Everyone has that ONE food that just takes you back to the comforts of home growing up. My mom was such an amazing cook that I happen to have a lot of those ONE foods, but beef stroganoff may be my favorite. Surprisingly enough my very favorite came out of a packet, McCormick brand mix for stroganoff. Up until a few months ago it was still my go-to simply because of how easy and quick it is to throw together when you’re running short on time.
As tends to happen with me, I got a craving for stroganoff several months ago and had no sauce packets – GASP! Odd because I usually by about 5 at a time . . . (no lie) At any rate, I decided it couldn’t be that difficult to recreate so off I went. It took no more time to do this from scratch than it did a packet and my husband said he actually preferred it.
This makes a LOT of food, enough that all three of us had dinner with leftovers for lunch the next day and plenty for dinner the next night after t-ball practice. I really like the cold leftovers the next day!
Beef Stroganoff
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients:
1lb top sirloin, cut into thin strips (you can buy these pre-packaged at Kroger, I learned yesterday)
1 heaping tbsp. flour
1 heaping tbsp. corn starch
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. salt (plus extra)
½ tsp. pepper (plus extra)
Sprinkle of paprika
1 cup cold water
4 oz. plain Greek yogurt
4 oz. sour cream
1 large package egg noodles
Directions:
Heat a large stockpot to boil with salted water and cook your egg noodles. These generally cook 7-9 minutes, so get the water going first in order for everything to finish on time.
Heat a deep skillet to med-high heat and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle your steak with salt and pepper and rub generously into the meat. Once your skillet is hot, drop in the steak and stir-fry until there is very little pink left, approximately 3-5 minutes. While the steak is cooking, combine all of your dry ingredients in a measuring cup, stir and add in the water, whisking well. When your steak is finished pour in your sauce mixture, stir, cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Once your sauce has thickened, add in the yogurt and sour cream and stir gently until mixed. Strain your cooked egg noodles and pour sauce over the top, stirring well.
Enjoy! KC
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
King Ranch Chicken
Funny enough I have never made this for my husband, although he asks me frequently to do so because I speak so highly of it. The prep takes less than 20 minutes so really there is no excuse! I figured since the weather has finally cooled off I'd give it a go for the first time in a few years.
King Ranch Chicken
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients:
1 Roasted Rotisserie Chicken (like you can buy at Wal-Mart or Albertson’s), deboned/skin removed and meat shredded
Tortilla chips (not very salty ones if you can find them – like Mission brand)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can chicken broth
1 small can diced green chilies
1 can Rotel, with juice
1 medium onion, diced
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups shredded cheese
8 oz sour cream
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place an even layer of tortilla chips on the bottom of a 13”x9” baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat until translucent and fragrant, 5-6 minutes.
In large bowl, combine shredded chicken, both cans of soup, onions & garlic, green chilies and Rotel. Add just enough chicken broth to make mixture slightly soupy. Pour mixture over tortilla chips.
In small bowl, heat remaining chicken broth in the microwave. Whisk in sour cream, and pour mixture over the top of chicken mixture, covering evenly. Top with shredded cheese.
Cover with foil and bake for half an hour. Remove foil and bake for an additional fifteen minutes.
Enjoy! KC
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Panzanella
Panzanella is a bread salad, basically, where you can incorporate a ton of fresh vegetables in one simple meal. The first time I saw this recipe was on Barefoot Contessa while I was out of work after surgery. It looked fantastic but complicated. Boy, was I wrong! Later I saw a recipe for Greek panzanella on my favorite cooking blog and it turns out to be adapted from Ina Garten’s.
This is my adapted version from Annie’s Eats, which is adapted from Barefoot Contessa. In order to make it less time consuming I do the bread differently than their recipes call for and we like it a little better – it keeps the bread crunchy even on the second day and adds to the overall crunchiness of the salad. I have decided that I will try to incorporate this into my meal routine every week, mostly likely for my daily lunches.
Panzanella
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
1 loaf whole-wheat French bread, cut into 1” cubes
For the bread: olive oil, garlic powder, kosher salt, pepper, dried oregano, dried basil
4 bell peppers, in different colors, large dice
1 red onion, large dice
3 stalks celery, large dice
1lb button mushrooms, wiped clean, large dice
1 cucumber, large dice
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 can small pitted olives, drained well
½ cup banana pepper rings
6oz. crumbled feta cheese
Vinaigrette:
2 cloves garlic, minced (or use a Microplane, my preferred method)
1 ¼ tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
¼ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup good olive oil
½ tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 400°F. In a large mixing bowl combine all of your chopped vegetables and cheese and set to the side. In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for your vinaigrette, and then drizzle over your chopped vegetables. Toss well to coat and set in the fridge to marinate.
On a large baking sheet, lay out your bread cubes in a single layer and drizzle well with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder, dried oregano and dried basil and toss cubes to coat. If any of the seasoning falls to the bottom of the pan, scoop it up and sprinkle it back over the top. Bake in a 400°F oven for 5-10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until nice and brown. Remove from oven and let cool.
When you’re ready to serve your salad, combine the marinated veggies with the baked bread cubes and toss to coat so that some of the marinade seeps into the bread. Serve immediately. Leftovers will keep for the next day.
This is my adapted version from Annie’s Eats, which is adapted from Barefoot Contessa. In order to make it less time consuming I do the bread differently than their recipes call for and we like it a little better – it keeps the bread crunchy even on the second day and adds to the overall crunchiness of the salad. I have decided that I will try to incorporate this into my meal routine every week, mostly likely for my daily lunches.
Panzanella
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
1 loaf whole-wheat French bread, cut into 1” cubes
For the bread: olive oil, garlic powder, kosher salt, pepper, dried oregano, dried basil
4 bell peppers, in different colors, large dice
1 red onion, large dice
3 stalks celery, large dice
1lb button mushrooms, wiped clean, large dice
1 cucumber, large dice
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 can small pitted olives, drained well
½ cup banana pepper rings
6oz. crumbled feta cheese
Vinaigrette:
2 cloves garlic, minced (or use a Microplane, my preferred method)
1 ¼ tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
¼ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup good olive oil
½ tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 400°F. In a large mixing bowl combine all of your chopped vegetables and cheese and set to the side. In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for your vinaigrette, and then drizzle over your chopped vegetables. Toss well to coat and set in the fridge to marinate.
On a large baking sheet, lay out your bread cubes in a single layer and drizzle well with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder, dried oregano and dried basil and toss cubes to coat. If any of the seasoning falls to the bottom of the pan, scoop it up and sprinkle it back over the top. Bake in a 400°F oven for 5-10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until nice and brown. Remove from oven and let cool.
When you’re ready to serve your salad, combine the marinated veggies with the baked bread cubes and toss to coat so that some of the marinade seeps into the bread. Serve immediately. Leftovers will keep for the next day.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Spiced Tea
When I was growing up there was a little restaurant on the square in Denton that my mom loved, particularly their tea! Someone there was kind enough to give her the recipe and she would make it on occasion and I could never get enough. Since Brent and I are now on this low-no carb diet with no sugar I had to made a tea that he would drink unsweetened. Of course for those of you that aren’t as regimented as us this is excellent sweet – equally delicious warm with honey.
Spiced Tea
Yield: 8 quarts (2 – 4 quart pitchers)
1 quart water
Peel from one small orange (I use a potato peeler and leave the white behind – too bitter)
1 stick of cinnamon
6 whole cloves
8 black tea bags
In a medium saucepan, bring the water, orange peel, cinnamon and cloves to a boil and then immediately remove from heat. Drop in the tea bags and cover, let steep for 30 minutes to an hour or until cool. Strain and divide equally between two 4 quart pitchers and then add water to 4 quarts.
Spiced Tea
Yield: 8 quarts (2 – 4 quart pitchers)
1 quart water
Peel from one small orange (I use a potato peeler and leave the white behind – too bitter)
1 stick of cinnamon
6 whole cloves
8 black tea bags
In a medium saucepan, bring the water, orange peel, cinnamon and cloves to a boil and then immediately remove from heat. Drop in the tea bags and cover, let steep for 30 minutes to an hour or until cool. Strain and divide equally between two 4 quart pitchers and then add water to 4 quarts.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Blackberry Basil Marinade
Strawberries are normally the only berry I really enjoy. Raspberries burned me about 10 years ago (long story, involving vodka and boxing) and blueberries didn’t particularly blow me away. When I was really little my mom and I lived near Houston and I remember picking blackberries with her, and her making pies/cobblers. As an adult, the bitterness and huge seeds sort of through me off. Then, one day last summer, the grocery store had blackberries on sale and so I thought I would give them another go.
As with before, I just couldn’t get past the seeds. Then an idea began to form that just snowballed. My mom had mounds of fresh basil growing in the backyard so I grabbed up a bunch and thought that blackberries, basil and balsamic vinegar would probably taste well together. I’ve spent the last year perfecting this recipe and although my favorite place to use it is on flank steak it’s equally delicious on pork tenderloin.
Below is the recipe for the glaze, as well as how to use it on both flank steak and pork tenderloin. This stuff is very versatile and just packed with flavor. Whenever I make the flank steak, I serve it over a bed of fresh spinach and arugula with sliced strawberries and cheddar cheese crumbles (or Feta!) – no dressing required.
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the blackberries until pureed, then pour through a sieve into a medium-sized bowl. Using a spatula or the back of a spoon push all of the puree through the sieve until only seeds remain, and then discard them. Finely chop the basil and add to the puree as well as the remaining ingredients. Whisk until incorporated and sugar is dissolved.
For flank steak: this marinade will work for 1-2lbs of steak. Place the steak in a one gallon Ziploc baggie and cover with marinade. Massage into the meat and then seal the bag, pushing all the air out as you go – you want the marinade pushed into the meat. Let rest on the counter for approximately 20-30 minutes. While the steak is resting get your grill going to 650°F. Sear the steak for 4 minutes per side for medium-rare, and then let rest for another 10 minutes before slicing against the grain.
For pork tenderloin: same as steak, except for cooking method. Get your grill to about 500°F and sear all sides of the meat, then reduce temperature to 350°F and cook until internal temperature reaches 160°F, turning every 10 minutes or so. Cook time will depend on the thickness of the meat.
As with before, I just couldn’t get past the seeds. Then an idea began to form that just snowballed. My mom had mounds of fresh basil growing in the backyard so I grabbed up a bunch and thought that blackberries, basil and balsamic vinegar would probably taste well together. I’ve spent the last year perfecting this recipe and although my favorite place to use it is on flank steak it’s equally delicious on pork tenderloin.
Below is the recipe for the glaze, as well as how to use it on both flank steak and pork tenderloin. This stuff is very versatile and just packed with flavor. Whenever I make the flank steak, I serve it over a bed of fresh spinach and arugula with sliced strawberries and cheddar cheese crumbles (or Feta!) – no dressing required.
Blackberry Basil Marinade
Ingredients:
1 pint blackberries, rinsed and dried
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 bunch fresh basil, rinsed and leaves removed from stems
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepperIn the bowl of a food processor, pulse the blackberries until pureed, then pour through a sieve into a medium-sized bowl. Using a spatula or the back of a spoon push all of the puree through the sieve until only seeds remain, and then discard them. Finely chop the basil and add to the puree as well as the remaining ingredients. Whisk until incorporated and sugar is dissolved.
For flank steak: this marinade will work for 1-2lbs of steak. Place the steak in a one gallon Ziploc baggie and cover with marinade. Massage into the meat and then seal the bag, pushing all the air out as you go – you want the marinade pushed into the meat. Let rest on the counter for approximately 20-30 minutes. While the steak is resting get your grill going to 650°F. Sear the steak for 4 minutes per side for medium-rare, and then let rest for another 10 minutes before slicing against the grain.
For pork tenderloin: same as steak, except for cooking method. Get your grill to about 500°F and sear all sides of the meat, then reduce temperature to 350°F and cook until internal temperature reaches 160°F, turning every 10 minutes or so. Cook time will depend on the thickness of the meat.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Southwestern Salad
Salads are truly one of my favorite things in the world. If you do it right and don’t pile on a ton of fatty additives, they can be so healthy for you. For me, I enjoy a salad with crispy lettuce and veggies, light on the tomatoes – and I’m always searching for the perfect ranch dressing. Recently I found a ranch on Annie’s Eats that I’ve been able to tailor to our preferences and it’s phenomenal.
This is a salad I concocted after having something similar at Corner Bakery. I loved the combination of flavors and although I don’t know quite what’s in the original, I think my version comes pretty close.
Southwestern Salad
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
3 romaine hearts, cut into bite sized pieces
3 Roma tomatoes, diced and drained in a sieve
½ cup finely chopped red onion
1 clove minced garlic
1 Anaheim pepper, finely chopped
1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
1 cup corn kernels
Ranch dressing
Directions:
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the corn in a splash of olive oil just until they begin to brown and caramelize and then pour into a large salad bowl. Add in the tomatoes, onion, garlic, pepper and cilantro and toss until combined. Pour over just enough dressing to coat, about 1/3 cup, and mix until coated. You may add more if you prefer, but remember – it adds calories!
Chill corn mixture for 10-15 minutes in the fridge while you cut up your lettuce. Just before serving, toss everything together. If you do this too early your lettuce will become soggy and there is nothing worse than a soggy salad. Drizzle with additional ranch if you prefer, and if you’re not on a low-to-no-carb diet like us, you can also add a few tortilla strips. Also great with grilled chicken breasts.
Ranch Dressing:
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 cup buttermilk, plus more
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. black pepper
1 bunch fresh basil
1 bunch chives
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. You can add more or less buttermilk based on how thick you like your dressing. For the recipe above, the dressing needs to be on the thinner side; coat a spoon, but don’t have it globbed on there. The thinner it is, the farther it will go with less calories and just as much flavor.
Love, KC
This is a salad I concocted after having something similar at Corner Bakery. I loved the combination of flavors and although I don’t know quite what’s in the original, I think my version comes pretty close.
Southwestern Salad
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
3 romaine hearts, cut into bite sized pieces
3 Roma tomatoes, diced and drained in a sieve
½ cup finely chopped red onion
1 clove minced garlic
1 Anaheim pepper, finely chopped
1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
1 cup corn kernels
Ranch dressing
Directions:
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the corn in a splash of olive oil just until they begin to brown and caramelize and then pour into a large salad bowl. Add in the tomatoes, onion, garlic, pepper and cilantro and toss until combined. Pour over just enough dressing to coat, about 1/3 cup, and mix until coated. You may add more if you prefer, but remember – it adds calories!
Chill corn mixture for 10-15 minutes in the fridge while you cut up your lettuce. Just before serving, toss everything together. If you do this too early your lettuce will become soggy and there is nothing worse than a soggy salad. Drizzle with additional ranch if you prefer, and if you’re not on a low-to-no-carb diet like us, you can also add a few tortilla strips. Also great with grilled chicken breasts.
Ranch Dressing:
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 cup buttermilk, plus more
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. black pepper
1 bunch fresh basil
1 bunch chives
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. You can add more or less buttermilk based on how thick you like your dressing. For the recipe above, the dressing needs to be on the thinner side; coat a spoon, but don’t have it globbed on there. The thinner it is, the farther it will go with less calories and just as much flavor.
Love, KC
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Pea Chowder
I’m not sure how I’ve never had split pea soup in my lifetime. Peas are probably one of my favorite vegetables (despite the high carbohydrates) so it should have been a natural transition, but I suppose my mom must not have liked it and that’s why she never fixed it. Wednesday we saw the end of Tropical Storm Hermine roll through DFW, and when all was said and done we’d had over 9” of rain at our house which left everything soggy and well, blah. At some point I’d picked up a bag of dried split peas so I decided soup was my goal and set off to find a recipe. None of the half dozen I scoured did I have all of the ingredients for and since I’d never actually eaten split pea soup I had no idea how it was supposed to taste. This is my version, and we all loved it. Maybe one day I’ll taste the real thing and adjust the recipe but for now this is pretty tasty.
Pea Chowder
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients:
3 strips thick peppered bacon, diced*
½ cup diced sweet onion
1 clove garlic, minced
3 carrots, diced
4 small red potatoes, diced
1 lb (16oz bag) dried split peas, picked through and rinsed
1 tsp. dried basil
3 quarts water or chicken stock
Kosher salt**
Directions:
In a large stock pot, sauté the bacon and onion in a generous drizzle of EVOO over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, or until the onion is translucent and the bacon is cooked through. Add in the carrots and garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. *If you don’t have peppered bacon on hand, add 1 tsp. black pepper.
Put potatoes, peas and basil in the stock pot and cover with water/stock. (Depending on your pot you may need slightly more liquid; you want it to be a good 2-3” over the potatoes). Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium low. Taste for salt and adjust to your liking. **If you’re using stock, use less salt. The potatoes will naturally absorb the salt so start small and add to taste.
Simmer for one hour over medium low heat, stirring often to keep potatoes from scorching. You may serve as it, or I prefer to run my immersion blender though a couple of times to puree some of the chunks.
Serve with biscuits, like these from Annie's Eats.
Love, KC
Pea Chowder
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients:
3 strips thick peppered bacon, diced*
½ cup diced sweet onion
1 clove garlic, minced
3 carrots, diced
4 small red potatoes, diced
1 lb (16oz bag) dried split peas, picked through and rinsed
1 tsp. dried basil
3 quarts water or chicken stock
Kosher salt**
Directions:
In a large stock pot, sauté the bacon and onion in a generous drizzle of EVOO over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, or until the onion is translucent and the bacon is cooked through. Add in the carrots and garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. *If you don’t have peppered bacon on hand, add 1 tsp. black pepper.
Put potatoes, peas and basil in the stock pot and cover with water/stock. (Depending on your pot you may need slightly more liquid; you want it to be a good 2-3” over the potatoes). Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium low. Taste for salt and adjust to your liking. **If you’re using stock, use less salt. The potatoes will naturally absorb the salt so start small and add to taste.
Simmer for one hour over medium low heat, stirring often to keep potatoes from scorching. You may serve as it, or I prefer to run my immersion blender though a couple of times to puree some of the chunks.
Serve with biscuits, like these from Annie's Eats.
Love, KC
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