on each side then add veggies and bay leaf, add more salt and pepper and cook 7 to 8 minutes more to soften veggies. Add sausages back to the pan along with the beans and sage. Deglaze with wine and stir in the stock.

      Turn broiler on and set rack in the middle of the oven.

      Coarsely chop the bread in food processor into large crumbs, remove blade and toss with melted butter (it melts in 15 seconds in microwave) and the parsley, thyme, salt and pepper. Cover the sausage and chicken with bread and set in oven to brown 2 to 3 minutes. Serve directly from the pot. Keep an eye out for that bay leaf and sprigs!

      Modifications:

      -I used turkey kielbasa.
      -I added 1/2 bag of frozen vegetables to it.
      -I didn’t use any celery.
      -I added 3 cloves of crushed garlic.
      -I did not make the bread on top of the dish.

      Here’s what you’ll need:
      Grate 1 large carrot.
      Cut up one onion.
      Crush three cloves of garlic.
      Pull the casing off of the sausage. Although it doesn’t say to do this in the recipe, I saw Rachel do this when watching this episode.
      Cut up 2 chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.
      Put olive oil in a dutch oven and then cut up the sausage.  Put the sausage in the pan to brown.
      Once the sausage is browned, pull it out.
      Put the chicken with garlic and onions in the pan.
      Once the chicken had browned up some, add the carrots and 1/2 bag of frozen vegetables.
      Add the thyme, salt, and pepper.
      Chop up a handful of parsley.
      Once the chicken is fully cooked and the vegetables are softened up, put the sausage back in.
      Add 2 cans of garbanzo beans  (drain first).
      Put in the parsley.
      Add about 1/4 cup of wine to deglaze the bottom (Optional).  Then, add the chicken broth.  
      Since we really like beans I added a can of pinto beans.
       
      Here’s what you’ll end up with:

      Grown Up Mac & Cheese with updated Danish Cube Steak

      GROWN UP MAC & CHEESE
      12 ounce package pasta
      3 tablespoons flour
      3 tablespoons butter
      2 cups whole milk
      1/2 teaspoon sea salt
      1 teaspoon Frank’s hot sauce
      3/4 cup sharp white cheddar cheese
      3 ounces bleu cheese crumbles
      1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

      • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
      • Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain Well.
      • Melt butter in a medium saucepan.  Add salt.
      • In a small food processor pulse bleu cheese crumbles until fine.  Set aside.
      • Add flour and whisk constantly over medium heat until smooth.
      • Gradually add milk, whisking constantly.  
      • Add hot sauce.  Bring to a slow boil.  Simmer for 5 minutes.
      • Remove from heat and whisk in all cheeses, salt and pepper to taste until smooth.
      • Mix pasta and cheese mixture together until well blended.
      • Scoop into a casserole or ramekins.
      • Bake 15-20 minutes.
      • Top with chopped chives.

        DANISH CUBE STEAK REVISITED
        3 ounces bleu cheese crumbles
        3/4 cup mayonnaise
        1/4 cup minced green onions
        6 pork cube steaks
        1/2 cup panko crumbs
        2 tablespoons butter

        • In a small food processor blend together the mayonnaise, bleu cheese crumbles and green onions until smooth.
        • Coat steaks on both sides with mayonnaise mixture.
        • Dredge through panko crumbs.
        • Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
        • Add cube steaks and brown on both sides.

            Moong Dal Dosa with Potato Masala


            This week I will bring you to India for a simple moog dal (split mung beans) dosa, also known as pesarattu, with potato (aloo) masala that I made to go inside the dosa.
            When I was searching for a variety of recipes on moong dal I ran across ManjulaAdd Image video on how to make moong dal dosa. I still had about a cup of split mung beans leftover form another recipe I made, just enough to try making this. I found the split mung beans at an Asian store.

            I did stick pretty much to the recipe, with just a few changes…or additions. This is what the mung beans look like before they are soaked.

            They don’t change too much just plump up a little. I did add some garlic cloves to the beans as they soaked, and I soaked them overnight just because of the timing. You can soak them for as little as 2 to 4 hours she calls for. A lot of dosa recipes will have you soak them over night and also will have rice as well.

            I did mine in the food processor just because it was already out, or you could use a blender. In the food processor you add the beans, about a quarter slice of ginger, chili pepper (depends on how spicy you what it to what kind you use or not) 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp salt and some water, about 1/2 cup but add it as you go until you get the right consistency. I added a little dill and the garlic that was soaking with it.

            For the potato masala take a medium size sauce pan, add a tablespoon of oil, about 2 medium boiled potatoes diced, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/4 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup green peas. In a tiny skillet in a little hot oil add a pinch of hing, 1/2 Tbsp black mustard seeds and 1/2 tsp cumin seeds until it sizzles and pops. Then add to the potatoes and sir in 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice (I just squeezed some over it) and some chopped cilantro.

            Use a large non-stick skillet or you could use a tova if you have one, or a flat cast iron pan, or like I have a flat quesadilla pan that I use and it works perfectly. Make sure the pan is hot before you take half a cup of the bean puree and ladled (or poured) it on. It worked well with the back of a large plastic spoon to spread it circular and outward motion, smoothing as you go. When it starts to brown a little around the edges and firm up you drizzle a little oil around the edges and over the top. You don’t need much oil. Then with the back of a pancake flipper, just spread the oil over the top.

            Then when it’s ready…flip it…easy breezy! After a little while, flip it again so the pretty side shows after you fill it, and finish.

            Place the potato mixture in the center like you would fill a crepe.

            Flip one side over it, then the other side, and there you have it.

            Ta-da! You can serve it with some sambal, or your favorite chutney. Traditionally it is eaten with coconut chutney, but I didn’t learn how to make that yet. It’s next on my list. (I know I did this backwards). Of course Maranda ate hers with sour cream! You could serve the potato masala along side or inside like we did.

            I will definitely make this again, everyone liked it. I was able to bring out my Indian Spice Box, which I just love, it comes in so handy.

            We had it for lunch, but it would be a great dish for breakfast too. You can make it ahead and seal the mixture in a airtight container to use at a later time!

            You can visit me at The Tiny Skillet anytime! I hope you will try this and enjoy a tiny taste of India!

            SLOPPY JOE CASSEROLE

            SLOPPY JOE CASSEROLE

            1 tablespoon extra light olive oil
            1 1/2 pound beef
            1 medium onion, finely chopped
            1 teaspoon minced garlic, jar
            salt and pepper to taste
            1/3 cup brown sugar
            2 teaspoon Montreal steak seasoning
            1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
            1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
            1 teaspoon liquid smoke
            2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato pesto
            1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
            1 teaspoon Better than Bouillon beef base
            2 cups prepared rice
            1 cup grated cheese
            • Heat olive oil and add ground beef.
            • Generously salt and pepper.
            • Brown beef, onion and garlic. Drain.
            • Add brown sugar, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, steak seasoning and beef base. Cook for 5 minutes.
            • Add tomato paste and tomato sauce.
            • Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.

            SLOPPY JOE CASSEROLE

            SLOPPY JOE CASSEROLE

            1 tablespoon extra light olive oil
            1 1/2 pound beef
            1 medium onion, finely chopped
            1 teaspoon minced garlic, jar
            salt and pepper to taste
            1/3 cup brown sugar
            2 teaspoon Montreal steak seasoning
            1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
            1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
            1 teaspoon liquid smoke
            2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato pesto
            1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
            1 teaspoon Better than Bouillon beef base
            2 cups prepared rice
            1 cup grated cheese
            • Heat olive oil and add ground beef.
            • Generously salt and pepper.
            • Brown beef, onion and garlic. Drain.
            • Add brown sugar, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, steak seasoning and beef base. Cook for 5 minutes.
            • Add tomato paste and tomato sauce.
            • Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.

            Wild Rice Casserole with Sausage and Pecans

            One of my favorite go-to meals. For those days when you haven’t really made any real plans for dinner. I always try to keep sage pork sausage in the freezer. It is quick to put together and cooks for the most part, in the oven. Serve with a side salad and bread and you have dinner. Try not to skip the pecans they make the dish.
            Wild Rice Casserole with Sausage and Pecans
            * 1/2 cup chopped pecans
            * 1 (1-lb.) package sage ground pork sausage
            * 1 tablespoon butter
            * 1 large onion, chopped
            * 1 cup chopped celery
            * 2 (6-oz.) packages long-grain and wild rice mix (I use Uncle Ben’s brand)
            * 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
            * 1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 tsp. dried rubbed sage
            * 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
            * 3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
            1. Heat 1/2 cup chopped pecans in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, 5 minutes or until toasted. Remove toasted pecans from skillet.
            2. Brown sausage in same skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, 10 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Remove sausage from skillet using a slotted spoon; reserve drippings in skillet.
            3. Melt butter in hot drippings over medium heat. Add onion and celery, and sauté 10 to 15 minutes or until celery is tender.
            4. Remove 1 seasoning packet from rice mixes; reserve for another use. Combine sausage, vegetable mixture, remaining seasoning packet, rice, and next 3 ingredients in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Stir in chicken broth until well blended.
            5. Bake, covered, at 325° for 1 hour or until liquid is almost absorbed. Let stand 5 minutes. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top.

            ZUCCHINI, PEPPERS & POTATO BAKE

            This is a great side dish that I make often. What’s great about it is that you can adapt it to your own tastes. In the mood for spicy?  Add some cayenne.  Or do what I often do and add more garlic! 

            This is healthy and delicious and goes with just about everything!
            Zucchini, Peppers & Potato Bake 
            3 potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs), cut into bite size pieces
            1 zucchini (about 1 lb), quartered and cut into bite sized chunks
            1 onion (I didn’t use this but I usually do), chopped in large chunks
            1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
            2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
            1/3 cup bread crumbs (I used garlic and herb)
            2 tbsp. olive oil            1/2 tsp. paprika
            Salt and pepper, to taste

            Toss together veggies in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and toss with bread crumbs. Season with paprika, salt and pepper. Put on a baking sheet covered with cooking spray and cook in a 400 degree oven for about 1 hour or 1 1/4 hours. Stirring occasionally until potatoes are tender and lightly brown. You may need to adjust cooking time depending how done you want your veggies.

            Total calories = 1170
            6 servings = 195 calories

            1 Orange Chipotle Rib + Zucchini, Peppers & Potato Bake = 595 calorie dinner

            CHICKEN COUNTRY CASSOULET

            CHICKEN COUNTRY CASSOULET
            3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
            1/2 pound thick-cut bacon, diced
            1 pound fat sausages of choice, cut into bite sized pieces
            3 tablespoons butter
            1 large Vidalia onion, diced
            4 garlic cloves, minced
            4 carrots, sliced
            1/2 pound snap peas, washed and deveined
            1/4 cup fresh minced parsley
            1 14-ounce can petit diced tomatoes, basil, garlic & oregano
            1 tablespoon Classico sun-dried tomato puree
            1/2 teaspoon dried sage
            1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
            2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon dried
            2 +/- cups chicken stock
            2 cups seasoned bread crumbs**
            salt and ground black pepper

            •  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
            • Brown the bacon until browned and crumbly in Dutch oven casserole dish.  Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
            • Add chicken and sausages and brown on all sides. Remove from fat and set aside. 
            • Add the onions and garlic and cook 3-4 minutes until softened. 
            • Add the carrots, snap peas and parsley, sauteing 3-4 more minutes.
            • Add tomatoes, tomato puree, spices and salt and pepper to taste.
            • Add meat back in.
            • Add enough of the stock to just cover the meat and veggies, you don’t want things swimming around too much.  You can always add more stock during the cooking if needed. 
            • Cover dish and cook 1 hour.
            • Add more stock if necessary. Spread crumbs over the top and cook uncovered for 40 more minutes or until browned. 

            **Try adding other vegetables such as broccoli or white beans for variety.   I used crushed Ritz crackers today and they worked reallllllllllllllly well as a substitute!

            Fire Day Friday: Vegetable Burritos

            Hundreds of thousands of years ago, I made a recipe for vegetable burritos that came from a recipe pamphlet from RoTel. Okay, carbon dating and fossil records show it was actually just over 15 years ago.

            We loved it back then and thought it was an impressive recipe. That was back when I was just learning to cook for Alexis and my new family. Tonight we dragged this one out of the archives and upgraded it to how we would have made it now compared to back then.

            Fire Roasted Vegetable Burritos with Cilantro/Roasted Pepper Queso

            Source: NibbleMeThis

            1 cup long grain rice
            2 ea vidalia spring onions (green onions if you can’t get them)
            1 ea red bell pepper
            1 ea poblano or cubanelle chile
            1 ea cherry pepper
            1 can diced tomatoes
            2 cups cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
            1 ea serrano pepper, finely diced (skip if you want mild, double if you want hot)
            1 cup refried beans
            1 cup salsa
            6 ea flour tortillas (mission sized burrito tortillas)
            6 oz Mexican Dipping Cheese (We get El Viajero brand)
            4 oz milk
            1/4 cup cilantro

            Start your grill to direct high heat at about 500f (skip if using your broiler and oven)

            Cook your rice according to directions.

            Grill the green onions just enough to get a slight browning on them (about 1 min a side). Fire roast or broil your peppers until blackened on all sides. The fire roasting brings out the best of the veggies.


            Don’t be afraid that they are “too charred”. That makes them easier to peel and won’t affect the final flavor. This one wasn’t done enough yet, just to give you an idea.


            Place the peppers in a plastic zip top bag, they’ll steam on their own for 5 minutes.

            Cut the ends off each pepper and slice down the length of one side to open them up. Remove the seeds from the inside. Flip and lightly scrap the charred skin off with the sharp edge of a knife.

            Dice the green onions.

            As soon as the rice is finished, stir in the green onions, red bell pepper, and cubanelle/poblano pepper (reserve the cherry pepper for the cheese sauce). Stir in 1 cup of the cheese and the serrano pepper.

            Taste the rice mixture for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.

            Repeat for each tortilla:
            Spread about 3 Tbsp of refried beans on the tortilla. Top with 1/2 cup of the rice mixture. Sprinkle more cheese and 3 Tbsp of salsa on top. Roll up burrito style and place seam side down in a casserole dish. (Click here for a photo tutorial of how I fold mine.) Top with a few sprinkles of more shredded cheese.

            Place the dish in your oven preheated to 350f (or in our case, a grill set up at 350f for indirect heat) and cook for 25 minutes.

            Cut the queso cheese into 1/2″ cubes and put into a small sauce pan. Add the milk, cilantro, and diced cherry pepper and warm until melted over medium/low heat.

            Serve the burritos with the sauce poured over the top or on the side.

            Don’t let the minimal amount in the picture fool you. As soon as the pictures were taken and my burrito was cut up, I ladled a good bit of that queso sauce all over my burrito!

            In case you’re interested, here’s the original version. It’s a lot easier and still good.

            Vegetable Burritos
            Yields: 6

            Ingredients
            1 Pam non stick spray
            1 can (12 oz) Rotel (Diced tomatoes/chilis)
            1 cup instant rice
            1/2 cup water
            1 Green pepper
            2 Green onions
            2 cups cheddar cheese
            1 cup refried beans
            10 8″ tortillas
            1 cup salsa
            Black olives to taste

            Instructions
            preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9x 12 x 2 baking dish w/ spray. In medium saucepan, combine Rotel, rice & water. Heat to boil, reduce heat, cover, & simer 1 minute. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Stir in pepper, onions and 1 cup cheese. Spread 3 table spoons beans over each tortilla. Layer rice mixture over beens and sprinkle on more cheese & salsa. Roll up and place seam down in prepared baking dish. Cover w/ foil. Bake 25 minutes.

            SPICY SHEPHERD’S PIE

            Hi Everybody, I am April from Meals For Real.  I am a stay-at-home mom of 3, 2 boys and 1 girl, ages 7, 3, and 1.  I am not a chef but I am a mom who has to deal with the different and changing tastes of my family.  I try to make easy, (somewhat) healthy meals that will appeal to my family.  If my kids eat it then I know that dish was a success!

            I am so excited to join this wonderful team and hope that I can give you some good recipes.  I get most of my meal ideas from readers like you, jumping around on food blog hops and searching the internet.  Last week I came across this recipe for Spicy Shepherd’s Pie and just knew that I had to try it.
            Spicy Shepherd’s Pie adapted from Greetings from Guatemala
            1 pound ground beef
            1/2 onion, chopped
            1 can black beans, drained
            1 can diced tomatoes
            1 can corn, drained
            1 packet taco seasoning
            1 tsp chili powder
            4 cups mashed potatoes
            1 cup grated cheddar cheese
            Directions:  Brown ground beef with onion; add all ingredients except potatoes and cheese. Simmer 2-3 minutes. Pour into 9×13″ pan. Top with 1/2 cup cheese. Spread mashed potatoes over the cheese and meat mixture. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for about 25-30 min.
            -serves 8
            Modifications:  I did not add the chili powder because of my 1 year old.
            Here’s what you’ll need:
            Peel, cut up, and boil the potatoes.  
            While the potatoes cook, brown the ground beef.
            Drain and rinse one can of corn and one can of black beans.
            Preheat the to 350 degrees.
            Once the ground beef is brown, add the corn, black beans, diced tomatoes and taco seasoning.
            When the potatoes are done, mash them up.  If you need a good mashed potato recipe, I think my mom’s is the best.
            Pour the meat mixture into a 9×13 baking dish coated with cooking spray.
            Spread half of the cheese over the mixture.
            Spoon and spread the mashed potatoes over the mixture.  I left a little portion with no potatoes for me (not necessarily Weight Watchers friendly-LOL)
            Put into the oven to bake for 25-30 minutes.
            Here’s what you’ll end up with:
            If you are running short on time, you could probably use instant mashed potatoes.  Did we like this?  Kanin (my oldest son) told me that this was “awesome” and wants to take it to school for lunch tomorrow.  I’d say that’s a pretty good endorsement!