Pesto Skirt Steak Pasta

This is a relatively quick tasty meal for a hot summer week night, when you dont want to heat up the house.

1.25 to 1.5 pounds skirt steak cut into four equal portions
1lb prepared rotini or rotelle pasta
1/2 cup Pesto sauce
1/2 cup italian cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
salt
pepper


Meat Prep and Grilling:

Remove steak from fridge season with salt both sides and cover with plastic wrap to rest
while grill is preheating.

Preheat charcoal grill for 30 minutes with coals on only one side of grill
grill over direct heat 2 minutes per side of each skirt steak portion
then move  to indirect heat section of grill and leave for two minutes
remove steak to platter to rest for five minutes

Slice meat against the grain first then with it to accomplish 3/4" bite size pieces.

Build it:

place 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup prepared pasta (best if pasta is still warm)
sprinkle with Italian cheese
add a tablespoon of pesto
add 1 cut up portion of the steak
cover with an additional tablespoon of pesto
then sprinkle with parmaesan
then a couple of turns of fresh pepper
and serve

The steak prep is key here especially with skirt steak, your worst enemy with skirt
is the over cooking.

Vegetable Lasagne

 

 

Ingredients:

 

1    lb quartered yellow squash

1    lb quartered green zucchini

1    28oz can San Marzano tomato's (crushed)

1    LARGE Yellow onion chopped

1    lb button mushrooms chopped

3    large cloves garlic minced

1    Package Mozzarella 8oz

1    Package Parmessan 8oz 

1    Package Barilla oven bake lasagna

1    tspn oregano

1/2 tspn basil

vegetable bouillon

butter

canola oil

 garlic salt and fresh ground black pepper 

 

First, preheat oven to 375

 

 

 

Quarter 1lb yellow squash & carmelize in 1 TBLspn canola oil and butter (50/50) in a 5qt dutch oven.

should resemble like squash below

 

 

Add 1 lb quartered zucchini and deglaze pot with 28 0z can of tomato's fill can with water and add along with a tspn of vegetable bouillon as well as oregano, basil, little pepper and garlic salt simmer until zucchini is soft 15-20 minutes

 

 

Cover 5 qt dutch oven and set aside to cool.

 

Sautee onion in skillet untile translucent on medium high

add mushrooms sauté  until just softened

                                                                                                                                     

 

add garlic saute for 2 more minutes cover and let cool

 

 

 

Build Lasagne add a little of the red sauce to bottom add 3 noodles then add more red sauce on top

add 1/3 mozzarella and  cover with 3 more noodles

 

 

 

 

add mushroom sauce on top of noodles add 1/3 parmesan

 

cover 3 noodles add red sauce 1/3 mozzarella

 

cover 3 noodles add mushroom sauce 1/3 parmesan

 

add 3 noodles cover with red sauce  (top) add 1/3 mozz and parmesan

 

 

BAKE AT 375 FOR 30 MINUTES





 

 

Spicy chicken tacos with white onion salsa

serve with/on
queso fresco
corn tortillas

Spicy chicken tacos
1 - 1.5 lbs chicken breast or breast tenderloins
1 taco seasoning packet mild
1 small 4-6oz can chili's in adobo sauce
2 cups water
1/2 large white onion thinly sliced long ways
2 tblspn canola oil
1 oz tequila
1/2 lime juiced


white onion salsa
1/2 white onion diced
adobo seasoning to taste
fresh cilantro 1/8 of onion or to taste
1/2 lime juiced

preheat oven to 350

white onion salsa
combine all ingredients stir and refrigerate

spicy chicken tacos
sauce:
combine all ingredients but chicken/oil and onions, in blender and liquefy set aside

in a 5 qt dutch oven heat oil and then brown chicken on both sides (set aside)
add onions soften for 5 minute0s

deglaze pan with blender ingredients add chicken
bring to a boil cover and place in oven for 1 hour
remove pot and shred chicken


add chicken, white onion salsa, queso fresco to warmed corn tortilla have water nearby.

Spicer? add diced jalapeno to the white onion salsa!

#Meatless Mushroom, Onion, Asparagus Risotto

                                              

This is inspired by Meatless Monday website and their Asparagus morel risotto recipe. 

16 oz mushrooms quartered
1/2 large yellow onion diced
1 lb asparagus cleaned, snapped, and cut into 2" long pieces
2 cloves garlic minced
garlic salt 
7 cups water
2 tblspns vegetable bouillon
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup low fat mozzarella
parmesan as needed
garlic salt
fresh cracked pepper
olive oil
3/4 cups white wine
1/2 lemon or 1 tbslspn lemon juice

add 7 cups water to 5qt stock pot bring to a boil

reduce to simmer blanch asparagus 3-5 minutes not to much (its the crisp texture)

remove asparagus to plate pour asparagus water into 3 quart sauce pan add vegetable bouillon bring to a simmer save for the risotto

dry and reheat 5qt stock pan sauté mushrooms 5-7 minutes until mushrooms release their liquid
remove mushrooms and liquid to plate containing asparagus

add more oil if needed sauté onion 5 minutes
add garlic for a minute then add rice then add wine simmer wine until almost gone

then add 1 cup simmering stock and stirring until rice begins to stick to bottom adding more stock when sticking begins and continuing until rice is al dente 20 - 30 minutes

remove from heat add mushrooms, asparagus, and mozzarella (adds the creaminess) add juice of 1/2 of a lemon

use garlic salt and pepper to taste
serve on plate with parmesan sprinkled over the top as needed

Rotisserie chicken enchiladas

Rotisserie Chicken Enchiladas

1    Rotisserie chicken stripped of all meat

1    can enchilada sauce (small)
1    jar salsa mild
1    8oz pkg jack cheddar chz
12   corn or flour tortillas
12   touthpicks if needed

 

 

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees

Place a small amount of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 13x9 pan (to help prevent sticking)

Lay tortilla flat on a cutting board add chicken, salsa, and cheese roll up use toothpick to keep together if necessary

Continue this procedure until pan is full feel free to place some in opposite direction

Cover enchiladas with the rest of the sauce use spoon to spread sauce over enchiladas then sprinkle remaining cheese on top and cover with tinfoil baking for 30 minutes or until warm throughout.

Remove tinfoil and brown cheese.

Additonal information ideas etc

Children: use empty space (perpendicular) in pan to place your child friendly enchilada options

Serving idea: serve enchiladas over lettuce and/or tortilla strips with fresh diced white onion and tomato sprinkled on top. Need to sauce it up try adding a 50% salsa 50% ranch dressing mixture to the lettuce and tortilla strips.

#Quick&Easy #whats4dinner

"FAT FREE" BUFFALO WING SAUCE! ZERO FAT

.
This tastes identical to buffalo wing sauce WITH ZERO FAT

Franks red Hot 1/4 cup
Tabasco 2/5?
oven pit original BBQ sauce 1 cup

This is lame but I have only done it once.
you need an empty 1/3 cup
fill a 1/4 cup with franks red hot and poor into the 1/3 cup
finish filling 1/3 cup with tabasco
then combine with 1 cup of oven pit original and mix

A very nice on the BBQ taste like BBQ but still be chicken wing sauce

Chinish Meatballs, a bored at home dads swedish meatball recipe

1 lb ground turkey
2/3 cups bread crumbs
2 egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon Chinese five spice
2/3 cup water

1 tblspn oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery } no food processor mince these items
1/4 cup chopped carrots 
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

with a Little oil place onion celery & carrots in a large saute pan & caramelize (make them light brown) add garlic salt
wipe pan and set aside for later

place onion mixture in food processor and pulse until minced
add remaining ingredients into food processor and pulse until smooth and fluffy

1/4 cup canola oil (or vegetable oil)
2 tblspns flour
2 cups beef stock

heat oil
with slightly oiled hands take meat mixture form 1 inch balls then browning on all sides until meatball is cooked through remove to  paper towel

when meatballs are done add flour and continue to heat pan for a minute then add beef stock and simmer until desired thickness.

add meatballs back to pan, to warm up, serve with mashed potato's or over noodles. 

sometimes i will use a slurry to thicken more if needed

* The greatest cook book of all time "The Joy of Cooking" had the Swedish meatball recipe that i created my Chinish meatballs from

Simple no meat Pasta

1 can 28 oz crushed tomatoes
1/2 tspn oregano
1/4 tspn basil
1 bay leaf
garlic salt as needed
1/2 cup water

1 lb shells pasta cooked al dente
1/4 cup Parmesan
1 pkg mozzarella

13x9 pan

preheat oven to 350

place tomatoes, oregano, basil, and water in a small sauce pan simmer until desired thickness
(30 minutes to 1 HR) add garlic salt to taste

mix tomatoes and pasta together
pour half the mixture into 13x9 pan cover with half the mozzarella and half the Parmesan
pour the rest of the tomato & pasta on top and cover with the rest of the mozzarella and Parmesan

bake at 350 for 30 minutes until cheese is melted

**i use my frozen garden tomatoes for this recipe not the canned varietys

Country Captain, a tomato based chicken curry

Country captain, is primarily tomato based chicken curry. I first learned of it while watching "Throw down with Bobby Flay". I don't really remember what they did but as always my "Food Bible" The Joy of  Cooking had a recipe for it. The recipe below is my adaptation of the "Joy of Cooking" recipe

Curries, as long as you have curry powder, are more about using what you have versus spending a bunch of money to make the the ingredients match perfectly. I have never made the recipe below complete. If I have the chicken, peppers, onions, tomatoes, and curry powder its always a go. 

Here it is:
1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
2/3 cup flour
3 tblpns oil (canola)
1 tblspn butter

1 large yellow onion chopped
1 green pepper chopped

stir in
1 tblspn curry powder
1tspn ginger
1/2 tspn cinnamon
1/4 tspn ground cloves
1/4 tspn fresh grated or ground nutmeg

 Add:
14-16oz tomatoes
1 cup chicken stock
3 tblspns lemon juice or white wine
1 tblspn brown sugar
2-3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 tspn dried thyme
1/2 tspn salt
1/4 tspn black pepper
optional 2/3 cups currants or raisins

heat a 12-14" skillet on high

salt and pepper chicken and place in zip lock bag day of cooking
add 2/3 cup flour to zip lock bag and shake making sure to open chicken thighs

add canola oil and butter to skillet you want just enough to cover the bottom of the skillet heat till browning just begins then remove, with a shake, chicken from bag and brown on both sides until crusty brown at least 5minutes per side. 

(Be prepared to add the chicken quickly when butter begins to brown)

When brown remove chicken to plate and add green peppers and onions saute until brown on the edges about 5 minutes depending on size of veggies.

stir in the
curry, ginger, cinnamon, ground cloves, ground nutmeg and cook 1 minute

then add
tomatoes, chicken stock, lemon juice/wine, brown sugar, garlic, thyme, salt, black pepper
(optional) 2/3 cups currants or raisins
bring to a simmer
add the chicken
bring to a simmer and simmer up to 30 minutes until chicken is cooked throughout

add more water or a slurry to get desired thickness of sauce

serve over white rice

BEEF STROGANOFF, No sour cream

I do not enjoy sour cream and during a conversation with my grandmommie Esther moore she said just replace sour cream in recipes with yogurt. So here it is Beef Stroganoff minus the sour cream from the stonyfield website i would assume.  

BEEF STROGANOFF

1 lb boneless beef top loin steak, sirloin tip etc
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, thin sliced
1 cup mushroom, sliced
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 cup plain stonyfield farm low-fat yogurt

Directions:
1 Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced beef loin, onion and mushrooms, sauté until meat begins to brown. Add flour to the mixture, and continue to cook for two minutes, stirring constantly. Add tarragon, paprika, wine and beef broth, reduce the heat to medium, and allow to simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in dijon mustard and yogurt.

2 Serve over egg noodles.

CHANGES FROM ORIGINAL RECIPE
OMIT 1/2 TSP TARRAGON
CHANGE ONION TO ONE LARGE YELLOW ONION
CHANGE MUSHROOMS TO 1 CUP OR 8OZ
CHANGE PAPRIKA TO 1 TSP