Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Pizza Pot Pie

I'm sure most of you are like me and that you see a recipe you like, you tear it out, and stick it somewhere... folder, recipe box, etc. This usually works for me except in the occasion where I tear out the page and find out later the recipe was continued onto another page which I didn't tear out. Oops!! So goes the story of this recipe... I was halfway into cooking when I realized my mistake and didn't have time to internet search the rest of the recipe. Oh well, I had the ingredients and step one of the directions -- so I went for it.

Below is the recipe as found on the internet this morning, Southern Living. What I did, which worked great too, and was much easier, is in the tips below that-- I did a poor job following the recipe but dinner was great nonetheless. Enjoy!

Ingredients

3/4 pound ground beef

1/4 pound mild Italian sausage

1 small onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 package sliced fresh mushrooms

1 (26-oz.) jar tomato-and-basil pasta sauce

1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon salt 1 package refrigerated pizza crust dough

1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Italian five-cheese blend

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°. Cook ground beef and sausage in skillet until no longer pink. Drain. Reserve about 2 Tbsps of drippings for next step.

2. Sauté onion in hot drippings 2 minutes. Add garlic, and cook 1 minute or until tender. Add mushrooms, and sauté 8 to 10 minutes or until most of liquid has evaporated. Stir in beef mixture, pasta sauce, Italian seasoning, and salt. Bring to a light boil, and simmer 5 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, unroll dough on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper. Invert 1 (9-inch) round baking dish or pie plate onto center of dough. Cut dough around edge of baking dish, making a 9-inch circle. Remove excess dough around baking dish; cover and chill.

4. Pour beef mixture into baking dish, and sprinkle with cheese. Immediately top with dough circle. Cut an "X" in top of dough for steam to escape. Place baking dish on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.

5. Bake at 450° for 16 to 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

 Tips from a Kitchen of Reality

- I did not use ground beef. Instead I used more sausage and added pepperoni. I hate onions, so I left those out too. Moral of the story-- use pizza toppings to fill up the baking dish. :)

- I didn't saute anything, just cooked the meat and just mixed it all together. - I used pizza sauce instead of doctored up pasta sauce. I had it already, so I used it. It was a much smaller jar-- but I added the little bit of water I used to rinse out the jar too and the dish didn't turn out dry at all. - I cut the pizza dough to fit the top of the dish but didn't chill it or anything. No need.

- Super quick prep time just make sure you let it set for about 10 minutes before serving.... otherwise it will be soupy.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Thai Peanut Chicken

Okay-- so my husband eats anything but really did NOT like this recipe. Strange, because I'm normally the picky one, but I LOVED it! So... I'm sharing but beware, it's kinda weird. I love Thai food, so if you don't... I wouldn't make it. We had friends over for dinner and he loved it and she not so much... so who knows... if you make it let me know what you think!!

Ingredients

- 4 boneless chicken breasts

- 1/2 cup natural peanut butter

- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced

- 1 large onion, coarsely chopped

- 1 tablespoon ground cumin

- 1 lime, juiced

- 1/4 cup soy sauce

- 1/2 cup chicken broth

Directions

- Use a slow cooker. You know... my new favorite thing!

- Put the chicken into the bottom of your pot and add the peanut butter.

- Toss in the vegetables and cumin.

- Squeeze in lime, and add soy sauce and chicken broth.

- Stir as well as you can to combine.

- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for about 4 hours.

- Serve over rice.

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality

- I threw in some red pepper flakes for some extra spice.

- There were a few clumps of peanut butter left after cooking that didn't get mixed into the sauce. I would scrape those off the chicken before serving-- it's a little too much peanut butter otherwise.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Coq au Vin

Julia Child would be most unhappy that her recipe is being made in a CROCK POT!! But it was good and I am sharing. Enjoy!

Ingredients
-6 to 8 frozen chicken thighs
-6 slices cooked and crumbled bacon
-8 oz sliced baby portabella mushrooms
-1 cup baby carrots
-1 chopped yellow onion
-3 cloves chopped or minced garlic
-1/2 t black pepper
-1/2 t kosher salt
-1/2 cup chicken broth
-1 1/2 cup cheap red wine (I used $2.97 Merlot from Wal-Mart)
-2 large fresh thyme sprigs


Directions
- Cook bacon and crumble.
- Place thawed or frozen chicken into your crock pot and start layering in the rest of the ingredients.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
- Serve with mashed potatoes or your favorite pasta.

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality
- I didn't have any fresh thyme so used this as my excuse to go buy my first herb plant of the season! It's growing safely in my sun room for a few more weeks until it hits the herb garden outside.
- I don't believe in chicken with bones, so I of course used boneless chicken breasts. Worked fine.
- Baby portabello mushrooms weren't on sale so I bought plain old button mushrooms.
- Easy and super yummy, although next time I think it could use more thyme and salt. But that is a personal preference, see what you think!

Friday, March 18, 2011

Bleu Cheese Steak Rolls

I am again on a crock pot kick! These were delicious served with homemade mashed potatoes, asparagus and a Charleston sunset. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs of flat beef (I used round tip)
1/2 cup red wine
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 T Worcestershire sauce
4 cloves garlic
1 package of blue cheese

Directions
- Make marinade out of the wine, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce and garlic. Soak your meat in it overnight.
- In the morning, dump everything into the crockpot.
- Slice your blue cheese into strips.
- One at a time, take the meat out of the marinade mixture and place strips of the cheese all over it.
- Roll it up.
- Place back into the crockpot, and repeat with the remaining slabs of meat.
- Cover and cook 4-5 hours on low.

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality
- I used a container of bleu cheese crumbles. Cheaper and worked great.
- If you have someone who doesn't like bleu cheese just roll it without the cheese-- the marinade is great regardless.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Crock Pot Brown Sugar Chicken

Just make it... it's fabulous.


Ingredients:
4-6 boneless chicken breasts
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup lemon-lime soda
2/3 cup vinegar
1 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:

Place the chicken into your crockpot. Cover with the brown sugar, pepper, chopped garlic, and soy sauce. Add the vinegar, and pour in the soda. It will bubble!

Cover and cook on low for 6-9 hours, or on high for 4-5. The longer you cook it, the more tender it will be.

Serve over a bowl of white rice with a ladle full of the broth.

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality:
Make extra, you'll want some for leftovers!