I have been keeping a list of favorite new recipes that I've cooked recently. And, today, I finally a few moments to share them. (Actually, I'm sharing them with a selfish intent: I can find the recipes whenever I want if I post them. Otherwise the list goes missing or my brain forgets which cookbook to find the recipe.)
One of my goals this year is to try and lower our food bill. Drew can live on chicken and rice, Callen on chicken nuggets and pasta. But for me...I need variety.
Here is an example of one week's recipes. I try to plan 3 home cooked meals (leftovers on other nights, some for lunches) and have at least one "desperate" meal ready in the freezer just in case life gets CRAZY (or for unexpected guests).
Enjoy!
(Like all my recipes, I semi-follow directions. I've included the link to the original recipe, but have "my" edited version in this post.) And keep in mind, I'm only sharing my successful recipes. I've had plenty of "bombs" that we like to laugh about ;) Sorry, no pictures to share...
In this post:
Wingless Buffalo Chicken Pizza
Chicken Tortilla Soup with Chipotle and Fire-Roasted Tomato
Mega Meat Pasta Stuffed Shells
Wingless Buffalo Chicken Pizza (from Rachael Ray)
Drew wasn't home for this meal, but he had it as leftovers for lunch the next day. He liked it so much I received a text that went something like..."Thank you for the AWESOME lunch." Makes 1 pizza.
3/4 pound chicken breast
Olive oil, for drizzling
2 teaspoons grill seasoning
1 pizza dough
Cornmeal or flour, to handle dough
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2-3 tablespoons hot sauce
1/2 cup tomato sauce (or 2-3 T. tomato paste make for a less "gooey" sauce)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
3 scallions, thinly sliced
Cook chicken in oven, on stove, or use leftovers. I like to grill my chicken on the George Foreman. Thinly cut cooked chicken into mini bit sized pieces.
Stretch the dough to form the pizza crust, using cornmeal or flour to help you handle it.
In a sauce pan over medium heat (or microwave), melt the butter and stir in Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and tomato sauce (or tomato paste).
Add the chicken to sauce and mix. Cover the pizza dough with the saucy Buffalo chicken, cheeses and scallions. Bake 18 minutes or until crisp.
Chicken Tortilla Soup with Chipotle and Fire-Roasted Tomato (from Rachael Ray)
My new favorite recipe for feeding the masses on a cool day. I like to cook it on the stove for several hours or in the Crock Pot. Makes 4-ish servings.
3 cups chicken stock (or 3 cups water and 3 Tablespoons "Better than Bouillon")
1 pound chicken
1 bay leaf
1 Olive oil
4 slices thick bacon (I use a pound)
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 chipotles in adobo, chopped, plus 2 tablespoons sauce (Carefully, remove the seeds!)
1 can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes (14.5 oz)
Toppings
Tortilla chips
2 cups shredded cheese
1 lime, cut into wedges
1/2 red onion, chopped
Freshly chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish
Cook bacon in the oven, 425 for 20ish minutes. When cool, chop bacon into small pieces.
Saute onions and garlic in a skillet.
Add first 9 ingredients to Crock Pot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Remove chicken from soup,shred, then add back to soup.
Place a pile of crushed tortilla chips in the bottom of each soup bowl. Cover liberally with cheese, then ladle the hot soup down over the top. Serve with lime, raw onions and cilantro at table to finish the soup.
Mega Meat Pasta Stuffed Shells (from Rachael Ray)
My new favorite pasta sauce with a twist. A little more involved than the other recipes. Miller twist: don't have time to stuff the shells? Cook your favorite pasta and serve with the meat and sauce (like a messy, meaty spaghetti.) Makes 2-ish servings. I double this recipe.
1 (10 ounce) box frozen chopped spinach (I use fresh spinach)
8 jumbo pasta shells (I use Manicotti shells)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb ground beef (when I double the recipe, I use ground beef and sausage)
3 garlic cloves, two chopped, 1 crushed and halved
1 small onion, finely chopped
black pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup italian-style breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated romano cheese or 1/2 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (omit, if you don't want a "kick" to your sauce)
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
basil leaves, torn (a few)
Place the frozen spinach on a plate and defrost in the microwave on HIGH for 6 minutes.
Wring the spinach dry in a clean towel. (Or chop fresh spinach.)
While the spinach is in the microwave, preheat the oven to 425° and, in a large covered pot, bring the water to a boil for the shells.Salt the boiling water and cook the shells for 6-7 minutes; they should still be firm at the center; drain.
Drizzle them with oil and set aside in a shallow baking dish.
Brown the meat. Add the chopped garlic and onions to the meat; season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg; and cook the mixture for 5 minutes more.
Transfer the meat to a bowl; add the spinach and mix.
Add the egg, bread crumbs, and half the cheese to the meat. Mix.
Fill the shells with the meat mixture and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top, then bake for 11-12 minutes to set the filling in the shells and crisp the pasta at the edges.
While the shells bake, heat the tablespoon oil in sauce pan over low heat with the halved garlic clove and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes, and cook for a minute more, then stir in the tomato sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the basil.
Serve shells with sauce drizzled on top.
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