leftover casserole

okay, i my family we have turkey for both thanksgiving and Christmas, which means we have to get pretty creative with the leftovers to avoid feeling like we're eating the same thing over and over and over again. this is a casserole we make that uses a little of everything you might have stealing up all the space in your refrigerator. i see no reason why you couldn't just swap in some ham and make the same meal if you didn't have turkey.  it's kind of a shepherd's pie of sorts, at least that's the only thing i can think to compare it to, and it is soooo simple. simple enough, in fact, that i will skip the "recipe" and just post assembly instructions.

lightly grease a baking dish (we use a 13x9, but there are a lot of us, you could totally use an 8x8 if you are a smaller bunch) and put a thin layer of gravy in the bottom. now you just layer on stuffing, turkey, beans (or whatever veggie you have lying around), mashed potatoes and top with gravy. bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until warmed through. remember everything is already cooked so don't go overboard here! that's it. told you it was easy.

snowman soup

this isn't really a recipe, but i don't care. it's cute and festive and i'm posting it anyway!

Snowman Soup 

Assemble in a gift bag, gift mug or small zipper food storage bag:

• 1 individual packet hot chocolate mix
• 2-3 chocolate kiss candies
• 10-15 mini-marshmallows
• small candy cane

Attach free printable Snowman Soup Gift Tag or Snowman Soup Bag Topper and share a warming gift!
Or, hand-write this poem and attach to gift:

Snowman Soup
Was told you've been real good this year.
Always glad to hear it!
With freezing weather drawing near,
You'll need to warm the spirit.Printable Snowman Soup Gift TagSo here's a little Snowman Soup
Complete with stirring stick.
Add hot water, sip it slow.
It's sure to do the trick!

the leftover makeover

if i had a show on the food network, this is what it would be called. it's also one of my favorite things about thanksgiving. so,brace yourself, i've got oodles of recipes for using up all the turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and other goodies. great, now i'm hungry...

roasted acorn squash

okay, so this isn't so much a recipe as a simple set of instructions. why? well, because there is no recipe. just estimate the amounts as you go. that's pretty much what i do every time i'm in the kitchen and things turn out just fine. usually. so here goes:

roasted acorn squash

acorn squash

butter

fresh sage

brown sugar

apple juice

cut squash in half and scoop out the seeds (bonus! you can roast the seeds of any squash the same way you would pumpkin seeds at halloween). use a fork to poke some holes in the squash, then coat the squash halves with butter and leave a dab in the bowl of the squash. you can use olive oil if you prefer, in which case you would omit the bit in the bowl. sprinkle with brown sugar, leaving a bit in the bowl of the sqaush. place in a roasting dish with 1/2-3/4 of an inch of juice (you could use water if you like) roast, uncovered, until squash is soft.

double bonus! acorn squash, butternut squash and even pumpkin can be used interchangeably in this recipe

harvest stew

this hearty meal is an excellent way to celebrate the bounty of the autumn harvest. some of the ingredients may seem a little strange, but trust me, the finished product is quite delicious.

harvest stew

 

1 1/2 lbs pork

1 1/2 cups of flour seasoned with 1/2 tsp each: dried sage, salt, pepper, allspice

3 tbs olive oil

1 acorn or butternut squash

2-3 potatoes

2-3 carrots

2 apples

handful of mushrooms

1 cup apple cider or juice

3 cups chicken stock

water to cover

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup dried cranberries

cut pork and vegetables into 1 inch cubes. dredge pork in seasoned flour. coat the bottom of a large pot (the bigger the better) with olive oil (2-3 tbs should do) sear the flour coated pork over medium high heat. remove pork, set aside and add the squash cubes to the pot, season with salt and pepper. saute for 3 minutes then add potatoes and carrots, season. saute 3 more minutes and add apples and mushrooms. pour apple sauce over the veggies to deglaze the pan (make sure you use you spoon to sort of scrape up the flavorful bits on the bottom of the pot), then add the pork back to the pot. add chicken stock and water to cover. bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. add dried cranberries just before serving.

sidenote: if you anticipate a lot of leftovers (as i always do) you might want to leave the cranberries our of the pot and simply add them to the bowl as you serve the stew. they get a weird texture when heated, then refrigerated. i don't know why, that's just the way it is.

chicken soup for my soul

it's officially fall, which means it's officially soup season. happy face. let's say we kick thing off with this oldie but goody (maybe besty). chicken noodle soup. used to be i only liked the stuff when i was sick, but this version is sooo good i could eat it all year long. wait...that's exactly what i do. anyhow...
i think this soup is best made with the carcass leftovers of a roasted chicken. even if i'm buying chicken specifically for this soup i'll roast it first. it may seem like an extra step, but the flavor is IMMENSELY better that way. also, you really can't substitute boneless anything into this soup, it will be bland and gross. okay, so here it is, my grandmother's recipe with a few little tweaks of my own:

chicken noodle soup

2 tbs olive oil

1 onion, diced

1-2 medium to large carrot(s), diced

2 celery stalks, diced

1 potato, peeled and diced

1 tbs salt

1/2 tbs pepper

6 cups water

bones from a roasted chicken

6 sprigs fresh thyme

2 cups chicken stock

noodles (recipe below)

heat olive oil in a large soup pot. saute vegetables 3-5 minutes. add salt and pepper, water, thyme and chicken bones.  bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 1 hour. strain and reserve liquid (this is homemade chicken stock for those who are wondering). let the bones cool enough to touch. pick off and reserve any meat left on the bones, then discard them along with the vegetables* and thyme sprigs (the leaves will have fallen off into the liquid). return your cooking liquid to the stove over medium to medium-high heat, add the extra chicken stock** and the reserved meat. slowly drop in your homemade noodles and heat through (about 10 minutes).

*these vegetables have totally leached all of their flavor and nutrients into the broth so they're pretty gross now. if you like veggies in your soup (like i do) chop up a few extras and saute them before you add the liquid back into the pot.

**i supplement with extra stock rather than more water to deepen the flavor.

noodles

5 large eggs

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

measure flour either onto your board/counter or into an extra large bowl. add salt. form a well in the middle (like a flour volcano). break eggs into the well. using a fork, break the yolks and slowly mix the flour into the eggs. mix until you have formed a stiff dough. on a floured surface, roll dough out very thin (about 1/8 inch thick). using a pizza cutter or a vary sharp knife, cut into strips (noodles) make sure each of your noodles is covered with a dusting of flour (this thickens your soup later). let stand 1-4 hours*

*the drier the better. if your noodles are too wet, they cook up more like dumplings than noodles-not that that's a bad thing...

holy slacker batman!

i apologize for my absence (although very few people actually care). i have no legitimate excuse so i won't bother. no recipe in this post, but i have big plans for dinner tonight so i'll get back to you on that one. i'll be better. i promise.

i will not be shamed by this

sometimes when i cook i pretend i am hosting a cooking show. rephrase: almost every time i cook i pretend i am hosting a cooking show. i talk to imaginary cameras and give tips to an imaginary audience, even when i'm making grilled cheese. ridiculous? maybe, but when the food network offers me my own show, i'll be ready...

a tour of my kitchen

please forgive my absence, i have been busy preparing to move. again. i do that a lot. i have mixed feelings about this one though, there are some things i will totally miss about this place and there are things i most definitely will not. for example: my tiny kitchen. it's not the world's smallest by any means, there's actually plenty of room to move around, but there is very little cupboard space and even less counter space. this problem is compounded by the fact that i have roommates. plural. so here's my tribute/goodbye to this space and a little insight for you.

see why i'm glad to get out of here?

a fiesta for your fourth

summer is upon us and summer brings all sorts of wonderful things, including weather so hot you cannot imagine wanting to stand inside and cook a meal. so what do we do? we take it outside to the grill. ahhhh, the grill, the most manly cooking accoutrement since we emerged from the cave and stopped consuming raw dinosaur meat. ladies, don't let them fool you, you more than capable of holding your own out there (but if they're willing why not let them do all the work?). we have reached the height of summer, the fourth of july, and that means 2 things: fireworks and hamburgers. yeehaw! two of my very favorite things brought together on one fabulous day. but in a summer filled with grill marks, burgers can be a little mundane. worry no more, my friends, i am about to introduce you to the anti-mundane burger-well, one of them anyway...

fiesta burger with all the fixings

fiesta cheeseburger (and toppings)

1 lb ground beef

3 tbs fajita seasoning (that's 1 1/2 packets of the store bought stuff)

2 bell peppers, sliced (1 used 1 yellow, half a red and half a green, but do your own thing here)

1 small/medium or 1/2 large onion, any variety you like, sliced (use more if you like, less if you don't)

5-7 mushrooms, sliced (optional)

2 tbs oil (vegetable, canola, olive, i'm not picky)

1/4 cup water

sliced tomato, sliced avocado and sliced cheese (i use this great chipotle cheddar i found at winco)

mix 2 tablespoons (1 packet) fajita seasoning, water, and oil in a large ziploc bag, seal and shake to mix. add peppers, onion and mushroom slices, seal and shake again. set aside while you prepare the burger.

add remaining seasoning mix to ground beef and get handsy with it. combine well, but be careful not to over-mix because that will make your burgers dry and tough. form beef into patties (4 to be exact) and let them rest a minute while you tend to the peppers. now, i live in a small apartment, with a small kitchen, and no yard, which means no grill. so i'm using a grill pan and sauteing my vegetables in a large skillet over high heat. if i were grilling for realsies i would pop my veggies into a foil packet (just fold the foil in half and crimp the edges into something resembling an envelope) include the liquid from the baggie, and throw them on the grill while you cook the burgers. speaking over burgers, it's time to throw them on the grill too. i'm gonna go ahead and assume that you know how to proceed from this point and jump to the end. put your now cooked burgers on a bun and top with the cheese, your also finished veggies (they need the same amount of time as your burgers, and need to be flipped once, just like your beef), tomato and avocado. i find that tongs are the best tool for this job. this is not a ketchup and mustard kinda burger, so if you need a condiment stick with mayo-the creaminess can help counteract the heat in the seasonings and such.

chili spiced corn on the cob

4 ears of corn, in the husk

1 stick of butter, softened

1 tbs chili powder

soak the corn in water for 3-5 minutes. leave it in the husk. i know it sounds weird, but this is my favorite way to grill corn. now place your husky, soaked corn directly on the grill for 10-15 minutes. since i don't actually have a grill, i put mine directly on the rack of a 425 degree oven. you'll know the corn is done when you can smell it, or, for you visual people, when you pull the husk back a bit and it looks done. while your corn is cooking, mix up a little chili spiced butter by combined the chili powder and butter. that's really all there is to it. remove the husk, smother your corn with the spiced butter and enjoy.

classic creamy coleslaw

okay, not my recipe (i don't have one) so click the link and use that recipe.

orange/honey glazed chicken

confession: this recipe was invented because i had an orange that wasn't gonna last much longer, but i wasn't in the mood to just eat it. they say necessity is the mother of invention and, in this case, they were right.

orange/honey glazed chicken

2 boneless skinless chicken breast, or 2 lbs chicken tenders
2 oranges
4 tbs honey
1 tbs poppy seeds
1 tbs fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
pinch of salt
pinch of black pepper
zest and juice the oranges into the bottom of an 8x8 baking dish. add honey, poppy seeds, rosemary, salt and pepper. whisk to combine. add chicken, cover with foil and marinate for 15-30 minutes. bake (covered) in a 350 degree oven until chicken is cooked through, about 30-40 minutes (tenders will only need 15-25 min). remove foil and let rest 5 minutes before serving. the sauce will concentrate as it cooks leaving a delicious glaze on the chicken and the rosemary adds a great earthiness to an otherwise sweet glaze.
this glaze also works on pork and is delicious over a whole roasted chicken, although the application is a bit different in that case. look for a post about it in the future, or feel free to e-mail me if you just can't wait :)

a taste of the tropical

we've been hit by a heat wave, and that means i'm feeling tropical. as much as i would like an island vacation, i REALLY can't afford it right now (can anyone?). so, to satisfy my craving for something tropical and delicious.

pina colada chicken and dipping sauce

chicken

1 1/2 lb chicken tenders or boneless skinless chicken breast cut into strips

1 can coconut milk

1/3 cup pineapple juice (i reserve the stuff from a can of pineapple)

pinch of salt
2 cups shredded coconut flake (i like mine sweetened but unsweetened is fine. use what you like)
combine coconut milk, pineapple juice and salt in a deep dish or large plastic bag. add chicken and marinate for 30-45 minutes. remove the chicken and dredge in the coconut flakes. place on a lined cookie sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes, flipping after 8 minutes.

dipping sauce
1 can pineapple (chunks, rings, crushed, anything will work really, you'll just have to do some extra chopping)
1 1/2 tbs corn starch
3 tbs apple cider vinegar (plain old white vinegar will work too)
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp soy sauce

drain the pineapple and reserve the juice. add water to pineapple juice to equal 1 cup. whisk cornstarch into juice. pour juice into a skillet or saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. reduce heat to medium-low. add vinegar, brown sugar and salt. remove from heat, add pineapple. (i like a little texture and extra flavor to my sauce. this is where you'll need to chop any extra large pieces of pineapple).
i use this sweet 'n' sour sauce on all sorts of things (pineapple and all). i even add pieces of bell pepper sometimes for a little extra layer of flavor

extra special smothered steak and sides

i don't know about you, but i love a juicy steak every so often. something about a big hunk of meat is so alluring. maybe it's because i'm poor and a good steak is bit of a treat. the thing is, even a special meal can get boring if you make it the same way over and over again. this is my way of making a special meal extra special.

extra special smothered steak with roasted brocolli

steak
keep it simple here, season both sides with salt and pepper and cook to your personal preference. grilled, broiled, pan roasted, however you would usually cook it will work with this recipe, just remember that the sauce is pretty robust so don't overdo it on seasonings and things.

mushrooms
5-8 crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 tbs butter
1-2 sprigs fresh thyme
salt and pepper to taste
melt butter in saute pan. drop in mushrooms. remember, the mushrooms will only develop  color if they are in contact with the pan so try to keep them in a single layer and don't stir too often. color=flavor, so let it develop! let mushroom cook about 3 minutes, stir and let cook 3 more minutes on the other side. remove from heat and season with thyme leaves, salt and pepper. don't salt until you've finished cooking; salt draws water out of the mushrooms and soggy mushrooms don't develop the color we're looking for here. also, soggy mushrooms just sound gross. smother your steak with these perfectly sauteed, not at all soggy, flavorful mushrooms.

these mushrooms are great for other things too, so don't limit yourself to smothering a steak. they're great on chicken or pork, or on their own as a side dish or snack

creamy bleu cheese sauce
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup bleu cheese, crumbled (any variety will do, just make sure it's something you would eat on it's own)
pepper to taste (the cheese is pretty salty so don't add any until you're sure you need it)
bring heavy cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium high heat. boil 1 minute.  remove from heat and add bleu cheese. stir until well incorporated. spoon over steak and mushrooms.

this sauce is also pretty versatile; chicken, pork, whatever! i've even spooned it over stuffed mushrooms and used it as a dip for vegetables and such.

roasted broccoli
1 lb broccoli florets
2 tbs extra version olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
heat oven to 400 degrees. toss florets in the olive oil, add salt and pepper. spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. roast in oven for about 15 minutes. remove and enjoy!
i LOVE roasted vegetables! they develop a ton of flavor without leaching nutrients. i use this method on everything from broccoli to asparagus to carrots to whatever else you can think of. give it a try next time you're looking for a simple side dish.

a simple sidedish

this is a great side dish for, well, anything! i'm having it tonight with beef stroganoff.
green beans almondine
1 lb green beans
1 tbs butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
wash green beans. cut or snap off ends. cut however you choose (i leave them whole because i think they're prettier that way). steam beans for about 1 minute. melt butter in frying pan, add garlic and prepped beans. i add them at the same time because garlic burns easily. having something else in pan will prevent that. saute until beans are just done, but still *bright green.add almonds, toss and serve warm.

*loss of color=loss of nutrients. don't overcook your veggies!

foodies are like trekkies only fatter...

foodie [foo-dee]
-noun Slang.
a person keenly interested in food, esp. in eating or cooking.

Origin:
food + -ie, perh. in part extracted from junkie

i have this friend, let's call her chessie (i think she'll be okay with that since it's her name), who writes a pretty fantastic blog which i adore. yesterday she posted this little dilly-o about foodies and their blogs. well, i am now publicly admitting that i have the same obsession, except i have taken mine one step farther. i don't just read the blogs, i actually make the food. i am a foodie, and then some. i even read cookbooks. well, that's not entirely true. i don't actually read them, i mostly just look at the pictures. the only reading i really do is that of the recipe titles, then i go make up my own recipes inspired by said titles. why not read the recipe? 2 reasons.
1) i'm too lazy and i get distracted easily. 

2) i'm not good at following instructions. especially really specific ones.

besides, i'm convinced that my version is just as good as, if not better than, any recipe i've ever "read". betty crocker needn't worry though, i'm not about to get rid of my beloved books. there is something comforting about stepping into a kitchen and looking at a shelf of tried-and-true-recipe filled cookbooks, even if i don't read them. i get the same excitement "reading" recipes in the blogosphere. okay, not exactly the same, but close. in fact i get excited enough that i am now writing my own. this one. you're already here so i don't need to share the link or anything, but you could probably use a little information about what to expect, especially since i have already admitted to not using recipes. so, here's the deal, i fully intend to write down what i do in the kitchen (a rare feat for me) and post it here for you to enjoy, complete with pictures, because how can you truly appreciate the deliciousness if you can't see it? i will also occasionally post stories, randomness and anything else i feel like sharing-food related, of course.
WARNING: you should not, by any means, expect exactness of any sort. measurements will be approximate at best, and i make absolutely no guarantees about anything.
except this one, i personally guarantee that i will eat before i post and thus will not post anything that cannot be described as a belly full of goodness.

p.s. if you read my other blog you know i hate to capitalize. just a heads up for you newbies.