Marsala Carrots

Marsala Carrots

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. butter
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ c. shallots, minced
1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
¼ c. marsala cooking wine

In a large skillet, over medium-low heat, melt the butter and olive oil.  Saute the shallots and garlic until tender.  Add the sliced carrots and salt and pepper.  Turn the heat to low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.  Add Marsala wine and cook about 3 minutes more.

**This is how I would make them if you were coming over for dinner.  During the weeknights and as a regular side for my family, I omit butter and wine.  I also use onion instead of shallots, unless I have some on hand.  Basically, it would just be sautéed carrots.  It's my favorite way to eat carrots...outside of carrot cake!  HA!

BBQ Hash

I love a dish that can all be thrown into one pan to cook.  This recipe doesn't have to be followed exactly.  That's the good thing about a hash.  It would be a great way to use up leftovers.

BBQ Hash

1 lb. flank steak
2 c. dry red wine (or beef broth)
1 Tbsp. whole black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
½ tsp. chili powder
12 oz. Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into ½ inch cubes
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 c. chopped green onions
1 (15 oz.) can unsalted great northern beans, rinsed and drained
favorite BBQ sauce

In a small saucepan, bring red wine, peppercorns and bay leaf to a boil.  Boil for 10 minutes or until reduced by half.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.  Marinate steak in marinade and place in fridge for at least 4 hours.

In a pot, bring cubed potatoes to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.  Drain.

Remove steak from marinade and sprinkle with salt, pepper and chili powder.  Cook in hot skillet until desired doneness.  Remove from skillet to carving board and allow to rest for five minutes.  Cube meat.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat.  Add potatoes and onions, cook 4 minutes (do not stir).  Stir in beans and steak; cook 2 minutes.  Remove pan from heat and pour favorite BBQ sauce over the top.  Can be served with a fried egg on top.  Garnish with sour cream.

Savory Squash Pie

This weekend we attended our first Sunday school cookout with our new church in Tennessee.  I currently have squash in abundance, so in addition to taking S'mores Bars, I also said that I would bring a squash pie.  (Even though it really didn't seem to go with hamburgers.)  I've had a tomato pie similar to this, so I thought that even though I'd never made it before, it would taste good.  And it did!  I got a lot of compliments on it.  Win, win for using up squash and eating good food!

Squash Pie

1 unbaked pie crust

1 egg, lightly beaten

5 c. sliced yellow squash

1 tsp. olive oil

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. dried thyme

¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. paprika

¼ tsp. pepper

2 large tomatoes, sliced (I had cherry tomatoes so that is what I used)

1 c. shredded cheddar or shredded mozzarella cheese (I used white cheddar)

¾ c. mayo

Line pie crust with aluminum foil.  Bake at 450 for 5 minutes.  Remove foil and brush lightly with egg.  Bake for 5 minutes longer.  (Not going to lie, I struggled with the pie crust this go round.)  Reduce heat to 350. 

In a large nonstick skillet, saute squash in olive oil for 10 minutes or until very tender (but not mushy like I like fried squash).  Sprinkle with seasonings.  (You could stop here and just have yummy squash saute.)  Spoon squash into pie crust.  Top with sliced tomatoes.  Combine the cheese and mayo and spread over the top.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until golden brown.  

Green Bean, Walnut & Feta Cheese Salad

This is from my favorite Presbyterian cookbook and I recently made it for my bunco group.  Not for everyone, strong flavors, but I thought it was delicious.  It may be a little easier to eat with cut green beans and not the whole green beans the original recipe called for.  I can't see where the particular bean would make a difference.

Green Bean, Walnut & Feta Cheese Salad

1 (4 oz.) pkg. crumbled feta cheese
1 c. coarsely chopped walnuts
¾ c. olive oil
¼ c. white balsamic wine vinegar (I couldn't find this so I just used balsamic vinegar)
1 T. chopped fresh dill (or 1 tsp. dried)
½ tsp. minced garlic
¼ tsp. salt
3 cans Del Monte blue lake whole green beans, drained
1 sm. red onion (same thing as purple onion)

Bake walnuts in shallow pan at 350 for 8 minutes, until toasted.  Combine oil, vinegar, dill, garlic and salt.  Mix for marinade.  Drain beans, slice red onion into thin slices and separate into rings (I might try half rings next time, too).  Pour marinade over beans and onions.  Refrigerate 1 to 2 days.  Before serving, add walnuts and feta cheese and toss well.

Fiesta Pasta Salad

2 c. small rotini noodles
1 c. salsa
½ c. mayo
½ tsp. salt
14 oz. can kidney beans, drained (I prefer a softer bean, like ranch beans)
1 c. shredded Mexican cheese
1 c. chopped tomatoes
1 medium red pepper, chopped
10 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained
2.25 oz. can sliced black olives (I use chopped)
¼ c. chopped red onion

Cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain and cool.  Place the cooled pasta in a large bowl.  Combine the salsa, mayo, and salt.  Pour over the pasta; mix gently.  Add the beans, cheese, tomatoes, pepper, corn, olives and onion.  Chill.

**This recipe is even better if you make it a day or two ahead of time.

Cabbage Casserole II

I have declared this my year to cook ONLY from my cookbooks and not from the internet.  I've unsubscribed to all of my favorite food blogs...including the Pioneer Woman's...to avoid the temptation of cooking that one really good recipe.  I have no less than 30 cookbooks (one of which is Pioneer Woman's!) that are collecting dust if I don't do this.  And it has been really fun to read through them again.

I did want to post this recipe for those of you still cooking from the internet.  ;-)  It really is more convenient, I'm just having to be a little rebellious.

I've posted another Cabbage Casserole before, but this has become the new go-to recipe.  For some reason my other never turned out as good as this one always does.

Cabbage Casserole

1 small head cabbage
1 stick butter
1 onion, chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 c. mayo
1 sleeve Ritz crackers
salt and pepper to taste

Chop cabbage and place in 11x14 greased baking dish. In skillet, melt half stick of butter and cook onion until tender. Stir in soup and mayo until well incorporated. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread over chopped cabbage. Layer crushed crackers over top and drizzle with remaining melted butter. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Cheesy Mexican Skillet Rice

I have been looking for a recipe for Mexican rice for quite some time now.  It seems that each one I tried was just a little too dry for my taste.  Until now!  I have finally found one that I like.  It's moist, it's cheesy, it's good!

Cheesy Mexican Skillet Rice

2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 c. long grain white rice
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. smoked paprika
salt and pepper, to taste
2 c. chicken stock
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 c. grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375.  In a large ovenproof skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.  Once hot, add the onions and garlic and sauté until soft.  Stir in the rice and cook, while stirring, to toast.  Add the tomato paste, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper, and stir until it's well blended with the rice.  Add the chicken stock and black beans and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer, cover with lid and cook on low until the rice is tender and the chicken stock is absorbed, about 15 minutes.  Turn off the heat and let the rice steam, covered, for 5 minutes.

Fluff rice with fork and sprinkle with cheese.  Bake until cheese melts, about 10 minutes.

**To skip the oven step, just simply stir in the cheese until melted, which is what I did.

Cauliflower Au Gratin

Well, hello there!  Something new that I made recently that was SO GOOD and such a good substitute for something like macaroni and cheese for The Dish Washer's low carb diet.  

Cauliflower Au Gratin

• 2-1/2 pounds cauliflower florets
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1-1/4 c. milk
• 3/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Spread out the florets on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat Place them in the oven to roast for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes, stir the florets with a wooden spoon. Return to the oven and roast for about 15 minutes longer till the edges brown/caramelize and the cauliflower is tender.

While the cauliflower roasts, in a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, salt, and pepper. Stir to form a thick paste.  Slowly whisk in the milk, ¼ cup at a time. Heat the milk mixture over medium heat for a few minutes, whisking frequently, till it thickens and begins to bubble around the edges. Do not let the sauce boil. Whisk in the grated cheddar cheese and stir till melted. Reduce heat to lowest setting, stirring frequently, until ready to assemble the gratin.

Place cauliflower in a baking dish.  (I used and 8x8)  Pour the cheese sauce evenly across the top of the cauliflower florets. Place the assembled gratin into the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes till edges begin to brown and the cheese sauce is bubbly.

Light Corn Salad

Truly, you can't beat this Corn Salad that I make.  It is a hit everywhere we go.  But, honestly, it isn't something we eat everyday because it isn't that healthy.  I choose to make it for large crowds to share.  I found this recipe for a corn salad that is delicious and light!  It will be perfect for using up that fresh corn and those cherry tomatoes this summer.  You won't be disappointed.  It would also be the perfect picnic salad because there isn't any mayo.

Light Corn Salad

4 ears fresh corn, shucked and cut off (or freezer corn equivalent)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 gloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 lb. cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 c. coarsely chopped green onion
salt and pepper, to taste

In a large skillet, heat olive oil to medium-high heat.  Add corn to the oil and cook until tender.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Stir in garlic and cook another minute.  Deglaze pan with balsamic vinegar until most of the liquid has cooked out.  Add tomatoes and stir another minute.  Remove from heat and stir in green onions.  Serve warm or make 1 day ahead of time and serve chilled.

Sharp Cheddar Casserole

I hesitated to post this picture with the recipe, because it doesn't look very appetizing.  And let me tell you, THIS was my favorite thing from our Easter lunch and very appetizing.  This recipe is from The Dish Washer's Aunt and is in my family cookbook that I have mentioned before.  I've always read it when looking through recipes and decided now was the perfect time to give it a try.  In fact, The Dish Washer said not to make any other type of macaroni and cheese, ever, except this one.  I'd say he liked it too.  It is a macaroni and cheese with surprisingly different flavors.  Try it out for your next potluck.  It's great!

Sharp Cheddar Casserole

8 oz. large elbow macaroni (my store only had regular macaroni this time so that is what I used)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 empty soup can of milk
1 c. mayonnaise
1 (8 oz.) block sharp cheddar cheese (2 cups), shredded (I used white cheddar but you don't have to)
2 Tbsp. butter
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 sleeve of Ritz crackers, crushed
2 Tbsp. butter

Cook noodles according to package directions.  In a saute pan, melt 2 Tbsp. butter and saute onions and bell pepper until tender.  Drain noodles and add onion and pepper to noodles.  In a bowl, mix soup, milk, mayo and cheese.  Add to macaroni and mix well.  Pour into greased 2-1/2 quart dish.  Bake at 300 for 20 minutes uncovered.  Meanwhile, melt 2 Tbsp. butter and mix with crushed Ritz crackers.  Cover casserole with crackers and return to oven for an additional 15 minutes.

Dill Deviled Eggs

I don't really have an exact recipe for these, but I love dill in deviled eggs.  I really enjoy traditional southern style deviled eggs, but I decided to mix it up a bit for our Easter lunch.

Dill Deviled Eggs

6 hard cooked eggs
mayo
splash of red wine vinegar
fresh or dried dill weed

Slice eggs in half and scoop out yolks into a bowl.  Add mayo until consistency you like your eggs.  Put in a splash of red wine vinegar and add dill.  I think I used 1 tsp. dried dill.  You'd use more if you were using fresh.  Fill yolks and chill until ready to serve.

Rice and Artichoke Salad

This was the one dish that I thought my guests might balk at.  Fortunately, everyone (with one exception) seemed to enjoy it.  The Dish Washer definitely balked!  I thought it was delicious.  My in laws joined us for lunch on Monday and we ate leftovers.  My MIL pointed out that it tasted like curry chicken salad...minus the chicken.  I thought that made sense.  I think it would be great served at a luncheon.

Rice and Artichoke Salad

1 (6.9 oz.) pkg. Rice-A-Roni, chicken flavor
1 (12 oz.) jar marinated artichoke hearts
5 green onions
1/2 c. mayo
1/4 tsp. curry powder


Cook rice according to package directions, omitting butter.  Allow to cool completely.  (Will really be clumpy and you will think the recipe may be messed up, but the dressing will help separate the rice again.)  Drain artichoke hearts, reserving liquid.  I chose to chop them into smaller pieces.  Chop green onion.  Add artichokes and onions to rice.  In a separate bowl, whisk mayo, artichoke juice and curry powder.  Pour over rice and mix well.  Allow to chill completely.  Best if made a day ahead.

Broccoli Salad

Earlier this week, I made this Broccoli Salad.  Aren't they all about the same?  It is a pretty classic salad recipe, but I thought a good one to add to our recipe index when we are looking for yummy recipes on here.

Broccoli Salad

1 head broccoli, chopped small
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped or grated
1/2 c. raisins
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 c. mayo
1/3 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

In a small bowl, combine mayo, sugar, and cider vinegar to form dressing.  In a larger bowl, combine broccoli, onion, raisins and crumbled bacon.  Pour dressing over mixture and mix to coat.  Refrigerate at least an hour before serving.

--

The version pictured above was made with Miracle Whip for mayo and Splenda for sugar.  I left the bacon out, although if company was coming I'd make the REAL thing.  Just trying to keep things somewhat healthy around here and those substitutions really worked out well for us for everyday.

Spicy Black Eyed Peas

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!  I hope exciting things for this year and I know it will be great with the addition of our newest little one.  I hope you ate your black eyed peas today for good luck.  I don't care for greens, but The Dish Washer at those for our 2012 wealth.  :)  I served those things with Brown Sugar and Balsamic Slow Cooked Pork. For a great little history lesson on why southerners eat these foods, check it out at Southern Plate.  I love history behind certain foods/recipes.  While her recipe is certainly the classic, I opted to make a spicy version that I thought The Dish Washer would enjoy.  I was correct.  They aren't "mouth on fire" spicy, but they definitely have a kick.

Spicy Black Eyed Peas

16 oz. frozen black eyed peas
4 slices of bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can Rotel tomatoes, undrained
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
water

In a large saucepan, cook bacon until crispy.  Remove bacon and crumble.  Set aside.  Stir chopped onion into bacon grease and cook until tender.  Add can of tomatoes, black eyed peas, salt, chili powder and pepper.  Stir to combine.  Pour in enough water to cover peas.  Cook, covered, on medium heat for 1 hour, checking water level to make sure peas don't scorch.  (They will absorb more water than you expect.)  Check your peas to see how tender they are.  We prefer our peas extremely tender, so I probably boiled mine for a total of 3-4 hours, adding water as needed along the way.

Zucchini Fritters

These were supposed to be more like hush puppies, but I didn't feel like busting out the deep fryer.  So, I just dropped them in hot oil in a skillet and now they are more like zucchini pancakes.  They were really good, but made way too many for our little family.  I decided to put them in the freezer to see if we could eat them later.  Of course, fried foods are always better freshly fried but they still tasted good after being reheated in the microwave.

Zucchini Fritters

Vegetable oil
1/2 c. milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 c. all purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 (1 oz.) pkg. of ranch-style dip mix
2 c. shredded zucchini

Fill a deep-fat fryer or skillet with oil to a 2-inch depth.  Heat to 375.  Meanwhile, combine milk and egg in a mixing bowl.  Stir together dry ingredients and add to egg mixture; blend well.  Fold in zucchini.  Drop batter by rounded teaspoonful into hot oil.  Fry until deep golden brown, turning once.  Drain thoroughly on paper towels.  Yields 1-1/2 to 2 dozen.

Hasselback Potatoes

Last night, I made Taco Meatloaf and I used a peach salsa I had in the pantry to change it up a bit.  It was really good and inspired by PW's peach bbq chicken (although that was a heck of a lot of whiskey!) she had posted that morning.  I'd love to make that soon.  But in the meantime, the peach salsa held me over.  I had some baking potatoes that I really wanted to use up and have always wanted to try this recipe, but just never did until now!  It was so easy and is pretty to serve.  It is a cross between a baked potato and roasted potatoes.  Is it crazy that I always think of Elizabeth Hasselback when I think of this recipe!

Hasselback Potatoes

baking potatoes (however many you are serving)
olive oil
fresh garlic cloves, sliced
salt and pepper to taste

Slice potatoes 3/4 way through the potato, the whole length of the potato.  Use two wooden spoons as your cutting guide by placing two spoons on each side of the potato.  That keeps the knife from going all the way through the potato.  Place a slice of garlic in between potato slices.  I did every 3 or 4 slices but you can do more or less depending on how much garlic you like.  Toss in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake at 425 for 1 hour.  (I may or may not have dotted some butter on the potatoes half way through cooking!)  :)

Copper Pennies (Marinated Carrots)

I believe I tried a recipe for "Copper Pennies" sometime this year that never made it to the blog because it wasn't good.  It was served warm, though, so I think that is why I didn't care for it.  I really like this cold version, and I am a fan of all things sweet and sour.  This recipe is from my mother in law's community club cookbook and the ingredients are all things you have on hand to whip up a veggie for unexpected company.  Really yummy!  Now that I have had the good stuff, it really reminds me of the Sweet Potato Salad that I make.  This is just more saucy and obviously uses carrots.

Copper Pennies (Marinated Carrots)

2 cans carrots, drained

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 small onions, sliced and "ringed" out (meaning separate into individual rings)

1 can tomato soup

1/2 c. salad oil

1/2 c. sugar

3/4 c. vinegar

1 tsp. mustard

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

salt 

pepper

In a serving bowl, add carrots, bell pepper and onion.  Mix other ingredients really well and pour over carrots.  Cover and refrigerate over night.  Serve.

Zucchini Perini

I think I have mentioned before that we were gifted with the Perini Ranch Steakhouse Cookbook for Christmas.  It is full of "cowboy" food and when I saw this I knew I wanted to try it out.  It is served as a side at their restaurant but since it has the meat in it, I decided to make it our main dish.  I have made something similar before when I made the Stuffed Zucchini, but this is WAAYYY better!  We adapted the recipe to make it more of a meal and to cook the zucchini to a more tender doneness.  Here is the original recipe and here's what we did:  It makes a huge serving.  Great for a crowd and definitely plenty of leftovers for us this week!

Zucchini Perini

1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. sausage
1 large onion, diced
2 lbs. zucchini, thinly sliced
1 (28 oz.) can whole tomatoes, mashed and drained
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
3 tsp. dried crushed oregano
garlic powder (to taste)
salt and pepper (to taste)
Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet, brown ground beef, sausage and onion.  Drain off excess fat.  Add tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce and seasonings.  Simmer for 5 minutes.  Add zucchini and stir to coat with meat sauce.  Place in a large baking dish.  Cover with Parmesan cheese and bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

**The meat sauce alone would make a great spaghetti sauce.  I love the mix of the beef and the sausage.

Cheesy Spinach & Rice Bake

• Cheesy Spinach & Rice Bake
• 
  
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 pkg. frozen spinach, thawed, drained and chopped
• 1 c. milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 c. cooked rice 
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray casserole dish with non stick spray.  In a large pan over medium-high heat, saute onions with 2 Tbsp. of butter and cayenne until translucent. Add the spinach and cook for 3 minutes. Set aside.  In a large bowl, whisk together milk and eggs.  Add the rice, cheese and spinach mixture and combine well. Season with salt and pepper.
• 
  
• Pour into prepared casserole dish and top with extra shredded cheese. Bake for 30 minutes and serve piping hot.

Baked Zucchini Chips

I've seen this recipe in several places online and decided to give it a try for a different way to use up zucchini.  I thought it was very delicious.  I could have baked it a little longer and maybe it would have a little more crunch, but overall it was a great way to use those zucchinis up.

Baked Zucchini Chips

3 zucchinis, washed and rinsed
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese (I used grated because that is what I had)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. paprika
salt to taste
2 egg whites

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Cut zucchini as thinly as possible.  Place on paper towels to allow moisture to drain for at least 10 minutes.  In a bowl, beat egg whites until the become frothy.  In a separate bowl (or ziploc bag), combine dry ingredients.  Coat zucchini is egg whites and then toss in dry ingredients.  Lay flat on baking sheet in single layer.  Bake for 5 minutes.  Flip zucchini over and return to oven for 7 more minutes or until as crispy as you prefer (without burning them!).  Serve warm.