A Day of Cooking....Pots and Pans Therapy

I have had little to no time to do one of the things that I love since my son was born...cooking.  Today, I decided that I needed some good ol' fashioned culinary therapy.  I hopped on the Internet and began searching recipes to make a different kind of dinner. 

I've never been one to enjoy breakfast foods, least of all at breakfast.  But I figured I should give it a try once more, and have breakfast for dinner.  My searches yielded very different results.  Some were simple, others required three-year training from the Culinary Institute.  Nevertheless, I found some recipes that somewhat appealed to me.

My husband LOVES pancakes.  Not just any pancake, IHOP pancakes.  I really don't relish the idea of visiting the restaurant, since I'm not keen on the breakfast varietals served there.  I did some Googleing and found a copycat recipe for them.  I then had an idea that I'd like to prepare a hashbrown casserole.  Again, a few minutes of digging, and voila! 

The site that I gathered these recipes from is Food.com.  It's amazing how many recipes are located here.  Even better, there is section that allows you to search for a menu based on a theme, or mood!  Each recipe also boasts it's nutritional value run-down.  Below are the recipes that I prepared tonight...

Cracker Barrel Hash Browns Casserole (Copycat)

Ingredients

26 -30 ounces of shredded hash browns
2 cups of shredded cheese ( colby to sharp)
1/2 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup of minced onions or 1/4 cup finely diced onions
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter or 1 tablespoon margarine
1 teaspoon garlic salt or 1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup real bacon bits

Directions

Melt butter or margarine and mix in milk, broth, soup, bacon bits, pepper, and onion in large measuring cup or bowl.

In large skillet heat hash browns and fold in shredded cheese until melted.

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Prepare 9x13 baking dish or pan.

Put hash brown cheese mixture into prepared pan and pour other ingredients in and fold until hash browns swell in most of the liquid. Spoon the hash browns flat and place in oven to bake for 45 minutes.

IHOP Pancakes (Copycat)
Nonstick Spray


1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup cooking oil
pinch of salt

1. Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Use a pan with a nonstick surface or apply a little nonstick spray.

2. In a blender or with a mixer, combine all of the remaining ingredients until smooth.

3. Pour the batter by spoonfuls into the hot pan, forming 5-inch circles.

4. When the edges appear to harden, flip the pancakes. They should be golden brown.

5. Cook pancakes on the other side for same amount of time, until golden brown.

Makes 8 to 10 pancakes.

*Do not overbeat.

After making breakfast for dinner, I also decided to try an artichoke and spinach dip recipe.  I've been looking for one to make for a bachelor party we're giving one of my cohorts.

Ingredients


2 (10 ounce) packages frozen spinach ( thawed and drained)
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts
4 Tbsp. alfredo sauce (Newman's Own jarred sauce is pretty good.  Homemade is much better.)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic
6 shakes of worceteshire sauce
3 shakes of Tobasco sauce
salt and pepper to taste
tortilla chips, for scooping OR grilled baguette crudite

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients (withholding about 1/3 cup parmesean) using pulse option of food processor. Add to baking dish that has been sprayed with non stick spray, cover with remaining parmesean. Cover with foil. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes.

*Serving this dip with grilled baguette crudite rubbed with a garlic clove hot off the pit is an awesome alternative to tortilla chips.

Chicken Chili Recipe

So there are those recipes that are generic, very blande, and very simple.  Then, there are those that can be altered into something FABULOUS!  I got this recipe from Melanie a few years ago.  I believe it was originally a Rachael Ray dish that she suped up.  Here's my variation. 

Chicken Chili Recipe

1 small onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 T minced garlic

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

1 package 2 Alarm Chili Kit

1 envelope chili seasoning (reduced sodium)

1 large can crushed tomatoes

1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes

1 can Chili Ready Tomatoes

½ can chipotle peppers with sauce (mince peppers)

Chicken stock

1 can Bush’s black beans, drained and rinsed

1 small bag frozen corn



Begin by seasoning chicken with Tony Chachere’s or your choice of all-purpose seasoning. In a large, heavy bottom pot, saute’ vegetables, add chicken. Brown until veggies are soft and chicken is cooked through.



Reduce heat to medium and add 2 Al arm Chili kit withhold the salt packet. Add chili seasoning envelope. Stir to incorporate. Add chipotle peppers and sauce and stir. Stir in cans of tomatoes, reduce heat to simmer. Allow mixture to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often. At this point, you may choose to add chicken stock to thin mixture if you find it too thick.

Add frozen corn and black beans. Simmer until corn is thawed and warmed. Serve with tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream.

I believe I added chipotle peppers to the original recipe and corn.  I can't remember.  All I know is that it is some good eatin' on a crip Fall night!

Just one of those weeks

This has been a week from hell and it is only Wednesday! I really think there is a line of people somewhere pushing a button that says F with Melanie this week.

Monday was just full of being mad because I haven't gotten a routine down for this semester and school started a month ago. I'm trying to figure out how to do EVERYTHING in this freakin apartment ALONE and still study for the ton of tests I have every week, homework, papers to write, cook, and see about the dogs. I think I'm going on stike very soon.

Then came Tuesday. I went to school and in my third class of the day I wanted to physically hurt the professor. She almost had a angry mob to deal with. She is a great lab teacher but sucks as a lecture teacher. Just on Tuesday, she changed our test day (which was good because we learned we have to research and teach ourselves half of the material), explained to us how she is using our quizs from in class as 20% of each test (she quizs us on material we have not been taught), and adds a chapter to our test and says I think you should know this so I'm not teaching it. How I wanted to climb over my table and show her how I can use latex gloves for things other than Lab. You don't mess with my grades. Luckily I have extra points and a A- average on the quizs so far and will just have to give up a few more hours of sleep a night until December. AHHHHH!

Anyway, today is just another one of those days when I wished I had a restart button . First, I was woken up by the fire alarm going off in the bedroom. I spent a few minutes trying to unplug the alarm and stopped when I heard fire trucks. I pulled the dogs out of the bedroom in their kennel and went outside to escape the noise. There was no escape, the entire complex and grounds had alarms sounding. I think my ears began to bleed after fourty minutes. To add to the noise and frustration of the situation, all the dogs in the complex were whining and barking for the entire time. Thank God, after an hour and a half of firemen running around and a headache from hell, there wasn't a thing wrong.

Next, I had to try to study for tonight's government test. That wasn't going how I would like so I took a break and got on facebook to learn that my cousin was found dead in his house this morning. I never knew how informative social networking could be....can you sense the sarcasim. I don't think that is appropriate to post your brother's death on facebook before he has even been taken out of his freakin house. I just love how classy my family can be. Trying to be a good daughter, I call to let my dad know about my cousin.

I call and my dad answers the phone. I ask what's going on and said I heard that my cousin died and wanted to let him know. I figured know one had called yet because he had not called to tell me. His says he has been on the phone all day with family. Well that was sure nice of him. Then he asks how I heard and I tell him FACEBOOK. His respose--oh, that's good....I saw Heather and the kids at her sisters. Ok, thanks for the info dad. What the hell? Again no info about the cousin from him. I get back on facebook and see all the details. CLASSY! Family can be so annoying. All I can say is I remember why we moved and I LOVE living in Texas.

After a day, or week, like this I wish my best friend was closer. I've made a few good friends since we have moved but no one can come close to matching her. I sure could use a few drinks with her right now! Maybe after four or five stiff drinks, we would be able to figure out when our lives changed to what they are now. I know have many things to be thankful and haven't forgotten that fact but today and this week has just made me ask WTF!

Grape Salad

8 cups red seedless grapes

8 oz light sour cream

8 oz reduced fat cream cheese (room temp)

1/2 cup splenda

1 cup walnuts

1/4 cup brown sugar or brown sugar substitute

De-stem and wash grapes.

Grapes may be used whole or sliced in half.

In a large bowl, mix grapes, gream cheese, sour cream, and splenda.

Sprinkle walnuts and brown sugar on top.

Makes 8 servings.

Sausage and Tasso Jambalaya

Recently, Ina Garten had a friend on her show that is originally from Louisiana.  She was teaching Ina how to cook a Cajun jambalaya.  Although it has Cajun roots, this Jambalaya is more Creole because it is made with tomatoes.  I wasn't sure if I would like it; but, boy was I surprised!  It turned out great.  I've made it twice, and both times it came out perfectly. 

Ingredients


1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound sausage (preferably LeJeune's)
1 pound tasso
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup diced celery
1 green bell pepper, cored and diced
1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
1 cup seeded and diced tomato
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons tomato paste
6 cups chicken stock
3 cups long-grain rice, rinsed
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped scallions, divided
3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided

Directions

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or black iron pot over medium heat, add the sausage and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until browned. Remove the sausage to a bowl, and set aside. Add the tasso to the same pot and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to the bowl with the sausage, and set aside. Add the onion, celery and peppers to the same pot and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the tomato, garlic,cayenne, and tomato paste and cook until all the vegetables and herbs are blended well. Add the stock and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in the rice, and add the sausage, tasso,  salt and pepper. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of the scallions, 1/4 cup of the parsley, stir well. Cover the pot, remove it from the heat and allow the jambalaya to steam, for 15 minutes, before serving.



Garnish with the remaining 1/4 cup scallions and 1/2 cup parsley, and a dash of hot sauce, if desired.

The original recipe also called for shrimp.  But I don't care to mix seafood and meat.

Crawfish Lasagna

1 lb crawfish

1 small bell pepper
1/2 yellow onion
salt
pepper
red pepper
basil
oregeno
1 bar cream cheese
1 small tube riccota cheese
1 small container of small curd cottage cheese
1 small can tomato sauce
1 large can tomato sauce
6 to 8 oven ready lasagna noodles (boiled for 6 minutes)
1 -2 cups cheese of your choice for topping lasagna


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix riccota and cottage cheese.

Saute onion and bell peper until tender. Add one small can of tomato sauce and crawfish. Season to taste. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Next, mix until smooth - 1 can of tomato sauce, room temperture cream cheese, herbs, and seasoning to taste. Place a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of a 9x11 pan. Place two lasagna noodles side by side then smooth a layer of the riccota/cottage cheese mixture about an inch thick. Add more sauce befor placing another layer of noodles. Now, place crawfish mixture and add a layer of noodles atop crawfish. Add another layer of cheese mixture, sauce, and noodles. Pour the last of the sauce on top and sprinkle cheese of your choice on top. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until cheese is bubbly.

Nola's Shrimp and Smoked Cheddar Grits

Thanks to Emeril Lagasse and Food Network for this oh so yummy dish!

Ingredients
For the Shrimp:
2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 1/2 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows
3/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 recipe Smoked Cremini Mushrooms and Rendered Bacon, recipe follows
1 recipe Abita BBQ Glaze, recipe follows
1 recipe Smoked Cheddar Grits, recipe follows
1 recipe Citrus Buerre Blanc, recipe follows
1 recipe Grilled Green Onions, recipe follows
Directions
In a large bowl, combine the shrimp with the Essence and salt and toss to blend. Set aside as you prepare the skillet. Place a large, 14-inch skillet over high heat and add the olive oil and heat until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the pan. Swirl to melt, and then add the shrimp to the pan, being sure that the shrimp are in 1 layer in the pan. Sear the shrimp until well caramelized on the first side, about 1 minute. Turn the shrimp over and add the Smoked Mushrooms and Bacon and Abita BBQ Glaze to the pan. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are well coated with the sauce and just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining butter to the pan and swirl until melted into the sauce.
To serve, divide the grits between 8 entree-sized shallow bowls. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of the Citrus Beurre Blanc around the edge of the grits near the rim of the bowl. Divide the shrimp-mushroom mixture evenly between the bowls, and place a grilled green onion on top of the grits in a circle. Serve immediately.
For the Smoked Cremini Mushrooms and Rendered Bacon:
3/4 pound cremini mushrooms, halved, or quartered if large
1 1/2 teaspoons Essence
4 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 pound bacon, diced
Special equipment: stovetop smoker
In a medium bowl, combine the mushrooms, Essence and olive oil. Toss to combine and place on the rack of a stovetop smoker. Prepare the smoker over medium-high heat using applewood smoking dust, or the smoke chips of your choice. When the smoker begins to smoke, close the lid. Smoke the mushrooms until cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the smoker and set aside until ready to use.
While the mushrooms smoke, place the bacon in a 10-inch saute pan over medium-low heat and render the fat from them until they are just beginning to get crispy, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan using a slotted spoon and transfer to paper towels to drain. Set aside until ready to use.
For the Abita BBQ Glaze:
1 cup ketchup
1 cup Abita amber beer
6 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
Combine the ketchup, beer, brown sugar and crushed red pepper in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat slightly and continue to cook at a steady simmer until the sauce is translucent and reduces to a consistency thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside. You should have about 1 1/4 cups of glaze.
Yield: 1 1/4 cups
For the Smoked Cheddar Grits:
6 cups water
Salt
1 1/2 cups quick cooking or old-fashioned grits (not instant!)
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons butter
6 ounces grated smoked white Cheddar
Freshly ground black pepper
In a large, heavy saucepan bring the water to a boil. Add a generous teaspoon of salt and the grits and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. When grits thicken, add the milk, cream and butter and return to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, partially cover the sauce pan and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until grits are very tender, smooth, and creamy-thick. Add the Cheddar, season with black pepper, and stir until cheese is melted. Serve hot