Mexican Lasagna

My family loves Mexican food - well, the American version of Mexican food.  We like tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, tostadas.  So I decided to come up with another way to enjoy one of our favorite genres of food.  

Give this simple dish a try.  You won't be disappointed.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1/2 large onion - chopped

1 can black beans - rinsed and drained

1 can tomato soup

1 tsp salt 

1 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

1 1/2 tsp cumin

3/4 tsp coriander

3 cups grated cheese

4 flour tortillas - 8" wide

Brown your beef  and onions in a sauce pan.  I always put onions is my meat - even if it's just dried onions.  Onions make it taste so much better.  Once your meat is no longer pink, drain the fat (if you have any).

Add the beans, tomato soup, salt, garlic, chili, cumin and coriander.  Stir to combine and allow it to cook on the stove for about 5 minutes to help combine all the flavors.

Place a tortilla in the bottom of a non-stick springform pan.  This is the type of pan used to make a cheesecake.  If you don't have one - go get one.  Believe me, you'll love it.

Now you're going to layer everything.  Start with the meat.  Put about 1/4 of it on top of the tortilla.  Then sprinkle about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of cheese.

Then add another tortilla, more meat, and more cheese.

You can use more or less cheese, depending on your preferences.  We like cheese in this house - so we may have used more than the recipe asks for.  : )

Do two more layers (tortilla, 1/4 of the meat, 3/4 cup cheese) and then it should look like this:

Place the pan in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  The cheese will be melted and lightly browned and perfect!

This will be super hot.  So let it sit for a few minutes and then place it on a serving platter or plate.  Once you've set it on the plate, take the side off your springform pan.

What a beautiful and fun way to present your food.

You can see all the different layers of yumminess.

Cut it into wedges and serve with sour cream, guacamole, or chopped tomatoes.  Of course these toppings are all optional, but they sure do look good - and they taste even better!

Happy eating!

Ziti con Salsiccia

I have to say that this is quickly becoming one of our family's favorite dishes.  I once had a friend make us a dinner that was very similar to this.  So...I set to work and came up with a dish that is absolutely wonderful, and so simple to make.  Here you go - Ziti con Salsiccia - Ziti with Sausage.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ziti

1 lb. italian sausage - mild

3 cloves garlic - chopped

1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes

1 can (8oz) tomato sauce

3/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. thyme

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. basil

1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese

Any time I make a pasta dish, the first thing I do is fill a large pot of water and get it on the stove.  Here in Texas (aka - sea level) it takes forever for water to come to boil.  Get that pot on early so you're not waiting for the pasta.

Place your sausages in a large non stick skillet and on medium to medium-high heat, brown all the edges.  These don't have to be cooked all the way through, just brown around the edges.  This should take around 7+ minutes. 

Another thing I should probably explain....I tend to cook at least three things at one time.  So...I thought I was turning down my skillet, but really I was turning down the temperature on my boiling water.  Hence the overly cooked edges on my sausages.  Oh well...they'll still work just fine. 

Once your sausages are brown along the edges, put your chopped garlic into the pan and saute for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Next pour in your tomatoes and tomato sauce.  Stir to combine.

Now it's time to add your seasonings - onion powder, salt, thyme, oregano and basil.  I had some fresh thyme, so I threw a little bit of that in there too. It helped to give it a fresh summery taste.

Remember those not quite fully cooked sausages?  Nows the time to get those things cooking.  Take a fork and a knife and slice the sausages into 1/2 inch medallions.

By now your sauce and your water should be boiling.  Place your pasta in the water and cook according to package directions - it should be around 10 minutes.   Here's a little hint - if you like your pasta with a little more sauce then only cook about 3/4 of a pound of ziti.

Turn your sauce down to a simmer and continue to simmer the sausages in the sauce while your pasta cooks - about 10 minutes.

If it all works out according to plan, your pasta and your sauce are both done at the same time.

Drain the pasta, and place it back in the large pot.  Pour the sauce over the top and stir to combine.

You could eat it just like this and serve it fresh out of the pot, but I decided to jazz it up a bit.

I threw on some mozzarella cheese, because, let's face it....everything is better with cheese.

Then stick it under the broiler for a few minutes until your cheese melts and gets slightly golden brown....but watch it close so it doesn't burn.

And there you have it - Ziti con Salsiccia.

Simple, delicious, and absolutely beautiful.

Chicken Spinach Fettuccine

This is an adapted recipe.  It was originally a Betty Crocker, but I've changed it slightly and added a couple of things.  It is really creamy and amazingly good!

Plus, as far as Alfredo type pastas go, this one is actually fairly good for you.  The only fat comes from the bacon, the low-fat cream cheese, and the Romano cheese - and there's only a little bit of all three.  Not too bad - and the taste is amazing.


Ingredients:

16 oz uncooked fettuccine
8 slices bacon - cut into small pieces
1 large or 2 small chicken breasts - cut into thin strips
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup water
2 oz neufatel cheese (low-fat cream cheese)
1 cup chicken broth
3 Tb flour
3/4 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
3/4 cup fat free half-and-half
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
9 oz frozen spinach - thawed and drained


Fill a large large pot with water and get it going on the stove.  This is for your fettuccine, however, it will take a little while for this to come to a boil so get it started right at the beginning.

In a large non-stick skillet cook your 8 slices of bacon.  When they are crispy - but not burnt - remove them from the skillet and place them on a paper towel covered plate.  Drain the grease from the skillet.

Place the chicken strips in the non-stick skillet and cook until no longer pink.  This only takes a few minutes.  You've removed the bacon grease, but there is still enough that the chicken will cook nicely.

When the chicken is done, reduce heat to medium or medium high and add the garlic.   Cook (stirring constantly) for 30 seconds.  Add the water and cream cheese, stirring with a whisk until smooth.

In a small bowl, stir chicken broth and flour together with a whisk.   Pour into the skillet and continue to cook and stir for two more minutes.  The mixture will thicken up.  

Your big pot of water should be boiling sometime soon.  Make sure and add those noodles once the water starts boiling.  They are going to take at least 12 minutes to cook - I usually leave them in for 13 or 14 minutes.

Reduce skillet heat to low and add Romano cheese.  This is what really gives it that rich flavor, so maker sure you include it.  Stir until cheese is melted.

Add half-and-half, salt, and pepper.  Stir to combine.  Now add the thawed and drained spinach.

As a side note, some people like to boil the spinach and then drain it.  I find this a little more cumbersome, so I generally leave the spinach out until it has mostly thawed.  Then I place it in a colander and run hot water over it.  After it has completely thawed, I place it in a cheesecloth (or a few paper towels) and gently squeeze out the extra water.  You want the spinach nice and dry.

Stir in the spinach and add a handful of the bacon bits.  Stir again to combine.

After the noodles are done, drain them and then combine with the spinach sauce.  Finish it off my sprinkling the rest of the bacon on the top of the noodles.

So good!

Enjoy!

Chicken Alabam

I got this recipe from my mom and it is absolutely wonderful. The only reason I don't make it more often is because of the amount of cream in it. But, I decided that Valentine's Day was the perfect time to live a little and this became the main course of our dinner.

Ingredients:

8 chicken breasts

2/3 cup flour

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp thyme

7 Tbs butter

1/4 cup onions

2 cups chicken stock

1 cup light cream (or half-and-half)

1/2 tsp lemon juice

1 small jar pimentos

Mix flour, salt, paprika, pepper, and thyme in a plastic bag. Add chicken and shake to coat with four mixture.

Place chicken in a 9x13 pan and brush chicken with 3 tablespoons of melted butter. Or, you can just spoon it over like me - I didn't want my pastry brush touching raw chicken.

Broil chicken in oven until lightly brown.

Saute onions with remaining butter (4 tablespoons). Stir in extra flour mixture. Yep...you've just made a rue.

Add chicken stock and cop and stir until thick. Add cream and cook u neil thick again. Then add lemon juice and pimento.

Pour bechamel sauce (that's your sauce pictured above) over chicken. Cover dish and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes.

When it is done, your chicken will be perfectly tender and your sauce will taste great poured onto a large pile of rice. Absolutely wonderful!

Talapia Fillets

I have to admit, I was not a fan of fish in my youth. Growing up I had tuna fish sandwiches and the occasional trout when we caught one from the river. As an adult, I have expanded my palate and discovered that I really do like fish. Hmm...who knew?

Luckily, my kids are not as reserved and they love fish. My five year old even asked for this as her birthday dinner - it's definitely a favorite in our house!

Ingredients:

8 small talapia fillets

3/4 cup flour

2 tsp Mrs. Dash

1 tsp salt

3 Tb olive oil

I always tend to buy my talapia in the frozen, individually vacuum sealed packages. So...if you're like me you want to take your fish out of the freezer and allow it to thaw before you begin cooking it.

Now, if you're even more like me, you will have forgotten to take your fish out of the freezer until right before you need it. If this is the case, then you're in luck! Talapia doesn't take very long to thaw, so all you do is fill a sink with cool water and place your individually vacuum sealed packages into the water for about 5 to 10 minutes. This will obviously not work unless your talapia is completely air tight.

Once your fish is thawed, you're ready to go!

Place the flour, salt, and Mrs. Dash seasonings in a shallow dish (like a pie plate). Mix them together with a fork.

Place 2 Tb. of olive oil in a skillet on the stove over medium to high heat.

Once your oil has had a few moments to heat up, place your fish in your flour mixture. Completely coat both sides of the talapia.

Then use a fork to transfer the talapia over to the frying pan. Do the same thing with the remaining fillets.

Don't over crown the frying pan - mine holds four at a time.

Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes and then.....

flip the fillets over and cook an additional 5 to 7 minutes (usually closer to 5).

Because I can only cook 4 fillets at a time (and I need 8 for my family), I will take the cooked tilapia and place it on a plate in a warm (not hot) oven while I cook the next batch.

This is where the additional oil comes it. Place 1 to 2 Tb. oil in the fry pan and start the process over again.

In the end you will have some yummy, and easy, talapia fillets.

You could just stop there and eat it with some rice. However if you want something a little fancier, you can make a sauce to go over the fish.

Take 1/4 to 1/2 cup water (or chicken stock) and add it to the fry pan. The flour left in the bottom of the pan from cooking the fish will act as a thickening agent. Stir constantly while you add the liquid and within a few minutes you will have a nice little sauce to go on your fish.

Whether you have it with the sauce, or without, your family will definitely enjoy this dinner!

*Served with herbed rice

Italian Tortellini Soup

Have you ever found a soup that your kids just gobble right up? Well, in our family this is that soup!

It is comforting, delicious, and simple to make - exactly what I love.

Ingredients:

1 pound italian sausage

1 medium onion - chopped

1/2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp oregano

2 carrots - sliced

1 medium zucchini - halved and sliced

3 cups water

2 cans tomato soup

8 oz. tortellini

Brown sausage and onions in a large pot - I like to use my enameled cast iron dutch oven, it's the perfect size.

Throw in all the remaining ingredients - except the tortellini.

That would be the veggies, seasonings, water, and tomato soup.

Bring it to a boil and reduce the temperature. Allow it to simmer for 15 minutes. Then throw in the tortellini and boil for 10-12 more minutes or until the tortellini is soft.

You can cover this and keep it on a simmer for a longer amount of time. Just remember, DO NOT add the tortellini until the final 10 minutes or else you will have a soggy, gross mess.

This is seriously some good eats - especially if you serve it with some Rosemary Bread....

...Mmm.

Enjoy!