Category Archives: casseroles

July 2, 2012 · 6:25 am

HASTY TASTY PAELLA UNDER PRESSURE

Pressure Cooker

Paella is one of those wonderful one-pot meals with peasant origins. Traditionally, paella was cooked over an open fire in the fields when workers took a break for lunch. The ingredients depended on what was available and could include everything from chicken to rabbit. Coastal areas of Spain popularized the addition of seafood, again whatever catch was available.

The most expensive ingredient is the saffron, yet I know of no suitable substitution. The good news is a little bit of saffron goes a long way and stores well in your refrigerator.

Paella can be a healthful dish, but the recipes I found were time consuming. Not to be discouraged, I experimented with ways to serve paella with minimal fuss. My hasty tasty version of paella uses a 6-quart pressure cooker and mostly frozen ingredients. From start to finish, the meal takes just about half an hour to cook.

RECIPE

 Hasty Tasty Paella

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup uncooked brown rice¹
  • 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1½ cups frozen pepper stir-fry
  • 1 ¾ cups chicken stock or broth
  • 6-8 saffron threads
  • 1 Tbsp. sweet paprika
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • ½ pound frozen shrimp, cleaned and shelled
  • ½ pound frozen sea scallops
  • ½ cup frozen peas or mixed vegetables
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

  1. Brown the rice in the olive oil over medium heat in the bottom of the pressure cooker pot.
  2. After rice is browned, add the pepper stir-fry, broth, saffron, paprika, and chicken. Secure lid and bring to pressure.
  3. Cook under pressure 15 minutes.
  4. Remove the cooker from heat and allow pressure to drop on its own for 10 minutes. Then carefully release pressure and remove the lid according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
  5. Remove the chicken to a cutting board for slicing. Fluff the rice with a fork.
  6. Return cooker to medium heat and add remaining ingredients. Cook just until seafood is cooked, approximately 5 minutes or until shrimp is pink.
  7. Remove cooker immediately from heat and stir in sliced chicken. Transfer paella to a large shallow serving bowl or individual bowls and serve.

Yield: 4 generous servings

¹Do not substitute white or yellow rice for brown rice. Anything other than brown rice will overcook.

Variation: Use fish or mussels instead of or in addition to the shrimp and scallops.

Paella

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June 11, 2012 · 4:27 am

Thinking Outside the Box

Serving busy families nutritious, healthy meals can be a challenge. Cooking for one is a challenge, too. Often we throw up our hands in defeat then head for the drive-thru. Or we pick up boxes of one-dish “Just add meat” meals, like “helpers” or skillet dinners. Tempting, aren’t they? All the work has been done for you except for browning the meat.

Not so fast.

When I was a college student, I often had Betty Crocker’s Noodles Almandine for dinner. I added some water, cooked the contents of the box for about 15 minutes, melted a pat of butter with the noodles, then sprinkled the few packaged almonds that were included as a garnish. I loved that dinner! It was cheap and easy. One night I was hungry and hadn’t had time to grocery shop, so I decided to create the dish on my own. I had noodles and slivered almonds, and there was butter in the refrigerator. How difficult could it be?

Even as an inexperienced, young cook, I quickly figured out the answer. Not difficult at all. I dissolved a chicken bouillon cube in the boiled noodles. Then I melted a pat of butter, tossed the noodles, then sprinkled with the almonds. I had noodles almandine! It tasted just like Betty Crocker’s. As I ate my dinner, I came to two realizations: A chicken bouillon cube, some noodles, and a few almonds cost a lot less than my box; it took no longer to make the dish on my own than with the boxed ingredients. From then on (sorry, Betty Crocker) I made my own noodles almandine. These days I make it with whole wheat pasta to bump up the nutrition.

Noodles Almandine

Whole Wheat Rotini Almandine

Save your money and your health by making your own skillet dinners or casseroles. They’re easy, less expensive, and tastier. Here’s my healthier version of a family favorite.

RECIPE

Turk-a-Roni
Ingredients:
• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 10 oz. package frozen seasoning blend*
• 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
• ½ cup water
• 1 cup dry whole-wheat elbow macaroni
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. pepper
• 1 clove garlic, pressed
• 8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
1. Spray the inside of a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Over medium heat, brown the ground turkey. Break meat apart using a fork or potato masher.
3. Add the frozen seasoning blend. Cook for two minutes with the meat.
4. When meat is fully cooked, add the remaining ingredients except the cheese. Be sure all the macaroni pieces are covered in liquid.
5. Cover the skillet and simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Check macaroni for doneness (do not overcook) and add cooking time as needed.
6. Remove skillet from heat. Sprinkle with the shredded cheese and cover to melt the cheese.
7. Serve turk-a-roni from the skillet.

*Frozen seasoning blend is a convenience item containing chopped onion, bell pepper, celery, and parsley. If you don’t have seasoning blend, use 1 cup chopped onion.

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May 5, 2012 · 12:02 pm

Cinco de Mayo Casserole

Today is Cinco de Mayo and also Kentucky Derby day. I created a special recipe honoring both events. I hope you’ll try it at your next fiesta.

RECIPE

Cinco de Mayo Casserole

Ingredients:

  • 1 beer (any kind, including non-alcoholic)
  • 1.3 pounds lean ground turkey
  • 1 package Bloemer’s* chili seasoning
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1 15½ oz. can chili beans
  • nonstick cooking spray
  • 6 8″ diameter whole-wheat tortillas
  • 8 slices Boar’s Head 3-Pepper Jack cheese
  • 8 oz. shredded Monterrey jack cheese
  • 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Coat the inside of a 9″ X 13″ casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
  3. Place a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add beer, ground turkey, and chili seasoning mix. Stir.
  4. Cover and cook the turkey, lifting lid occasionally to break apart the meat. The turkey should poach in the beer and become fine.
  5. Cook turkey mixture for ten minutes, covered, then simmer uncovered for five minutes.
  6. Add chopped onion, canned tomato sauce, and canned chili beans. Stir to combine.
  7. Cover and remove from heat.
  8. In the casserole dish, place 2 tortillas in the bottom. They will overlap some, and that’s all right.
  9. Spoon half the turkey chili (about 4 cups) over the tortillas.
  10. Cover the chili with the 8 slices of cheese.
  11. Place 2 tortillas over the cheese.
  12. Spoon remaining turkey chili over the tortillas.
  13. Cover turkey chili with 2 more tortillas.
  14. Spread tortillas with 8 ounces shredded Monterrey Jack cheese until completely covered.
  15. Place aluminum foil over the casserole dish.
  16. Bake casserole covered for 30 minutes, then remove the foil for 5 minutes.
  17. Garnish with the chopped cilantro.
  18. Allow casserole to cool about 10 minutes before serving.

This casserole can be assembled a day ahead then baked the day you want to serve it.

Yields: 6–8 servings

*Bloemer Food Products are available in Louisville and online at http://www.bloemerfoods.com/

Cinco de Mayo casserole

Cinco de Mayo Casserole

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November 25, 2011 · 5:46 pm

Turkey leftovers? No problem!

For the holidays, I’m recapping some of our favorite turkey leftover recipes. Remember, it’s easy to shred leftover meat in the Vitamix, food processor, or mixer. I use shredded leftover turkey to make turkey salad, turkey burritos, and turkey barbecue sandwiches.

RECIPE

Turkey BBQ Sandwiches
Serves 2
(I serve these with Cole Slaw made using the Vitamix)

Ingredients:
1 cup shredded turkey dark meat
1 cup prepared barbecue sauce of choice
2 whole wheat burger buns

Directions:
Combine turkey and barbecue sauce in a one quart pan. Cover and place over low heat for gentle heating. After mixture is completely warmed through, remove pan from heat and serve on the burger buns.

RECIPE

Turkey Tetrazzini
Serves 4-5

(I use a Kitchen Craft covered skillet, but this recipe can be baked in a conventional oven. I prefer the electric skillet because the entire dish is prepared in one pot, reducing clean-up time in the kitchen. Also, a quality liquid core electric skillet uses less energy than an oven):

Dry sauté in the skillet:

1 cup sliced, fresh mushrooms
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced

After the mushrooms have browned, add:

1½ cups cooked turkey, cubed
4 oz. uncooked angel hair pasta, spread evenly across vegetables and chicken in skillet (or 1½ quart baking dish)

In a 1 pint measuring pitcher, blend:

1 10 ¾ oz. can Campbell’s® 98% Fat Free Cream of Mushroom Soup
½ cup milk
¼ cup water
¼ cup sour cream
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Pour soup mixture over turkey and pasta. Be sure all pasta is covered.

If using a skillet, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Do NOT remove lid to peek. If baking, cover casserole with foil and cook in a pre-heated 375°F oven for 30 minutes.

Garnish with finely chopped fresh parsley and additional parmesan cheese if desired. Serve with a garden salad and whole grain bread. Serves 4.

With the rising cost of canned goods, I’ve started canning my own turkey stock, which is easy using the pressure cooker and freezer-safe, pint canning jars.  But whether you make your own stock or buy it, you’ll enjoy making soup from leftover turkey.  Here’s one suggestion, Turkey Noodle Soup:

RECIPE

Turkey Noodle Soup

Makes 4 servings

In a 3 quart pot over medium heat, add

2 teaspoons olive oil
brown for 5 minutes:
1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
4 stalks celery (including the leaves), sliced
1 bell pepper (any color, but I use red), seeded and chopped

Add:

1 quart turkey stock or chicken broth
1 cup water
Seasonings – your choice
1 ½ cups cooked turkey, cubed

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cover. Don’t remove the lid and you’ll be able to cook on the lowest setting.

About 10 minutes before serving, add:

1 cup dry whole wheat noodles, or any whole wheat pasta

Taste test for seasonings. You may want to add salt or pepper. When the noodles are al dente, serve the soup.

The beauty of this recipe is the cooking time is flexible. The soup can simmer for 20 minutes or a couple of hours because the starchy pasta isn’t added until the last 10 minutes. It’s a light, healthy meal for those days following the overindulgence of a holiday meal. Double or triple the recipe and feed a crowd on a cold night.

One more tip: You can adapt this for the slow cooker. Add the pasta in during the last hour and turn to Low.

Here’s one I modified from a GE recipe.  Theirs is baked in a casserole dish, but I use the electric skillet.

RECIPE

Turkey Cashew Casserole
Serves 6

In a pre-heated electric skillet, melt:

1 Tablespoon butter

Sauté for five minutes:

2 cups chopped celery
1 large onion, chopped

Add:

5 cups cubed cooked turkey

Mix together in a large mixing pitcher or bowl:

1 cup turkey or chicken broth
2 cans reduced-sodium condensed cream of mushroom soup
dash of hot sauce

Pour over chicken and cover.  Simmer (220°) for 20-25 minutes (or bake in a casserole dish at 350° for 30 minutes in a traditional oven).

Sprinkle cooked casserole with:

1 cup cashews
10 oz. chow-mein noodles

Serve and enjoy!

I saved my favorite for last, turkey burritos!  This recipe can be adjusted according to how much leftover turkey you have.

RECIPE

Turkey Burritos
Makes 6

Preheat oven to 375°.  In a medium bowl combine:

1 cup shredded cooked turkey
1 can Rotel® tomatoes and green chiles
1 cup reduced-fat shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 small onion, diced
1 Tbsp. Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle seasoning (or your choice)

Mix together and divide into six equal portions.  Fill each of the:

6 whole wheat tortillas

with a portion of the mixture.  Wrap tortilla around mixture into a roll.  Place burritos in a 9×13 casserole dish.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and uncover.  After 5 minutes, remove each burrito from the casserole dish and serve.

Happy Holidays and Happy Cooking!

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