Main dishes

Flatbread with Pumpkin Butter, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Honey Orange Glaze

Published on by carol lou

After I made Pumpkin Butter, I have been brainstorming various ways to use it. I remember either reading or seeing a recipe using Pumpkin Butter on a flatbread. So, I played around in the kitchen yesterday with ingredients I had on hand and I think this recipe is a home run! My true sign of success is when my husband says, “this recipe you can definitely make again and again.” It is quick, easy and a wonderful combination of flavors, perfect as an appetizer or main course.

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Flatbread with Pumpkin Butter, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Honey Orange Glaze

Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 1 flatbread, I used Brooklyn Bred, thin crust
  • 1/2 – 3/4 cup pumpkin butter
  • 15 Brussels sprouts, cut in half
  • 2 slices thick cut bacon
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 teaspoons orange zest
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 5 oz. crumbled goat cheese
  • olive oil
  • salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and place flatbread on the foil. In a large cast iron skillet, cook the bacon until crisp remove from the pan and crumble, leave the bacon drippings in the pan. Prepare the Brussels sprouts by thinly slicing off the bottom, and then slice each sprout in half. Individually place the Brussels sprouts in the pan, cut side down, sprinkle generously with salt.. Add a drizzle of olive oil if your bacon was lean and did not leave enough drippings. Cook the Brussels sprouts over medium heat until they have a nice dark golden color, do not turn over. Then place the pan with the sprouts in the oven for 20 – 30 minutes or until they are crispy and fully cooked, I tossed mine a few times in the pan while cooking in the oven. While the Brussels sprouts are cooking, combine the honey, orange zest and cayenne pepper in a small microwave proof bowl. When the Brussels sprouts are finished cooking, remove from the oven. Spread the pumpkin butter over the flatbread, place the flatbread in the oven for 6 minutes, for a crispy flatbread place it directly on the oven rack. Heat the honey mixture in the microwave until hot. To assemble, place the Brussels sprouts evenly over the pumpkin butter, sprinkle with the goat cheese, bacon crumbles and then drizzle the honey mixture over. Lightly sprinkle with additional salt, if desired. Slice and serve.

Pasta Carbonara for Two

Published on by carol lou

There are many days that I am looking for a quick to prepare dinner for two. After a long day at work, a quick trip home and then dropping off a car at the dealer for a routine check-up, I was totally uninspired to make a labor intensive meal. Pasta Carbonara it was – perfect for two and very quick to prepare. The perfect ending to a very busy day.

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Pasta Carbonara for Two

Servings 2

Ingredients

  • 2 slices thick cut bacon, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 8 oz. spaghetti
  • 2 eggs

Instructions

  1. Bring a saucepan of salted water to a rolling boil and cook pasta 8 – 10 minutes until tender. Place colander in sink with the frozen peas in the colander. Combine the eggs and cheese, mix well and set aside. In a large saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the bacon and cook until just crisp, add the garlic and saute for one minute. Turn off heat. When pasta has finished cooking, reserve 3/4 cup hot pasta water. Drain the pasta over the peas. Drain well and add to the saucepan with the bacon. Toss the pasta and peas with the bacon and garlic. Mix well so all of the strands are coated. Slowly pour a bit of the pasta water into the eggs while stirring, continue to add hot liquid until the eggs are warmed, pour eggs into the pasta mixture – toss until well combined. The hot pasta will cook the eggs – by adding small amounts of the hot water to the eggs, this will prevent scrambling the eggs when adding to the hot pasta. Slowly add small amounts of the remaining hot pasta water (you probably will not use the entire 3/4 cup of water) to pasta to create a creamy sauce. Toss well. Top pasta with additional cheese, if desired.

Cooking from My Freezer – Shrimp Rolls

Published on by carol lou

There is nothing I like more than a wonderful lobster roll. However, I am being resourceful and using what I have in my freezer. I found a bag of precooked wild-caught jumbo shrimp in the freezer. So, out it came and time to figure out what to do with the shrimp. I also had a few hot dogs buns in the freezer (ideally they would have been split-top buns but I used what I had on hand). You guessed it, Shrimp Rolls! I thawed the shrimp, cut into large chunks and tossed in a few more ingredients I had on hand. One large scoop on a toasted bun – amazing.

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Shrimp Rolls

Servings 3

Ingredients

  • 12 oz precooked jumbo shrimp
  • 2 – 3 tablespoons fat-free plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 – 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 – 2 teaspoons fresh dill, minced
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • hot dog buns
  • butter

Instructions

  1. Cut shrimp into bite size pieces. Mix in a bowl with the yogurt, mayonnaise, (add one tablespoon at a time of the yogurt and mayonnaise until you reach your desired consistency), celery, lemon juice, dill, salt and pepper. Spread butter on the hot dog bun and toast under your broiler until golden brown. Fill rolls with shrimp mixture and serve.

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with Grilled Fish Tacos with Mandarin Salsa

Published on by carol lou

I wish I had kept a log starting on day one of all of the dinners I have cooked since staying at home. This is by far the longest stretch of cooking I think any of us have encountered. So, for Cinco de Mayo celebrations this week here is a quick, easy and delicious recipe.

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Grilled Fish Tacos with Mandarin Salsa

Ingredients

  • SALSA
  • 1 15 oz can mandarin oranges, drained
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1-2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • YOGURT CREMA
  • 3/4 cup plain greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice, freshly squeezed
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • FISH
  • 1 piece white fish fillet per person, haddock, cod or what you have on hand
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • cumin, chili powder and salt
  • corn tortillas
  • 1 – 1 1/2 cup shredded red cabbage

Instructions

  1. Salsa – combine the mandarin oranges, diced avocado, red onion and chili powder in a bowl, mix to combine.

    Yogurt Crema – combine the yogurt, lime juice and cumin, mix to combine

  2. Grilled Fish – Preheat your grill or oven to 350 degrees. In a cast iron skillet large enough to fit the fish fillets, drizzle the skillet with oil. Add the fillets and dust the fillets lightly with cumin, chili powder and salt. Grill or bake for 8 – 10 minutes or until the fish flakes easily.

  3. How to serve you tacos

    Heat the corn tortillas over the grill – turn the tortillas with tongs until lightly charred on both sides. This can also be done over a gas flame or in a dry skillet. Set warm tortillas in a towel-lined basket to keep warm.

    Place the shredded cabbage, salsa, and yogurt crema in serving bowls along side the fish and tortillas.

Cooking from My Freezer – Baked Pork Chops

Published on by carol lou

I have always been the one that stops by the grocery store almost daily to pick-up what we needed that day. If you had told me I would be limiting my trips to once or twice a month, I would have rolled my eyes in disbelief. Well, the time is now and I haven’t been to a store for over two weeks. I must say my last trip was quite substantial but like all of us, we are making do with what we have. I have always had a well stocked pantry, I think this rubbed off on me from my mom. I grew up in the snow-belt where it was common to have over 250 inches of snow each year. She always had a stocked pantry in case we could not get to the store. Well, into my freezer I go – this time I found a package of boneless pork loin chops. I thawed the chops and decided to bake them since the weather was looking like a storm was brewing. I made a tangy tomato barbecue sauce, placed the chops in my cast iron skillet, topped them with the sauce and baked them for 30 minutes. I have to say they were some of the best pork chops I have made. As they say, necessity is the mother of invention!

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Baked Pork Chops

Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 2-4 pork chops
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all of the sauce ingredients. Place chops in a cast iron skillet or in a baking pan. Spread sauce over chops. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Spoon sauce over chops a few times while baking.

Cooking from My Pantry – Italian Sausage with Rice and Tomato Confit

Published on by carol lou

My morning started trying to decide what to do with two cups of cherry tomatoes. I also had Italian Sausages in my refrigerator and during this time staying home with limited trips to the store, it is time to cook with what I have on hand. I roasted the tomatoes and made a casserole of Italian Sausage and Rice. I rarely make a casserole, however, it just seemed like we needed a bit of comfort food. A great combination and a wonderful satisfying dinner.

Remember, if you do not have fresh herbs, you can always substitute dried herbs you might have on hand. Use brown rice instead of white rice or ground beef/chicken/turkey for the sausage. It is time to be creative in the kitchen!

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Italian Sausage and Rice

Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced (optional)
  • 1 pound Italian sausage, remove casings
  • 2 cups cooked rice
  • 2/3 cup mozzarella cheese, diced or shredded
  • 1 tablespoon Italian parsley, minced
  • 2 eggs, beaten

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Saute onion and mushrooms in oil until tender. Add sausages in small pieces and break apart while cooking, cook until browned, drain. In a mixing bowl combine rice and cheese, add sausage mixture. Transfer mixture to a greased 2 quart baking dish. Combine eggs and parsley, pour over rice-sausage mixture. Bake for 30 – 40 minutes. Spoon into bowls and top with tomato confit.

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Tomato Confit

tomatoes are slow-cooked with olive oil, garlic, and herbs into a luxuriously rich condiment

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes
  • 2 springs fresh rosemary
  • 2 springs fresh thyme
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine all of the ingredients in a baking pan – approximately 8 x 8. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove garlic, rosemary and thyme. Leftovers can be refrigerated, bring to room temperature prior to serving.

Cooking from my Pantry – Pasta with Zucchini and Bacon

Published on by carol lou

Once again, I took a long hard look into my pantry and refrigerator to see what I had on hand. I have an abundance of pasta, so out came a box. A looked into my refrigerator and found bacon, zucchini, cream, grated Parmesan and parsley. So, I combined it together for a wonderful pasta dish. No zucchini, you can certainly substitute any vegetable you have on hand. Any leftovers, make a cold pasta salad tossed with a bit of olive oil.

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Pasta with Zucchini and Bacon

Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 4 slices bacon, diced
  • 1 zucchini, cut horizontally and then into into slices
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus a bit more to top each dish
  • 1/4 cup minced Italian parsley
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1 pound pasta

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until almost crisp. Add the butter, stir until melted, then add the zucchini, cook until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Cook your pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions, drain. In a large pasta bowl, add the minced parsley and cheese. Add the cooked pasta and cream, stir well. Remove the bacon and zucchini with a slotted spoon from the skillet and add to the pasta mixture. Toss and serve. Top with additional grated cheese.

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Layered Tostadas

Published on by carol lou

I know we are always looking for quick to fix entrees especially during this unexpected time at home. This entree is ready under 30 minutes and a perfect breakfast, lunch or dinner! One crispy corn tortilla topped with a smashed avocado, spinach, cheese, sausage and a sunny-side up egg. All my favorites on one crispy tortilla – YUM!

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Layered Tostadas

Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 4 corn tortillas
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 avocado
  • 1/2 pound pork sausage/mild or spicy
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • fresh spinach leaves
  • 4 eggs
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Cook sausage over medium heat until browned and crumbly, drain on a paper towel, set aside. Heat the oil over medium-high heat and cook each tortilla until brown and crispy – 2 – 3 minutes, turn frequently, drain on a paper towel. Smash ripe avocado with a fork and spread 1/4 on each tortilla, top with spinach, cheese and sausage. Cook eggs sunny-side up or to your desired taste. Top the sausage with the egg. Salt and pepper to taste. If you have hearty eaters, plan two per person.

    You can easily customize; substitute chorizo or leftover pulled pork for the pork sausage, Pepper Jack or Monterey Jack cheese or for that matter, any type of cheese for the Cheddar cheese. You can also sprinkle with cilantro, if desired.

Quick Asiago Panko Boneless Pork Chops

Published on by carol lou

I know that I love a quick to fix dinner that is not only easy, but delicious. This is one of my favorites, Quick Asiago Panko Boneless Pork Chops. You simply purchase boneless pork chops, pound them approximately one-quarter inch thick, dip in a beaten egg and then in the Asiago and Panko crumbs. In a hot skillet, done in eight minutes – it is as easy as that. Serve with a lemon wedge and dinner is done!

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Quick Asiago Panko Boneless Pork Chops

Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless, center-cut pork chops
  • 1 egg lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup panko crumbs
  • 1/3 cup grated Asiago cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 4 lemon wedges
  • fresh thyme

Instructions

  1. Place pork chops between two sheets of plastic wrap. Pound each chop until it is approximately 1/4 inch thick. You will need two shallow bowls, in the first one place the beaten egg, in the second one mix the panko, cheese, salt and pepper. Dip each side of the chops in the egg and then in the panko mixture. Press gently so the topping adheres to the chop. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet until foamy over medium heat. Cook the pork chops for approximately 3-4 minutes per side or until lightly brown. Remove from the skillet, top with chopped fresh thyme and serve with a lemon wedge.

Swedish Meatballs

Published on by carol lou

Just prior to the holidays, I received a request if I had a recipe for Swedish Meatballs. Swedish Meatballs, absolutely I have a recipe from my Swedish mom’s recipe file. I can’t believe I have not written about Swedish Meatballs prior to today. Swedish Meatballs are cooked in a rich creamy gravy made with beef broth and cream. These are comfort food memories for me and after trying them, I think you will agree!

5 from 2 votes
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Swedish Meatballs

Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • salt and pepper
  • 4 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/4 cup minced Italian parsley
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons flour
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1/4 teaspoon espresso powder
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil, spray with non-stick spray. In a mixing bowl combine bread crumbs, nutmeg, ginger, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, milk. Toss with a fork, set aside. Cook onion in butter, until tender. Combine bread crumb mixture, onions, egg, parsley and meat. Toss with a fork until well blended. Scoop meat and roll into balls approximately 2 tablespoons and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake meatballs in preheated oven for 18 – 22 minutes or until brown. In the saucepan you cooked the onions, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add flour and cook until bubbly. Whisk in the broth and cream, add espresso powder, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer, stir until thickened. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes, stir frequently. Serve meatballs over egg noodles, sprinkle with parsley.