I'm Baaaaack...

OK, it's been a LOOOOONG time, so you would think this would be a witty, life-changing blog post, but alas (I love when I can use that word), it is not. Just a yummy non-holiday recipe. Is anyone completely sick of holiday food, or just me. Anyway, here goes. This is our dinner tonight...

This came from The Domestic Diva. It is her Creamy Crockpot Chicken and Potato Soup that she came up with by combining two recipes. I made a couple of very minor alterations

Creamy Crockpot Chicken and Potato Soup

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts (I used leftover turkey and just chopped it)
• 1 1/2 c. chicken broth (depending on how thick you want the soup)
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 8oz. reduced fat cream cheese, softened
  
• salt & pepper to taste
• garlic powder
  
• 1 tsp. poultry seasoning (I didn't use this since my turkey was smoked and already quite flavorful)
• 1 small white onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 12-15 small red potatoes, cut into quarters
  

Directions:
Coat bottom of crock pot with cooking spray. Add carrots to bottom if using. Place chicken on top, and add remaining veggies. Mix together chicken stock, soup, and cream cheese and pour over top. Add seasonings.
Cook on Low for 5-6 hours. Shred chicken with forks before serving!
**I added my turkey 2/3 of the way through since it was already cooked and I just wanted the flavor.

Messy Meatloaf/Stuffed Meatloaf

OK, so I found a couple of really cool recipes for this and thought it sounded and looked really yummy because we are pretty much suckers for anything Italian. Mine was most similar to Messy Meatloaf from Jersey Girl Cooks , but I originally found it through Stuffed Turkey Meatloaf from Full Bellies, Happy Kids. Anyway, I wanted to credit my inspirations and am also including the pic from Jersey Girl, since that's what mine looked like. I like my meatloaf to be soft, moist and juicy, so I use sauce and more filler in the meat mixture, so it's the consistency of a good Italian meatball, rather than a burger patty, but if you are more the meat type, by all means reduce the breadcrumbs and the sauce! Anyway, it was quite delicious and it is going in "the rotation". Since it has a veggie in it, I just served with a salad, but garlic parm mashed 'taters would be really good with it in retrospect. Here goes, give it a try - I think you will like it...

Messy Meatloaf

• olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 package fresh baby spinach (6-10 oz - whatever your store carries will do just fine)
• 1 small can diced tomatoes, drained well (you could easily omit this, but since the original recipe called for mushrooms and Richard hates them, I wanted something else with the spinach)
• 2 c spaghetti sauce, divided (I use the cheapy Hunt's -Traditional flavor)
• 1.5 - 2 c shredded mozzarella cheese, divided (I use part skim mozzarella to save on calories, but used all 2 cups, you know I love my cheese)
• .5 c Italian blend cheese (you could easily omit, but I pretty much keep this on hand because I love it so much in my Italian recipes)
• 1 .5 lbs ground turkey
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup Italian style bread crumbs
• 1 tbs dried Italian seasoning
• salt & pepper to taste
  

Preheat oven to 350. Saute garlic quickly in olive oil and add spinach to "wilt" (don't let it get all goopey here people). Remove from heat and add approx 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce, 1/2 c mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Italian blend cheese, and toss to combine. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine the turkey, egg, bread crumbs, and seasoning. Add 1/2 cup of both spaghetti sauce and mozzarella. Mix well. *Adjust sauce and bread crumbs for your desired consistency by adding a little bit at a time. Add 2/3 of mixture to a lightly greased Pyrex. Flatten out the center to make a slight well (I left about a 1/2' lip on the sides. Spread spinach mixture in "well". Top with a little more cheese if desired (I did). Top with remaining meat mixture, and press around edges to "seal" and shape it like a loaf (if you like). I just used the side of my spatula/spoonula thing to do this. Spread remaining spaghetti sauce over top and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for approximately 35 minutes or until meat thermometer reaches 165. Remove from oven and let rest for about 5-10 minutes before serving, or it is TRULY "Messy Meatloaf"! :-)

My Recent Posting Hiatus

OK, so most of you know that I got laid off a little over a week ago. I know that everything will be fine, but I think that I have finally "landed" somewhere. By this, I mean that I went through a little bit of panic, a little bit of frantic damage control (uber-budgeting, resume updating, networking, etc), a day of "I don't want to get out of bed", and everything in between. Anyhow, I am still a little nervous, as anyone would be, but I feel "OK" with everything and am ready to move forward with whatever God is leading me too, and have seen that after a week, this budget is quite doable for now. I also have to say that Friday was the first day that I actually ENJOYED the day. I worked out, I cleaned, I ran errands (Costco stock-up trip with price comparisons from chain stores included), and still got to feel like I was somehow on vacation! ...Not to mention it was a BEAUTIFUL day.

I don't mean to leave Richard out of this (or this post), at all either, I know I'm sounding (and OK, being) all "me, me, me" right now, but this is as much about him as me, I know. He is very compassionate with my freakishness (as he always is), and reassures me that everything will be fine. As I've said before, I am so very blessed to have such a wonderful husband and partner who puts up with me and more than that LOVES ME SO.

OK, so what I'm saying is that you might see the posts get a little different here. I will be using a few more ingredients over and over thanks to Costco. I am going to see what all I can do with using some basic staples I bought and just filling in where I can. There will be a LOT more free form recipes, and less structure. Probably nothing too groundbreaking, but I can assure you they will be cheap to make!

I don't even know what to call this recipe, because it's actually something I've made a few times before, but have finally fine tuned it into something I consider a "keeper". There is absolutely NOTHING groundbreaking about it and feel like a dope posting it, but it's so good it warrants a post (probably in Richard's and my top 3). It's one of those things that I don't have to go t the grocery store to make because I pretty much always have the ingredients on hand (minus the pasta - until my latest Costco trip that had a variety pack of Barillia Plus pasta - the whole grain pasta plus all this extra good for you stuff). I guess it's just my take on baked ziti, but I really think that it is probably the best use for whole grain pasta, that tends to be a little tougher and bland than normal pasta. In this dish, the flavors really meld and since the pasta is twice cooked, is very tender without going mushy. OK, onto my WTVO ("white trash version of") Baked Ziti. I will make a few more comments than normal too...


This is also a time that I have to plug my favorite pan EVER. I love my cookware, and when my mom bought my this piece I can't believe I considered returning it because I thought that I wouldn't use it that much. Basically, it is a saute pan (on steroids), as well as great for baking (lid can go in the oven), and ooooh so easy to store the left overs because of the lack of a long handle. I now understand why Calphalon calls it the "Everyday Pan". I use this pan so much, and now that I have it, this dish (among others), becomes a one dish meal (minus the pan to boil the pasta).

WTVO Baked Ziti

First off, this makes a whopper amount, but this freezes really well and I have like to take half of it to eat on and the other half I freeze in lunch size portions (take it out of the freezer and leave it out until lunchtime and just heat as normal (by that time, it's just cold). I also freeze a portion large enough for dinner for Richard and I (the key to defrosting/reheating a larger portion is to cut it into several pieces before actually freezing).

• olive oil


• 1 onion, diced


• 1 bell pepper, chopped (This is key, for some reason, this just tastes like everything else if you don't use the bell pepper, so don't skip it)


• 4 cloves of garlic, minced (If they are jumbo, use less)


• 1-1.5 lbs ground turkey (All the manufacturers seem to make these packs different sizes, so just whatever you happen to buy)


• 2-3 links of sweet/mild Italian sausage (OK, this is what I SWEAR BY when making anything Italian. Even just a little bit added to your ground beef or turkey makes such a huge difference in flavor of the dish. I buy whatever is the cheapest or on sale at the time and then depending on the # of links, just freeze the pack in a freezer bag and use as I need)


• 1 can of Hunts or Del Monte spaghetti sauce (They are the cheapest by far, and work quite well in recipes. I like the traditional, or the herb, garlic, etc. - just don't mess with the meat or cheese flavors)


• 1 can of tomato sauce (I like a lot of sauce, so I use the 16 oz and not the 8 oz)


• 2-3 tbs Italian seasoning (I love thyme and basil, so I go with 2 tbs and then some extra of the thyme and basil separately)


• 1/4 c sugar (This cuts the whang of the tomato sauce)


• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (Not the fancy shredded kind, just the cheap kind in the shaker)


• 1 box of Barillia Plus rigatoni


• 2% mozzarella cheese, shredded


• Italian blend cheese

Saute onion in olive oil while chopping the bell pepper. Add bell pepper and garlic to onion and continue to saute for about 3 minutes. Add turkey and sausage to skillet to brown (i just squeeze the sausage like a tube of toothpaste into the pan). Add spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce sugar and spices to meat.

Preheat oven to 350 and simmer sauce while cooking pasta according to directions. Add parmesan cheese to sauce then stir in the coked and drained pasta. Mix all ingredients well and level the top of the mixture in the pan. Top with mozzarella and Italian cheese blend. Cover the dish with the fabulous oven safe lid, and bake until cheese is bubbly and mixture has set (about 15-20 minutes). I let sit for about 15 minutes before serving, because I like for it to firm up a little.

And for those who want "make ahead" dish, just do all of it besides the baking ahead of time and refrigerate until time for baking. You can just up the temp to about 375 and cook about 10 minutes longer.

...Like I said, there's nothing ground breaking about this, but it's healthy and really good. It puts mid-week spaghetti to shame and doesn't take half the time of lasagna.

Crock pot love (and smoked sausage and rice)

Hey guys. Not much going on here (thank goodness). I am partially recovered from the Mercedes half marathon from Sunday. I can now pick up my feet again instead of just sliding them along the floor. Thanks for those of you who supported my fundraising efforts for The Bell Center. It is MUCH appreciated. And for those of you who didn't, there's still time - just click "donate" on the widget on the right side of this blog. ...But onto cooking now!!!!

As you all know, I am quickly becoming the queen of the crockpot. There are weeks that I don't even put it away because I use it so much. OK, another reason that I use it so much might be laziness because the cabinet where I keep it has all of my pots and pans, so there's always a little frustration that goes with putting it away. Regardless of the reason, I'm a die-hard lover of my crock. I have a couple, but the one I use I highly suggest because of the timer on it. I can tell it how long to cook on high or low and once that time is over, it turns itself down to keep warm. I must say too, that its "keep warm" setting is not the pits-of-hell-boiling kind of keep warm that a couple of my other crocks have been. It is a truly superior crock pot if I may say so myself (and reasonably priced at your friendly, neighborhood Wal-Mart too)! Click here for details.

Also, while I'm on the subject of crockpots, here's a good ol' stand by. Nothing fancy, but always good and filling. Not to plain, but not too crazy either. Just a healthy set-it-and -forget-it (if I may plagiarize Ron Popeil's tag line) type meal.

SMOKED SAUSAGE AND RICE

• 1 pound turkey smoked sausage, sliced
• 1 ½ cup long-grained wild rice
• 2 ¾ cups chicken broth
• 1 16 oz can of diced or stewed tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped (can sub 1 yellow onion, but has a different taste all together - still yummy, just different)
• 1 large green pepper, chopped
• 1 small zucchini, chopped
• Cajun seasoning, to taste (2 tsp is about my rule of thumb)

Add all ingredients in crockpot, mix well, and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. Checking at hour 4 to ensure rice doesn’t overcook.

Enjoy!
Gina

White Trash Tuesday

Not really... Um, well maybe sort of. Two words - Taco Meatloaf.
This is not really a "classy" recipe, but it is so darn good! I've passed it along to a few friends who either don't like meatloaf themselves or have kids who don't and it still gets good marks because hello, who doesn't like Mexican?? Anyway it is very healthy using the turkey and 2% cheese (please don't try to go "no-fat", that stuff is wretched and fake). I served it with a rice dish made up of stuff I had on hand and it was an excellent meal.

Taco Meatloaf

• 1lb ground turkey
• 4 taco shells, crushed (I use these because they aren't salty and they are CHEAP, the taco seasoning is salty enough, so I think that fritos or corn chips might make it too salty unless they are left over freebies from a Mexican restaurant - hmmm, this has me thinking now, but I digress)
• 1 pkg taco seasoning
• Minced onion to taste (I just used the dried, who wants to chop a whole onion for this?)
• Garlic powder to taste
• 1 can Rotel (drained)
• Grated cheddar cheese (I probably used about a cup in the meatloaf because we like cheese, and then probably half a cup over the top)
• 1 large egg, slightly beaten
• Taco sauce
  

Combine all ingredients and spread in a lightly greased pan or dish (I don't use a loaf pan, I prefer an 8x8). Bake for 60-70 minutes at 350. Before it was completely done, I spread a little taco sauce over the top and sprinkled with more shredded cheese.

Mexican Black Beans & Rice

OK, so this was made purely out of stuff I had on hand that I thought might work together (so by all means, play around) but it was PERFECT with the meatloaf and a salad.

• 1 cup uncooked rice (brown is healthier, so it's what I had on hand and it was quite good)
• 2 cups chicken broth (I just like rice cooked in broth better than water and I ALWAYS have chicken broth on hand because I use it in everything)
• 1 tbs Cumin
• 2 tsp dried minced onion

Cook Rice according to directions, and about about halfway through add...

• 1 can whole kernel corn, drained (I'm sure Mexicorn would be even better)
• 1 can black beans drained
• 2 tbs black bean salsa (I love the Sam's brand of this, so again "on hand", but any of it would work, or just use a bit of the taco sauce from above)

White trash as may be we love it and it's inexpensive, quick, easy, good and suprisingly healthy. My trailer just caught fire though, and my old camaro is up on blocks so I need to go...

Next week, Spam Surprise!! Just kidding ;-)

Chili Cook-off!

We are having a chili cook-off at work tomorrow (Friday), and I am happy to announce that I'll be bringing my white chili and from what I can tell I'm the only white chili (although I should probably call mine "Off-White Chili" or "Not-So-White Chili" because the tomatoes make it a little less white, but not much. I'll let you know how it all turns out. I could probably eat this chili every day of my life. I always make a ton in hopes that I can freeze some for later use, but this one NEVER makes it to the point of having enough left over to freeze.



I must say that although this is currently my favorite chili, I've been torn as to whether or not I should distribute the recipe because it will probably be one of my dishes if I can get my dinners-to-go business started. So maybe this is probably both the first and last time it ever gets posted. Just don't tell anyone (shhhhh)... This makes a pretty big batch, so you can easily half for one meal for 4 people. I know that the ingredients may seem a little strange, but just give it a try before you curl your nose up at it.

Gina's White Chili

• 1 large onion, chopped


• 4 cloves of garlic, minced


• 2 lbs ground turkey


• 2 cans diced tomatoes with green chilies (aka "Rotel")


• 6 cans navy beans (you can also use great northern, or canellini, but I prefer the navy)


• 3-5 cups chicken broth (depends on how thick or thin you want your chili)


• 2 tbs cumin


• 2 tbs oregano


• 2 tsp cinnamon


• ground white pepper to taste (about 1 tbs for me)


• 1 lb shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

Sauté onions with turkey and garlic until turkey is browned. Blend 3 cans of navy beans with some of the broth (I've found it easier to do one can at a time - I blend with the broth so that it is thinner and easier to pour into the pot). Add all ingredients to crock pot and cook on low for 6 hours or so, adding cheese one hour before the end. This is such a good chili, it really doesn't need any toppings(, but it's pretty good with corn chips of course if you want the crunch).



Two notes -

*If you don't want to crock pot it all day, just simmer on the stove for 30 minutes of so and don't add as much of the broth. It won't be as rich as the all day version, but still very tasty!



*I tend to just start the soup in the morning and leave it on all day to simmer, so basically, the cooking time correlates to the amount of broth. If you aren't cooking all day, just start with the 3 cups and go from there. It's always easier to add more than start with too much!