Asian Lettuce Wraps

I think of lettuce wraps as little Asian tacos.  And rather than serve them as an appetizer like they do in restaurants, I like to serve them up as the main course.  We have had these several times over the years and they are always so very good! 

1lb. ground beef

1 TBSP olive oil

1/2c onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 TBSP soy sauce

1/4c hoisin sauce

2tsp. fresh ginger, minced

1 TBSP rice wine vinegar

1 tsp. Asian chili sauce

1/4c green onions, chopped

1-2 tsp. dark sesame oil

whole lettuce leaves

 

1.  In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef in olive oil.  Remove from skillet, drain if necessary, and set aside.

 

2.  To the skillet, add the onion and cook for a about a minute or so, stirring frequently.

 

3.  Add the garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, and chili sauce and stir to combine.

 

4.  Add the  green onions, sesame oil, and cooked beef and heat through.

 

5.  Serve with the lettuce leaves.

I like to just put it out on the table like this so

 everyone can make their own.

(Also, once again, I used Match ground beef.)

Italian Chili

This is fabulous comfort food on a cold, wintery night and the leftovers hold up really well.  If you feel like you just have to add cheese over the top, I recommend Parmesan.  But really, it's not necessary.

1lb. ground beef (I used Match Meats substitute)

1/4c olive oil

1 1/2c onion, chopped

1c celery, chopped

1/4c garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

4c vegetable broth

14oz. can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings

3oz. tomato paste

1 1/4 tsp.dried thyme

1 1/4 tsp. dried basil

1 1/4 tsp. dried oregano

1TBSP dried parsley

1c ditalini pasta

1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
 

1.  In a large pot over medium heat, cook beef thoroughly, drain if necessary, and set aside.

2.  In the same pot, heat the olive oil.  Cook onion, celery, garlic, and black pepper until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

3.  Add the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste.  Season with thyme, basil, oregano, and parsley.

4.  Cover, reduce heat to Low and simmer 1 hour.

5.  Meanwhile, in a small-medium pot, cook the pasta; drain and set aside.

6.  Add the beef and pasta to the main pot and allow to to simmer another 10-15 minutes to heat through.

Served with homemade herb and cheese bread - yum!

Mini Meatloaves

Last night's dinner was vegan meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and peas.  I was in the mood for some good old fashioned comfort food and this was perfect!  Obviously, you could substitute ground beef for the vegan meat, but, really, why would you want to?

While I'm on the subject of vegan meat, let me just say that, like alot of foods, there are good brands and there are not-so-good brands.  For substituting ground beef in recipes, I like Match Meats much better than anything else I've tried so far.  Gardein is winning in the chicken department though.  Anyway, on to the recipe:

1lb. ground "beef"

1/4c ketchup

1 1/8c Italian breadcrumbs

1 TBSP vegetable base (I like Better Than Bouillon)

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/8 tsp. dried parsley

1/8 tsp. celery salt

1/8 tsp. paprika

1/4 tsp. black pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 TBSP olive oil

1.  Preheat oven to 350*

2.  In a large bowl, add all ingredients (except the olive oil) and mix well.  I just use my hands to really get in there and blend it all together.

3.  Divide into four loaves.

4.  In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high.  Place loaves in skillet and cook until nicely browned, about 2 minutes or so on each side.

5.  Remove from skillet and place in a prepared 8 1/2 x 11 baking dish.

6.  Bake 20 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 160*.

7.  Top with a little extra ketchup and put back in the oven for another five minutes.

8.  Remove from oven and serve immediately.

 

This is also very good reheated.

 I just devoured the leftovers for lunch today!

Vegan Ranch Dressing

I'm cooking vegan at home now and needed ranch dressing for tonight's dinner of Gardein chicken wraps.  So, one quick search online and I found the perfect dairy-free ranch dressing:

1/2c vegan mayonnaise (Vegenaise is great!)

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. chopped parsley

1/4c unsweetened soy milk

1.  Combine everything in a small bowl.  Chill until ready to serve.

They'll never know it's vegan! ;)

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

Yesterday was my birthday and we celebrated by dining at a fabulous new Indian restaurant.  It was one of those meals that was so crazy good, I'm still thinking about it today.

When we got home, it was time for cake and presents.  The packages had been sitting in the living room all day, just teasing me.  I first spotted them in the morning and immediately recognized the Williams Sonoma wrapping paper. 

 

I am so easy. My husband knows he can walk in that store and buy anything and I will be thrilled. I had no idea what was in those boxes but I knew it was good!

 

 

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pesto, Spinach, Tomato Naan Pizzas

Last night, I made personal pizzas using garlic naan bread.  It was so simple and so good:

garlic naan flatbread (I found these perfectly-sized breads at Trader Joe's)

fresh spinach, a handful for each pizza

basil pesto, 2 TBSP for each

roma tomatoes, chopped, about 1/8c for each

Parmesan cheese, to taste

1.  Preheat the oven to 425*  Put the pizza stone in also so it will get nice and hot.  If you don't have a pizza stone - get one!  In the meantime though, a baking sheet would do just fine.

2.  Top each naan bread piece with 2 TBSP pesto, some spinach, tomatoes, and Parmesan.

3.  Place on preheated stone and cook for about 7 minutes.

 Served with Pasta e Olio .

Pasta with Mushrooms and Goat Cheese

I woke up this morning still thinking about how yummy this was last night! 

 

2 TBSP butter

4 TBSP olive oil

1/2c shallots, chopped

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. sugar

1 lb. baby bella mushrooms, rough chopped

3 TBSP fresh parsley, plus additional for garnish

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/2 lb. bowtie pasta, or whatever you have on hand

5 oz. herbed goat cheese, crumbled

3 TBSP grated Parmesan cheese

1.  In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 TBSP butter with 2 TBSP olive oil.

2.  Add onions, 1/2 tsp. salt, and sugar.  Stir until browned and fragrant, about 10 minutes.  Remove from pan and set aside.

3.  Add the remaining 1 TBSP butter and 1 TBSP olive oil to the skillet.

4.  Stir in the mushrooms and 1/4 tsp. salt.  Continue cooking over medium heat until mushrooms are tender and browned, about 5 minutes.

5.  Add the cooked onions, parsley, 1/4 tsp. salt, and pepper.  Keep warm until the pasta is ready.

6.  Prepare the pasta in a  large pot, according to package directions.  Drain, reserving 3/4c of the water, and return to pot.

7.  To the pasta pot, add 1/2c of the pasta water, the mushroom mixture, 1 TBSP olive oil, goat cheese, and Parmesan.  Add extra pasta water, if necessary.

8.  Garnish with extra Parmesan cheese and parsley. 

This is best while it's hot, so serve immediately!

 

 

Slow Cooked Pulled Pork BBQ over Sweet Potatoes

Why I have never tried this before, I don't know.  Because the flavor combination is brilliant.

2 - 2 1/2 lb. pork butt roast

salt, pepper, and garlic powder, to taste

1c beef broth

1/4c brewed coffee

olive oil

4 sweet potatoes

1.  Rub pork roast with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Place in slow cooker.

2.  Add beef broth and coffee.

3.  Cook on Low for approximately 6 hours, or until cooked through.

4.  During the last hour, preheat the oven to 400*.

5.  Prick sweet potatoes with a fork and coat with olive oil (I just do this with my hands).

6.  Bake potatoes for around 30 minutes, or until a fork stuck into the potatoes tells you they're done.

7.  Get back to the pork:  Dump the liquid and remove pork to a cutting board.

8.  Shred the pork and return it to the slow cooker.

9.  Add as little or as much BBQ sauce as you like (I usually end up using the entire bottle).

10.  To serve:  Slice open each potato and top with the BBQ pork.

 

 

Hot Bean Dip

My husband used to say he wasn't a fan of bean dips.  That is, until he tried this one:

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2c plain Greek yogurt

1 (16oz.) can refried beans

3 TBSP taco seasoning

3 good shakes of cayenne pepper sauce

1 TBSP dried parsley

2 TBSP green onions, chopped + a little extra for garnish

1c Mexican blend cheese, shredded

1.  Preheat oven to 350*

2.  Mix everything together in a medium size bowl, reserving 1/2c cheese and the extra green onions.

3.  Add to prepared pan.  I used two smaller dishes but you could put it all in an 8x8.

4.  Top with the remaining cheese.

5.  Bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes.

Top with extra geen onions and serve immediately.

Simple Grilled Portobello Salad

I rarely spend much time cooking on Sunday nights, and last night was no exception.  This is one of the fastest and easiest meals I've made lately. 

I'm not specifying amounts for the ingredients here because this is really one of those recipes that depends on your personal tastes:

portobello mushrooms, stems removed

olive oil

steak seasoning

rosemary

Romaine lettuce, chopped

Caesar dressing

black pepper

Parmesan cheese

1.  Rub the mushrooms with olive oil.  Then sprinkle with steak seasoning and rosemary.

2.  Cook in pre-heated grill pan over medium high heat for about 3-5 minutes per side.

3.  While the mushrooms are sizzling, toss the lettuce with Caesar dressing, black pepper, and Parmesan cheese.  Arrange the lettuce on plates.

4.  Remove mushrooms to a cutting board, slice, and place on top of the lettuce.  Serve immediately.



Served with garlic bread - yum!

Slow Cooker Carne Guisada

 We've had this easy Mexican stewed meat over rice and I've also served it taco-style in flour tortillas.

It's good both ways:

2 TBSP olive oil

1lb. beef stew meat

3 oz. tomato paste

1 1/4c beef broth

1/2c water

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. Ancho chili powder

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/8 tsp. salt

2 Serrano chili pepper, seeded and chopped

1. In a medium bowl, toss beef to coat with flour, salt, and pepper.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
3. Cook beef until evenly brown. Set aside.
4. In the slow cooker, combine tomato paste, beef broth, and water. Season with garlic, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, salt and serrano peppers.

5.  Add stew meat and cook on Low heat for about 8 hours, or until meat is cooked through and shreds easily with a fork.

Sauteed zucchini, yellow squash, and tomatoes on the side.

Fast and Easy Ground Beef Substitute

I've tried a few different brands of ground beef substitutes but haven't found one I really love.  No more worries about that though because now I just make my own!

3c eggplant, finely chopped (1 - medium size)

3c portobello mushrooms, finely chopped (3 - medium size)

1c onion, finely chopped

1/4c olive oil

1/8c balsamic vinegar

1 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1.  Preheat oven to 350*

2.  In a large bowl, combine the eggplant, mushrooms, and onion.

3.  Add olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Use your hands to mix it really well.

4.  Spread onto a foil-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with the garlic powder and pepper.

5.  Bake 20 minutes, then remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Easy!  Make a big batch and freeze in plastic bags. 

Defrost just as you would ground beef.

Easy Eggplant Parmesan

Sometimes the simplest meals are the best!  We had this for dinner a few nights ago and it was so easy and so yummy.  Also super cheap!

1/2c Panko breadcrumbs, seasoned to taste with Italian seasoning

red pepper flakes, to taste

medium size eggplant, 4 slices, 1/2" thick (or just do more slices if you use a small eggplant)

1/4c olive oil

6oz. tomato paste

3/4c water

1/4 tsp. dried basil

1/4 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. dried parsley

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. brown sugar

salt and pepper, to taste

1c mozzarella, shredded

1/2c grated Parmesan

1.  Preheat oven to 425*

2.  In a small bowl , combine bread crumbs and red pepper flakes.

3.  Brush eggplant slices with olive oil.

4.  Press slices into breadcrumb mixture to coat.

5.  Arrange eggplant in a prepared 8x8 baking dish.

6.  Bake approzimetely 15 minutes, or until nicely browned.

7.  Make the sauce while eggplant is baking: In a small saucepan, whisk together the tomato paste and water.  Bring to a simmer and add basil, oregano, parsley, garlic, brown sugar, salt, and pepper.  Simmer until ready to use.

8.  Remove eggplant and reduce temperature to 375*.  Top with sauce, then mozzarella and Parmesan and return to oven for another 15 minutes or so, until cheese is melted.

9.  Switch the oven to Broil and broil 2-3 minutes, or until browned just the way you want it.

Served atop capellini mixed with a little extra tomato sauce.

Spinach and Orzo Salad

 I like to serve this with grilled white fish:

8oz. uncooked orzo pasta

5oz. pkg. baby spinach leaves, chopped

1/2c Feta cheese, crumbled

1/4c pine nuts

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/8 tsp. white pepper

1/4c olive oil

1/4c balsamic vinegar

1.  In a medium size pot, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

2.  Add orzo and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and rinse with cold water.

3.  Transfer to a large bowl and stir in spinach, feta, pine nuts, basil and white pepper.

4.  Toss with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

5.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.               

I usually serve this cold but my husband heated up leftovers the

 other day and thought it was pretty good warm, too.

Basic Tomato and Basil Sauce

Not buying the jarred stuff anymore!  This is so much better:

1/8c olive oil

1/2c onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
handful of fresh basil, chopped

salt and pepper, to taste

1.  In a medium size skillet, heat olive oil and add onions and garlic.  Cook just until soft and fragrant.

2.  In a medium size pot, combine crushed tomatoes, basil, olive oil mixture, salt, and pepper.

3.  Simmer on low for about an hour, stirring occasionally.

I used this recipe for baked zucchini subs (sauteed chunky zucchini strips topped with sauce and mozzarella on French bread) - yum!