Meats:
2 pounds salmon steaks
3 pounds beef stew meat
1 pound of chicken breast tenderloins
Dairy:
Eggs
Whipped cream
8 ounces of sour cream
Real butter (not margarine)
Milk
Half and half
Frozen Food:
Frozen cheese tortellini
Small package frozen corn
Small package frozen peas
Frozen hash browns
Fresh Produce:
1 bag or bunch spinach
2 pears
5 onions
1 bag of baby carrots
1 bunch of celery
1 head of garlic
6 russet potatoes
6 red potatoes
2 acorn squash
1 lemon
1 bunch parsley
1 bunch (about ½ pound) mustard or collard greens
Canned Food:
3 jars alfredo sauce
Optional: 1 small can of clams
1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes or 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilis
1 can black beans
1 can corn
1 quart vegetable stock
1 pint vegetable juice such as V-8
We have eggs for dinner sometimes, although this meal works perfectly fine as a brunch or breakfast. The eggs are combined with crisp mustard or collard greens to give them a tangy taste. The pineapple cranberry bread can be made in the bread machine the night before. Add some cream cheese and some jelly to the bread for a delightful taste.
Ingredients:
* 8 eggs
* 2 tablespoons half and half
* Salt and pepper to taste
* 1 onion, chopped
* 4 cups of chopped mustard greens or collard greens
* 2 tablespoons real butter (not margarine)
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 package of frozen hash browns (or make your own if you prefer)
Preparation:
Place the hash browns in a pan and cook in the oven according to package directions.
Cook the onion in the oil until tender.
Add the butter to the pan and cook the greens until tender.
Whip the eggs with the half and half and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Add to the pan and cook until set.
Cut the cranberry pineapple bread into triangles and toast before serving.
This is another fast meal for those nights when you're too busy to cook.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 quart of vegetable broth
1 small package frozen mixed vegetables
2 cups of vegetable juice
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup orzo
Cook the onion and garlic in the oil until tender.
Add the rest of the ingredients except the orzo.
Cook at a simmer until heated through.
Add the orzo and cook for a few minutes longer.
For the ham and havarti sandwiches:
Whole wheat bread
Deli sliced ham
Sliced havarti or cheese of your choice
Mustard
Place mustard, ham, and cheese between two slices of whole wheat bread.
Grill on the indoor grill or grill in a pan until the cheese is melted.
Cut the sandwiches crosswise into triangles before serving.
This is a meal that takes about an hour to bake in the oven. It’s a vegan meal, perfect for those Meatless Mondays. If you want to add meat to this, a pound of Italian sausage, or a pound of ground turkey works nicely.
Ingredients:
2 acorn squash, cut in half and seeded.
1 onion chopped
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 can of Ro-Tel tomatoes (or 1 can of diced tomatoes with green chilis)
1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can of corn, drained
1 tablespoon of chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon salt
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Place the acorn squash in a baking dish with the inside facing up.
Cook the onion in the oil.
Add the tomatoes, beans, corn, and spices and stir well.
Spoon the filling into the hollow part of the squash.
Pour ¼ cup of water into the baking dish.
Cover with foil and bake one hour.
Pull back the foil and test for doneness. The squash should be fork tender.
Additional filling can be kept warm on the stove and served as second helpings.
This dish whips up in no time at all. Using premade tortellini and a jar of alfredo sauce makes it go quick.
Ingredients:
1 pound of chicken breast tenderloins
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 package of frozen or refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 jar of alfredo sauce
1 bag of fresh spinach
2 pears cut into bite sized pieces
1 tablespoon of amaretto
Whipped cream
Preparation:
Cook the tortellini in boiling water or according to package directions.
Cook the chicken tenderloins over high heat in 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Remove from heat, add one tablespoon of olive oil to the pan.
Cook the spinach in the olive oil until wilted.
Cut the chicken into small pieces.
Remove the spinach and place on a serving plate with high sides. (A pie pan will do.)
Put the chicken and tortellini in a pan and cover with the alfredo sauce to warm through.
Pour the amaretto over the pears and toss to coat.
Place the pears in a dessert dish and put a dollop of whipped cream on top.
Place the chicken tortellini in sauce on top of the spinach.
I make a killer St. Patrick’s day corned beef that my family loves with Guinness Stout. It cooks all day in the slow cooker, and that was the inspiration for this recipe. I also found another similar stovetop recipe online with a video showing how to make it. You can use that recipe or mine. Whichever one you use, serve it up in a well of garlic smashed potatoes.
Ingredients for Beef and Beer Stew in the Slow Cooker
3 pounds of beef stew meat
¼ cup of oil
1 onion, chopped
1 bag of peeled baby carrots
3 stalks of celery, sliced
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf
1 bottle of Guinness Stout
For the smashed potatoes:
6 russet potatoes
2 cloves of garlic
4 tablespoons butter
¼ cup of sour cream
Milk to thin to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation of the Beef and Beer Stew
Brown the beef in hot oil. According to Julia Child’s cookbook, dry the beef, then the beef should be browned on all sides, with no pieces touching.
Next, place the beef, vegetables, and spices in the slow cooker.
Pour the Guinness Stout over the top.
Cook on low heat all day for 8-10 hours.
1 hour before serving, melt 2 tablespoons of butter.
Add 2 tablespoons of flour and stir. This is called a roux.
Add the roux to the beef stew and stir well.
Cover again and cook for another hour.
Prepare the garlic smashed potatoes.
Cook the potatoes and garlic in boiling water for ½ hour or until tender.
Smash the potatoes using a potato masher with the butter and sour cream.
Stir in some salt and pepper and add milk to make the potatoes as thin as you like.
Place the potatoes in a bowl, and make a well.
Pour a heaping ladle of beef and beer stew into the potato well.
When you need a quick soup for a chilly day, this is about as quick as it gets. This recipe makes plenty for four hearty appetites.
Ingredients:
4-6 red potatoes, cubed
1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped fine
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small package frozen corn (unless you have fresh, then 2 ears will do)
2 jars of alfredo pasta sauce
Skim milk
Optional: 1 can of chopped clams
Preparation of the corn potato chowder:
Cook the onion, garlic, and celery in the olive oil until just turning tender.
Put the cubed potatoes in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes or until tender.
Add the cooked potatoes, the corn, and the alfredo sauce to the soup pot.
Heat to a low simmer, then add milk to thin it to the consistency you like.
If you want to turn it into a quick clam chowder, add the clams.
Serve this up with a side of dark bread and a salad.
Quinoa is a recently rediscovered grain that is becoming more popular with cooks. It has a nice crunchy flavor, somewhat like brown rice, but it's much more tender, almost like couscous. Quinoa is a healthy, protein packed food, and is quite delicious.
Ingredients:
2 pounds of salmon steaks, or ½ pound per person
2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning mix
1 lemon
Fresh parsley
2 cups of quinoa
1 package of frozen peas
Preparation of the Cajun Style Salmon and Quinoa
Prepare the quinoa according to package directions.
Warm the peas in the microwave.
Add the peas to the quinoa and stir.
Put a lid on the pan to keep the quinoa warm while the salmon cooks.
Cut the steaks into single serving sizes.
Pat the Cajun seasoning mix all over the salmon steaks.
Grill on the indoor grill or bake in a 375 degree oven until tender and flaky with a fork.
Serve with lemon wedges and parsley. Add a side salad if desired.
This week on my Sacramento Easy Meals Examiner gig, I've been posting recipes for Christmas breads and cakes. If you're still looking for some holiday breads or cakes to bake, look no further. I'm so full of baked goods right now I could burst. So far this week I've made:
German stollen
You've got to watch the video of the chef making stollen.
Apple kuchen
My husband adores anything apple, so this received a seal of approval.
Pineapple cranberry bread in the bread machine
I converted a recipe for pineapple cranberry bread for the machine, and WOW it turned out tasty! Pumped up on pumpkin
I went on a hunt for new and interesting pumpkin recipes. These are the best. Alton Brown shows how to make pumpkin bread and muffins in a video. I can't wait to have the Pumpking Gingerbread Pudding on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day is reserved for Red Velvet cake, straight out of the Betty Crocker box. :-) I haven't found a recipe that beats that one.
Last of all, holiday breads and cakes wouldn't be complete without some Hot Holiday Drinks to go along with them.
, dry the beef, then the beef should be browned on all sides, with no pieces touching.
