Classic Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

½ cup uncooked rice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
¾ medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, minced
¾ pound lean ground beef
1 cup diced fresh tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 bell peppers, tops and cores removed
¾ cup shredded Monterey Jack (substitute a goat cheese for the dairy intolerant)
Freshly chopped parsley, for garnish

 

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the oven. Preheat it to 400 degrees.

Step 2: Cook the rice in a small saucepan according to package instructions.

Step 3: Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, saute the onion for about 5 minutes until tender. Add in the tomato paste and garlic. Stir and continue to cook for another minute until aromatic. Add in the ground beef, breaking up the meat using a wooden spoon, and continue to cook for 6 minutes more until no longer pink.

Step 4: Stir in the cooked rice and the diced tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, and oregano, then simmer for about 5 minutes until the liquid slightly reduced.

Step 5: In a 9 x 9 inch baking dish, put the peppers on the bottom cut side-up. Drizzle with oil and spoon the mixture to the peppers, incorporating up to half the Monterey Jack cheese. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese neatly over the tops.

Step 6: Use foil to cover the dish and place it inside the preheated oven. Bake for about 35 minutes until the peppers are soft. Remove the cover and bake for another 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly.

Step 7: Remove from the oven and garnish. Serve warm.

Sardines and Rice

Ingredients

 

¾ cup Arborio Rice

1 TBSP olive oil

1 TBSP avocado oil

1 TBSP butter

Lots of water

½ cup dried anchovies. Suggested: rehydrate ‘em first. ==>

    (or use a tin of sardines, diced?)

2 small shallots, sliced and chopped.

4 cloves fresh garlic, smashed and finely chopped

2 TBSP chopped green onions

1 jalapeño pepper, sliced and chopped.

4 young kale leaves, sliced finely

¼ tsp vegetable bouillon (consider chicken?)

½ roasted chicken breast, chopped small

2 TBSP Pad Thai sauce

1 large egg

1 or 2 TBSP sesame seeds

Instructions

Halfway through the process

Heat a large cast iron frying pan. Add the oils and butter, and sauté the shallots, garlic. Add the rice and chopped dry anchovies and sauté some more until the rice is a golden brown.  

Add half a cup of water (expect a lot of steam), while stirring. Every time the rice mixture absorbs (or boils off) the water, add more, always stirring. This will take at least half an hour.

Throughout the process, add other things. I added the bouillon, green onion and jalapeño early in the process, the kale and roast chicken late in the process. I’d always add the ingredients, stir briefly, add the water, and stir quite a lot more.

Immediately after one of the last additions of water, dig a hole in the middle of the pan and crack the egg into it. Scramble it in place, then mix it in with the rest.

Add Pad Thai sauce and ⅔ of the sesame seeds, and stir them in.

Serve, and garnish with remaining sesame seeds. 

Sweet & Spicy Squash & Tempeh

INGREDIENTS

1 clove elephant garlic, cubed (alternate: a head of garlic cloves, peeled & halved)

1 medium apple, peeled, cored & cubed

One 2-pound, peeled butternut squash, washed, seeded, peeled, and cut into 1-inch cubes

½ pound tempeh, cubed

1 small sweet potato, cubed

½ medium yellow onion, cubed

One 13.5-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk

¼ cup light brown sugar

1TBSP fresh ginger, peeled & minced

⅓ tsp hot pepper powder

1 TBSP roasted garlic powder

½ tsp garam masala

1 tsp vegetable bouillon

½ cup water

PREPARATION

Heat water and bouillon in a small frying pan, to boiling. Add tempeh cube. Cook for about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally, turn once or twice. Drain, reserving the liquid.  

In a large roasting bowl, stir together the coconut milk, brown sugar and all spices. Add reserved vegetable broth. Add the squash and turn to coat thoroughly.

Preheat the barbecue. Heat a medium-large cast iron frying pan on barbecue. Add coated vegetables to hot pan and cover the pan with foil or a lid, and bake on the barbecue for about 30 minutes, until the squash is beginning to get tender.

Remove foil or lid, and allow the mix to thicken for 10 minutes.

Serve over rice.
 

Results? Really good!

Ugly Rice

The Gulf Coast states have their Dirty Rice. This is my Ugly Rice.

Ingredients:
1 tsp coconut oil

¼ pound Jimmy Dean sausage, cut to ¼” cubes.

¼ cup dried mushrooms

¼ cup dried vegetables.

2 TBSP red onion, chopped,

1 TBSP tomato paste

Heat coconut oil in cast iron frying pan. Cook sausage to “mostly done” stage. 

Add remaining ingredients, and mix well. 

Place mixture in rice cooker. Add:

3 slices bacon, cooked, cut into ¼” slices.

¾ cup rice blend mix

½ tsp roasted garlic powder.

¼ tsp red pepper powder

¼ tsp roasted paprika powdered

⅛ tsp curry powder

A little pepper may be nice. I used white pepper.

2 – 2½ cups water.

Yeah, it's really ugly. But it's really good. But this is not a "lite" or a diet meal. This is Guy Food.

Horchata

Ingredients

(Makes 6 cups)

1 cup uncooked white long-grain rice

5 cups water

½ cup milk

½ tablespoon vanilla extract

½ tablespoon ground cinnamon

⅓ cup white sugar (this might be a little much)

Directions

Pour the rice and water into the bowl of a blender; blend until the rice just begins to break up, a minute or two. Let rice and water stand at room temperature for a minimum of 3 hours; overnight in the fridge is even better.

Strain the rice water into a pitcher and discard the rice. Stir the milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar into the rice water. Chill and stir before serving over ice.

Chicken & Veggie Miso Soup

Ingredients (for the way I'll make it next time): 

1 chicken breast, frozen or fresh

1 pint miso soup (I used Trader Joes)

4 cloves garlic (frozen is fine)

1 small onion (¼ cup), large chunks
Several slices of a leek

¼ cup rice, wild rice, or barley

1 head baby bok choy

Instructions:

I prefer a frozen chicken breast. I sear both sides (with a little olive oil) while it’s still frozen, and then let it thaw overnight in the fridge.

In the morning, cut the chicken breast into three or four pieces. Turn the crockpot onto high, and add the chicken, the garlic, and the miso soup.

An hour before serving, add the leek, onion and rice. 30 minutes before serving, add the whole bok choy leaves.

The chicken will be incredibly tender. The flavor is relatively mild. Makes enough for two as a standalone meal, or for three if something else is served with it.

Tinfoil Chicken Stirfry

Tinfoil Chicken

Ingredients, per serving:

½ chicken breast, at least partially defrosted, cut into ½” cubes

2 sliced thick cut bacon, cut into ½” pieces

⅓ cup white onion, cut into ½” cubes

2 Brussels sprouts, quartered

3± cloves garlic, halved

Optional:

5 or 6 sections of a Clementine or tangerine, frozen solid.

1± TBSP roasted peanuts.

Sauce:

½ TBSP powdered Italian salad dressing mix

1 TBSP (or so) olive oil

1 TBSP soy sauce

1 tsp green curry paste

½ tsp Thai basil, dried

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Combine the sauce ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken, onion, Brussels sprouts and garlic halves, and toss to coat. Set aside to marinade 30 – 60 minutes.

Partially cook the bacon pieces, and add with the bacon grease to the marinating ingredients. 

Start barbecue, or prepare campfire coals.

Wrap each serving in 2 layers of aluminum foil, sealing each separately.

Set on hot barbecue or on coals of campfire.

Turn regularly until done.

Serve over rice.

"Crockpot Dinners for Two" Recipes

A bunch of "Crockpot Dinners for Two" Recipes

Chili Stew

Ingredients

¾ pounds boneless pork sirloin or shoulder roast

2 tsp cooking oil

1-2 TBSP chopped onion

1 cup water + ¾ tsp chicken bouillon (or 1 cup chicken broth)

1-2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes

1 6 ounce can hominy or whole kernel corn, drained

⅓ cup diced fresh bell pepper (red? Yellow?)

½ tsp dried, ground chili peppers

2 tsp quick-cooking tapioca

⅓ tsp garlic salt

pinch ground black pepper

¼ tsp ground cumin

⅛ tsp dried oregano, crushed

Snipped fresh cilantro (optional)

directions

1. Trim fat from pork. Cut pork into ½-inch cubes. In a large skillet brown the pork with the onion in hot oil. Transfer meat to a 1 ½ quart slow cooker.

2. Add water, potatoes, hominy, chile peppers, tapioca, garlic salt, salt, black pepper, cumin, and oregano. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 8 hours (or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours). Garnish with snipped cilantro, if desired. Makes 2 servings.

Cheesy Noodle Casserole

ingredients

1 medium-small chicken breast, diced to ½” cubes

¾ cup water

⅓ 10¾ ounce can reduced-fat and reduced-sodium condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 medium tomato, diced

¾ cup sliced celery (2 stalks)

1 sliced carrot, sliced

¼ cup chopped onion (1 large)

½ tsp dried Italian seasoning, crushed

1 clove garlic, minced

pinch teaspoon salt, or ½ tsp low-sodium chicken bouillon

pinch teaspoon ground black pepper

3 to 4 ounces dried extra-wide noodles

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese (2 ounces)

directions

1. In a 1½-quart slow cooker whisk together the water and cream of mushroom soup. Stir in chicken, tomatoes, celery, carrots, onion, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt, and pepper. [Prepare the night before; marinate in refrigerator overnight.]

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 8 hours (or high-heat setting for 3½ to 4 hours).

3. If using low-heat setting, turn cooker to high-heat setting. Stir in uncooked noodles; cover and cook for 20 to 30 minutes more or until tender, stirring once halfway through cooking. Sprinkle with cheese; cover and let stand until cheese is melted.

Option: replace chicken breast with 6 oz cubed tofu, and stir in halfway through cooking the noodles.

Mediterranean Beef with Pasta

ingredients

½ pounds lean beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 tsp olive oil

1 medium carrot, cut into ½-inch slices

¼ medium yellow sweet pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces

¼ medium onion, cut into thin wedges

1 cloves garlic, minced

½ tsp dried Italian seasoning, crushed

pinch ground black pepper

1 medium tomato, diced

½ cup water

1 tsp lower-sodium beef bouillon

½ cup zucchini and/or yellow summer squash halved lengthwise and cut into ¼-inch pieces (1 medium)

2-3 ounces dried whole grain penne pasta

⅓ recipe Basil Gremolata

directions

1.In a large skillet cook meat, half at a time, in hot oil over medium-high heat until brown. Drain off fat. Transfer meat to a 1 ½ quart slow cooker. Add carrots, sweet pepper, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Pour tomatoes and broth over mixture in cooker.

2.Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 9 hours or on high-heat setting for 3½ to 4½ hours.

3.If using low-heat setting, turn to high-heat setting. Stir in zucchini and/or yellow squash. Cover and cook for 30 minutes more. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain.

4.Serve meat mixture over pasta. Sprinkle with Basil Gremolata.

Basil Gremolata Recipe

Yield: about ⅓ cup (three servings)

Mix together:

2 tablespoons finely shredded Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons snipped fresh basil

2 cloves garlic, minced

Chicken & Shrimp Jambalaya

ingredients

• 1 small skinless, boneless chicken breast (¼ to ½ pound)

• ½ cup thinly sliced celery (4 stalks)

• ½ cup chopped onion (2 large)

• 1 medium tomato, diced

• ½ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

• 2 tsp no-salt-added tomato paste

• ½ teaspoon salt-free Cajun seasoning

• 1 cloves garlic, minced

• pinch teaspoon salt

• ½ cups uncooked instant brown rice

• 2 TBSP chopped green, red, and/or yellow sweet pepper

• 2 ounces fresh or frozen peeled and deveined cooked shrimp

• ½ tablespoon snipped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

• Celery leaves (optional)

directions

1. Cut chicken into ¾-inch pieces. In a 1½ slow cooker, combine chicken, celery, onion, undrained tomatoes, broth, tomato paste, Homemade Salt-Free Cajun Seasoning, garlic, and salt. [Prepare the night before, and leave covered in the refrigerator until morning.]

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 4½ to 5½ hours (or on high-heat setting for 2¼ to 2¾ hours).

3. If using low-heat setting, turn to high-heat setting. Stir in uncooked rice and sweet pepper. Cover and cook about 30 minutes more or until most of the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

4. Before serving, thaw shrimp, if frozen. Stir shrimp and parsley into chicken mixture. If desired, garnish each serving with celery leaves.

Homemade Salt-Free Cajun Seasoning

Combine:

• ¼ teaspoon onion powder

• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

• ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper

• ¼ teaspoon paprika

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

• ⅛ - ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Gingered Beef and Vegetables

Ingredients

½ pounds boneless beef round steak, cut into 1-inch cubes

1½ medium carrots, cut into ½-inch-thick slices

2 TBSP cup sliced scallions

1 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup water

2 tsp reduced-sodium soy sauce

½ tsp dried ginger

½ tsp instant beef-bouillon granules

A bit of crushed red pepper

1 TBSP cornstarch

1 TBSP cold water

2 TBSP chopped red bell pepper

¾ cups loose-pack frozen sugar snap peas, fresh or thawed

Cooked rice

Directions

1. In a 1½ quart slow cooker, combine beef, carrots, scallions, and garlic. In a medium bowl, combine the water, soy sauce, ginger, bouillon, and crushed red pepper; pour over mixture in cooker. [This part can be prepared early, and refrigerated overnight, until ready to start the slow cooker.]

2. Cover; cook on low-heat setting 9 to 10 hours (or on high-heat setting 4½ to 5 hours).

3. If using low-heat setting, turn to high-heat setting. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and the 3 tablespoons cold water; stir into meat mixture along with bell pepper. Cover; cook 20 to 30 minutes more, or until thickened, stirring once. Stir in sugar snap peas. Serve with rice.

Beef Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

½ pound boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces

1½ medium carrots, cut into ½-inch-thick slices

1 small potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes

½ medium onion, chopped

¼ tsp salt [or ½ tsp low sodium beef bouillon]

½ tsp dried thyme  

1 bay leaf

1 14-ounce cans diced tomatoes (substitute diced fresh tomatoes if available)

½ cup water

¼ cup loose-pack frozen peas

Fresh parsley sprigs (optional)

Directions

1. In a 1½ quart slow cooker, combine beef chuck pieces, sliced carrots, cubed potatoes, and chopped onion. Sprinkle with salt and thyme. Add bay leaf, tomatoes with their juices, and water. Stir until all ingredients are combined. [Prepare this the night before, and store, covered, in refrigerator overnight.]

2. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours (or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours).

3. Remove and discard bay leaf. Stir in peas and garnish with parsley if desired.

Crock Pot Breakfast (2 Versions)

Version 1: Serves 3 or 4

1 pound frozen hashbrowns (or about 4 potatoes, shredded)

6 eggs

½ cup milk (try a milk alternative for TJ)

1½ tsp dried mustard

½ pound sausage (half a frozen chub)

½ pound shredded cheddar (or goat cheese?)

Scaled further (⅓): to serve 2

2 large, or 3 modest size potatoes, shredded

4 eggs

⅓ cup milk

1 tsp dried mustard

⅓ pound sausage (half a frozen chub)

⅓ pound shredded cheddar (or goat cheese?)

Directions:

Spray crock pot and evenly spread hash browns at the bottom.

Crack eggs in a large bowl.

Mix well (and slowly) using a whisk.

Add the milk and sprinkle in the ground mustard.

Add a bit of salt and lots of fresh pepper. Mix well and set aside.

Cook the sausage on high heat, drain and set aside.

Add sausage on top of hash browns. Add cheese.

Mix it up well. Pour the egg mixture over everything in the crock pot. Using a wood spoon, even everything out so it's spread evenly.

Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 8 hours (or high-heat setting for 3½ to 4 hours).

Barbecued Chicken with Orange-Basil-Bourbon Sauce

YIELD Makes 3 servings

                                                                                                                  

INGREDIENTS

3          boneless skinless chicken breast halves (halved lengthwise)

1          cup fresh orange juice

¾         cup dry white wine

2          tsp grated mandarin orange peel

½         cup sliced sweet onion (consider red onion)

3          mandarin oranges, peeled & separated into slices

¼          cup sliced fresh basil leaves or 2 teaspoons dried Thai basil

1          TBSP good bourbon

1          tsp sweet onion powder

1          TBSP rice flour

¼          cup blue or chevre goat cheese

PREPARATION:

Combine orange juice, wine and orange peel in saucepan; bring to a boil. Stir in onion, mandarin slices, bourbon, garlic; cook and stir until onion is tender and mandarin slices are coming apart. Reduce heat, and simmer until reduced to ⅓ original volume.

Coat chicken with olive oil; season with garlic powder, white pepper and caraway seed. Barbecue over medium flame until done.

SERVE:

Place one or two pieces of chicken on a dinner plate. Sprinkle with bleu cheese or chevre cheese. Spoon sauce over chicken and cheese. 
Enjoy. 

A collaboration of TJ and her Papa.

Haupia Chicken Curry

1 cup Coconut Curry Sauce

Several leaves of fresh basil, cut into long, thin strips
1 chicken breast, cut up.
1 serving of your favorite wild rice or pasta; I used whole wheat rotini, which was quite good.
bit of olive oil, a bit of lemon juice.
seasonings: lemon pepper, white pepper, garlic salt, lemon grass.

Dribble the chicken in olive oil and lemon juice, seasoned with lemon pepper, white pepper, garlic salt, and a tiny bit of lemon grass.Grille the chicken on a barbecue or indoor grille.

On individual serving plates, layer pasta, basil, then chicken. Ladle the sauce over the top.

Works well with a Belgian ale. Mine was home-brewed.

The critics raved!

Bob's Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Polish Golabki)

courtesy Bob Holden

Ingredients - Stuffing:
1 – large head white cabbage
1 - pound ground beef
1 - pound ground pork
2 cups steamed white rice (leftovers work great)
1 – small, or ½ large onion, finely diced
3-4 Cloves garlic minced
2 – Raw eggs
¼ Cup minced flat leaf parsley
1 tsp Italian seasoning
¼ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp fresh ground pepper

Ingredients - Tomato Sauce:
1 - can tomato sauce
2 - cans water (rinsing remaining tomato sauce in can)
3 - Tbs white flour (mixed in 1/3 cup cold water)
½ - Cup sour cream
2 – Tbs Veggetta (or vegetable, beef or chicken bouillon)
½ - Tbs garlic powder
1 – Tbs dehydrated onion flakes
1 – Tbs sugar (needed only if sauce is too tart)
3 to 4 – dashes of Tabasco Sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Core cabbage, remove tough outer leaves, and boil covered for about 20 minutes or until just soft and pliable. Shock in ice water to stop cooking and let cool. Drain well, dry, remove leaves and stack on a plate.

Stuffing:
To the ground meat add steamed rice, diced onion, minced garlic, raw egg, minced parsley, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper. Mix with hands until well blended. Flatten cabbage leaves on a clean plate and fill each with ½ cup each of the mix (or the appropriate amount for the size leaf being filled). Roll up the two sides and from one end roll to the other making a complete roll. Place rolls on a cookie sheet pre-greased with olive oil or butter. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 1/2 hour until the meat is cooked. Let stand in the oven an additional 15 minutes before removing.

Sauce:
In a 3 ½ to 4 quart sauce pan add one can of tomato sauce, two cans of water, and bring to a boil. In a mixing bowl, or glass, add 3 heaping Tbs flour and mix well. Add slowly to boiling tomato sauce and blend with a wire whip until slightly thickened. Ad Vegetta (or bouillon), garlic powder, and onion. Bring to a boil and turn down to simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes reducing sauce. Add sour cream and mix well. Add sugar, salt, pepper and Tabasco to taste. In a large covered casserole dish add enough sauce to cover the bottom. Transfer rolls to the dish covering each roll with sauce and serve. Extra sauce should be placed in a gravy boat and served over rolls.