Chow Mein Casserole

 I am not sure where I got this recipe. It seems to have it's roots in the Midwest. My mom made it when we were young in Minnesota. I went through my recipes and I don't see that I ever wrote it down. I have made it often, but with much of my cooking, I often do not use a recipe. Here is my version, that is very similar to other recipes, except my version is a little different. I have a secret ingredient that adds some unique flavor. It has a small amount of Chinese 5 Spice Powder. I recommend you keep some on hand. It is great in many recipes.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. lean hamburger 

1 medium onion, chopped

3 celery stalks,  chopped 

2 carrots, sliced or julienned 

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp soy sauce 

1 can cream of mushroom soup

3/4 cup jasmine rice, (rinsed)

3/4 cup water

Salt, pepper, and garlic powder

1 tsp. Chinese Spice Powder (optional)

Crunchy style chow mein noodles for topping or, for serving.

Method:

I use my Instant Pot for this, just because, it is quicker !

Use Sauté mode, add a little oil of choice, pre-heat and add in ground beef.

Add half of chopped onion, salt and pepper, garlic powder.

Cook and stir until no longer pink. Hit it with some Worcestershire and soy sauce.

Add in celery, carrot and rest of onion.

Mix in rice, water, soup, and 5 spice powder.

Switch Instant Pot to pressure mode, and seal

Cook at pressure for 20 minutes.

Release pressure and stir. Check rice for tenderness.

Cook another 5 minutes if needed.

You can top this with the chow mein noodles and bake it like a casserole,

or just serve on top of chow mein noodles, or put noodles on top ! 

Split Pea Soup With Ham

 During cold weather, you can't beat a nice hearty soup.

This recipe is a great way to make use of that ham bone you put in the freezer a while back.

I have made this recipe many times, it is just like mom used to make.

I start out with 6 cups of liquid. You can use all broth, or all water. I use a mix of both. If soup is too thick, add more liquid as desired.

 This is written for an Instant Pot cooker.  You can use a Dutch oven or a stockpot, it just takes much longer!

INGREDIENTS:

1 ham bone (with meat)

1 lb. bag split peas

6 cups liquid (chicken broth, water, bouillon)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2-3 celery stalks, 1/4 inch dice

2 carrots, split and chopped 

1 med. onion, chopped

1 bay leaf

2 Tbs butter

Salt, pepper, dried thyme, Italian seasoning for flavor

Chop veggies and sauté in oil until onion is soft. (add garlic last)

Add liquid and seasonings. 

Sort and rinse peas, add into liquid. 

Drop in ham bone, cover and seal

Set pressure to 17 minutes, natural release. 

Remove ham bone, remove any meat, chop and return meat to pot.

If peas are still to intact, return to pressure for 5 more minutes

Cook on slow cook mode, with pressure valve open until served.

I like to drizzle some good olive oil on top when serving into bowls.

Spinach Bars

I think this is an old Betty Crocker recipe from the 60's, that I took from a hand written index card in a recipe book that my wife had. This is the standard version of this recipe. 

There are many ways to add slight variations to this recipe, like adding garlic, mushrooms, red bell pepper, bacon bits, small amounts of different cheeses, but this standard recipe is excellent as it is.

Great for a potluck or tailgate party, breakfast side, or a grab and go snack. 

There are similar recipes that use 2 pkgs. of spinach and a whole pound of cheese. I think that is too much of both. I like to sauté the onions or mushrooms first, This removes some of the liquid in them, so your bars will not be too mushy.

Ingredients:

4 Tbs butter

3 eggs

1 cup flour

1 cup milk

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder 

8 oz cheddar cheese

1- 10 oz. pkg. frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed to remove liquid)    

1/4 cup minced onions

1/2 cup chopped mushrooms (optional)

Directions:

Melt butter and coat a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.

In large bowl, beat eggs, stir in milk.

Stir in flour and baking powder until well blended. Stir in spinach and onion, then cheese. Stir all until blended.

Spoon into baking dish with melted butter. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes, or until set in the middle. Cool 30 minutes before cutting into squares.

Can be served or at room temperature. 

You can substitute chopped, broccoli in place of spinach. 

Photo courtesy of Betty Crocker

TicTock Pasta ?

TicToc Pasta ? I don't care about TicToc, and I don't care about most of the trends discovered there.

Okay, but, I had to try it. I think it would have been boring if not for my upgrades.

Would more than 3 ingredients overwhelm their attention span ?

I can't wait until they melt together, peanut butter and chocolate !  Whee !

Just a thought here, on my part.... Goat cheese, tomatoes and basil go really well together, Hmmm.....

Okay, so here is what I threw together for my "Baked Feta Pasta"

4 oz penne, or your favorite pasta

2  pints cherry tomatoes 

1  8oz block of Feta cheese

4 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

1 dash red pepper flakes

3 garlic cloves (minced)

2 Tbs grated parmesan

6  fresh basil leaves

salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400f.

In a medium baking dish, dump the tomatoes.

Drizzle with 2 Tbs olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt & pepper.

Drop in the feta cheese block and turn to coat all in oil.

Prepare pasta, drain and keep warm.

Bake tomatoes and feta for about 30 minutes, until tomatoes have burst.

Remove from oven and add minced garlic, basil, and pasta.

Stir and add salt and pepper to taste.

Return to oven for 10 minutes longer to heat through. 

Remove from oven and serve.

Southern Shrimp & Grits

Southern Shrimp & Grits

This classic, restaurant style recipe, represents the best of the south!

Creamy, cheesy grits, with delicious additions, to compliment the spicy shrimp.

A delicious and simple entree to enjoy and share.

I cut this recipe in half, because I usually cook for just my wife and myself.

Ingredients:

2 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup uncooked old fashioned grits

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp white cheddar cheese

2 Tbs butter, divided

3 green onions 

2 bacon slices

1/4 cup chopped green pepper

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 lb. medium, raw, peeled and deveined shrimp (tails removed)

1 tsp Creole seasoning (Old Bay)

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for serving, (optional)

Directions:

In medium saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil, whisk in grits with a fork.

Turn down heat to med. and simmer and grits, stirring frequently.

Then, turn off heat and cover for 5 minutes.

Stir the grits and mix in 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp white cheddar cheese and 1 tablespoon of the unsalted butter.

cover and keep warm.

In medium fry pan, cook bacon, and drain on paper towels, leave drippings in pan.

Add 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper, 3 cloves garlic, chopped, and the reserved white and light green parts of the green onions to the skillet with the bacon grease. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the peppers have softened, about 5 minutes.

Stir in 1/2 lb. shrimp, 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning, and remaining 1/4 cup chicken stock. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are just cooked through and no longer translucent, about 3 minutes.

Transfer the shrimp from the skillet to a large bowl. Cook the stock mixture until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings, if needed.

Take the skillet off the heat and whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoons unsalted butter until the butter has melted and the sauce is thick and glossy, then stir in 1 tsp grated lemon zest, 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice, and 1 Tbs. chopped parsley.

Return the shrimp to the skillet and toss to coat in the sauce.

Chop the cooked bacon. Divide the grits evenly among 2 bowls. Top the grits with the shrimp and bacon and garnish with the reserved green onion tops.

Ron's Mighty Meatballs

 

There are many recipes that are similar for meatballs. This recipe that I have refined uses beef and pork. I think it makes the best meatballs that are flavorful and juicy. 

1 pound ground beef

1 pound ground pork

1/2 cup minced onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 eggs (lightly beaten)

1/4 cup milk

1 cup Panko crumbs

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp Sriracha sauce

1 tsp paprika 

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black  pepper

In a large bowl, gently mix together pork, beef, onions and garlic.Make a large indentation in the meat and add in the eggs, milk, panko crumbs, parmesan and the rest of the ingredients. Mix gently, but thoroughly with fingers.Shape into walnut sized balls, and brown in butter or olive oil in large frying pan.Check one for doneness, finish in oven if necessary.Use with pasta dishes or alone with potatoes and gravy.Freezing any leftover ones works great for quick meals in the future.