This recipe was in the recent issue of Paula Deen’s Magazine. My intention was to try it and then experiment with the concept to make it my own, but it was so good I’m not going to do much of anything to it (I did use gluten free orzo and while Paula gives amounts for salt and pepper I prefer to say to add to your taste. I also used chicken breasts, whereas Paula used cutlets). The only change I might try is to substitute milk for the cream and then cook it a bit longer to thicken it more, or maybe add some cornstarch, to reduce the fat. It was rich and delicious and was a great weeknight meal.

For the chicken:
4 chicken breasts
salt and pepper
3 tbsp butter
1 shallot, chopped
2 tbsp white vinegar
1 cup heavy cream
3 tbsp whole grain mustard
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
For the orzo
1 16 ounce package of orzo
1 6 ounce bag fresh baby spinach
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper

Melt the butter in a skillet. Season the chicken with salt and pepper then add chicken and cook over medium high heat until cooked through (165 degrees).

Remove the chicken and melt remaining tbsp of butter. Add the shallots and cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Add the vinegar and cook for 1 minute. Add the cream, mustard, tarragon and salt to taste, stirring until sauce thickens. Add the chicken and reheat it then, place chicken and sauce on a serving platter.
While you are cooking the chicken, make the orzo:
Cook the orzo according to package instructions. Drain it and return it to the pot. Stir in the spinach, oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper until the spinach wilts. Serve with the chicken and spoon sauce over orzo.

This recipe was in the recent issue of Paula Deen’s Magazine. My intention was to try it and then experiment with the concept to make it my own, but it was so good I’m not going to do much of anything to it (I did use gluten free orzo and while Paula gives amounts for … Read more →

No matter how much of a foodie you’ve become, I will bet there is at least one packaged snack you still love. As a kid, you probably ate more of these kinds of foods than you might want to admit now. As for me, I still have a thing for cheese puffs (although I now buy the organic, gluten-free version) and I have fond memories of Hostess cupcakes, mostly because I watched other kids get them in their lunches and I never did (as an adult, I found them pretty bad: dry and tasteless, but they remain as a symbol of childhood to me!). Oreos and Keebler Fudge Stripe cookies were other childhood favorite of mine though and I have a weird memory of taking an empty egg carton and putting one Oreo in each section and eating out of it while reading one of the Little House on the Prairie books.

Whatever your secret craving or childhood obsession, you probably never thought you could recreate that food at home yourself. Now you can. The fun new book, Classic Snacks Made From Scratch by Casey Barber (Ulysses Press) has 70 recipes for all sorts of foods you could only buy in a package until now. Nutter Butters, Oreos, Fudge Stripes, Mallomars, Entenmann’s Donuts, TastyKakes, Twinkies, Cheez-Its, Pop-Tarts, Doritos, BBQ potato chips,  Klondike Bars, Funyuns, Fudgsicles, fruit roll-ups, and even Peeps made it into the pages of this book of 70 recipes.

This isn’t a cookbook you’re going to cook from every day or even every weekend, but it is definitely a fun resource to have on had, particularly if you have kids, or if you just like to challenge yourself to recreate foods.  Barber calls for some ingredients that might be harder to find (like cheese powder or buttermilk powder), so plan ahead for your binge. The recipes are all rated for difficulty level which is a nice feature, but there is no nutritional information (probably a good thing!). This book is simply pure fun. Just paging through it will give you a thrill as you slip past all the stuff you used to eat (or still eat on occasion) or dream about eating.

I made the tater tots recipe from the book. I had some trouble grating the potatoes, but it may be that my potatoes were cooked longer than they should have been. When I mixed it up, it just looked like mashed potatoes – it lost the texture of grated potatoes (again, I think this was my bad). They fried up nicely though and looked good. My kids both liked them. They tasted like potato balls to me, mostly because it didn’t have the right texture, but it got a thumbs up from the people who really matter. I probably wouldn’t make this again – I make fried food very rarely as a special treat and I think I would rather have French fries! But if you’re looking for a good tots recipe, I would definitely try this one.

Tater Tots

 

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Author: Casey Barber

Cuisine: American

Ingredients

• Tots
• 1 lb russet potatoes
• ½ cup flour
• ¼ cup Pecorino Romano cheese
• ½ tsp garlic salt
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• Coating
• 1 egg, whisked with 1 tbsp water for egg wash
• 2 cups panko

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Scrub potatoes, then puncture with one or two tines on all sides with a fork. Wrap in foil and bake for 45 min to an hour until on the tender side. They should retain some firmness.
3. Unwrap the potatoes and allow to cool, then peel the skins off by hand.
4. Grate the potatoes into short and chunky strips using a box grater. Mix with flour, cheese, garlic salt, salt, and egg in a bowl, using your hands.
5. Put the egg wash in a bowl and the panko in another bowl. Roll a small ball of potato with your hands and form into the cylinder tot shape. Dip in egg, then in panko. Repeat. Place on a baking sheet and freeze for an hour.
6. Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil to 350 degrees. Cook in batches, until golden brown then place on a paper towel on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt.

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No matter how much of a foodie you’ve become, I will bet there is at least one packaged snack you still love. As a kid, you probably ate more of these kinds of foods than you might want to admit now. As for me, I still have a thing for cheese puffs (although I now … Read more →

This warm and wonderful soup uses up leftover potatoes and leftover meatloaf. If you don’t happen to have leftover potatoes, cook 2 large baking potatoes in the microwave and use those. It comes together very quickly and makes a hearty meal, when served with a salad. Best of all, no one is going to realize you’re making leftovers. Not a single person at my dinner table could identify this as having meatloaf in it, even when we had had said meatloaf the night before! Just call it Potato and Hamburger Soup and no one is the wiser.

Do you like this new recipe format plug-in I’m trying? Let me know what you think!

4.5 from 2 reviews

Potato and Meatloaf Soup

 

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This quick and easy soups tastes rich and delicious AND is your solution for leftover meatloaf and potatoes.

Recipe type: soup, leftovers

Cuisine: American

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp butter
• ⅓ c. flour
• 4 c. skim milk
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 2 cups cooked, peeled, diced potato
• ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 2 tbsp Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp light sour cream
• 1¼ cup chopped meatloaf

Instructions

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan. Stir in flour and cook for about 30 seconds.
2. Whisk in the milk and stir in salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until it thickens.
3. Stir in potato, cheese, scallion, yogurt and sour cream. Cook until it begins to bubble.
4. Stir in the meatloaf and cook for about 3 minutes until heated through.

3.2.1215

This warm and wonderful soup uses up leftover potatoes and leftover meatloaf. If you don’t happen to have leftover potatoes, cook 2 large baking potatoes in the microwave and use those. It comes together very quickly and makes a hearty meal, when served with a salad. Best of all, no one is going to realize … Read more →

If you’re looking for a low fat meatloaf, this isn’t it. If you’re looking a meatloaf that will make you drool and cause your children to fight over who gets the last piece, this is it.

This meatloaf feeds 4, but if you want leftovers, you will have to double it!

1 small onion, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

6 baby carrots, chopped

1 tsp olive oil

1 lb ground beef

1 egg

1/4 cup ketchup

1 tsp Worchestershire sauce

1 tsp yellow mustard

1/2 tsp BBQ seasoning or rub (I use Penzey’s)

1/2 cup crushed BBQ potato chips

1 tsp breadcrumbs

Cook the onion, garlic and carrots in the oil until softened over medium high heat. Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well combined. Press the meatloaf into a greased loaf pan and bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes until it reaches 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer.

If you’re looking for a low fat meatloaf, this isn’t it. If you’re looking a meatloaf that will make you drool and cause your children to fight over who gets the last piece, this is it. This meatloaf feeds 4, but if you want leftovers, you will have to double it! 1 small onion, minced … Read more →

Fried rice is my great go-to dish for lots of different leftovers. Small amounts of cooked leftover veggies can be used up in this dish as well as unused raw veggies that are lingering in your fridge. You can also add  leftover meat as well as shrimp. It’s a very forgiving dish. Here’s my recipe from a recent night:

2 eggs

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 small onion, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

4 cups cooked brown rice (you can use any kind of rice)

3 tbsp tamari sauce (or soy sauce)

2 tbsp stir fry sauce

1/4 cup cooked carrots, sliced thinly

2 scallions, chopped

1/4 cup chopped broccoli

2 baby bok choy heads, thinly sliced

1/2 cup frozen peas

Scramble the eggs then cook in 1 tbsp oil over medium high heat. Remove from the pan. Add the remaining oil with the onions and cook until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a minute. Add the rice. Stir and then allow it to cook several minutes, stirring again and again letting it just sit for a few minutes. This allows the rice to brown and gives it some crunch. Add the tamari or soy sauce and stir fry sauce.

The next step is to stir in any uncooked veggies you are using. Let these cook until they soften, then stir in your cooked veggies. Cook until everything is combined and the raw veggies are cooked through. Stir the egg back in and serve.

You can use raw or cooked veggies in this recipe, so it’s great not only for leftovers, but for figuring out what to do with that little bit of a raw vegetable that isn’t enough to feed the whole family with.

Other possible ingredients in this: cooked diced chicken, cooked diced pork, cooked diced beef, cooked or raw shrimp, sliced or chopped zucchini, rutabaga, turnip, parsnip, snow peas, bean sprouts, diced green beans, thinly sliced Napa cabbage,or  thinly sliced mushrooms.

You can also add some grated ginger for some added zing. It’s a very flexible dish, perfect for using up all kinds of things that are lingering in your fridge!

Fried rice is my great go-to dish for lots of different leftovers. Small amounts of cooked leftover veggies can be used up in this dish as well as unused raw veggies that are lingering in your fridge. You can also add  leftover meat as well as shrimp. It’s a very forgiving dish. Here’s my recipe … Read more →

Here’s my latest installment of what to do with your leftovers! Got leftover chicken? Make a big dinner salad that feeds 4 and is super satisfying.

Leftover Chicken Salad

1 head of Boston or Romaine lettuce, torn into pieces (you can also buy bagged salad)

10 baby carrots, thinly sliced

2 clementine tangerines, peeled, sectioned then cut in half

1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese (or any of your choice)

1 to 1 1/2 leftover chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces

2 tbsp finely chopped red onion

Toss all of this together. You can use bottled dressing or make your own.

This serves 4 and with a loaf or bread or some potatoes, it is a complete meal.

The great thing about salad is that it is very forgiving. You can add any raw veggie you like, use any kind of lettuce and any kind of dressing.  Choose your cheese. If you don’t want fruit, don’t add it, but if you do, salads with apples, pears ,or  strawberries are tasty and a fun way to make things a bit brighter.

Here’s my latest installment of what to do with your leftovers! Got leftover chicken? Make a big dinner salad that feeds 4 and is super satisfying. Leftover Chicken Salad 1 head of Boston or Romaine lettuce, torn into pieces (you can also buy bagged salad) 10 baby carrots, thinly sliced 2 clementine tangerines, peeled, sectioned … Read more →

I picked up a package of Carr Valley Bread Cheese at my grocery store recently ($11.79/lb.). On the package it says it is good dipped in coffee or with jam. Really? I scratched my head at this but gave it a try, mostly because it’s pretty hard to find cheese I won’t eat.

The cheese comes in a slab, about 5 inches by 4 inches, roughly an inch thick. It is slightly browned on the outside. I warmed it in a pan before serving with some jam. It’s a very dense cheese that is very mild. I think it is the combo of the density and the mildness that has brought the comparison to bread. We tasted it plain and it was just ok. I put strawberry jam on it and it was fantastic. I can also definitely see that this would be good with coffee (which I don’t drink – but I can see it with tea or even hot chocolate).  I know, it sounds completely weird, but it was just really good! It was a great accompaniment to the light dinner we had of salad and scallops.

I picked up a package of Carr Valley Bread Cheese at my grocery store recently ($11.79/lb.). On the package it says it is good dipped in coffee or with jam. Really? I scratched my head at this but gave it a try, mostly because it’s pretty hard to find cheese I won’t eat. The cheese … Read more →

It’s been a while since I cooked a Martha Stewart recipe, but since that is where my blog began, it is fun to sometimes return to my roots! My issue of February Living came and there’s a recipe for cacio e pepe. I’ve never made this before – I tend to prefer pasta dishes that are slightly more complex, but on a recent night I just wanted something that was uncomplicated, and that’s what this is (basically just pasta and cheese). Here are the details:

Boil 8 ounces of spaghetti (I used gluten free) for 2 minutes less than the cooking time recommended. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water.

Drain the pasta and put it back in the pot (Martha says to use a skillet, but honestly, the pot was definitely sufficient for this). Add 4 tbsp butter and 1/2 cup of the cooking water and cook over medium heat until the butter melts and toss the pasta to cover. Add 1 cup Grana Padano grated cheese and stir until completely combined. Add salt and pepper (You’re supposed to add a lot of pepper, but I didn’t want a ton). Turn off the heat and grate one Meyer lemon into the pasta and stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (Martha said to use Pecorino Romano but I don’t like that). Toss until combined. Add more pasta water a few tablespoons at a time until the sauce reaches the right consistency (saucy, not too thick).

Pretty simple, right? The pasta water with the butter and cheese makes a nice thick sauce. My son didn’t like the Meyer lemon flavor in this and I have to say, I think it didn’t really need it, but it was my first go-round with Meyer lemons, so I was excited to try them. Quick, easy, and it definitely tastes like you worked a lot harder than you did!

It’s been a while since I cooked a Martha Stewart recipe, but since that is where my blog began, it is fun to sometimes return to my roots! My issue of February Living came and there’s a recipe for cacio e pepe. I’ve never made this before – I tend to prefer pasta dishes that … Read more →

My CSA winter share potatoes are almost gone! I used the last of the smaller ones up in this recipe, which is based on one in Paula Deen’s magazine.

This couldn’t be simpler or more yummy.

First, boil some smaller size potatoes until fork tender. Put them on a greased baking sheet. Take a drinking glass and press down, to smash them.

Melt 4 tbsp butter with 3 cloves minced garlic, salt, pepper and 1 tsp dried rosemary. Drizzle over the potatoes. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes.

Flip the potatoes over and drizzle some olive oil over them. Crank the temp up to 425 until they get slightly brown and crispy (about 15 min).

This one was a big hit in my house. And it really was very little fuss for something that was so good!

My CSA winter share potatoes are almost gone! I used the last of the smaller ones up in this recipe, which is based on one in Paula Deen’s magazine. This couldn’t be simpler or more yummy. First, boil some smaller size potatoes until fork tender. Put them on a greased baking sheet. Take a drinking … Read more →

So, ok, I do buy jarred spaghetti sauce (which horrifies my Italian cousin-in-law). Sometimes I make my own (usually in summer when I have an abundance of tomatoes), but often I just buy a jar. I buy my store brand for 99 cents a jar. And it’s good. Really good. But I admit I was swayed when I saw Mario Batali was selling his own. And somebody (Real Simple?) declared it the best jarred sauce. And my mom started buying and liking it. So I tried it.

First problem. One jar = $6.99 (yes $6 more per jar than the store brand). I am all for paying for quality, but that’s ridiculous.

I opened the jar and poured it in a bowl. It was really thin.

We ate it with ravioli for dinner one night. No one liked it. At all. It was very acidic and had no natural sweetness to it. It didn’t have a lot of flavor. Comments included “this takes like canned tomato soup” “I can’t eat this” and “Why is this so bad?”

Sorry Mario. It wasn’t a winner at my house. We’ll stick with our store brand for now.

So, ok, I do buy jarred spaghetti sauce (which horrifies my Italian cousin-in-law). Sometimes I make my own (usually in summer when I have an abundance of tomatoes), but often I just buy a jar. I buy my store brand for 99 cents a jar. And it’s good. Really good. But I admit I was … Read more →