Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Pepsi pot roast

Tuesday:  Italian sausage spaghetti, salad

Wednesday:  Eggs benedict, breakfast potatoes, fruit salad

Thursday: BLT and soup

Friday: Eating out

See other menu plans over at Organizing Junkie

Colcannon

I have been slightly obsessed with kale lately, and even though I usually make this famous Irish potato dish with cabbage I have also seen it made with kale.  Both versions are so good and you really can't go wrong with buttery potatoes and kale!

2 lbs  potatoes
8 tbsp butter
3 cups chopped kale
1 cup milk
4 spring onions
Salt and pepper

Cook the potatoes in salted water until tender.

Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a medium pan, cook kale until wilted, about 5 minutes.

In a small pan, heat the milk and chopped spring onions until barely simmering.

Drain the potatoes, return to the pot and mash.  Add the kale and the milk and onions and mix together.  Season with salt and pepper.

Put the colcanon in a serving bowl, use a large spoon to create a well in the center and melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter in a small bowl and pour into the well.

Italian Sausage Melt

Just a quick and easy italian sausage casserole.  We liked this, but Randal thought he might like it better with a marinara sauce instead of the alfredo.

1 1/4  cups bisquick

1/4  cup butter, softened

2  tablespoons very hot water

1/2  lb bulk spicy Italian sausage

1/2  cup chopped green bell pepper

1  cup Alfredo sauce

1  cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2  cup grape tomatoes, cut in half

2  tablespoons fresh basil leaves, cut into strips

Heat oven to 400. Grease bottom of 8-inch square  baking dish.

In medium bowl, stir bisquick, butter and water until dough forms. Press dough in bottom of pan.

Cook sausage and bell pepper over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sausage is no longer pink. Spread sausage mixture over crust; spread pasta sauce over sausage. Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle tomatoes and basil over top.

Egg Drop Soup

I always order the egg drop soup when we go to PF Changs, but I always thought it was too complicated for me to try making at home.  Once I started looking around for a recipe, I quickly realised how wong I was.  This is seriously one of the quickest and easiest soups I have ever made, and I will definitely be making it again!

5 cups chicken broth
1 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp white pepper
1.5 tbsp corn starch
3 eggs
Chives

Reserve one cup of the chicken broth, pour the remaining 4 cups into a pan, add the ginger, garlic and white pepper.  Bring to a boil.

Beat the three eggs into a small bowl.

Mix the corn starch into the reserved cup of chicken broth, and pour into the pan of boiling broth, bring back to a boil and cook for a minute or two.  Take the soup off the heat, stir the soup while slowly pouring the eggs into the broth.  Garnish with chives.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Italian sausage bake, layered pea salad

Tuesday:  Egg drop soup, sweet and sour chicken with rice

Wednesday:  Eggs benedict, breakfast potatoes, fruit salad

Thursday: BLT and colcannon soup

Friday: Eating out

See other menu plans over at Organizing Junkie

Beer Battered Grilled Cheese

This is another recipe I found on pinterest and I knew I had to try it. Who doesn't love the beer and cheese combination (well, apart from my husband!)?

4 slices hickory-smoked bacon
4 slices white bread
2 slices provolone cheese
2 slices Cheddar cheese
1 egg
3/4 cup beer
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon butter

1. Cook bacon until crisp, set aside.

2. On 2 of the bread slices, place 1 slice provolone cheese, 2 slices bacon and 1 slice Cheddar cheese on each. Top with remaining bread slices.

3. Heat griddle over medium-high heat. In shallow bowl, beat egg, beer, flour and chili powder until smooth. Dip each sandwich into batter, giving it a few seconds on each side to absorb.

4. Melt butter on hot griddle. Place sandwiches on griddle. Cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden brown.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Randal has the day off work today, so we are eating out

Tuesday: Pastitsio and salad

Wednesday: Grilled chicken with meyer lemon salsa, colcannon and fresh green beans

Thursday: Beer battered grilled cheese, zuppa toscana soup

Friday: Eating out

See other menu plans over at Organizing Junkie

Fruit Danish Pastries

When Randal gave me SaraBeth's Bakery Cookbook for Christmas, the very first thing I wanted to make from it was these danish pastries. I love making pastries, and my go to recipe for the past few years has always been Nigella Lawson's processor danishes. I love Nigella's recipe, but the only trouble I have with it is that the dough doesn't hold its shape when baking, which is why I so wanted to try making these twisted danishes. I had hope that these would hold together better, and I am so thrilled that they did.

I have to say though, that while I did love these danishes, I still think my favourite pastry is Nigella's. These were great straight out of the oven but they did seem to dry out very quickly and as these were made for Randal to take to the office the next morning that wasn't so good. I have never had that trouble with Nigella's recipe, so I think in the next few weeks I am going to make Nigella's dough recipe but use Sarabeth's technique... I think it might just make for the perfect danish pastry!


Detrempe
2 3/4 tsp active dry yeast
2 tbsp sugar
2/3 cup whole milk
1 large egg plus 4 large egg yolks
Seeds from 1 plumped vanilla bean
2 2/3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened

Beurrage
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 tbsp all purpose flour




Sprinkle the yeast over 1/3 cup warm milk and leave for 5 minutes


Place in the mixer bowl, add the sugar and the remaining 1/3 cup of cold milk along with the 2 cups of flour, salt and butter.


Transfer the dough to a floured work surface, knead for a minute to smooth out the surface and shape into a ball


Dust a half sheet pan with flour, place the dough onto the pan and cut an X about 1 inch deep in the top of the ball. Sprinkle with flour and refrigerate


Clean the mixer bowl and add the 2 sticks of butter to the bowl and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add the 2 tablespoons of flour and continue beating for another 30 seconds


Shape into a 4 inch square, place on the sheet pan along with the detrempe and refrigerate for 15 minutes


Place the dough on the work surface with the ends of the X at 2, 4, 7 and 10 o'clock. Dust the top of the dough with flour and using the heel of your hand, flatten and stretch each quadrant to make a cloverleaf shape


Using a rolling pin roll each leaf into a flap about 6 inches long and 5 inches wide, leaving a raised square in the middle


Place the butter square (beurrage) in the center of the dough


Gently stretch and pull the north facing flap of dough down to cover the top and sides of the butter square


Then stretch the south facing flap of dough up to cover the top and sides of the butter square. Turn the dough so that the open ends of the square face north and south, repeat folding the flaps of dough over the butter square


Turn the dough over so that the folded flaps are face down with the open seam facing you. Using a rolling pin lightly pound the top of the dough to widen it slightly and help distribute the butter


Roll the dough into a 17 by 9 inch rectangle


Fold into thirds and transfer to a sheet pan and refrigerate for 20 minutes


Roll out the dough into a 17 by 9 inch rectangle, fold the right side over 2 inches to the left


Fold the left side over to meet the right side


Fold the dough in half vertically from left to right, return to the sheet pan and refrigerate for 20 minutes


Repeat rolling the dough into a 17 by 9 inch rectangle, folding into thirds and cut the dough in half. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and freeze for 2-4 days


The night before using the dough, transfer to the refrigerator and let thaw overnight. Roll out dough to a 12x16 inch rectangle, fold the dough into thirds and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Return dough to work surface and unroll back into the 12x16 rectangle. Mix the cinnamon and sugar together, sprinkle over the surface of the dough


Fold in half horizontally and cut the dough vertically into 1 inch strips


Twist one strip at a time into a 12 inch long spiral, wrap the strip in a counterclockwise motion into a snail shape, tuck the loose end under the pastry


Place onto sheet pan spacing them about an inch apart


Choose a warm place in the kitchen for proofing. Slip the pan into a tallkitchen sized bag and place a tall glass of very hot water near the center of the pan. Wave the opening of the bag to trap the air and inflate it like a baloon, twist the bag closed and leave until pastries look puffy, about 2 hours


Lightly moisten your finger with tepid water and gently depress the center of each pastry. Place a rounded teaspoon of peserves in each center. Lightly brush the pastries with the beaten egg, bake until danishes are golden brown, about 25 minutes. Brush with apricot glaze. I also added an icing sugar drizzle to the pastries, although not part of Sarabath's original recipe.



Detrempe
2 3/4 tsp active dry yeast
2 tbsp sugar
2/3 cup whole milk
1 large egg plus 4 large egg yolks
Seeds from 1 plumped vanilla bean
2 2/3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened

Beurrage
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 tbsp all purpose flour

1. To make the detrempe, sprinkle the yeast over 1/3 cup warm milk and leave for 5 minutes. Whisk well and add to the mixer bowl, add the sugar and the remaining 1/3 cup of cold milk.

2. Add the egg, yolks and vanilla seeds to the yeast mixture, mix with the paddle attachment on low speed, add 2 cups of flour and salt to the bowl. Add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Add enough of the remaining flour to make a soft, sticky dough. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface, knead for a minute to smooth out the surface and shape into a ball.

3. Dust a half sheet pan with flour, place the dough onto the pan and cut an X about 1 inch deep in the top of the ball. Sprinkle with flour and refrigerate.

4. Immediately make the beurrage. Clean the mixer bowl and paddle attachment. Add the butter to the bowl and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add the flour and continue beating for another 30 seconds. Transfer to the work surface, and shape into a 4 inch square. Place on the sheet pan along with the detrempe and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

5. Flour the work surface, place the dough on the work surface with the ends of the X at 2, 4, 7 and 10 o'clock. Dust the top of the dough with flour and using the heel of your hand, flatten and stretch each quadrant to make a cloverleaf shape. Using a rolling pin roll each leaf into a flap about 6 inches long and 5 inches wide, leaving a raised square in the middle.

6. Place the butter square in the center. Gently stretch and pull the north facing flap of dough down to cover the top and sides of the butter square. Then stretch the south facing flap of dough up to cover the top and sides of the butter square. Turn the dough so that the open ends of the square face north and south, repeat folding the flaps of dough over the butter square, making a butter filled packet of dough about 6 inches square.

7. Turn the dough over so that the folded flaps are face down with the open seam facing you. Using a rolling pin lightly pound the top of the dough to widen it slightly and help distribute the butter. Roll the dough into a 17 by 9 inch rectangle, fold into thirds and transfer to a sheet pan and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

8. Place the dough back on the work surface with the long open seam of dough facing you. Roll out the dough into a 17 by 9 inch rectangle, fold the right side over 2 inches to the left and fold the left side over to meet the right side. Fold the dough in half vertically from left to right, return to the sheet pan and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

9. Repeat rolling the dough into a 17 by 9 inch rectangle, folding into thirds and cut the dough in half. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and freeze for 2-4 days.

10. The night before using the dough, transfer to the refrigerator and let thaw overnight.

To make the fruit danish:
1/2 recipe danish dough
1 tbsp superfine sugar
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup jam (I used raspberry, morello cherry and peach mango)
1 large egg
1/3 cup apricot preserves
2 tbsp water

1. Dust the work surface with flour, place dough on work surface with open seam facing you. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough to a 12x16 inch rectangle, fold the dough into thirds and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

2. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper, return dough to work surface and unroll back into the 12x16 rectangle. Mix the cinnamon and sugar together, sprinkle over the surface of the dough, fold in half horizontally and cut the dough vertically into 1 inch strips.

3. Twist one strip at a time into a 12 inch long spiral, wrap the strip in a counterclockwise motion into a snail shape, tuck the loose end under the pastry, place onto sheet pan spacing them about an inch apart.

4. Choose a warm place in the kitchen for proofing. Slip the pan into a tall kitchen sized bag and place a tall glass of very hot water near the center of the pan. Wave the opening of the bag to trap the air and inflate it like a baloon, twist the bag closed and leave until pastries look puffy, about 2 hours.

5. Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly moisten your finger with tepid water and gently depress the center of each pastry. Place a rounded teaspoon of peserves in each center.

6. Lightly brush the pastries with the beaten egg, bake until danishes are golden brown, about 25 minutes.

7. Make apricot glaze by combining the apricot preserves and water in a small pan, bring to the boil then simmer for a minute. Strain glaze into a small bowl and brush the hot danishes with the hot apricot glaze.

Linked to: Miz Helen's Country Cottage, Rattlebridge Farm, Something Swanky, Stuff and Nonsense, What's Cooking, Love?, WhipperBerry, Flour Me With Love, I Should Be Mopping The Floor, Create With Joy, Homemaker on a Dime, The Girl Creative, Skip To My Lou

Egg, Bacon and Cheese Tart

I saw this on the front cover of the food network magazine and I knew I had to try making these. Randal and I both loved these, although Randal said next time he would prefer a cheese other than havarti, I loved it just as it is though.


1 sheet puff pastry
1 cup grated havarti cheese
4 eggs
2 slices bacon
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 425

On a floured surface, roll out the pastry to a 12 inch square. Cut into 4 equal squares. Fold the edges to form 4 round tart shells. Transfer to a baking sheet and prick the bottom of the tart shells with a fork. bake for 10 minutes.

Cook the bacon, then cut into small pieces.

Let the tart shells cool slightly, sprinkle with the havarti cheese, make a well in the center of the cheese and crack an egg into it. Season with salt and pepper and top with the bacon. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the eggs are set.

Spiced Parsnip Cottage Pie

This isn't like the traditional cottage pie I grew up with, but it's really good and Randal loved it as well. I just didn't tell him about the parsnips in the mash until after he had eaten it!


2 lbs minced beef
1 large onion , diced
2 garlic cloves , crushed
small knob of ginger , peeled and grated
4 tbsp curry powder
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 cup frozen peas
1 lb potatoes
1/2 lb parsnips
1 poblano pepper
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp lemon juice
4 tbsp butter

Cook the minced beef until no longer pink, drain the fat. Add the onion, curry, ginger and garlic, cook for another minute or two. Add in the tomatoes and simmer for 20 minutes. Add peas in the last few minutes.

To make the topping peel and chop the potatoes and parsnips, add to a large pot of water and cook until tender. Mash the potatoes and parsnips with the butter, lemon juice and tumeric. Fry the poblano in a little butter until soft. Mix into the potato mixture, season with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 350.

In a large baking dish add the beef mixture, spoon the potatoes over the top, spread out evenly and bake for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Chile Rellenos Casserole

Another pinterest recipe originally from Winner Dinners. I followed the recipe as is but next time I think I would change the tomato paste layer, maybe use an enchilada sauce or something, the paste was just a little too strong for me. This is actually quite good though, and very crustless quiche like with all that baked eggs and cheese!




3 7-oz. cans whole green chiles
1 pound cheddar cheese, grated
1 pound jack cheese, grated
4 eggs
1 can evaporated milk
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
​
Wash the chiles, removing the seeds, and dry on paper towels. Grate the cheeses. Reserve 1/2 cup of each of the two cheeses, mixing them together in a small bowl. This will go on top of the casserole later, so you can place it in the refrigerator for now. In a medium-sized casserole dish, layer 1/2 of the chiles, all of the cheddar cheese, the remaining chiles, then all of the jack cheese. Separate the eggs. Beat yolks and add evaporated milk, flour and salt, beating until frothy. Beat whites separately for about a minute. Combine the two egg mixtures and beat for a few seconds longer so that they are well-mixed. Pour the egg mixture over the chiles and cheese. Bake at 300 for 1 hour. Then spread the tomato paste over the top. Sprinkle with the reserved cheese you placed in the refrigerator. Bake 1/2 hour longer. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

The best thing at Red Lobster is the cheese biscuits and I have been wanting to make this recipe for such a long time. I am so glad that I finally got around to making these, they are so good!


2 1/2 cups Bisquick
4 Tbsp cold butter
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
3/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp garlic powder
3 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp dried parsley flakes

Preheat oven to 400 and grease a sheet tray.

Combine Bisquick with cold butter in a medium bowl. Add cheddar, milk, and garlic powder, mix until combined.

Drop mixture by 1/4 cup onto the greased sheet tray. Bake for 15 minutes.

Melt the butter in a small bowl, add in the garlic powder and parsley and when biscuits are done brush over the top.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Chicken and dumpling casserole with baked apples

Tuesday: Breakfast for dinner

Wednesday: Chicken cacciatore

Thursday: Spicy cottage pie with herbed green beans

Friday: Eating out

See other menu plans over at Organizing Junkie

Black Bean Salsa

This is another recipe that we tried for the first time at HEB. We have made this so many times since then, it is so addictive and so easy to make. We have also made this with mango pico de gallo and it was just as delicious, next time I'm trying it with pineapple!



1 can black beans
1 can corn
12 oz pico de gallo
Robert Rothschild cherry pomegranate habanero sauce

Mix together the black beans, corn and pico de gallo. Add in half a bottle of the cherry pomegranate sauce, refrigerate until ready to serve.

Poblano Potato and Corn Gratin

We had a couple of poblano peppers in the fridge that we needed to use, and after a quick search I found this Bon Appetit magazine recipe and knew I had to try it. I was a little concerned that Randal wouldn't like this as he usually dislikes any kind of gratin, but I thought this one might win him over as it had 2 of his favourites - peppers and corn.

The only thing I changed was adding some monterey jack cheese along with the mozzerella and in the end we both agreed that next time we would probably use all or mostly all monterey jack cheese.
I am so glad I tried this recipe, we both loved it and I will definitely be making this again, and soon!


1 1/4 pounds potatoes
2 poblano chiles, cut into strips
1 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup monterey jack cheese
1 1/2 cups half and half
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9 inch pie plate.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add poblano strips and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Cut the potatoes into 1/8-inch-thick rounds, I had the hubby risk his fingers on the mandolin for this, those things scare me. Arrange 1/3 of potato rounds, overlapping slightly, in prepared pie dish. Sprinkle 1/3 of poblano strips over, then 1/3 of corn and 1/3 of cheese. Repeat with 1/3 of potatoes, 1/3 of poblanos, 1/3 of corn, and 1/3 of cheese. Top with remaining potatoes, poblanos, and corn, reserving remaining 1/3 of cheese. Place pie dish on baking sheet.

Whisk half and half, flour, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in small bowl. Pour over potato mixture in pie dish and press potatoes to submerge. Cover dish tightly with foil. Bake 45 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle remaining cheese over gratin. Continue to bake gratin until potatoes are tender and cheese is golden brown, about 25 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Breakfast Spaghetti

This is one of those quick and easy recipes that is barely a recipe at all. I used to love this as a child, it was one of those meals that my brother and I loved and it just reminds me of home.

I am so glad that Randal also enjoys this, and we have had it for dinner quite a few times recently and even though it is so simple, it is so good!


4 eggs
6 slices bacon, diced
2 tbsp heavy cream
4 tbsp butter
Spaghetti
Salt and pepper

Cook as much spaghetti as you need, I use about half a box for the 4 eggs and 6 slices of bacon

Fry the sliced bacon and set aside. Drain the cooked spaghetti and add 3 tablespoons of butter.

Beat the eggs with the heavy cream, melt a tablespoon of butter in a frying pan and scramble the egss over a medium heat. When cooked through season with salt and pepper.

Add the scrambled eggs and bacon to the pot of buttered spaghetti, season with salt and pepper and serve.

Herbed Green Beans

Last friday Randal came home from work with another huge bag of fresh herbs from Sue. I am so grateful that she shares her homegrown herbs with us because I literally cannot grow a thing!. This time we were lucky to not only get the herbs but she also gave us a recipe for herbed green beans. Fresh green beans are probably Randal's favourite vegetable so I made it the next day, and we both loved this.

Sue - thank you so much, for both the herbs and the recipe!


1 pound green beans, blanched
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup minced onion
1/4 cup minced celery
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup fresh basil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onion and celery. Saute until soft. Add parsley, basil, rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Gently stir in beans. Cook uncovered until beans are thoroughly heated.

Linked to: Eat At Home

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Tamale pie, black bean salsa and chips

Tuesday: Coronation chicken sandwich and tomato soup

Wednesday: Baked spaghetti and salad

Thursday: Swedish meatballs with egg noodles

Friday: Eating out

See other menu plans over at Organizing Junkie