Meatless “Enchiladas”
Posted: February 14, 2017 Filed under: All, Baking, Dinner, Main, Meatless, Mexican Inspired, Sauces, Uncategorized, Veggies | Tags: Cheese, Colby-Jack, Cumin, Dinner, Flour Tortillas, Food, Garlic Powder, Home, Margarita, Mexican, Mexico, Olive oil, onion powder, Sour cream, Tomato paste, Tortilla, Vegetable Stock Leave a commentOk, I put enchiladas in quotes because these really aren’t enchiladas. They are burritos with sauce. A true enchilada is made with corn tortillas. (Aren’t pet peeves weird?) Now that we’ve got that out of the way,this dish needs to be renamed “I’m SO good I should be an Enchilada!” The way I stuffed them, though, make them more of a burrito. While I was crushed for time and didn’t do it, these would go well with some Spanish rice and a Cesar salad. I’d love to mix up the filling, too. Add shrimp. Maybe some grilled steak. Or, add some sweet red bell pepper. Grab a margarita, get comfortable, and let’s go do this!
Ingredients
Sauce:
1 Tbs olive oil
1 6-oz can tomato paste
2 cups (up to 3) vegetable stock (you want a soup consistency)
¼ cup flour
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp chili powder (optional, I omit)
2 tsp ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
Enchiladas:
1 Tbs olive oil
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed & drained
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
¼ cup cilantro (optional, I omit)
2 tsp ground cumin
12+/- fresh tortillas
3 cups Colby-Jack cheese (or cheddar)
Sour Cream for topping
Preparation
Sauce:
In a saucepan, heat oil on medium. Add tomato paste, spices, and flour. Stir and cook 1 minute. Whisk in broth / stock and cook 8 minutes.
Enchiladas:
Preheat oven to 350°. Warm olive oil in pan. Sautee spinach& onions until spinach wilts slightly. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups cheese, beans, corn, cumin, and spinach mixture. Add a thin layer of sauce to the bottom of 9×13 pan. Cook tortillas. Dividing evenly, add mixture to tortillas and roll up. Pour sauce over enchiladas, and finish with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, until bubbly, about 20 minutes.
Top with sour cream, olives, tomatoes, lettuce. Whatever sounds good to you!
Serves: 10 – 12
Total time: 45 minutes
*Derived from ButterWithAStickOfBread
Sweet Corn and Shrimp Chowder
Posted: October 22, 2016 Filed under: All, Bacon, Drinks, Lunch, Main, Potatoes, Seafood, Soup, Thanksgiving, The Holidays, Tips, Uncategorized Leave a commentSometimes I wish I was from Boston so I could get away with saying Chowda. But, alas, I’m Cali, born and raised. Saying Chowder, thankfully, doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy it just as much! And we’re finally (FINALLY) getting into Fall. Which to me means hearty stews and soups, corn bread. Anything that makes you feel warm and cozy. Ok, basically, comfort food. Fall = Comfort Food. This one definitely fits that category.
Ingredients:
2 Tbs olive oil (keep more on hand for drizzling)
1 16 oz pkg frozen sweet corn
3 small to medium Russet potatoes
4-6 slices of bacon, chopped (depends on your love of bacon, I used 8. Tells you a little something about me)
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 Tbs butter (I use unsalted)
1 whole onion, diced (to save time, I buy the already diced onion in the produce section. Use about 1 cup)
1 tsp smoked paprika (add more for your desired flavor)
1/4 – 1/2 tsp ground curry
3 cloves garlic, minced (to save time, I use the preminced garlic. 1 tsp = about 1 clove garlic)
1 cup white wine (always be sure to use a wine you personally enjoy as that is the flavor your dish will have. You can always sub chicken broth)
2 cups chicken stock (I used low sodium)
1/2 cup heavy cream (I didn’t have heavy cream, so I subbed 1/2 cup whole milk. To get the thickness, though, I added 1/2 cup of sour cream. It worked perfectly!)
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped fresh cilantro (ick) or parsley for garnish, if desired
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Cover a sheet pan with parchment paper (makes for easier clean-up) add the corn and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 10 minutes, turn corn with wooden spoon, and roast for an additional 10-15 minutes. The corn should be getting golden brown and starting to char a little. Remove and set aside until ready to add to the soup.
While corn roasts, peel and dice potatoes. Add to a medium pot of lightly salted water, bringing to a boil and then let simmer until fork tender. Drain in colander.
Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven to medium. Add diced bacon and cook, rendering the fat. Once bacon is crisp, remove with slotted spoon onto a paper towel lined plate. With the exception of about 2 tablespoons of fat, remove the rest. Add shrimp, stir to cook slightly. You want them a bit under cooked because you will be adding them to the hot chowder were they will continue to cook. Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon and add to the plate with bacon.
Add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter. When the butter begins to bubble, add the onions and slightly increase heat to medium-high. Cook onions until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add roasted corn. Stir in garlic, smoke paprika, and curry. When onions and corn are fully coated, add white wine to deglaze dutch oven. Scrape up any browned bits and simmer until liquid is reduced, about 5 minutes. Stir in potatoes. Taste, adjust seasoning as needed.
Slowly add chicken stock while stirring. Make sure the stock is completely incorporated with other ingredients. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Add cream last. Adjust seasoning.
Finally, add shrimp, bacon, and cilantro or parsley. Serve with a warm crusty bread.
Wine Pairing Suggestions:
Albariño
Chardonnay
Fume Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc
Viognier
Serves: 4-6
Total time: 1 hour – 1:10 minutes
Chicken Stroganoff
Posted: April 27, 2016 Filed under: All, Chicken, Dinner, Main, Pasta, Uncategorized, Wine | Tags: Butter, Chardonnay, chicken, Flour, Garlic, Minced Garlic, Mushrooms, Olive oil, Pasta, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Sauvignon blanc, Sour cream 1 CommentThere comes a moment in cooking when you realize you’re a cooking nerd. Ok, admittedly I pretty much already knew that. But making this meal last night, as I stood their whisking the warmed chicken stock into the butter and flour, I got excited. I got really excited. It was thickening perfectly. No lumps. It just all came together exactly how I wanted. After the week I had been having (and it was only Tuesday), this little task made me positively giddy. Of course, my family looked at me like I was loco for being so excited about something as mundane as a roux. What can I say? I happily concede to the fact that I’m a cooking nerd.
Tonight, I’d like to share with you one of my favorite comfort foods. I hope it brings you as much joyfully nerdy moments as it does me.
Ingredients:
1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into thick slices or chunks
Salt (to taste)
Black pepper (to taste)
½ tsp paprika
¾cup flour (divided)
Canola oil (I used olive oil)
10 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced (save yourself some time and buy the ‘shrooms that are already sliced)
4 Tbs unsalted butter
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 cups chicken stock, warmed (I use the low sodium)
Sour cream to taste (the recipe called for 3 Tbs, but that’s just not enough for me, I used at least 1/3 cup. Add as much as you would like)
Egg noodles (I use what I have on hand, this time it was penne)
Preparation:
Cook pasta according to package directions.
Add chicken pieces to a bowl and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika; add ¼ cup of flour and toss everything to coat well.
Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat and drizzle with 3-4 Tbs of your chosen oil. When the oil is hot, work in batches to sear the chicken until golden brown on all sides. As the chicken is browned, remove from pan and set aside. Don’t worry if it’s not quite cooked through, it will finish when added back to the sauce.
Once all chicken has been browned, add a touch more oil if needed and the mushrooms. Sauté until golden brown and somewhat caramelized. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to chicken.
Reduce heat to medium-low and add unsalted butter; once melted add shallots and garlic and sauté until aromatic. Sprinkle remaining ½ cup of flour, stirring it into the butter until a soft paste forms. Slowly add the chicken stock, whisking continually to avoid lumps and allow the sauce to thicken.
Add the chicken and mushrooms back to pan and simmer for 3-4 minutes, turn heat off and stir in sour cream. Serve mixed with cooked noodles.
Wine Pairing Suggestions:
Chardonnay
Pinot Grigio
Pinot Noir
Sangiovese
Sauvignon Blanc
Serves: 4-6
Total time: 45 minutes
*Derived from The Cozy Apron
Chicken Stroganoff
Glazed Salmon
Posted: April 20, 2016 Filed under: All, Broiler, Dinner, Grilling, Lunch, Main, Rice, Salad, Sauces, Seafood, Uncategorized, Wine | Tags: Brown sugar, Chardonnay, Cornstarch, Grenache, Kosher salt, Maple syrup, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris, Salmon, Sangiovese, Sauvignon blanc, Vegetable Oil Leave a commentIt’s been so long since my last post, and it’s not as if I stopped cooking. No, I’ve still been plugging away, cooking the majority of our dinners. And, I’ve been trying some wonderful recipes! My heart, however, just hasn’t been into blogging. Sometimes updating my blog, after everyone is quietly snuffling in their beds, can be difficult. Sometimes I just want to read. Sometimes I want to get lost in Pinterest. Sometimes I want to check in with my FB friends. Or play Hay Day. Sometimes that is the hard part of being a full-time wife and mom, as well as working outside the home full time. But, as winter sheds it’s coat (yes, we have a Cali version of winter) and spring dawns anew, we can all feel somewhat reborn. Throw aside what has been holding you down, sit outside and soak up the sun. Take a walk and marvel at what beauty springtime brings. Ride a bike and feel the warm breeze on your face. Ahhh, to start anew. It’s a wonderful thing!
What better way to pay homage to spring than wild caught salmon? Don’t get me wrong, I can eat salmon year-round. But there is something about salmon that speaks to warmer weather.
Ingredients:
1 tsp packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp cornstarch
1 1/2 – 2 lbs skin-on salmon filet
Pepper to taste
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 recipe glaze (below)
Glaze:
3/4 tsp coarse sea salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
Preparation:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300°. Combine brown sugar, salt, and cornstarch in a small bowl and set aside. Heat oil in a 12″ oven-safe nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place salmon, flesh side down, in skillet and cook until well browned, about 1 minute. Using tongs, carefully flip salmon and cook on skin side for 1 minute.
Remove skillet from heat and evenly spoon glaze over salmon. Transfer skillet to oven and cook until fillets register 125° (for medium-rare) and are still translucent when cut into, about 7 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
Wine Pairing Suggestions:
Chardonnay
Grenache
Pinot Gris / Pinot Grigio
Sangiovese
Sauvignon Blanc
Serves: 4
Total time: 30 minutes
*Derived from America’s Test Kitchen
Glazed Salmon
Creamy Tomato & Beef Noodle Casserole
Posted: September 4, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Alfredo, All, Barbera, Beef, Chianti, Chopped Onion, Dinner, Grenache, Mozzarella, Onion, Oregano, Parmesan, Pasta, Pesto, Sangiovese, Sour cream, Tomato sauce 2 CommentsI love it when a plan comes together. Or, more appropriately in this instance, I love it when a meal comes together. Especially when I walked into the kitchen at 5:00 with no idea what was going to be dinner. Not one piece of meat defrosted. Not a clue in sight. Nothing. Nada, Zip. What I did have, however, were ingredients. Ingredients that were waiting in freezer and pantry for their rightful place on the dinner table. I’d say they found it.
Ingredients:
8 oz Penne pasta
1 lb ground beef
1 cup frozen (or fresh) chopped onion
1 tsp minced garlic (or 1 whole clove)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup sour cream (change it up and use prepared alfredo sauce, pesto, heavy cream)
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (or mozzarella; just about any cheese you like)
Preparation:
Prepare noodles according to package directions. Preheat oven to 375.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown beef with onion, garlic, oregano, and salt. Add tomato sauce, water, and sour cream. Stir to combine and allow sauce to bubble.
Drain pasta and return to pan, add meat and sauce mixture. Stir together. When completely mixed, add to a casserole dish coated with cooking spray. Top with cheese. Bake about 20 minutes until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly. Serve with warm French bread and salad.
Wine Pairing Suggestions:
Barbera
Chianti
Grenache
Sangiovese
Serves 6 to 8
Total time: 30 minutes
Creamy Tomato & Beef Noodle Casserole
*Original Serves4 Recipe
Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken with Mushroom Marsala Sauce
Posted: November 12, 2014 Filed under: All, Bacon, Chicken, Dinner, Drinks, Main, Sauces, Tips, Uncategorized, Wine | Tags: Chardonnay, Chicken Broth, Chicken Thighs, Cornstarch, cremini mushrooms, Gamay, Marsala, Merlot, Olive oil, Oregano, Pinot Noir, prosciutto, shallot, Voignier Leave a commentI came across this recipe on Eating Well. My first thought, “Who does not like chicken wrapped in prosciutto.” Just so we’re clear: Wrapped. In. Prosciutto. This is taking chicken thighs, which have about a million ways to be yum, and wrapping them in prosciutto. That’s like taking bacon and wrapping . . . well, ANYTHING. But saltier and tastier. Then you’ve got the mushrooms. Mushrooms and sauce are amazing. And yes, of course, I made mashed potatoes. While this dish came together in at least 45 minutes, but more like an hour, as opposed to the 35 minute “total time” suggestion from Eating Well, it was still amazing. The hubs even commented that he didn’t realize he was coming home to a 5 Star Meal. Today is Veterans Day, and I’m a Veteran, of course you’re getting a 5 Star meal!
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless thighs
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
4 thin slices prosciutto (If you are not familiar with prosciutto, accept that it will quickly become the higher-power of your bacon God)
4 tsp olive oil – divided (use extra-virgin if you’d like)
1 large shallot, halved and thinly sliced
1 Tbs finely chopped fresh oregano plus 1 tps, divided (ok, I don’t always have time to mess with fresh herbs, especially with the wonderful freeze-dried options, such as those available by Lighthouse)
8 oz sliced cremini mushrooms (I used 10 oz pre-sliced because that’s how it came and I’m not tossing out 2 oz of pre-sliced mushrooms)
1/2 cup Marsala or dry sherry (the best advice I can offer here, if you aren’t willing to drink it, don’t cook with it. Look in the wine section of your grocery store. Avoid “cooking” anything wines . Cooking wines tend to be higher in sodium and less flavorful.)
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth (you want to go with a nice ‘meaty’ broth here. There are so many that as you pour they look watered down. My tip, if they look watered down, they are, and that will translate to your dish.My personal favorite is Pacific Foods – Organic)
2 tsp cornstarch
Preparation:
Sprinkle chicken thighs with 1/4 tsp pepper and wrap each thigh with a slice of prosciutto.
Heat 2 tsp olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides and cooked through, 4 – 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; wrap with foil to keep warm.
Reduce heat to medium and add remaining 2 tsp oil, shallot, and 1 tbs oregano to pan. Cook, stirring, until shallots are beginning to brown (about 1 – 2 minutes). Add mushrooms and cook, stirring until browned (4 – 6 minutes). Add Marsala (sherry will work here, too) and cook about 2 minutes.
In a separate small bowl, whisk broth, cornstarch, and the remaining 1/4 tsp pepper in a small bowl or measuring cup. Add to pan, stirring. Return to simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened (about 4 minutes)
Wine Pairing Suggestions:
Chardonnay
Gamay
Merlot
Pinot Noir
Viognier
Serves 4
Total time: About an hour
Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken with Mushroom Marsala Sauce
*Derived from Eating Well
On Top of Old Smokey Meatballs
Posted: September 17, 2014 Filed under: All, Dinner, Lunch, Main, Pasta, Pork, Sauces, Sausage, Uncategorized, Wine | Tags: Barbera, Black pepper, Bread crumbs, Chopped Onion, Egg, Grenache, Italian sausage, Malbec, Parmesan cheese, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese Leave a commentAll covered with cheese, I lost my poor meatball, when somebody sneezed. But it’s ok because I made tons! These meatballs were so easy to make and quick. Such wonderful flavor! And one of things that attracts me to a recipe is the ability to really make it your own. Change it up some. Use spicy Italian sausage for a kick. Or, add your favorite hot sauce to regular Italian sausage. Instead of Italian seasoning, how about the Mexican Blend I always use with some fresh cilantro? Add ginger and teriyaki sauce, served over steamed rice, for an Asian flavor. Oh, how about subbing the bread crumbs with finely ground potato chips, shredded cheddar cheese and BBQ sauce. Tailgate anyone? So, let everyone sneeze as much as they want, you’ve got meatballs covered!
Ingredients (Meatballs Only):
16 oz pkg premium pork Italian sausage
1/3 cup plain dry bread crumbs
¼ cup finely chopped onion
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375°. Mix ingredients until blended (the best way is to don some gloves and dive right in).
Shape meat mixture into 2″ meatballs and place on a baking sheet. Either spray with nonstick spray, or as I did, line with parchment paper.
Bake meatballs 15 minutes or until done (when they reach 160°). Serve with your favorite pasta sauce (such as my Busy Mom’s Spaghetti and Meatball – but ignore those meatballs, just this once, and go back another time to try those!)
Wine Pairing Suggestions:
Barbera
Grenache
Malbec
Pinot Noir
Sangiovese
Serves 6 (with pasta & sauce)
Prep time: 15 minute; Cook time: 15 minutes
On Top of Old Smoky Meatballs
