Chicken Salad Stuffed Tomatoes

Chicken Salad Stuffed Tomatoes

6 Roma’s, end cut off, middle scooped out and save for a future use

Salt and Pepper

Seed and scoop tomatoes, sprinkle inside with S&P, stand upright in muffin tins

Chicken Salad

5 oz can chicken breast, rinsed, drained, let dry a bit and shred with a fork

¼ cup mayonnaise or miracle whip

1 ½ tsp.  mustard (substitute honey mustard or Dijon mustard if desired)

½ cup shredded cheese such as mozzarella, swiss, parmesan, cheddar, Monterey Jack

½  tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

About ¼ cup finely diced carrot, celery and radish

Stir all together to make salad, spoon into tomato cups and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

2 Tbsp. melted butter

1/8-1/4 cup grated parmesan

About ½ cup Panko bread crumbs

Mix together,

Remove tomatoes from oven, sprinkle each with topping mixture, return to oven and bake for about 10 minutes or so until topping is nice and crunchy golden brown

*** For a cold uncooked variation, I would add diced, seeded cucumber, fresh dill and make the dressing out of mayo and sour cream***

Quick Pork Schnitzel and Knefla

Quick Pork Schnitzel and Knefla

1 lb. pork cube steak

Salt and Pepper

½ cup flour

1 egg

1/3 cup buttermilk or water

2 Tbsp butter

½ cup oil

1 cup bread crumbs

lemon wedge zested and juiced

Pound cube steaks if necessary salt and pepper each side

In one bowl combine flour and salt/pepper to taste about ¼ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper

In another bowl beat egg and buttermilk, sprinkle with more S &P

In third bowl combine bread crumbs, lemon zest, more S&P

Heat oil and butter in skillet over medium high heat

Dip pork in flour, shake excess, dip in egg mixture, shake excess, coat in bread crumbs

Fry in a single layer (batches if necessary) for about 3-5 minutes per side, remove to wire rack reserving the oil/butter/breading bits

Sprinkle with lemon juice, salt, pepper and parsley

Knefla

1 1/3 cups water

1 egg

1 tsp salt

About 3 cups of flour (until doesn't stick to hands)

Whisk together water, egg, and salt

Slowly mix in flour until dough doesn’t stick to your hands.

Bring a pot of water to a boil and snip tiny pieces of dough into boiling water, or use a Spaetzel maker.  Boil about  10 -15 minutes, stirring occasionally until they are done, they will float. Drain

Add to the pork drippings/bits

½ cup butter

2 Tbsp. Chicken bullion granules or chicken base (can substitute pork bullion if you have it)

¾ cup of bread crumbs

¼ cup finely diced onion

¼ tsp. parsley

Saute bits are all until golden brown, stir in drained Knefla, Sprinkle with parsley

Hawaiian Sloppy Joes

Hawaiian Sloppy Joes

1 Tbsp oil

1 lb. ground pork

½ onion finely chopped

2 cloves garlic minced

Saute onions in oil until tender, add in pork and garlic and brown, drain and set aside

8 oz tomato sauce

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

½ Tbsp. mustard

2 Tbsp. honey

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 tsp white vinegar

1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1/3-1/2 cup pineapple juice (reserved from the can)

¼ cup brown sugar

1 ½ Tbsp. white sugar

½ tsp. chili powder

¼ tsp. ginger

¼ tsp. smoked paprika

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

¼ tsp. salt and pepper

1/8 tsp. all spice

Combine all, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer about 10 minutes

Add in the following, raise heat to medium low and simmer 5 minutes

¼ cup chopped pineapple

¼ cup chopped green chiles

½ red pepper finely diced

1 carrot finely diced

2 radishes finely diced

Stir in meat mixture, reduce heat and simmer until thickens to desired consistency

Serve on Hawaiian Rolls, garnish with pineapple ring, cilantro and cheese if desired (Gouda, Muenster, Cheddar or Swiss would work well)

Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff

½ lb. bottom round, sirloin or whatever cut you choose steak cut into thin strips and then cut into bite sized cubes, season with salt, pepper and garlic powder

½ - ¾ onion, diced or chopped

8 oz. mushrooms, diced or sliced (your preference on size/shape)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp oil

1 Tbsp butter

½ Tbsp. tarragon

1 tsp. parsley

¼ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp pepper or to desired taste

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp cornstarch

¼ cup cold water

1 cup beef broth (or 1 cup water and 1 tsp beef bouillon powder or cubes)

8 oz. sour cream

Heat oil in medium skillet over medium – medium/high heat

Add onion and sauté until translucent and reduce heat to medium

Add butter, garlic and mushrooms, tarragon sauté about 3 minutes or until tender, remove and set aside reserving any pan drippings and excess oil

In same pan, add Worcestershire sauce, brown seasoned steak pieces 3-5 minutes just until brown

Add in beef broth and parsley, salt, pepper, and onion/mushroom mixture, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer about 10 minutes

Stir and dissolve cornstarch in cold water, add to simmering mixture stirring constantly, bring to a boil for one minute, reduce heat and stir until thickened

Remove from heat, stir in sour cream

Serve over pasta, rice or mashed potatoes

*** I pretty much always serve over egg noodles and a side of corn.  I end up mixing the corn into the stroganoff on my plate, so sometimes I add ½ can or 1 cob of corn kernels ***

Spinach, Artichoke, Sun-Dried tomato, Mushroom Lasagna

Spinach, Artichoke, Sun-Dried tomato, Mushroom Lasagna

6 lasagna noodles

½ bag of baby spinach leaves, washed and dried

2 cups shredded Mozzarella

2 Tbsp. Oil

¼ Onion, minced

2 cloves Garlic, minced

¾-1 cup diced white mushrooms

¼ cup Sun-Dried tomatoes, petite diced

1 tsp tarragon

½ jar (3 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and diced

Heat oil 2 Tbs. oil over medium heat, add onion and sauté until translucent

Add in Garlic and sauté until tender

Add 1 Tbsp Oil, mushrooms and tarragon to pan and sauté until mushrooms are almost done 3-5 minutes

Add in Sun-Dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts, sauté 1-2 minutes and remove from heat

Sauce (can omit these 6 ingredients and use a prepared Alfredo sauce if desired 14 ½ -16 oz

¼ cup butter

¼ cup flour

2 cups milk

2 cloves minced garlic

1 ½ -2 Tbsp. basil

1 ½ tsp. oregano

In a separate pan melt butter, slowly whisk in flour to avoid any lumps, add in milk and herbs while whisking until smooth. Remove from heat

Stir in onion/garlic/artichoke/tomato mixture and set aside

Cheese Mixture

2 eggs

8 oz Ricotta cheese

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese grated

Parsley, basil, garlic 1 tsp. each

Beat egg, stir in ricotta until smooth, stir in parmesan and herbs, set aside

In an 8 x 8 in. pan spread a light coating of sauce on bottom of greased pan, follow by 3 noodles, then spread ½ the cheese mixture, next a healthy layer of spinach leaves, 1 cup Mozzarella, repeat.

Freeze ahead and bake at 375 for 60 Minutes

Or Bake now 375 for 35-40 minutes covered, remove cover for last 8-10 minutes to let cheese get nice and bubbly golden.

Mexican Street Corn and Chick Pea "Au Gratin"

Approximately 6-8 ears corn on the cob or 16 oz bag of frozen roasted corn

2 Tbsp. Oil
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Cumin
1/8 tsp. Black ground pepper
1/8 tsp. Cayenne pepper

Pull back husks, remove silk, soak corn 10 minutes in cold water
Whisk oil and seasonings together and brush on corn, pull husks back up

Roast corn either on the grill or in the oven for approximately 20 minutes, allow to cool and remove kernels from the cob and set aside

1 can Chick Peas (garbanzo beans) drained
4 oz can green chiles diced or chopped and drained, or 1-2 fresh minced
1 1/2 Tbsp. dried cilantro or 1/2 cup of fresh chopped finely
1/3 cup grated cotija or parmesan cheese

*Optional - diced bell peppers, diced jicama, diced avocado

Combine the above in a bowl along with the corn kernels

Dressing/Cheese Mixture:
1/4 tsp. Onion powder
1/4 tsp. Chili powder
1/4 tsp. Cumin
1 1/2 cloves of garlic minced or 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder or dried minced
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice or juice of one lime and a little zest
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/4 cup Sour Cream or Mexican Crema

Blend all together until smooth and pour over mixture and stir

1 1/2 cups white shredded Mexican cheese such as Cotija, Oaxaca, Mexican 4 Cheese blend etc.  Or substitute Monterrey Jack or Parmesan or Mozzarella if desired.

Gently stir 1 cup of cheese into mixture and place in a baking dish, top with remaining cheese.

Bake at 350 Degrees for about 25-35 minutes until cheese is melted

Optional - toss some tortilla strips in oil, fry and top when finished baking or add prepackaged ones

It's been a while...

The camera on my new phone is terrible and the lighting in my new apartment is not good in the kitchen either... so I haven't been posting much.  A few here and there on Facebook.  I will start posting just recipes and only photos if I'm able to get decent lighting.  First one coming up next...