Stuffed Peppers

Usually 4 good sized green bell peppers, but these were a little smallish so I used 5 in the photo.
1 pound ground meat (traditionally beef, but now I always use turkey)
1/3 cup chopped onion---I use about half a mayan sweet which is surely more than 1/3 c
1 can diced tomatoes (14 oz I think these are)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup UNCOOKED long grain rice --I use uncle ben's --I've been afraid to experiment with brown rice since it takes almost double the time to cook.
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce---I use about 2 Tablespoons for ground turkey
4 oz shredded chedder (i'm sure I use way more than 4 oz)

cut off tops of peppers, clean inside, sprinkle with salt. cook ground meat and onion until meat is browned. season with salt and pepper. add tomatoes, water, rice and worcestershire. Cover and simmer until rice is tender (all liquid is absorbed) about 15 minutes. stir in cheese to melt, stuff peppers, place in a baking dish (actually i put the empty peppers in the dish then fill them up.) Bake uncovered at 350 for 20-25 minutes.
sprinkle cheese on top at the end.

Teriyaki Chicken

This is my super simple version. I cook 1 cup of brown rice. Bake 2 chicken breasts in a teriyaki bath -- I don't take the time to marinade -- at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes. I microwave or steam peas, but you could use whatever veggie you like or a combo. I cut my chicken into bite sized pieces and then mix it all together. I pour some of the cooked teriyaki sauce over it all. We get at about 4 portions from this and since the chicken is cut up you don't feel jipped like you would if you were served 1/2 a piece of chicken.

Red Bean and Quinoa Chili

This is from Feeding the Whole Family Cooking With Whole Foods by Cynthia Lair. pg 151

1 cup dried kidney beans, soaked and drained
3 cups water, divided
2 teaspoons ground cumin, divided
1 TBLS EVOO
1 medium onion chopped
2 teaspoons sea salt divided (i used regular morton's)
2 cloves minced garlic
1 large green bell pepper chopped
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
2/3 cup quinoa rinsed in warm water and drained (this is in the bulk food section)
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
1 -2 cups organic tomato sauce (i used the 14 oz can)
grated cheese optional garnish

Place beans in a large pot with 2 cups water and 1 teaspoon cumin bring to a boil and simmer over low, covered until tender (about 1 hour). You can refrigerate these and finish tomorrow if you need to split the time.

Heat oil in 4 QT pot on medium. add onion, 1 teaspoon salt, garlic, green pepper, 1 teaspoon cumiin, and the rest of the spices (I used more than 1/8 cayenne) saute for 5-10 minutes.
add quinoa and stir, add corn, tomato sauce, and one cup water. simmer 20 minutes. add cooked beans, 1 teaspoon salt, simmer 10 minutes.
Top each bowl with grated cheese.

I think I may have added some chili powder too when I made this before.

HAM CASSEROLE

well this is sort of a sucky photo. Obviously Bon Apetit won't be employing me as a photographer any time soon.

2 cups of dry pasta (I use whole wheat rotini, but you may use any kind you like) cooked and drained, be sure to salt the water
one ham steak cut into bite sized pieces
one frozen bag of mixed veggies--I like the carrots, green beans, corn, lima beans, peas mix, cooked and drained

throw it all together with a can of cream of mushroom soup and seasonings -- I like Nature's Own but salt and pepper is okay too.

sprinkle with bread crumbs or parmesan cheese
bake at 350 for 25ish minutes.

Barley, BlackBean and Corn Burritos in the Crock Pot

This recipe is from the Southern Living Slow Cooker Cookbook 2005 version. The link is to my copy but there are newer versions. We ate this today and it was really good! We will have it again but I think I may just do it on the stove top because our weekday schedule isn't really conducive to crock pot cooking. Kyle had to work today and I forgot to put the stuff in first thing when we got up so I made adjustments. I cooked it for 1.5 hours on high and almost 2 on low so it would be done on time. Here is Reese enjoying his own mini burrito.
1 15 ounce can Black Beans rinsed and drained
1 10 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles undrained -- I used Rotel
1 cup uncooked fine barley
2 cups fat free less sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup frozen corn kernels (I used a whole cup)
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 TBLS lime juice (I used lemon)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 garlic clove minced
******************
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
tortillas
shredded cheese
salsa
sour cream

Place the first 11 ingredients up to the **** in the crock pot (3-4 QT) stir well
cover and cook 4-5 hours on low until liquid is absorbed.
stir in cilantro.

fill tortilla as a normal burrito and add your sour cream and salsa.

I used more spice than they said. I don't really measure. I used a palm full of cumin and chili powder plus a little extra for good measure and about a whole teaspoon of cayenne. I used a heaping tablespoon of minced garlic in a jar.

Kyle was surprised that just one burrito filled him up. He also said if he had not known in advance this was a veggie night he didn't think he would have noticed there was no meat.

Chicken and Pork Risotto

1/2 pound pork sausage
2-2 1/2 pounds cut up chicken (I think this means thighs, legs, breast--but I just cut up breasts into bite size pieces)
15 oz can Hunts Tomato Sauce Special (I use Del Monte Organic Tomato Sauce--because that's what I get at Costco.)
1 cup H2O
3/4 cup raw regular (this means not sticky) rice----I have not tried brown rice yet
1 tsp salt (I leave this out because I use a whole pound of sausage)
1 clove garlic minced
2 tbls grated parmesan cheese

Brown sausage, remove from skillet, brown chicken, remove from skillet, drain fat. Add remaining ingredients except cheese to skillet, stir.
return sausage and chicken to skillet, cover and simmer 35-40 minutes until all liquid is absorbed --watch it, I've over done it and then it sticks to your pan.
sprinkle with cheese.

The photo isn't all that attractive. It looks nicer in person and nicer if you have a piece of chicken on a bed of sausage and rice mixture. But by doing the bite sized pieces I only use 2 chicken breasts and get 4-6 servings. I think next time I may add veggies into it to make it a one skillet meal.

Spaghetti Sauce

Saute minced onion -- I use a full Mayan sweet and diced green bell pepper in a bit of olive oil with minced garlic -- I use about 2 heaping teaspoons of the refrigerated jar kind. Add sliced fresh mushrooms or a can if that's what you have. Add 2 cans 14oz tomato sauce and 1 can of diced tomatoes---sometimes I do 1 sauce, 2 diced---and 1 can tomato paste. Season with about a tablespoon or so (I don't measure I just add a mound from the palm of my hand) italian seasoning, a few shakes of oregano and basil and a teaspoon or so of sugar. Simmer, taste and add what you need according to taste.

If we don't have meatballs I use ground Italian Sausage, add it after the veggies and brown it before adding the sauce.

Peas and Cheese Tortellini

I pulled this from Rachael Ray's magazine. Sorry there is no date or page number.

1 pound frozen cheese tortellini
1 cup frozen peas thawed (I used more than a cup last time)
2 tablespoons butter (I made this with some fake spread like promise or smart balance and it didn't work out too well , I had to add some oil, so I'd say use real butter or margarine)
5 scallions white and green parts thinly sliced separately (when I made this on vacation I only had red onion--i just sliced it really small and it tasted good)
2 tablespoons flour
1 2/3 cups milk (I used 1% Horizon and it was good)
salt and pepper
1/3 grated parm cheese (i used the standby green can but the photo shows real grated parm cheese like flakes)

In a large saucepan of boiling salted water cook tortellini until al dente. drain

Meanwhile add peas, butter and scallion whites to another large saucepan cook over medium for 2 minutes. whisk in flour and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk and boil. stir constantly. stir in scallion greens, salt and pepper.

Stir in tortellini and 1/3 cup cheese into sauce.

Serve with sprinkled parm cheese on top.

Chicken Tetrazzini

original recipe:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup whipping cream
1 pkg 7 oz cooked drained spaghetti
2 cups cooked cubed chicken
1 3oz can mushroom
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

I prefer fresh baby portabello mushrooms when we have them and I put probably more than 3oz.
I also use a whole box of spaghetti.
I sometimes cube my chicken before cooking and sometimes not--can't decide which is easier. I season the chicken with whatever I feel like at the moment----mrs. dash table blend, healthy heart, nature's own seasoning and paprika---just whatever.
I also add more than 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

preheat oven to 350 degrees. melt butter in a skillet, stir in flour, seasonings, cook over low (will look like paste) remove from heat stir in broth, cream, return to heat boil, stir constantly. Stir/boil 1 minute or so. add cooked spaghetti, chicken mushrooms (if i use fresh i add them to the sauce and heat first).
Pour into 2 quart casserole (if you use whole box of spaghetti you may need a bit bigger) sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

FRIED RICE

******Kyle declared this restaurant quality fried rice!!!!!!!!!! He was shocked it had no meat since we always order meat version when we go to a restaurant and yet my homemade tasted better. He requested it be put into the normal rotation.

Courtesy of Cooking Light Superfast Suppers Speedy Solutions for Dinner Dilemmas. I bought this at a Southern Living at Home Party ages ago.

Basic Fried Rice

2 teaspoon of dark sesame oil (I don't have this and I'm not buying it) I did end up getting this
1/2 cup matchstick carrots
1/2 cup green onions
2 teaspoons minced garlic from jar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 cups chilled cooked brown rice (use up leftovers yippee)
1 large egg lightly beaten
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon water

Heat sesame oil over high heat, add carrots, onions, garlic, pepper, stir fry.
Add rice, stir fry.
Push mixture to the sides forming a well in the center.
Add egg to the center and cook 30 seconds.
Toss with rice and stir fry until the egg is cooked.
Stir in soy sauce and water, cook until heated.

Then they go on to include recipes to doctor up the basic recipe to be veggie, shrimp, pork or chicken fried rice. We are making veggie by adding mushrooms, peas, corn, 3 tablespoons dry white wine and maybe whatever else is laying around (broccoli for example).

HOMEMADE PIZZA

I got this bread maker recipe from my friend Julie and it really makes it much more enjoyable to make pizza. I don't have the space really to knead and the counter top is too high for me to be comfortable--my shoulders are hunched up to my ears, so this way is much better.

1 cup warm water
2 Tablespoons veggie oil (I use olive)
3 cups flour (I use half all purpose, half whole wheat)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons yeast

Place ingredients in order into the bread machine, use dough cycle. Roll onto pizza stone, prick dough with fork (I brush it with the juice from a jar of minced garlic) bake at 450 for 5 minutes. Top with desired toppings bake for 12-15 minutes.

For toppings I use about 1/3-1/2 a can of tomatoe sauce with italian seasoning, basil and garlic. Cover sauce with sliced baby portabella mushrooms, cover with shredded mozzarella, top with pepperoni slices.

Chicken Noodle Soup

I just copied this from the bottom of my regular blog. Normally I post a photo.

cubed, cooked chicken breast: I use 3 and cook in skillet with seasoning of choice like Mrs. Dash or natures' own.
onion cut into smallish wedges, sliced carrots and celery, sliced baby portabello mushrooms, asparagus cut into about 1/2 inch pieces. SAUTE together in some EVOO with a little garlic.
boil egg noodles for about 1/2 what it calls for.
add all this into big soup pot with 2 cans of cream of X soup (I sued one chicken and one broccoli)
Add as much chicken broth to get the consistency you like.

Simmer until heated through.

Reese's Righteous Recipes Begins

I am creating a new blog to post recipes as a solution to several issues. For Meal Plan Monday I want to be able to link to my recipe without having to make my MPM post huge in case you don't care to know the story behind the meal. Also the fiscal year just began and I want to jump start my new attitude and goals for the year....starting with organization. I'm dumping the recipe cards and need an easy way to organize my recipes without taking up extra space. SO here's where you'll find our tried and true recipes. You should give one a try.