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"What's Cooking Tonight"

FRIDAY, JULY 4, 2008

Bray Pepperoni Pizza Bake

Prep. 20 min.                Total 50 min.

1 lb. very lean ground beef

1 small onion

2 jars pizza sauce (4 cups)

2 cups baking mix (Jiffy mix or Bisquick)

1 cup milk

2 eggs

1 ½ cups shredded cheese

1. Heat oven to 350˚.  Cook beef and onion and a 12” skillet over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown.  Drain. 
2. Stir in pizza sauce and pepperoni, heat until hot.  Spoon into ungreased rectangular baking dish.
3. Stir baking mix, milk and eggs in a medium bowl until blended.  Pour evenly over pepperoni mixture. 
4. Bake uncovered 30 to 40 minutes or until crust is light brown.  Sprinkle with cheese and serve. 

8 servings

THURSDAY, JULY 3, 2008

Mallory’s Low Fat Grilled Cheese Served with Glorious Guacamole

Slices of whole wheat bread

Slices of fat free cheese

2 tomatoes, both seeded, one sliced and one chopped

1 avocado

lemon juice

light or fat free mayonnaise

garlic flakes or granules

onion flakes

dry chicken soup mix

basil

For this recipe you will need a large, non-stick skillet. On a clean cutting surface, rinse, quarter and seed 2 tomatoes, chopping one into small bits and slicing the other into length-wise strips: half and then scoop the soft, green fruit from each half of a ripe avocado (remember- a ripe avocado is not green on the outside, but nut-brown and quite soft to the touch) tossing the large, inside pit and the outside peel.

Mixing the glorious guacamole first, mash the avocado in the bowl with a fork and stir in the tiny bits of chopped tomato- we will use the slices later for the sandwich, so just let them be for a moment. Now, season up the mix with 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of garlic granules, 1 teaspoon of onion flakes, 1 teaspoon basil, ½ teaspoon of dry chicken soup mix, and 2 tablespoons of light of fat free mayonnaise. Take your time and mix the flavors well, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Now, spread on side of 4 slices of whole wheat bread with a low fat butter replacement. Put 2 slices, spread side down in your cold skillet. If 2 don’t fit easily, just grill the sandwiches one at a time. Now, assemble the sandwich by unwrapping one slice of fat free processed cheese- centering the cheese slice on top of each slice of bread in the skillet. Add a single later of tomato slices- it works best if the tomato is very dry, and add another slice of bread, dry side down against the tomato and spread side up. Sprinkle each sandwich with a pinch of salt.

Now turn on the heat under the pan, if you are using gas, the flame should just touch the bottom of the pan- low to medium electric heat. Using a sturdy spatula, grill on one side, then turn carefully to grill the sandwich on the other. You can turn the sandwich more than once, so it works best if the cheese melts just a bit before you turn it- it holds the sandwich together and makes it easier to turn. When the sandwiches are a nice, deep brown on each side, remove to a plate, add a handful of baked nacho or potato chips and a side of guacamole dip. WONDERFUL!

WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 2008

Chicken Tortellini Soup

5 green onions, snipped or chopped

½ to full cup of julienne cut carrots

2 cans of chopped chicken, about 2 cups

1 can of tortellini, cheese of spinach filled

olive oil

garlic powder granules

instant chicken boullion powder

ground pepper

To start out, you will need a large sauce pan or Dutch Oven. On a clean surface peel and slice one carrot into tiny strips. Scissor snip or chop 5 green onion from the tip of the green stem to the small bulb just above the roots. In a clean colander, drain 2 cans of chicken, about 2 cups, don’t rinse the chicken, it looses too much flavor. Put a kettle of water on to boil, you’ll need 6 cups. In the Dutch Oven or sauce pan, add a tablespoon of your favorite cooking oil, I use olive oil and sizzle up the onions and carrots, adding a teaspoon of minced garlic granules or chopped garlic. Saute until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Now, sprinkle 6 teaspoons of instant chicken boullion powder over the vegetables in the pan. Turn off the heat and add 6 cups boiling water, stirring until the boullion is dissolved and your flavors.

TUESDAY, JULY 1,2008

HOME STYLE FISH & VEGGIE BAKE

1 pound of cod or walleye fillet

4 medium potatoes- unpeeled, scrubbed and cut into quarters

4 raw carrots or 2 cups of mini carrots

mozzerella cheese- ½ cup grated

Also:

Lemon juice

Garlic granuled

Dried chives

Parsley

Lemon pepper

Onion flakes

For this recipe, you will need a medium size covered casserole or a glass 9x13 inch cake pan with aluminum foil to cover. We will preheat our oven to 375 for thorough, even baking. Spray your casserole or cake pan with your favorite cooking spray and set aside.

Rinse and pat dry 1 pound of walleye or cod fillet. One a clean cutting surface, slice the cod into 2 inch pieces. Arrange the pieces in your prepared casserole or cake pan, leaving as much space as possible between- sprinkle the fish with a tablespoon of lemon juice and set aside.

Now on a clean cutting surface, scrub and then quarter 4 medium size, unpeeled potatoes. Peel 4 raw carrots cutting each into 2 inch pieces- or you can do what I do and use pre peeled mini carrots from the produce department- about 2 cups. Place the potatoes and carrots between the fish pieces in the casserole. Drizzle 2 teaspoons of olive oil over the fish and potatoes. Now, lets season it up- in a small bowl combine 1 ½  teaspoons of garlic, with 1 ½ teaspoon of dry chives, 1 tablespoon of parsley, 1 teaspoon of onion flakes and ¼ teaspoon of lemon pepper. Mix the seasonings well, then sprinkle evenly over the fish and vegetables.

Grate a brick of mozzarella cheese until you have ½ cup, and sprinkle all over. Cover or seal with aluminum foil and pout into your preheated oven for 1 hour. After an hour, take it from the oven carefully removing the cover or aluminum foil, keeping that hot steam away from your face. Serve with bakery bread and cold, crunchy relishes like garlic stuffed olives, cherry tomatoes and dill pickles…wonderful!

MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2008

Atlantic Shrimp Chowder

4 slices bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped (1/2 cup)

1 medium stalk of celery, coarsely chopped (1/2 cup)

6 small red potatoes, cut into ½ inch pieces

2 cups frozen corn

¼ teaspoon thyme leaves

4 cups chicken broth

¼ cup flour

2 cups half & half

1 package frozen uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined, tails removed (do not thaw)

½ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1. Cook bacon in 5 to 6 quart Dutch oven over medium heat 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until crisp.  Stir in onion, celery, potatoes, frozen corn and thyme.  Cook 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently until onion and celery are softened.
2. Beat in broth and flour with wire whisk.  Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium.  Cover and boil about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender and soup is slightly thickened. 
3. Stir in half & half, shrimp, salt & pepper.  Cover and cook 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally until shrimp are pink.

7 servings

Friday, June 27, 2008

Parisian Seafood Stew

½ lbs. of Cod Fillets

4 oz cooked salad shrimp, no tails

6 ½ oz can of clams, with juice

1 onion

2 carrots

15 oz can of diced tomatoes

Thick slice of French bread

1 lemon

Pasley

Old Bay Seasoning

Garlic Flakes

Basil

Lemon juice

Lemon paper

Peel and chop the onion, peel and grate two carrots. Toss the carrots and onion along with 2 teaspoons of olive oil into your Dutch oven, and sizzle them up over low heat. To the vegetables add 2 teaspoons of Parsley, 1 teaspoon of poultry seasoning, half a teaspoon of garlic flakes, and quarter teaspoon of basil. Mix well and sauté until the onion is tender, about 7 minutes.While the seasoned vegetables are sautéing, on a clean surface, slice a half pound of cod fillet into 1 inch pieces, rinse 4 oz of cooked salad shrimp, and open a can on minced clams (don’t pour away the juice). Drain 15 oz of diced tomatoes. When the onion is tender, stir in the tomatoes along with one cup of water and the cod pieces. Stir you flavors well and bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes uncover and stir in the shrimp and clams, with the clam juice and cook until heated through.

THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 2008

Jamaican Sweet Potato Stew

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion chopped and peeled

2 teaspoons garlic granules or 1 garlic cluster separated, peeled, and chopped

1 ½ pounds turkey tenderloin cut into bite size pieces

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon pepper

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces that match the size of the turkey

2 dried bay leaves

2 cups of water

2 chicken bouillon cubes, unwrapped

In a Dutch oven, cook garlic and onion in the oil 5 minutes. Sprinkle turkey with salt, nutmeg, and pepper. Stir the meat into the onion mix- cook and stir until the pink in the turkey disappears, about 6 minutes. Stir in the remaining ingredient, heat to boiling, then turn down the heat, cover, and let the stew simmer 20 minutes until you can pierce the potatoes with a fork.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Festive Taco Bake

1 pound lean ground beef

1 can chili beans in sauce (undrained)

1 can tomato sauce

2 tablespoons picante sauce or salsa

2 to 4 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 cups broken tortilla chips

8 medium green onions, sliced (1/2 cup)

1 medium tomato, chopped (3/4 cup)

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1. Heat oven to 350˚.  Cook beef in 10 inch skillet over medium-high heat 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown; drain.  Reduce heat to medium.  Return beef to skillet.  Stir in beans, tomato sauce, taco sauce, chili powder and garlic powder.  Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
2. Place tortilla chips in ungreased 1 ½ quart casserole.  Top with beef mixture.  Sprinkle with green onions, tomato and cheese. 
3. Bake uncovered 20 to 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  Arrange additional tortilla around edge of casserole if desired.

4 servings

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Minnesota Chicken Casserole

2 cups chopped cooked chicken

2 cups thinly sliced celery

1 to 2 tablespoons grated onion

1 10 3/4 oz. can of cream of mushroom soup

2 tablespoons dry white wine or dry sherry

1 tablespoon lemon juice

½ cup shredded process American cheese

1 cup crushed buttery crackers (2 cups)

1. Combine all ingredients, except cheese and crackers, in a 8-inch round baking dish.  Cover and bake at 350˚ for 30 minutes. 
2. Sprinkle first with cheese, then with crushed crackers.  Bake uncovered an additional 10 minutes. 

Makes 4 servings

Monday, June23, 2008

Sensational Summer Chicken Salad

½ lbs. vegetable rotini

1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced

2 ribs of celery, thinly sliced

1 large can of chicken breast, drained

lettuce leaves for garnish

dry chicken soup mix

red wine vinegar

olive oil

lemon juice

onion flakes

dry mustard

For this recipe you are going to need a large pasta pan, sauce pan or dutch oven. Prepare one half of a one pound package of vegetable rotini according to the package directions. The vegetable is a multi- colored pasta, you’ll find it in the specialty foods section at Hugos in Thief River Falls. Prepare the pasta, el’ dente, tender but firm. Then drain through a colander, rinse with cold water and allow to soak in ice water until you are ready to use. In a separate colander, drain a large can of chopped chicken breast. 

On a clean cutting surface, rinse, core, and seed a crisp, fresh red bell pepper. Thinly slice into long sections, then chop into salad size pieces. Rinse and thinly chop 2 stems of fresh celery. Set both aside for just a moment. In a medium size bowl, measure out 2 ounces of cream cheese. It will most likely come straight out of the fridge, so you’ll need to allow enough time for this to warm to room temperature. Over the cream cheese pour a third cup of warm water, 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of onion flakes, 1 ½  teaspoons of dry mustard, a teaspoon of dry chicken soup mix or chicken bouillon powder. A wire whisk works best. Just whisk until the cheese mixes into the other ingredients to create a creamy sauce. In a small bowl, pour 3 tablespoons of the sauce over the chicken- toss lightly and out into the fridge to chill for a while.

Lift your colander of cold pasta out of the ice water and drain well, then pour the rotini into a serving bowl, setting two tablespoons aside, add the celery, also setting two tablespoons aside, add the peppers. Pour the remaining sauce over all and stir until well coated. Chill or serve immediately. Place serving size pasta individually on a crisp lettuce leaf, mound some of the chicken, garnish the remaining celery and peppers and sprinkle with lemon pepper.