Category Archives: Uncategorized

Eggplant Casserole

Uncategorized, Vegetables, , ,

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I am an eggplant lover. Back in my single days I use to make eggplant parmesan and it became one of my specialties. Over the years I have forgotten my original recipe so I decided to just make a simple eggplant casserole recipe. Although I love eggplant, I was not too sure how my family would like it. They like fried eggplant but a casserole? I was imagining that I would be eating the casserole the entire week for lunch and dinner.

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I love it when I am wrong about how one of my recipes will be received by my test team. I was the first one to try it out. Usually, I don’t brag a whole lot about the dishes I make but I had to say out loud “this tastes good!”. My exclamation of how good the eggplant tasted made my hubby curious so he was the next one to dive into the dish. Like I said in the beginning, I love it when I am wrong about how one of my recipes will be received. Hubby was delighted and said he loved the different flavors.

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Eggplant casserole is a wonderful side dish or you can make it into a meal. It is filling and I am sure once you taste it you will go for seconds.

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Eggplant Casserole

Ingredients:
2 small eggplants sliced thin
2 shallots sliced thin
1 14 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup fontina cheese shredded or sliced thin
½ stick butter sliced
2 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp seasoned salt
1 tbsp black pepper
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spray a rimmed cookie sheet with cooking spray. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil and spread around the cookie sheet. Place the sliced eggplant on the cookie sheet. Season with salt and black pepper on both sides. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes on each side until lightly browned.

Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a small frying pan then add shallots. Season with a little salt and pepper. Saute shallots until softened and slightly browned. Set aside.

Spray a small casserole dish with cooking spray. Put a large spoonful of fire roasted tomatoes on the bottom of the casserole dish. Layer the bottom with the eggplant overlapping each ring. Sprinkle a little oregano over the eggplant. Spoon some of the fire roasted tomatoes over the eggplant then add a layer of mozzarella cheese. Place another layer of eggplant and sprinkle with the seasonings then layer the shallots over the eggplant. Place fontina cheese over the shallots then add another layer of eggplant. Sprinkle with seasonings then spoon on more tomatoes. Layer more mozzarella cheese. Finish with a layer of eggplant, seasonings, tomatoes and mozzarella cheese.

Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees. Bake eggplant casserole for 25 to 30 minutes until cheese is melted and slightly browned. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 – 10 minutes before serving.

 

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Sweet Potato Stuffing with Pumpkin Croutons

Uncategorized, Vegetables, , ,

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The holidays will soon be here so I have been trying out new recipes to bring in the season. Although stuffing is appreciated any time of the year, it graces most tables during the holidays. I absolutely love eating stuffing! I usually cut back on eating breads and sweets well in advance of Thanksgiving just so I can pig out on my mom’s cornbread stuffing.

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This Thanksgiving I thought I would give my mom a run for her money and make a stuffing that had fewer calories but was still full of flavor. I came up with the idea of a sweet potato stuffing while shopping at Trader Joe’s and saw a big display of Pumpkin Cornbread Croutons. The thought of sweet potatoes and pumpkin just seemed like a natural combination.

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The great thing about this recipe is that it very basic. As I have said on other occasions keeping it simple usually works best. I found the croutons provided a lot of spice so there was no need to add a lot of other seasonings. Salt, pepper and nutmeg was all that was needed to bring out the wonderful deep flavors of sweet potato and pumpkin.

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As usual, I used my family as guinea pigs to try out this new dish. I served the stuffing with pork chops and greens beans and had smiles all around. So, this Thanksgiving there will be extra stuffing on the table. We just won’t tell my mom.

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Sweet Potato Stuffing with Pumpkin Croutons

Ingredients:
8 oz pumpkin cornbread croutons (Trader Joe’s)
1 medium onion diced
2 stalks celery diced
2 sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
1 cup chicken broth
4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp nutmeg
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt 3 tbsp of butter in a medium non-stick frying pan. Add onions, celery, salt and pepper.. Saute until veggies are soft. Set aside.

Spray a rimmed cookie sheet with cooking spray. Place sweet potatoes on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Roast for 25 – 30 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender and golden.

In large bowl add croutons, sweet potatoes, celery and onions. Gradually, add chicken broth to stuffing mix until croutons are softened and stuffing is well blended. Place mixture in a greased casserole dish. Dot the top with remaining butter. Bake for 30 minutes.

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Chicken Enchiladas

Meat/ Poultry, Uncategorized, , ,

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I was chatting with my youngest son the other day about ideas for the blog and he told I needed to come up with a few ethnic dishes. I already had a few ideas in the back of mind but decided I would try to create an ethnic dish using ingredients I had on hand.

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There are certain staples I keep on hand because I use them in a number of dishes. Things like onions, various hot peppers, fresh salsa and cheese. While I was looking through the pantry and cabinets I realized I could create my own quick version of chicken enchiladas. I happen to have tortillas and pre-cooked chicken that was meant for another dish but that one could wait.

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Although I am mostly a northeastern girl with southern roots, I appreciate and enjoy all types of foods. Hispanic foods are often spicy and always full of flavor which reminds me of the foods I grew up with. Hot sauce was always on the table growing up and hot peppers were infused in a lot of my mom’s recipes that I love.

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Chicken Enchiladas is one of those easy go to recipes you can prepare whenever you have run out of ideas on what to make with chicken for the third time in a week. Try it. I know you will like it.

Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:
10 oz pre-cooked chicken roughly chopped
6 medium sized tortillas
1 large shallot or 1 small onion sliced
4 medium jalapeno peppers sliced thin (remove seeds for less heat)
½ cup fresh salsa
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese or sharp cheddar cheese
2 tbsp olive oil
1 bottle of enchilada sauce (Trader Joe’s)
cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray long baking dish with cooking spray.

Heat olive oil in a small frying pan then add onions and sliced jalapeno peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Saute veggies until soft. Set aside.

Take one tortilla and layer a small amount of cheese, veggies and chicken in the middle of the tortilla. Gently fold over the tortilla then fold in the sides towards the middle of the tortilla. Roll the tortilla and place seam side down in a long baking dish. Repeat process with remaining tortillas. Pour enchilada sauce over tortillas then top with salsa and cheese. Bake for approximately 15 minutes to melt cheese.

 

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Black Forest Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Meat/ Poultry, Uncategorized, , ,

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Every kid at least once during their childhood has eaten a grilled cheese sandwich. Crunchy on the outside and gooey on the inside. Cheddar cheese was usually the center piece of the sandwich and was complemented by tomato soup.

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Remember dipping your sandwich into the soup and letting it soak in the all that tomato goodness? I loved grilled cheese sandwiches back then and I still love them today. Only now I make big kid grilled cheese sandwiches.

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Cheese, of course, remains the center piece of my big kid grilled cheese sandwiches. But, this version uses 3 types of cheese to create the gooey goodness inside. Swiss, Monterey Jack and pepper jack cheese (for the extra kick) combine to make a nice creamy tangy sandwich. To top it off I added black forest ham. Now that is a big kid grilled cheese sandwich!

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Since I decided to make a big kid grilled cheese sandwich I decided to also make a grown up soup to go with it. Leek and potato soup.  A thick and creamy soup to go with a wonderful creamy sandwich. You can check out the recipe for the Leek and Potato Soup at dmariedining.com.

Black Forest Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Ingredients:
¼ lb black forest ham sliced thin
¼ lb Swiss cheese
¼ lb pepper jack cheese
¼ lb Monterey Jack cheese
4 tbsp soft butter
1 French loaf of bread
cooking spray

Spray a griddle with cooking spray and heat over medium heat.

Spread a generous amount of butter on one side of a slice of bread. Place butter side down on the griddle. Layer bread with 3 cheeses and 2 slices of ham. Spread another slice of bread with butter and place over ham with the butter side up. Brown bread then flip to brown the other side. Repeat with other slices of bread. Serve with chips or your favorite soup.

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Sloppy Joe’s

Meat/ Poultry, Uncategorized, ,

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Loose meat sandwiches. That is what sloppy joe’s were called long ago. The origin of sloppy joe’s is not clear and doesn’t really matter. What matters is that sloppy joe’s were a wonderful creation and has not changed much over the years.

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The great thing about sloppy joe’s is that although the basic recipe remains the same, you can experiment with additional flavors and make it your own. I added hot Italian sausage to the recipe and a few other ingredients to give the dish a little heat to go along with the sweetness of the sauce. I even made a crock pot version so my friend Mr. E could try it out.

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Crock pots are a very useful kitchen tool for when you don’t have time to prepare food and watch it cook. I have to admit that I get a little weird about using my crock pot only because I don’t like leaving it plugged in all day without being able to check on it. Yes, it may seem to defeat the purpose of throwing everything in a pot and letting it cook without having to guard it. But, I like to add a little bit of this or that during the cooking process and still feel like I don’t have to watch it every second.

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Sloppy Joe’s are a comfort food that brings back childhood memories. Sloppy Joe night meant you could eat with your hands, let sauce run down your fingers and not get in trouble for being messy. What kid wouldn’t love that?

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Now when I eat sloppy joe’s I still let the sauce run down my fingers and I won’t get in trouble for being messy.

Sloppy Joe’s

Ingredients:
1 lb ground pork or sirloin
1 lb ground hot Italian sausage
½ cup red peppers chopped
½ cup green peppers chopped
1 large onion diced
1 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp packed brown sugar
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp worcestershire
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp mustard
½ cup ketchup
5 dashes of hot sauce
1 crock pot

Turn crock pot on high.

Place all the ingredients into the crock pot and stir. Let cook for 3 – 4 hours until meat is cooked all the way through. Serve over hamburger or soft kaiser rolls.

If you want to cut down on the cooking time,  try making the sloppy joe’s in a pot on the stove.  Brown the meat and drain then place all of the ingredients into a pot.  Let simmer for 1 hour over medium heat.

 

Chicken and Waffles with Warm Walnut Syrup

Meat/ Poultry, Uncategorized, , , ,

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Who said you can’t have breakfast at dinner time? Chicken and waffles combines the two foods I love into one delicious meal topped off with a nice sweet treat. On a few desperate nights I have fixed breakfast for dinner but with bacon or sausage. Chicken never crossed my mind as a partner for waffles. The first time I heard of chicken and waffles I thought it was the weirdest combination ever. Now??? I think what took me so long to try this out!

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One of my secrets to making thick tasty waffles is to add a little sour cream to the batter and don’t over mix. A few lumps here and there are no big deal. Besides the lumps will disappear when they hit the griddle.

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Warm. Walnut. Syrup. What more can I say? Sweet, gooey syrup warmed up and mixed with nuts gives the waffles a savory taste.

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Fried chicken. What else can I say? I have not meant anyone who does not like fried chicken. Granted, I sometimes get tired of eating chicken but serve it with waffles and Bam! I love it all over again.  I know the ingredients look like a lot of work but trust me they are not.  However, to make it a little easier on yourself use frozen waffles or use waffle mix.  Otherwise, go with the flow and you will have a nice new dinner idea.

Chicken and Waffles with Warm Walnut Syrup

Ingredients:
4 thin chicken breasts (pound with a rolling pin to flatten out)
2 eggs lightly beaten
1 cup flour
2 cups vegetable oil
½ cup buttermilk
½ tbsp cayenne pepper or hot sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp poultry seasoning
2 tbsp butter
½ cup walnuts
½ cup syrup

Waffles Ingredients:
1 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 ½ cups buttermilk
2 eggs beaten
½ tsp salt
6 tbsp melted butter
waffle iron
cooking spray

Preheat oven to warm for chicken.

Chicken
In a medium bowl mix flour and seasonings and set aside. In another bowl mix cayenne pepper, buttermilk and egg in a bowl.

Sprinkle chicken with a little salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour then egg mixture then again in flour. Lay chicken out on a piece of wax paper.

Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Place chicken in hot oil and brown for 3 – 5 minutes on each side. Make sure chicken is cooked all the way through. Place chicken in the oven to keep warm while fixing waffles and walnut syrup.

Waffles
Place dry ingredients in a bowl and add buttermilk. Stir then add eggs and melted butter. Mix well. Makes 4 large waffles.

Syrup
Melt 3 tbsp butter in a non-stick pan. Add walnuts and let warm up. Place walnuts in a small bowl and add syrup. Stir then drizzle over waffles.

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Chicken Pot Pie Pocket

Meat/ Poultry, Uncategorized, Vegetables,

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Chicken! Pot! Pie!

Fantastic comfort food. Chicken Pot Pie is one dish I am sure everyone has experienced at least once in their lives whether it was homemade or frozen. I used to love my grandma’s chicken pot pie because she made the flakiest crust and the gravy in the pot pie was so creamy and tasted amazing. My Mom of course is no slouch in the kitchen when it comes to cooking or baking. If it were not for her I would not be able to fix some of the wonderful dishes I am currently sharing with you.

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However, I have never quite mastered the art of making a homemade crust. I am not a baker but I can cook. My Mom learned how to make crust from my grandma and had the patience to perfect making a flaky crust that melts in your mouth. I on the other hand don’t always have a lot of time to bake nor the kind of patience needed to make a perfect crust. I usually depend on Pillsbury or (if I am fortunate) my Mom to make my pie crusts.

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Chicken Pot Pie Pockets is one of those great recipes you can eat right away or freeze to eat days later. It’s nice to have a dish that can be made into individual meals without having a lot of leftovers. My family is not big on leftovers unless I turn them into another creative dish. When you fix individual chicken pot pie pockets there are no worries about having leftovers that never get eaten.

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So the next time you think about making some comfort food think about chicken pot pie  pockets!

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Chicken Pot Pie Pockets

Ingredients:

1 lb cooked chicken cubed

1 box frozen peas

1 box frozen diced carrots

2 large potatoes cubed

1 medium onion chopped

1 rib celery cut in half and sliced

1 14 oz can creamed of chicken soup

2 tbsp butter

½ cup milk

1 tbsp salt

1 tbsp ground black pepper

1 egg

1 tbsp water

2 prepared pie crusts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter in a large frying pan. Add potatoes and onions. Saute until potatoes are slightly soft and onions are translucent. Remove from heat and place in a large bowl. Add chicken, remaining veggies, seasonings, soup and milk to the bowl. Stir to mix well. Cut each pie crust in half. Place a spoonful of chicken mixture in the middle of each piece of crust. Fold over and crimp the edges with a fork. Pierce the top of the crust with the fork. Beat water and egg together. Brush over top of each crust. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until crust is golden brown.