Blue Cheese Sirloin Steak Yeah Baby

Oh my word. Tried this one night as a test and my men want to have this again within the week! The menu? Sirloin steak atop creamy blue cheese sauce with fingerling potatoes. Both the sauce and the potatoes were new to us. This is the most tender steak I've ever had. It's so smooth it's buttery. Quick and easy, what a great combo!

INGREDIENTS
(Serves 4)
2 large top sirloin steaks, marinated for at least 3 hours in 1/3 cup Marsala Cooking Wine, seasoned
Kosher salt and ground pepper
1 and 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
1/2 lb fingerling potatoes
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
2 large white onions
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

STEPS
1. Salt and pepper both sides of steaks, place in gallon zip bag and add Marsala. Refrigerate for 3 - 24 hours.
2. 40 minutes before serving time, bring potato water to boil in large pot. When boiling, add potatoes and cook 15-20 minutes, until fork tests slightly soft. Drain, return to pot. Add one stick of butter, season and throw in the parsley. Cover while you finish cooking.
3. For best taste, we grilled the steak so get the grill going when you start your potato water. Remove meat from fridge and let come to room temp.
4  Slice 2 large white onions in thick sections - halve them then halve again. In skillet, melt 4 TBSP of butter then add onions. Cook on medium low til onions are brownish and almost carmel. Stir frequently. When browned, lower heat and add cream. Stir and heat til thickened. Once thickened, add the blue cheese and remove from heat.
5. Once the meat is cooked to your done-ness, slice diagonally into long strips.
6. Serving:  Scoop a ladle of the sauce on a plate, top with sirloin slices. Place fingerlings alongside steak, being sure to include some parsley with each serving.

This is so easy someone who feels cooking-challenged could pull the whole thing off next time you want to have a night off. They might not even need to ask you any questions. Any way you cook it - this is a winner and goes on our rotation and makes us yearn for winter's end even sooner.  We had to shovel our way to the grill tonight. Spot was right out there "helping" 4 Paws, yum. 

Lemony Chicken Piccata

Five years ago, I picked up Rachel Ray's magazine for the first time. Much to my delight, there were recipes everywhere I looked and even a section for meals in under 30 minutes. That is where I found the inspiration for this recipe. Even though it took me twice as long, each minute was well worth the final taste. Over the past five years, this has been my signature dish. As I continue to add more recipes to my repertoire, this beloved one has fallen to the back burner. R-R-R. The other day I thought I should make this again and much to my surprise, found I had not put it on the blog. This recipe is the beginning of me really trying to cook. Thank you, Rachel Ray. And thank you, parmesan cheese. I sure love to cook and this one started it all.

Serves 6 and great for company

INGREDIENTS
6 chicken breasts, flattened to 1/2"
3 eggs, whisked and placed in a gallon plastic zip bag or pie plate if you don't like to litter
3/4 cup flour & 1/4 cup Wondra, placed in another gallon zip bag with Kosher salt and pepper to taste
12 oz shredded parmesan cheese & 6 oz shredded 5 cheese combo in another gallon zip bag
3/4 box angel hair pasta, cooked al dente and set aside
10 oz fresh spinach
6 cloves garlic, minced
Extra virgin olive oil
4 TBSP unsalted butter, cold
1 cup flat leaf (Italian) parsley, rough chopped
1 cup dry white wine
3 lemons, sliced
6 more oz. parmesan cheese
1/4 - 1/3 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
Sea Salt
Ground pepper

STEPS
1. Dip each breast in flour, then egg mixture. Then dip breasts in the zip bag with the cheeses. Press cheese firmly into each breast. Stack beasts on plate until all breasts are ready to cook.
2. Heat large skillet on medium high with enough extra virgin olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. When heated, cook the breasts in two batches. 5 minutes each side until golden brown. To be sure the chicken isn't pink, cut each breast in half while cooking the second side. Remove cooked breasts to platter and cover with foil.
3. While breasts are cooking, heat water in large pot and cook angel hair al dente. Drain and set aside, cover to keep warm.
4. After all breasts have cooked, add more olive oil to skillet if necessary and then add the garlic and lemon slices. Cook 3 minutes, turning lemons once. Whisk in wine and parsley. Lower heat and cook til reduced, another couple of minutes.
5. Stir in 1 cup of chicken broth and butter, cook til butter melts (3 more minutes). Add the lemon juice and briefly heat. Generously spoon this over each breast on platter and recover/
6. Add spinach to skillet mixture 5 oz at a time and cook til wilted. Add the remaining chicken broth. Stir in the drained pasta and toss to coat, season with salt and pepper. Then add the last parmesan cheese and toss again.
7. Serve! Scoop the pasta on your plate, top with a breast and enjoy.

4 paws. Spot didn't even move as I fell over her. How a 10 lb dog can become an anchor is beyond me. "The Posse" (teen guy eaters) was here tonite and loved it. The hour in the kitchen was worth the taste, and my Hubby even flattened the breasts. Definitely a family fav!

Sirloin Hollandaise Egg Brunch

My favorite TV show, The Chew, inspired this new brunch recipe. We decided to give it a try on Super Bowl Sunday.  There is more than enough sauce with this one, so if you want to serve more than 4 just add more eggs, bread and sirloin.

INGREDIENTS
2 sirloin strip steaks (1/2 per person)
2 slices toasted english muffins (or other hearty bread) per person
8 large eggs to fry (2 per person)
Kosher salt
Cracked pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Unsalted butter slices

SAUCE INGREDIENTS
8 egg yolks
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
5 TBSP lemon juice
Sea salt
White pepper
Dash tabasco
Fresh basil garnish

STEPS
1.  Heat large cast iron skillet with some extra virgin olive oil on medium heat. Generously apply kosher salt and cracked pepper to both sides. Sear and cook about 4 minutes each side, til desired doneness.
2.  While steaks are cooking, prepare sauce. Put the yolks, lemon juice, sea salt and tabasco in a blender and blend for 20 seconds with the center cap removed. Slowly pour the butter and continue to  combine. Then add the white pepper.  (I poured in a pitcher and warmed it before serving)
3. When steaks are done, start the fried eggs. Place as many as will fit in a skillet heated with 1/2 TBSP of butter. Cook eggs til whites thicken, then flip and briefly cook the 'top' til desired doneness. We like them runny. Two over-easy fried eggs per eater.
4. Toast the english muffins while eggs are in the skillet, and slice the sirloin into diagonal strips.
5. When the eggs are done, assemble as follows on a plate for each:  2 toasted english muffins, dollop of Sauce, slices of sirloin, egg, cover with Sauce. Top with basil garnish. Serve immediately and season with Sea salt to taste.

Oh. My. Yum. 4 paws for sure and this goes on our "rotation". This is the best Hollandaise I've come across - thank you, TheChew! So easy to make. This is great for company and even fun for dinner. I can't wait to make it again. Next time I may marinate the steak and try a thicker bakery bread but I won't touch the sauce. 

Sloppy Joe Boats

I got inspired to create this recipe while watching my friends on The Chew earlier this week. They were putting something in scooped out baked potos for a Super Bowl dish, and I thought 'hey. why not do this with sloppy joe stuffing?' Here it is and yes, it was a hit with my home team.

INGREDIENTS
9 baker potatoes, baked at 395 for an hour
1 # 85/15 ground beef, browned
1 cup ketchup
1/3  to 1/2 cup canned, seasoned diced tomatoes with their juice
2 TBSP brown sugar
3 tsp dry mustard
3 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp sea salt
4 green onions, sliced thin - both white and green parts - just chop off ends
1/3 - 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

STEPS
1. Get potos baking. When they are half-way done, brown your meat.
2. I browned our meat in the cast iron skillet used earlier in the day (when I made Sirloin Hollandaise Egg Brunch to brown the sirloin). The seasonings in the skillet were great to mix in with the meat.
3. As the beef browns, combine the sugar, mustard, W sauce, powders and salt with the ketchup and diced tomatoes. After the beef browns, add this mixture and combine well. Stir in green onions.
4. Once potos are baked, remove from oven, slice in half lengthwise and cool about 10 minutes. Place on a jelly roll pan lined with Parchment paper. Scoop out the insides of the potatoes and save to make mashed potatoes tomorrow.
5. Fill each potato with 2+ packed TBSPs of the meat mixture (use it all up) and return to 350 degree oven for 5 minutes to heat through. Turn off oven. Top each tater with a large pinch of cheddar cheese and place in oven for 7 more minutes to gently melt the cheese using the still-warm oven.

This is a fun alternative to hamburger buns and healthy, too. Great game day finger food or party appetizer. Spot gives this 3 paws and my guys give it a 4.

Dottie's Roll-Out Sugar Cookies

This is the only sugar cookie recipe you will ever need if you're going to make them from scratch. Just allow enough time to chill and roll out and cut. That takes me longer than anticipated. This is the recipe my mom made during the Christmas holidays when I was little and my parents had their annual New Year's Day party. She would bake them ahead of time and store them in Dayton's Oval Room dress boxes. (If you aren't from MN that means designer clothing boxes, they were sturdier.) Mom would then hide the cookie boxes because kids would find them and lower her count. We definately ate more than the ones she set aside for family use.

This is her recipe, unedited. I have to note that I cannot roll the cookies as thin as she did and still get them to look pretty, so I roll 'em thicker and cook longer. At least the taste is there! I even have the original cookie cutters in my vast collection. This year I didn't get around to making these until the New Year had a few days under its belt so I made moons. 
  
Sugar cookies are good any time of the year.

INGREDIENTS - MAKE UP TO 2 DAYS AHEAD - Dough needs to chill at least 1 hour
1 cup butter, softened
1 egg
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp Vanilla
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups flour

STEPS
Cream butter and sugar til fluffy. Beat in egg. Sift flour with powder and salt and add to mixture. Add vanilla and stir in walnuts. Chill @ 1 hour.  Roll out 1/8 " thick on board and use cookie cutters to cut into shapes.  Place cookies on baking sheet, sprinkle with decorative sugars and bake at 400 for 8 minutes or until edges turn gentle brown. Watch carefully and adjust baking time as needed.

4 Paws! Spot got some dough, accidently.

The Best Turkey Ever with No-Fault Gravy

This is the best of the best turkey recipes I've ever seen and guess what? It's my adult daughter's creation. Ever since she shared this with us we have enjoyed the moistest and tastiest  turkeys ever. This past Thanksgiving, she was actually in town and we got to taste her version firsthand. The one below is my morph. It's a guaranteed winner. If you need a larger amount of turkey for your feast, cook two instead of one big one. Be sure you have a digital thermometer.

A DAY OR TWO AHEAD OF TIME:
Prepare a brine for your 16-lb turkey. Using a large lobster pot, place your unwrapped turkey (with innards removed) inside and fill with water. Temporarily remove the turkey as you add brine ingredients to the pot.
- 2 cups Kosher salt
- 2 cups sugar
Stir to dissolve, then add up to 2 heads of garlic, roughly chopped (no worry about peeling away skin, you will discard later)
Place the turkey back in the pot and cover. If you live in a cold climate like Minnesota in the winter, you can just chill the pot in the garage. Otherwise, refrigerate. 

A COUPLE HOURS BEFORE COOKING:
Bring turkey to room-ish temp by placing in sink with cold water. Discard the contents of the brine pot. Pat turkey dry and preheat oven to 325. Form a thick ring of heavy duty foil in the shape of a "U" and place in the bottom of roasting pan.

Microwave 1 stick unsalted butter til soft, place in small bowl. Make paste by adding large handful of fresh rosemary and one other fresh herb like oregano or sage. Turn turkey over so breast is on top and carefully insert hand to separate skin. Shove paste between turkey body and skin. Place turkey breast-side down onto foil ring in roasting pan and place 1 & 1/2 garlic heads (cut in half) inside the bird.

Butter the exterior of the bird and salt and pepper to taste.

COOKING:
Place turkey in preheated oven and set timer for 1 hour. At that time, baste with chicken or beef broth (whatever you have on hand) cover entire body to keep wet. Set timer for another 1/2 hour and check to see if bird is browning too quickly. Add foil to wings if necessary and baste again using drippings in pan in addition to broth.  Set the timer for another 20 minutes. When timer dings again, check temperature. You want the turkey internal temp to read 165 when digital thermometer is inserted in the thickest part of the body. Continue to cook in 10+ minute increments and baste until the bird registers 165 in two different spots. It will take under 3 hours - sometimes faster.

Remove the turkey from the oven and let rest up to 20 minutes before carving.

NO FAULT GRAVY
No more cans or jars, you can do this in your large skillet!

Melt one stick unsalted butter with 3 cubes of chicken bouillon (or equivalent) over medium heat. Whisk in up to 1/4 cups Wondra. Enough to make a sand consistency and bring to boil for 1 minute. Add turkey drippings if available, add 1 carton reduced fat chicken broth and stir in 1/4 heavy cream and salt and pepper to taste, return to boil and stir til thickened. Reduce to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

You can add all kinds of other fun to the gravy like fresh parsley, sautéed mushrooms or onions. Or... all of the above.

Are you kidding? Spot LOVES this meal cuz she gets all kinds of scraps! Depending on how many eaters, you'll enjoy leftovers for sandwiches or casseroles. When reheating, be sure to drizzle with more broth to keep it moist.

Best Bread Stuffing

This is our secret recipe we have enjoyed for years. The time has come to share it with the world and spare others from ever using a mix again. We serve this every Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's so moist and yummy some of us have just a bite of turkey with our plateful of stuffing. This recipe makes two large casserole pans - one to cook on Thanksgiving and another to cook the next day with leftovers.

PREPARE A DAY BEFORE SERVING

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter
2 cups diced celery
2 cups chopped onions
16 cups bread cubes - mix darks and lights
3/4 cup rough chopped flat leaf parsley
2 TBSP kosher salt
1 TBSP ground pepper
3 eggs lightly beaten
3/4 cup heavy cream

STEPS:
1. In extra large stock pot, melt butter over medium low heat. Stir in onions and celery. Cook until onions are translucent and celery is bright green - about 10 minutes. Mixture should be tender.
2. Remove from heat. Using large paddle or spatula, stir in bread cubes, then butter. Add parsley, salt and pepper, then cream. Mixture should be moist, not soggy. (Adjust consistency if necessary)
3. Chill in pot covered with foil - or in baking dishes covered with foil - overnight.

TO SERVE:
Bring to room temp about 90 minutes before serving. Bake in casserole or baking dish at 325 for 45 minutes. Cover and keep warm until serving. If cooking with your turkey, place on lower rack (at lower temp) and extend baking time as needed.

For some reason, Spot didn't care we were cooking onions tonight. Perhaps it was the large pot that disguised them? She was underfoot so much this is a 5-Paw-er!

My First Pepper Steak

Yes, I do get a lot of my food ideas from some of my fav foodie shows and this recipe is no exception. As typical of my ADD, I tweaked and made what my eating men love-love-loved! We served it with packaged parmesan pasta on the side. Yum!!

INGREDIENTS:
4 sirloin steaks, marinated in kosher salt and ground pepper with a splash of bourbon at least 4 hours
2 TBSP unsalted butter
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
White pepper
Bourbon
1/2 sweet onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, diced
2 shallots, diced
3/4 cup Half & Half
2 generous dollaps of dijon mustard
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

STEPS:
1. In a large cast iron skillet, melt butter over medium heat. While skillet is heating, genrously salt and even more generously pepper with both peppers, each side of sirloins.
2. Pan sear meat about 5 minutes each side without moving it around. (When I flipped to second side, I sliced each steak in half to be sure it wasn't raw) Move cooked meat to platter and cover with foil.
3. Using same skillet on slightly lower temp, cook garlic and onions. Scrape skillet. Add 1/4 cup bourbon and sizzle everything. Drop in dijon and stir. Whisk in Half&Half and bring to boil. Stir and remove from heat.
4. Pour over steak on platter, top with parsley and serve.

Spot gives this 4 paws and loved tripping me often while I cooked. This is great man food! It goes on our two week rotation and is fast 'n easy to make.

My First Chicken Pad Thai

Inspired by The Chew last week, I have played around with this recipe, changed some ingredients and thickened the sauce. The result is a quick meal that can feed 8... or 4 if you each have two servings. Tastes great as a leftover, midnight snack or between two pieces of bread for lunch the next day. Apparently this dish has been around forever, so I'm a late but happy bloomer. We loved it so much I made it again two days later!

INGREDIENTS:
8 boneless, skinless chicken fillets marinated overnight in soy sauce and spread with creamy peanut butter
1 cup peanuts
5 eggs
2 1/2 pkg Japanese Curly Noodles
10 cloves minced garlic
2 cups shredded carrots
2-3 cups bean sprouts
10 scallions thinly sliced
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Garnish with a thinly sliced Granny Smith apple

SAUCE INGREDIENTS:
1 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
Juice from 2 freshly squeezed lemons
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 TBSP Worchesteshire sauce
9 TBP soy sauce
Pinch kosher salt

EASY STEPS:
1. In large skillet with 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil on medium heat briefly cook peanuts for 2 minutes, remove from heat. Add more olive oil and the eggs. Lightly scramble til almost done, remove and set aside.
2. Slice chicken in thin strips, add 2 TBSP olive oil and garlic along with the chicken and cook til done, about 5 minutes.
3. In medium saucepan, bring 1/2 pot of water to boil. Place noodles in large bowl and pour enough boiling water to cover noodles and set aside.
4. While chicken is cooking, in medium saucepan (I used the same one) combine all sauce ingredients and heat.
5.  When chicken is done, whisk in the scrambled eggs, carrotts, bean sprouts, sauce and noodles. Combine well. Stir in scallions and peanuts. Serve with chow mein noodles if you want extra crunch.

Spot gives this 4 big paws. She loves chicken anything and without any onions cooking, she stayed in the kitchen the entire time. I will serve this over Thanksgiving weekend when we aren't eating turkey.

Molasses Crinkle Cookies

I have made a version of this ever since high school. I keep forgetting how good and easy it is. This recipe doesn't make more than a dozen, but really yummy!

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temp
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
2 TBSP white sugar

STEPS:
1.  Cream butter, brown sugar and egg in mixer. Add all dry ingredients except the white sugar and mix well. Chill for 45 - 60 minutes,
2.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Form dough into golf-ball size and roll in the white sugar. Space 1" from each other on baking sheet. Drizzle each cookie with drops of water.
3. Bake at 375 until cookies flatten slightly, approximately 15 minutes depending upon your oven.

Spot was thrilled when we dropped some crumbs on the floor! 4 paws it is.

The New Shepherd's Pie

Our fav comfort meal ever! We were first introduced to a version of this hearty casserole the night we came home from the hospital with our newborn son. Elated and exhausted, we were delighted to receive and eat up this lovely gift from a church friend. Ever since then, this has been a regular winter meal in our house. The way I prepare it makes 2 dinners. More work up front gives you a night off later on! Here's the version we currently enjoy almost 18 years later.

INGREDIENTS:
2 # ground beef 85/15 or 1# 85/15 and 1#ground turkey, browned
2 pkg Lipton's Beef & Mushroom dry soup
1 Family size (26+oz) can of Campbell's Vegetable Soup
2 pkg (10+oz) frozen mixed vegetables (like Bird's Eye Steamfresh)
4 heaping TBSP Wondra
3 cups mashed red potatoes
2 eggs
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 TBSP paprika
2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Big pinch of Kosher Salt

EASY STEPS:
1. Brown meat in large skillet, stir in Wondra and add soups. Spread meat mixture into two medium sized glass casserole dishes. Sprinkle generously with Kosher salt.
2. While browning: Halve enough large red potatoes to fill a 5 quart stock pot, top with water and bring to boil. Lower heat and cook on med high til you can poke the potos and they are soft. Drain. Keep in pot.
3. While potatoing: Zap frozen veggies to thaw - about 2 minutes. Sprinkle evenly over both pans.
4. Mash potatoes with hand masher, adding enough heavy cream to create a slightly wet mixture. Stir in chopped basil, add eggs then paprika. Be sure this mixture is smooth enough to spread on two casseroles. If too thick, add more cream. Finish with cheddar cheese. Spread this mixture over meat.
5. Bake one casserole at 350 until bubbly - about 35 minutes. Cool the other pan then freeze. Be sure and use within 2 months for freshest taste.

Yummy! And since there no onions are involved, Spot wasn't hiding under the bed. This recipe could be morphed many ways. The way I first made it was with instant potatoes, but since I've become more of a cook I like to use real fresh ingredients and add freshness like basil.

Hearty Chicken Pot Pie

A few months ago I was in need of comfort food and went in search of Chix Pot Pie recipes. This is the one I found and tweaked that will comfort any man or woman in your life. I made it so often I started tripling the ingredients (except the pie crust) and freezing. Then all we had to do was thaw and bake when craving comfort or all your veggies mixed in one bite. We serve this with rice.

INGREDIENTS:
1 pkg of 2 refrigerator pie crusts at room temp
2 large chicken breasts, cubed or one deli cooked chicken skin and bones removed, cubed
1 cup sliced or shredded fresh carrots
1 cup sliced celery
2 cups frozen peas
2 small sweet onions, diced
1/3 cup butter
2/3 cups flour
Big pinch Kosher salt
1/2 - 1 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp celery seed
3 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
4 sprigs fresh rosemary, pulled off stem
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup sliced mushrooms

Let's walk through the recipe:
1. In large skillet, sauté onions, garlic and mushrooms in butter
2. In large saucepan, place carrots, celery and peas if using a cooked deli chicken. If using uncooked breasts, add them too. Add enough water just to cover. Bring to boil and cook 13 minutes. Drain and set aside, adding chicken if you didn't yet.
3. When onions etc are soft, whisk in flour and seasonings. Slowly add broth and cream. Add rosemary. Bring to boil, then simmer til thickened. Stir frequently. Set aside.
4. Unfurl one pie crust and fit to bottom and sides of 9" pie plate. Use fork to poke some holes in bottom and sides.
5. Spoon the chicken-veg mixture into bottom of pie crust. Pour the onion-gravy mixture over all. Fit other pie crust to top of pie and seal edges. Pierce crust to let out steam.
6. Bake 350 for 45 minutes or til crust is golden brown. If you need to keep warm, turn off oven and tent pie with foil.

Spot gives 4 paws and sits in hope like a mime at our feet! This recipe makes a generous onion-gravy and if we have extra and I'm not making more than one pie, I freeze it for the next one.

Savory Meatloaf

Cool Fall temps are upon us and it's time to make some comfort food that won't make you break into a sweat when you cook it or eat it.  I am on a Basil kick, so there's a generous amount of that in the mix, plus hidden spinach - always good if you have kids who deny you the opportunity of seeing them eat veggies. The men in my life love this! Note, this can easily become two meals depending on the number at your table. Otherwise, this will truly feed a crowd.

MEATLOAF INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs 85% ground beef or turkey at room temp
2 medium Vadalia (sweet) onions, diced
2 eggs
2 cups Italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup ketchup
1 pkg frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
1/4 cup fresh basil, sliced
1/2 cup fresh Italian (flat) parsley, roughly chopped
Kosher salt to taste
Ground pepper to taste

PREP STEPS:
1. Mix all ingredients except the bread crumbs, when fully combined add the crumbs (use hands)
2. Form the mixture into a brick shape and set it inside a large baking dish 9 x 12 or larger (you will need at least an inch margin around the loaf)
3. Bake at 350 in preheated oven for 1 hour. Tent the dish if loaf top looks too brown. Bake another 30 minutes or til insides are cooked. (I sliced "the brick" in thirds to let the heat in and uncovered it  for this last part)

GRAVY?
While loaf is doing its thing, sauté 3/4 cups sliced mushrooms in extra virgin olive oil and drain. Leave on paper towel to add later. Get that oil off those shrooms!

1. In a large skillet, melt one stick of unsalted butter along with 3 cubes of beef bouillon (or similar product like "Better Than Bouillon"), whisk in 3+TBSP Wondra in order to make consistency of sand and briefly boil for a minute
2. Add 2 cans of Campbell's Beef Consume and, using a can to measure - add  another 1 1/4 cans of beef broth, add the mushrooms and sprinkle of kosher salt
3. Bring to boil, add 1/8 to 1/4 cup heavy cream and simmer for 20 minutes. Keep covered til ready to serve - stir frequently

We served this with mashed potos and it was a big hit! I love all the hidden healthy ingredients.
Spot? Sorry no paws. She mistakenly heard me chopping the onions and skee-daddled, silly hound!

Yummy Coffee Cake

Ah nostalgia! When our son informed me that he was craving something brown-sugary, I remembered a recipe for coffee cake that I had not made in his life time.  I wasn't even sure where to find it, but I did! Here it is. Both men in my life declare this delicious. I sure won't wait 17 years til next time.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 beaten eggs
1 tsp baking powder
2 cups flour
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp soda

HOW
Cream sugar and butter, add eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Then add all dry ingredients and blend well. Batter will be thick. Spoon half the batter into a well-buttered and floured bundt pan. Sprinkle half the topping (below) then the remaining batter and finish with remaining topping. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.

TOPPING (mix well)
3 TBSP melted butter
2/3 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 TBSP cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts

Spot gives this 3 paws because we wouldn't let her lick the bowl or even have a taste. She knows it is really worth 4. But she still sits at our feet with high hopes.

Stuffed Garlic Bread

Saw a version of this reposted by someone on Face Book last week. Shared this recipe only to myself so I could try it without announcing my every thought on social media and thus caused five days of posts that no one else saw. :)

Turns out it was worth it. This bread is yum-licious! We served it tonight along with a new recipe for Hamburger Soup. I will do this again when it's colder and we make spaghetti or lasagna for sure...or more Hamburger Soup!

INGREDIENTS:
1 loaf of rosemary bread (from Target bakery) unsliced
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
5 TBSP minced onions (I used white and Videla - use less if you don't like the zippy taste)
8 tsp or more grated garlic cloves (we love garlic)
1 1/2 TBSP Dijon mustard
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
12+ oz freshly shredded Parmesan and mixed Italian cheese

HOW TO:
1. Mix all the ingredients except the bread and cheeses in a small bowl to form a paste.
2. Cut the bread into cubes using "X" slices without cutting all the way through. I cut diagonal lines one way, then rotated the bread and cut more the other way.
3. Paste the buttery-garlic mixture into each slice and crevice, baste the top of the loaf.
4. Do the same with the cheeses (other cheeses will also work)
5. Wrap the loaf tightly in foil and bake for 20 minutes at 350. Unwrap and cook another 10 minutes or until cheese melts.

Don't you think the parsley and garlic make this healthy?!! Spot gives this 1 paw because I only dropped a few shreds of parmesan on the floor by accident. She didn't notice me mincing the onion.  Zippy!

Chicken Daniel (Divan)

Our son spent 10 weeks in Basic Training this summer and just about every letter we received listed the food he was missing (in addition to his family). The number one menu item he wanted to eat as soon as he got home was Chicken Daniel. A simple casserole I do with chicken or turkey leftovers... or when I don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Imagine, this is what he wanted FIRST after 10 weeks of tough training! Without further ado, here is my version...

INGREDIENTS:
- Enough turkey or chicken leftovers (already cooked) and cut into bite-sized pieces to layer in a 10x13 baking dish OR 1 grocery-store cooked chicken, meat pulled off the bone and skin removed OR 3 boneless chicken breasts, seasoned and baked and cut into pieces
- 1 pkg frozen broccoli, steamed in microwave for 5 minutes
- 1 jumbo can of Cream of Chicken Soup (or 1 1/2 small ones plus a small Cream of Celery)
- 2+ cups mayonaise
- the juice from 5 squeezed lemons
- 1 large onion, sauteed
- Kosher salt & ground pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Rice

STEPS:
1. Layer the steamed broccoli in the bottom of the large baking dish, followed by the chicken pieces. Be sure everything is covered.

2. In a medium bowl, mix the soup, mayonaise, sauteed onion, lemon juice with salt and pepper. Pour this over everything in the baking dish. Sprinkle with the cheese. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes, or til top is golden and cheese has melted.

3. While the casserole is baking, make the rice. We like to make our rice with two parts chicken broth to one part rice. Use a larger pot and cook on medium-low for 18 minutes (or so) with a wooden spoon propping up the lid. The rice is done when you see "pock marks" in the texture and the liquid has been absorbed.

Spot gives this 4 paws and for comfort food, so do we. I have even quinteppled this recipe and made it for a church youth gathering of 60. Yum city!

Skillet Pizza Part II

We couldn't decide what we wanted for dinner the other night so I looked through my own cooking blog and was reminded about a Cast Iron Skillet Pizza I made so often last year the skillet remained on the counter for months. So down I went to the utility room to find that seasoned ol' skillet. Here's my latest version.

INGREDIENTS:
1 3/4 packages of refridgerator thin pizza dough
1 - 24 oz. jar of Classico Four Cheese pasta sauce
1 - 14 1/2 oz. can Del Monte Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic and Oregano
2 medium Vidalia onions, chopped and sauteed
1 lb. ground round, browned, seasoned with Kosher salt and ground pepper to taste
1 cup fresh spinach leaves
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
5 oz. (about 1 1/4 cups) shredded 3 Cheese Italian cheese (Parmesan/ Aisago/Romano mix)
8 oz. Gouda cheese, sliced thin
2 fresh tomatoes, thinly sliced

WHAT TO DO:
Preheat oven to 400. Fit the pizza dough in the skillet, tearing it to cover the bottom and sides. Remove excess dough from edges, fill any thin areas with the excess dough. Press firmly.

Layer in order:
Half the parmesan, half the ground beef, half the onions, the entire can of diced tomatoes, half the 3 Cheese Italian, Half the tomato slices, half the jar of Classico, half the spinach leaves and cover with half the sliced Gouda.

Repeat the layers one more time. Note: diced tomatoes are used only once. Finish with tomatoes and Gouda on top and sprinkle with remaining shredded parmesan.

Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. This will serve up to six generous servings. Keeps well for leftovers the next day too.

Because onions were involved, Spot "hid" under a table in our bedroom. We loved the new verson even better than the first! More of a winter dish so we'll wait til Fall to try it again.

Seattle Nanaimo Bars

The Sunday Seattle Times posted a "you've gotta try this" dessert recipe a few years ago. It was named after an area island or town, I forget. But what I can never forget is how worth it this one is to make for something special. These are very rich so cut them very small.

BOTTOM LAYER
1/2 cup unsalted butter
5 TBSP Cocoa powder
1 3/4 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 cup coconut flakes

Melt butter, sugar and cocoa together in top of double boiler over simmering water. Add the egg and stir constantly til thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in crumbs, coconut and almonds. Press firmly into ungreased 8 x 8 pan.

MIDDLE LAYER
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temp
3 TBSP whipping cream
2 TBSP Vanilla custard powder (Like Jell-O)
2 cups powdered sugar

Cream butter, cream, custard and sugar. Beat til light and spread over bottom layer.

TOP LAYER
4 squares (1 oz each) semi-sweet chocolate
2 TBSP unsalted butter

Melt chocolate and butter over low heat. Cool. When cool but still liquid, spread over middle layer and chill in refrigerator about 15 minutes. Cut into bars before serving. Small bars. Like 1 x 1.

You can make this 3-4 days ahead of time. Keep covered in refrigerator if there are any left.

Spot loves chocolate and loves standing in hope at my feet while making this one.

10 Layer Chicken Parm

Apparently I haven't made my famous Chix Parmesan in 18 months. When I looked up the original recipe I decided to change it up a bit this time. Hence the "10 layer" title. It goes to show that chicken parm is a recipe to keep on the menu radar a bit more often.

INGREDIENTS
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 eggs, whisked and placed in Ziplock bag
2 cups Panko placed in another Ziplock with Kosher salt and Ground pepper
Fresh basil leaves
1 can flavored diced tomatoes
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup Classico tomato sauce with basil
1 red onion, diced and sautéed
Up to 8 garlic cloves, minced and sautéed
3/4 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced and sautéed
1 - 2 sliced fresh Roma tomatoes
1/2 package Fettuccine pasta, cooked al dente  cooked with 1 TBSP kosher salt
Extra virgin olive oil
Unsalted butter
Oblong baking dish

DIRECTIONS
Get the Fettuccine cooking. When it's done, drain and dollop with 1 TBSP unsalted butter. Put a lid over the pot to keep it warm til the rest of the meal is ready.

Sauté the onions and garlic, adding the mushrooms. When done, drain over paper towels and set aside.

Dredge each breast in eggs, then Panko mixture. Pack the Panko to the chicken. Cook on medium heat with pre-warmed extra virgin olive oil til both sides of each piece is golden brown.

Preheat oven to 350. Layer in the following order and bake tented  with foil for 25 minutes. Uncover and continue baking another 10-15 minutes til cheeses have melted. Serve over Fettuccine.

10 LAYERS from bottom to top:
1.  Spread the diced tomatoes on the bottom of the baking dish
2.  Place the browned chicken breasts over the tomato base
3.  Sprinkle half the mozzarella over each breast
4.  Place several fresh basil leaves on top of each breast
5.  Sprinkle half the parmesan over each breast
6.  Pour the sautéed ingredients over all
7.  Add the Classico tomato sauce plus a generous pinch of kosher salt on top
8.  Add remaining mozzarella
9.  Top each breast with the Roma slices
10. Cover all with the rest of the parm

Beats the other recipe. Juicy and totally yum. 4 paws! 

My Fav Mac

This recipe for a version of white cheddar mac n' cheese was morphed from one the HyVee Grocery chain uses. Once you taste this one, you will throw out all your yellow cheese. This is great on its own or as a side dish. It makes a lasagne-size pan full or you can mix and split in half. The guys in my life love love love this one.

INGREDIENTS

Pkg large elbow macaroni
4 cups sharp White Cheddar cheese, shredded (16 oz.)
8 oz shredded Gruyere cheese
8 oz shredded Asiago or Fontina cheese (both are great)
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
4 1/2 cups 2% milk at room temp
1 cup low fat chicken broth
5 TBSP unsalted butter
5 TBSP Wondra
Kosher salt
Ground pepper

Boil pasta according to package, drain and set aside. Preheat oven to 425. In large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter and stir in Wondra to make a paste. Boil briefly. Slowly whisk in milk and broth. Add salt and pepper to taste (be generous) and heat until mixture thickens, about 5 min. Stir frequently. Add 3 cups White Cheddar cheese, 1 cup Gruyere, all the Fontina/Asiago and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Add more salt and pepper now. Whisk well and stir in the pasta.

Pour the mixture into one large baking pan or two smaller pans. Top with remaining cheeses and cover with Panko. Set pan on top of baking sheet to catch any drippings. Bake 30-35 min or til golden. You can also turn off the oven while you finish the rest of the dinner, it will keep nice n warm for 10 minutes at least.

Spot gives this 4 paws because she loves what a sloppy shredder I am. Yum yum for the pieces that land on the floor. I ask you, how many dogs do you know that like Gruyere cheese?