#FoodieToosdy Week 7

It’s officially September. Yay Fall! Yay everything about fall! I always wished I was a fall baby just because I like it that much. And I don’t even mind school starting because I like it that much.

My foodie toosdy is Mexican, Italian, and chicken. Yum!

Last week Andrea posted about her enchiladas during her recipe club. Looking at those pictures I was hooked. So, I went to get the ingredients. This is the easiest recipe ever!!! She posted her own pictures on this page, but the following pictures are my own.

I told my mom that I wanted to make my family dinner one night, so I asked her when she didn’t have anything planned and she told me Sunday night. So once I got home from work on Sunday, I started up my stove! I didn’t make as much as she did, but lookey:

• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
• Chopped onion. Your own preference (I used about 3/4)

• 1 can cream of mushroom
• 1 can Old ElPaso mild enchilada sauce

Mix those two together while your hamburger is browning.

After the meat is strained mix in about 2 cups of cheese. Fill your tortillas with the mixture. I had to use corn with my go-veggie cheese, but for everyone else I used flower and regular shredded cheese.

I put some of the sauce at the bottom, then once I filled my pan I put the rest of the mixture and more cheese on top. Put it in the oven for 30 minutes (350 degrees).

Viola!

We only had one and a half left! My dad LOVED them, my mom did as well. My picky brothers even ate some. I put Zatarain’s Spanish Rice on the side.

Listen y’all. YOU. HAVE. TO. MAKE. THESE. Thank you, Andrea for the wonderful Sunday night dinner that my entire family enjoyed!!!

Tyler Florence’s Chicken Marsala

What you need:

4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
All-purpose flour, for dredging
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
8 ounces crimini or porcini mushrooms, stemmed and halved
1/2 cup sweet Marsala wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

How to make it:

Put the chicken breasts side by side on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them; pound with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/4-inch thick. Put some flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly.

Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large skillet. When the oil is nice and hot, dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Slip the cutlets into the pan and fry for 5 minutes on each side until golden, turning once – do this in batches if the pieces don’t fit comfortably in the pan. Remove the chicken to a large platter in a single layer to keep warm.

Lower the heat to medium and add the prosciutto to the drippings in the pan, saute for 1 minute to render out some of the fat. Now, add the mushrooms and saute until they are nicely browned and their moisture has evaporated, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Pour the Marsala in the pan and boil down for a few seconds to cook out the alcohol. Add the chicken stock and simmer for a minute to reduce the sauce slightly. Stir in the butter and return the chicken to the pan; simmer gently for 1 minute to heat the chicken through. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

We didn’t use prosciutto but this is how ours turned out:

Really good!

Giada’s Shrimp Fra Diavlo

What you need:

1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 teaspoon salt, plus additional as needed
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons
1 medium onion, sliced
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup dry white wine
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
3 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
3 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves

How to make it:

Toss the shrimp in a medium bowl with 1 teaspoon of salt and red pepper flakes. Heat the 3 tablespoons oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and saute for about a minute, toss, and continue cooking until just cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a large plate; set aside. Add the onion to the same skillet, adding 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pan, if necessary, and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices, wine, garlic, and oregano. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Return the shrimp and any accumulated juices to the tomato mixture; toss to coat, and cook for about a minute so the flavors meld together. Stir in the parsley and basil. Season with more salt, to taste, and serve.

I have posted about this recipe before, but it was delicious! Ours turned out like this:

Happy Eating!!!!!

#FoodieToosdy Week 6

Woah, I’m totally behind a week of #FoodieToosdy. Ugh, this whole back to school thing has me all screwed up!! Today i’ve got a whole day’s worth of meals planned for you. Ps please forgive my terrible pictures, i’m hoping to get a better camera soon!

1. Egg-White scramble with strawberry slices

This was breakfast the other day. I KNOW! I ate breakfast. I’m telling you, i’m all screwed up. So this is possibly the easiest (and very healthy breakfast) you can make. I’m sure lots of you make this, but this is how I do it:

Get:

Carton of egg-whites (or an egg)
Slice of pre-made bacon
Strawberries (or whatever fruit you like)
Shredded cheese
Your favorite picante sauce or salsa

How to:
Cut your pre-made bacon into little bacon bits and put them in your Calphalon Contemporary Nonstick Dishwasher Safe Omelette Frying Pan Combo, 10-Inch/12-Inch (the 10-inch one). Seriously, Calphalon is wonderful, we’ve never regret buying these pans, especially because they are dishwasher safe!

Once the bacon starts to eat pour your egg-white over the bacon. Sprinkle salt and pepper. When it starts to cook begin to scramble your egg. Add shredded cheese if desired. While it is cooking, slice up your strawberries and put them on your plate. Once the egg-whites have turned a golden color and have completely cooked put them on your plate. Pour your favorite picante sauce on the side and eat up!

2. Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo

Get:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
• 1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 3 pounds unpeeled, large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 bunch green onions, sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Garnish: sliced green onions

How to:

1. 1. Preheat oven to 400°. Sprinkle flour in a 9-inch cast-iron skillet. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown, stirring once. Cool 10 minutes.
2. 2. Meanwhile, cook sausage in a Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until browned. Drain on paper towels. Place sausage in a 6-qt. slow cooker; add tomatoes and next 7 ingredients.
3. 3. Whisk together browned flour and broth until smooth. Pour into slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 5 to 6 hours. Stir in shrimp, green onions, and parsley. Cover and cook on HIGH 30 minutes, stirring once. Discard bay leaves before serving.

A big thank you to myrecipes.com
This recipe is great because you can put it in the fridge for a couple days and take it to work/school/or just heat it up if you aren’t feeling like cooking lunch one day.

3.) Giada’s Sea Bass alla Fiorentina

Get:

c4 (6-ounce) pieces sea bass
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning fish
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning fish
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves

 

How to:

Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper. Put the flour in a shallow bowl, dredge the fish, tapping off the excess flour to create a light coating.

In a medium nonstick fry pan, heat the 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Cook the fish until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer fish to a plate.

Wipe out the pan with a paper towel and heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, tomatoes, water, parsley, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook at a simmer for 10 minutes. Add the basil and the fish and heat for 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

We steamed asparagus and the other thing is a potato cake that was attempted, but it was not good, so I won’t share that recipe with you 🙂

Happy Eating!!!!

#FoodieToosdy Week 4

Grandpa doesn’t have wifi so I wasn’t able to post yesterday, so here we are today!

#FoodieToosdy this week is going to be fish recipes for dinner. Yum yum!

Fish #1: Ina’s ‘Mustard-Roasted Fish’

Get:

• 4 (8-ounce) fish fillets such as red snapper
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 ounces creme fraiche
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 2 teaspoons drained capers

How to:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. (You can also use an ovenproof baking dish.) Place the fish fillets skin side down on the sheet pan. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Combine the creme fraiche, 2 mustards, shallots, capers, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Spoon the sauce evenly over the fish fillets, making sure the fish is completely covered. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, until it’s barely done. (The fish will flake easily at the thickest part when it’s done.) Be sure not to overcook it! Serve hot or at room temperature with the sauce from the pan spooned over the top.

Fish #2: Melissa D’ Arabian’s ‘Fish en papillote’
Get:

• 1/2 red onion, julienned
• 1 zucchini, julienned
• 1 large carrot, julienned
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 (4-ounce) sole fillets, hake, flounder or other white fish
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed
• 8 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 pats butter
• 1/4 cup white wine

How to:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a bowl, mix together the onion, zucchini, carrot and garlic. Adds the oil, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and toss to combine. Put each fish fillet in a large square of parchment paper and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange the vegetables on top, dividing evenly. Top the vegetables with 2 lemon slices, 2 sprigs thyme, a pat of butter and 1 tablespoon white wine, layering in order. Fold the parchment paper around the edges tightly in 1/4-inch folds to create a half moon shape. Make sure you press as you crimp and fold to seal the packets well, otherwise the steam will escape. Arrange the packets on a baking sheet. Bake until the fish is cooked through, about 12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. To serve, cut open the packets and serve directly in the parchment on a plate or remove the fish to the plate using a spatula, being sure you don’t leave the juices behind.

Fish #3: Tilapia salad
Get:

• Tilapia (we get the independently packaged from Costco)
• Strawberries
• 1 Cob of Corn
• Lettuce that you prefer
• Bacon bits
• 1 T Olive Oil

How to:

After your fish is thawed, heat a tablespoon olive oil on a skillet (mine is in the background of this picture if you can see it) and cook the fish until the inside is opaque. While the fish is cooking cut your lettuce and place at the bottom of the bowl. Cut the corn off the cob and place in on your lettuce. Slice a couple strawberries based on your own personal preference. Once your fish is finished cooking cut it into pieces and place it on top. I heated some bacon up in the microwave and cut it into pieces. That’s it. It sounds nasty, but I enjoy it! I just used a balsamic dressing, but I think a honey mustard would taste good. Mom put flatbread on the side with a pesto sauce and melted cheese, which was just her own concoction.

P.S. Forgive me for not being a very good food photographer.

Happy Cooking, friends!

#FoodieToosdy Week 3

#FoodyToosdy this week is going to be Dinner meals.

1. Saturday Night’s Dinner: Pork Chops, Rosemary Potatoes, Broiled Tomatoes, & Cesaer Salad
Get:

• Costco’s Caeser Salad or similar side salad if you don’t have Costco
• Porkchops (centercut, boneless)
• Tomatoes
• Saltines
• Butter
• Lowry’s
• Garlic Salt
• Rosemary Potatoes (We got our box from Aldi’s, scalloped potatoes would do just fine)

To Prepare:

Saturday night we wanted a simple dinner because we were still pretty tired from traveling all day Friday. This dinner probably took a maximum of 30 minutes to make. So, we bought a caesar salad from Costco, which sits usually near the rotisserie chickens. Their salad is simple but wonderful, and you can take out however much you need when you are hungry for it.

Saturday morning I went to the grocery store and bought pork chops and tomatoes. We personally like center cut boneless and the thick kind, but unfortunately Walmart only had center cut with the bone in. It still cooks the same. All we do is season them with Lowry’s, Salt and Pepper, Garlic salt and let them sit for about an hour prior to cooking. Cook until it starts to brown and feels tender. Let them rest for 5 minutes prior to eating.

Broiled tomatoes are a staple in our household. My dad’s dad was the one who originally made them. Cut your tomatoes in half, sprinkle Lowry’s, salt and pepper, put a tablespoon of butter on each and the saltines on top. Cook the tomatoes on 350 in the oven until you can stick your fork in them and they are tender. Once you can do that, broil them so the saltines turn brown. So delicious.

As for the potatoes, we just followed the box. Some of this was homemade and some not, but it was all still delicious.

This is such a pretty dish, try it!

2. Giada’s Shrimp Fra Diavlo
Get:

• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus additional as needed
• 1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 3 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 3 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves

To Prepare:

Toss the shrimp in a medium bowl with 1 teaspoon of salt and red pepper flakes. Heat the 3 tablespoons oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and saute for about a minute, toss, and continue cooking until just cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a large plate; set aside. Add the onion to the same skillet, adding 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pan, if necessary, and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices, wine, garlic, and oregano. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Return the shrimp and any accumulated juices to the tomato mixture; toss to coat, and cook for about a minute so the flavors meld together. Stir in the parsley and basil. Season with more salt, to taste, and serve.

3. Pioneer Woman’s Shrimp Stir Fry
Get:

• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 12 whole Jumbo Shrimp, Peeled, Deveined, Tails Left On
• 2 whole Zucchini, Sliced On A Slight Diagonal
• 2 ears Corn, Kernels Sliced Off
• 1/2 cup Grape Tomatoes, Sliced In Half Lengthwise
• Salt And Freshly Ground Pepper, To Taste
• Chopped Fresh Herbs, If Desired

To Prepare:

Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic. When oil/butter is hot, add shrimp and cook for 3 minutes. Remove to a plate. Do not clean skillet.
Add the rest of the butter and oil and heat over medium heat. Add zucchini slices in a single layer and cook for one minute, tossing once. Scoot the zucchini to the edges of the pan, then add corn kernels to the middle of the pan. Cook for one minute. Add grape tomatoes, salt, and pepper, and toss around, then add shrimp. Cook for an additional 30 seconds, then remove from heat. Serve on a big platter.
Hint: Much better after it’s been allowed to cool for a bit! Yummy and refreshing. We served corn on the cob and rice with the stir fry.

Happy Cooking!