Indoor Cowgirl Supper

What's your favorite thing to chow down when you're hungry, and I mean really hungry? Mine is comfort food, and this little concoction is just that- it's loaded with meat, spiced veggies and beans. This is certainly not a Florida dish, but lately the heat and humidity in these parts has got me exercising daily in a therapy current pool, which is not only great exercise and a daily dose of vitamin D, but a great excuse to make a manly meal that works great for dinner, lunch or snack (and it reheats like a dream). This cowgirl supper is simple and no fuss, and you don't have to be on the open range to make it. But it does take some time in the oven, so let's put this together so we can relax while it cooks.

Cowgirl Franks and Beans
serves 4-6

1/2 pound ground sirloin
1-1/2 T taco seasoning (I use the Publix brand these days, it's just as good as the national brands and a lot less expensive)
2 jumbo beef franks (6 oz) sliced 1/8-1/4 inch
1 can (28 oz) Bush's Original Baked Beans
1/2 large onion chopped/diced 1/4 inch
1/2 green pepper chopped/diced 1/4 inch
1/4 cup ketchup
1 T Dijon mustard
2 T brown sugar
2 T hot sauce (I like Frank's Original for this recipe)
4-5 slices bacon

Spray an 8" x 8" pan with non stick spray and set aside. Pre heat oven to 375 degrees.

On medium heat on stovetop, brown ground meat. When meat is beginning to turn color, add the taco seasoning and continue to cook until meat is brown. Set aside and continue with the rest of the steps.

In large mixing bowl combine your chopped onions and peppers, ketchup, mustard, sugar, and hot sauce.

Now add the beans and frankfurters and stir to combine. Pour this beany goodness into prepared baking pan. So far so good, and doesn't that look yummy? We're almost done with the prep.

Top casserole with crumbled, seasoned beef. Then top with bacon.

I'm liking the looks of this for sure. Cover with foil and leave one corner of the dish open/vented to allow steam to escape. Bake 1 hour. Remove foil, cook another 45 minutes uncovered and get ready to serve a filling, heartwarming meal fit for any indoor wannabe cowgirl.

Serve this with some Texas toast and a green salad. You'll feel like you're at home on the range. Happy Trails!

Summer Salad

Long time no new recipes, sorrrrry.

My lame excuse- I made the big move to Florida from Massachusetts a few months ago and with that hectic move came a few medical issues that needed to be taken care of. All is well now and  I'm back.... living in a darling apartment in south east Florida with a much smaller kitchen (unfortunately with improper lighting for good photos which is a bummer for me), but I promise that every recipe posted may not look as lovely as I'd like, but will be worth making.

I've made some friends in my new surroundings and Marlene is one of them. Picky eater? YES. Native Bostonian? YES. So of course we became fast friends (I think it was day 2 that we bonded) and it's always nice to share a winner dish that a picky eater loves. Reminds me of the old commercial for Life cereal. "She likes it!" Marlene actually said she loved it, so this recipe post is for you Marlene and all the other picky eaters out there.

Ready to hardly cook? This is so easy... and if Marlene likes it, you know you've got something to make your family and friends happy or bring to a barbecue or pot luck.

Roasted Grape Tomato, Orzo, Black Bean and Corn Salad
serves 6

1 pint grape tomatoes
1/2 cup orzo (uncooked)
1 15 oz can corn (use fresh or frozen if you have it)
1 15 oz can black beans rinsed and drained (I use Bush's low sodium)
1 7 oz can diced green chilies (I use the mild)
3 scallions diced 1/4 inch
2 avocados chopped
4 oz goat cheese
2 limes
3/4 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste
canola oil
cilantro- as much as you like, chopped or whole leaves

Pre heat oven to 400 degrees and slice grape tomatoes in half. Toss the maters in a teaspoon or two of canola oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes. Let cool and add to a large mixing bowl.

While the tomatoes are roasting cook orzo according to package directions. Drain and add to tomatoes.

To mixing bowl add corn, black beans, chilies, and scallions. Add cumin, 1/2 tsp salt and however much pepper you like. Taste and see if it fits your flavor palette. Add more seasoning if necessary.

Juice 2 limes and add to chopped avocado. Add both the lime juice and avocados to mixing bowl. Finish with crumbled goat cheese and cilantro, stir and you've got a super salad even Marlene would love.

I like to serve this salad chilled, but it's also good at room temp.

You can custom make this salad to your liking. Double up on the corn if that's your fancy, or omit it completely. Use cannellini beans, Monterey Jack cheese or add some chili powder for a bit more oomph, anything goes here.

Here's to great summer all. I'm looking forward to posting more fresh ideas from Florida soon.

Tex-Mex Orzo

Who doesn't love a side dish of flavorful Southwestern infused spices with black beans, corn, jalapenos, onions and orzo? Orzo, you ask? Well, I didn't have any rice but had an abundance of orzo (rice shaped pasta) and decided it would do the trick. This is quick and a perfect side with anything you're serving. And the good news? After you've put together your spice mix and chop your onions, this dish comes together in less than 20 minutes. Tempting? Let's give this recipe some star treatment.

Tex-Mex Orzo
Inspired by a very bare pantry

SPICE MIX
You won't use all this, but you certainly can for a bit more punch

1 tsp ground chili powder
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper

ORZO
1 T unsalted butter
1 T olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
1 can reduced sodium (15 oz) black beans rinsed and drained
1 can diced green chilis (4 oz)
1 cup uncooked orzo
1-3/4 cups water (you can use chicken broth)
1 cup frozen corn defrosted
1 tsp kosher salt
1-2 T Franks hot sauce

Let's cook! Mix together the spices.

On stovetop, in medium size sauce pan on low heat, melt the butter and olive oil. Now add the chopped onions and a teaspoon of spice mix and sweat for 4 to 5 minutes. I cover my pot and make sure the onions don't brown.

Looking and smelling goods far. Now add the orzo and another teaspoon of spice mix and toast the orzo for about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the beans, chilis, and water. And one more teaspoon of spice mix and stir to incorporate.

Increase heat until water begins to simmer. Stir in another teaspoon of salt, lower heat, cover and gently simmer for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, your orzo is almost done. Add in the corn and stir. Now turn off the heat, cover with a paper towel, then your pot lid, and let sit for about 5 minutes until all liquid is absorbed.

Uncover and add in your hot sauce and stir. Tex-Mex Orzo is ready.

For the spice lovers in your group, serve some extra hot sauce on the side. It will be much appreciated. And by the way, this is not too spicy to serve the kids. It packs a little bite at the back of your mouth, but it's a very pleasant bite. Hope you enjoy, and feel free to re-mix this recipe to your liking. Add some tomatoes, red peppers, and even some healthy spinach. Oh, and don't forget to top with some cheese. I'm looking forward to a stocked pantry by the weekend when we might even have a weather forecast without snow or sleet!

Stick to your Ribs

Sometimes after a day in front of the computer I want a hearty, comforting soup  for dinner and that's the only thing that's going to make me happy. And with real estate taxes due in a little more than 15 days I've been skimping a bit on my grocery supplies and the pickin' have been slim. "Not to worry," I said to myself, "there's always something around here to make you happy." And I was right. If you like the smokey flavor of bacon, don't mind adding a few of Nathan's Bigger than the Bun hot dogs, some canned Great Northern Beans and a small serving of orzo, this soup is seasoned just right and can be done easily on a weeknight. Don't let the long list of ingredients inhibit you, the prep/cooking time goes fast!

Stick to your Ribs Bacon, Franks, Orzo and Bean Soup
Makes 2-3 large bowls or 4 smaller portions

Ingredients:
4 strips bacon cooked and crumbled
1 T bacon fat
1-2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion diced
3 cloves garlic chopped
1/2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2-1/2 cups no fat chicken broth, I forgot to get the low sodium so I added...
1-1/2 cups water
8 oz tomato sauce
1 dried bay leaf
2 tsp sriracha sauce- or Frank's hot sauce would work nicely with its vinegary flavor
1 T brown sugar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 can (15.5 oz) Navy Beans rinsed and drained
1/2 cup dry orzo
4-5 frankfuters sliced 1/4-1/2 inch
4 oz baby spinach chopped

Let's cook! Cook your bacon (not too crisp) and set aside. Reserve 1 T of bacon fat. In large/medium soup pot add the bacon fat and 1-2 tsp of olive oil. On medium/low heat add the diced onion and sweat for about 5 minutes. Now add your chopped garlic, cook about 1 minute max and be very careful not to let it burn. Add the Old Bay, kosher salt, and ground black pepper and stir to incorporate into the onion/garlic mixture. Toss in your dried bay leaf.

Add 2-1/2 cups no fat (store bought) chicken broth, 1-1/2 cups water, 8 oz canned tomato sauce and stir to combine. Now let's season this baby up with the srirscha, brown sugar and Dijon mustard. Bring to a simmer and add your cooked bacon, beans, hot dogs and orzo. Cover and cook on a very low simmer until orzo is done, about 13 minutes. Now toss in your chopped spinach, and cook uncovered until wilted. Taste broth for seasoning and make adjustments.

Ladle up this bit of comfort food. I think you will enjoy!

Baked Beans with a Little Extra Heat

Jenny's Baked Beans have been a favorite of mine for the last few years. Today I did a quick re-mix and subbed Sriracha for Franks Hot Sauce and used Dijon mustard instead of the yellow. It's hot, but not too hot, so don't let the sriracha scare you. To me, it was just perfect, and the recipe is super simple!

Franks, Beans and Bacon Casserole

This was kind of a fridge cleanout, so please adjust amounts of anything you have in your pantry and fridge. I promise, whatever the ratio, this will come out tasting great.

Franks, Beans and Bacon Casserole
Made in an 8" x 8" casserole dish
Can feed one hungry person or six normal appetites

5 beef frankfurters sliced 1/2 inch
1 T canola oil
1 onion diced 1/4 inch
1 green pepper chopped 1/4 inch
1-1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 can 28 oz Bush's Original Baked Beans
1/4 cup ketchup
1 T Dijon mustard (I normally use yellow mustard but didn't have any- still pretty good with the Dijon)
1 T Splenda Brown Sugar Blend or 2 T regular brown sugar
1 T hot sauce (I used Franks)
4-5 slices hardwood smoked bacon

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees and prepare baking dish with cooking spray. In medium size saucepan on stovetop over medium low heat, add canola oil and onions and green pepper. Soften veggies and add chili powder, coriander, salt and pepper. I usually add a bit of cumin but couldn't find mine. Add some if you can find yours and cook about 5-7 minutes.

Remove from saucepan and add to mixing bowl. Add sliced franks, ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, and hot sauce.

Combine mixture and pour into baking dish. Top with bacon.



Cover with aluminum foil and fold one corner of foil back to vent. Bake one hour, remove foil and bake uncovered for another half hour. Serve with Texas toast (sorry no picture), but all you need to do to make the toast is... while the casserole is cooling, combine a few tablespoons of butter with garlic powder and fresh chopped parsley. Slather the butter mixture on one side of thickly sliced (one inch) Italian bread. Bake in oven for 7-9 minutes. Yummy meal and it reheats in the oven or microwave like a dream.

 

Hot Diggity Dog

I thought I was finished with the egg roll posts, but sorry guys, I have just one more to share. Please, no groaning, because this one is a gem! A perfect appetizer that everyone will gobble up just like I did. I bought a package of Nathan's oversized frankfurters and knew I'd be using them in an egg roll wrapper because the size was perfect- one frankfurter that fits 2 egg rolls, how could I pass this up? Really, and this is a must try, and so simple. Invite some friends over and give this a whirl.

Pigs in an Egg Roll Blanket
this was a test recipe for two egg rolls, so adjust ingredients to the amount you're making

1 Nathan's "Bigger Than the Bun" Hot Dog
2 T cole slaw (divided)
2 T baked beans (divided)
1 T yellow mustard (divided)
2 slices cheese (I uses American but I think cheddar would have been a better choice)
2 egg roll wrappers
1 large egg
1/2 tsp sriracha sauce
dash of water
store bought bread crumbs for dusting
oil for frying

Slice your frankfurter in half and get your egg rolls ready to rock and roll up. Slather some mustard on the bottom of your egg roll and place a slice of cheese on top of it.

Add your frankfurter, and beans.

Add the cole slaw. I used a store bought brand that is not very wet. And the next time I do this I will try it with saurerkraut, because that's what we New Yorker's like best, but it seems most of the country prefers cole slaw. I'll let you know how that works.

Roll up egg roll style and seal with an egg wash made of sriracha, egg and water and roll in a tablespoon or two of store bought bread crumbs. Looks good, mmmm?

In a medium size sauce pan on stove top add a bit of canola oil and saute egg rolls on each side about 2 minutes or so, to brown the wrappers and make sure the insides heat up.  Let cool a bit before serving because they stay hot a long time. Then dig in and enjoy! I certainly did.

Fridge and Pantry Purge

Yesterday was another messy, sleety, snowy day in New England. I drove to work with white knuckles and came home in the same condition. I had to do something to ease the tension in my body so I decided to cook. I also decided to go through my fridge and pantry and use up some of the ingredients that have been hanging around (maybe just a little too long). This post is not really a recipe, it's a method that I sometimes use that gets me to my desired result- dinner!

I had 3 pieces of bacon which I cooked up, crumbled and set aside. Then I drained most of the bacon fat from the pan and left about a tablespoon in. To the bacon fat I added 3 ounces of chopped baby spinach, 4 ounces of chopped mushrooms and 2 very sad looking scallions.

At this point I still wasn't sure where I was going with this, but after a quick look in my pantry, I decided I'd re-mix Dan and Jerry's Chili Mac, and make it Bacon Chil Mac. I cooked 1 cup of Dreamfield's elbow macaroni, opened a 16 ounce can of pinto beans and combined them with the bacon, and spinach/mushroom mixture. I was on the road to happiness.

Good thing I save my bacon fat because I then decided to saute a medium size onion, 4 cloves of minced garlic, 2 teaspoons of chili powder, 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper and 2 tablespoons of tomato paste in another tablespoon of that aromatic fatty bacony goodness.

I pre heated my oven to 350 degrees, opened a 10 ounce can of Rotel and looked at the unopened salsa con queso I bought on sale ages ago. So yeah, 3 tablespoons of that creaminess went into the macaroni mixture too.

I spritzed my trusty old souffle dish with cooking spray and put this delicious looking mixture in the oven (covered) for 25 minutes.

Then I added a few handfuls of low fat shredded cheddar cheese, popped the casserole back in the oven (uncovered) for 8 minutes and dinner was ready.

I toasted up some corn tortillas and sprinked the chili mac with cilanto and was a very happy camper. The weathermen/women are predicting a little more snow for tomorrow, but I've got leftovers to comfort me. And by the way, this microwaves beautifully, I had some for lunch today at work.

Tortilla and Egg Bake

I was doing a bit of experimenting last night. I love to cook ahead and then reheat because it just makes my life so much easier. And I was curious if eggs baked in tortilla shells would stand up to the reheating process of nuking at the office. I have a large muffin pan that contains 6 muffin holes that measure 4 inches in diameter that I used to use for mini quiches. I pulled this rarely used dinosaur out of the cupbaord and got to work. I had 4 six inch corn tortillas on hand, warmed them a few seconds in the microwave and nestled them inside four of the round indentations that were misted lightly with cooking spray.

They seemed to fit okay, so I proceded to sautee a few veggies in canola oil that I thought would go well with the tortillas and eggs. I used 1/2 a red pepper chopped, 1 small onion chopped, 1 jalapeno pepper chopped, 1/4 cup or so of black beans and some spices: salt, pepper, and 1/4 tsp each of cumin and chili powder.

I added this aromatic mixture to the bottom of the tortillas, and topped each with about a tsp of store bought salsa. So far so good. At this point I pre heated the oven to 425 degrees.

How could I make any Tex-Mex dish without adding cheese? Had to do it, so I added as much shredded sharp cheddar as I could fit in, still leaving room for the eggs.

I added a splash of half and half, some salt and pepper and topped each tortilla with a few extra black beans and baked them for 12 minutes which seemed to be the perfect time. The eggs were still soft, the tortillas were crispy and the insides were hot. After they cooled a bit I wrapped them up, put them in the fridge excited for the morning experiment.

I did not bring my camera to work so I do not have a picture of the re-heated, microwaved egg tortilla, and I must say, for once- one of my experiments actually worked on the first try. The tortilla stayed crisp, the egg was still soft and the inside veggies were warm and delicious. If I weren't eating this on the run at work I would have garnished with sour cream, a little more salsa, more cheese of course and cilantro leaves. Give this a try and get even more creative than I was. The possibilities are endless.

Ultimate Nacho Mac and Cheese

I've been under the weather for the last few weeks, and when I started feeling better, like wanting to eat solid food again, you know I went for the the most comforting thing I could think of, an ooey, gooey cheesy casserole. My friend Dana Ramsey made a dish called Nacho Mac and Cheese and that sounded right up my alley. But I took her recipe a step further and made her side dish a main course by adding seasoned ground beef and all the toppings you'd add to nachos. I also tried to cut some of the calories and carbs and was ever so happy with the results.

Ingredients:
Serves 6-8
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni, I used Dreamfields
1 pound 2% Velveeta cheese
1 can Rotel Original Diced Tomatoes and Chilis
2 tsp canola oil
3/4 pound ground sirloin
1/2 package taco seasoning mix
3 six inch corn tortillas quartered, I used low carb, high fiber
1/2 can fat free re-fried beans
1 small can chopped chilis
1 T Mrs Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning Blend

Toppings:
Use them all or choose your favorites
shredded iceberg lettuce
chopped tomatoes sliced olives
lite sour cream
chopped avocado
chopped scallions
chopped cilantro
salsa

Prepare elbows according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, brown meat and taco seasoning in canola oil and chop Velveeta into 1/2 inch cubes.

When pasta is done, drain in colander and place back into the warm pot you cooked it in. Add the chopped cheese, can of Rotel, seasoned beef, and can of chilis. Stir to combine and leave on stove top while you put together the bean nachos.

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Take your corn tortilla wedges and spread with the re-fried beans and sprinkle each little chip with the Mrs Dash seasoning. Now you're ready to assemble the dish. Place warm cheese/pasta/meat mixture in casserole dish dusted with cooking spray. Top with bean coated tortillas. Here's the dish ready to go into the oven.

And here it is after it's baked uncovered for 25 minutes. Creamy, crunchy, toasty and oh! so good.

The beauty of this casserole is that the top becomes crunchy and the inside stays creamy. Serve this as you would any nacho dish- lots of toppings, so that with each bite, you can try something new. Dig in and enjoy!
I sure did.

Chili Mac

I've been making a lot of Tex Mex dishes since joining Just a Pinch about a year ago. What a great web site for home cooks. The membership is world wide and the variety of recipes on there can at times be overwhelming. Like what should I make first? Should I go off my diet?  Well if I'm going off my diet, what should I make first? You get the picture. So tonight I made Dan Clark's Chili Mac. Being a northern gal, I'd never had chili mac and wanted to give it a try. It's similar to American Chop Suey, but has a nice bite. Dan is a great cook, and most of the recipes I've seen of his have been done outdoors on a smoker or grill. I don't do that kind of cooking so when he posted this recipe I took the bait. I made a few changes- halved the recipe, added some pork sausage to the ground beef and used Dreamfield's elbow macaroni. This was the perfect dish to end a miserable weather week and say goodbye to the noreaster that hit us on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Chili Mac
Serves 4-6

1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
3/4 pound ground beef
2 sweet Italian sausages, removed from casings
1 medium onion diced
4-5 cloves garlic minced (about 1-1/2 T)
1 14 oz can petit diced tomatoes (I used no salt added, and added my own salt later)
1 16 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3 oz tomato paste (half a small can)
1 4 oz can chopped green chilies
3/4 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp chili powder (I would have used a bit more but I ran out)
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
5 oz Mexican Blend 2% shredded cheese

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees. Cook macaroni according to package directions until just less than al dente. Meanwhile, in large skillet over medium heat brown ground beef, sausages, onion and garlic until meat is no longer pink.

Drain fat and return to stove. Add remaining ingredients except for the cheese.

Drain macaroni, add to meat/bean mixture and stir to combine. Cover and simmer 5 minutes.

Transfer to a baking dish coated with cooking spray. I used my good old souffle dish.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake 25 minutes. Uncover, top with cheese and bake 8 minutes more. Cheese will be ooey, gooey and melty.

This is comfort food at it's best. I'll be making this again for sure and I'll probably add a fresh green pepper to the onion, garlic, and meat saute. This was so good, I'd serve it to company with a crisp green salad dressed with a lemon vinegarette and homemade cornbread. Which reminds me, the cornbread recipe needs to be shared.