MENU PLAN MONDAY

I'm using up leftovers and working from my freezer this week as much as I can.  My weekly menu is always posted on the sidebar, but I wanted to say a special thank you to Laura for always organizing and hosting Menu Plan Monday.  I know how much effort it takes to host a blog event, soooooo here’s a big thank you to her:

Thanks Laura!

Monday: Vegetable Beef Soup (using leftover roasted vegetables and oxtails from the freezer), sour cream cornbread, grilled pears with balsamic reduction

*Tuesday: Crock Pot Beef and Roasted Garlic Pie (using leftover mashed potatoes, leftover roasted garlic and a chuck roast from the freezer), spinach and spring green salad with raspberry vinaigrette, apple turnovers (from the freezer)

Wednesday: Dance and Date Night

*Thursday: Lobel's Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya (chicken, sausage, stock and seasoning blend from the freezer), garlic bread, Key lime pie (from the freezer)

Friday and Saturday: off to see the babies

Sunday: travel day

*Recipes will be posted on those days.

CROCK POT WEDNESDAY and Spinach Parmesan Strata

 

Happy Thanksgiving week to everyone and welcome to this early edition of Crock Pot Wednesday.  I’m glad you came to visit or join in the fun.  Mister Linky is available now for your favorite slow cooker offer of the week.

Alma, Arkansas calls itself the Spinach Capital of the World.  The Allen Canning Company was the official licensee of the Popeye brand of canned spinach for years and years.  Alma and Crystal Springs, Texas had a rivalry going on for a long time about which town really was the “official” spinach capital.  At the time, the Alma company canned way over half (65%, according to some reports) of all the spinach canned in the U.S. which amounted to around 60 million pounds a year.

Since Crystal Springs was home to the Del Monte Canning Company that also manufactured canned spinach, they felt that they rightfully owned the title and had a statue of Popeye sitting right in the middle of the town just to prove it.  Well, Alma resident and knowledge master of all things spinach, George Bowles, set about to rectify the Popeye-less town square of his fair community.  He was not about to be undone by some “hick” Texas town!   Bowles commissioned Alma's own eight-foot statue of Popeye and a four-foot base which he had set in the middle of the town square making this Popeye the larger of the two.   (All good Southern towns have their town squares, by the way.)

The papier-mache statue was created by Red Moore of Mountainburg.   For his work, Red got $2400, about half of which was donated by Allen Canning. The statue was unveiled at the town's annual May Daze Festival and was promptly thereafter stolen (probably by a rival Texas town , ahem…or maybe some yahoos from Ozark or Fort Smith).  After much pursuit by the locals, Popeye in all of his glory, was found in the nearby Wal-Mart trash bin (of course!).

Popeye experienced some wear and tear due to the weather conditions and to repeated kidnappings (a reward was always in the offering), even turning up to direct traffic in the middle of a road one time.  He was finally given a good coat of fiberglass and moved inside when he stands in full homage to the glory that was once spinach!

In case you are travelling through Alma one of these days, but you don’t have time to stop and check out the statue, you can see a good likeness on the town water tower.  You definitely can’t miss it:)

So there, Texas.  Eat your heart out (or at least all of your spinach)!

Many thanks to Arkansas Roadside Travelogue for much of this information.

A strata is a casserole made with eggs, bread, milk and cheese.  This spinach and Parmesan strata makes a terrific light lunch or a delicious side dish.  If you’re like me, you will love the flavor combination here.

Serves 6 - 8

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 medium shallots, finely chopped (Use  1/4 cup of a mild white onion if you can’t locate shallots, but I highly recommend them.)
• 2 16-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained (You may need to squeeze it until fairly dry.)
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (Fresh is so much better if you can get it.)
• 6 large eggs
• 2 cups milk (I use 1 cup milk and 1 cup Half and Half.)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 – 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco
• 6 cups bread cubes, crusts removed (use a sturdy bread)
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Coat the inside of the 5 to 7 – quart crock with nonstick cooking spray or line it with a slow cooker liner (I spray).  Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the shallots for sauté about 2 minutes, until softened.  Add the spinach and nutmeg and  until sauté the liquid in the pan is evaporated.  Set aside to cool.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, white pepper and Tabasco in a large bowl.  Arrange half of the bread in the slow cooker.  Top with half of the spinach mixture and half of the cheese.  Pour the egg mixture over the casserole and press down to make sure the bread has absorbed the egg mixture.  Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, until the strata is cooked through.

Serve from the slow cooker set on warm. 

Adapted from Slow Cooker: The Best Cookbook Ever.

Linked to:

Menu Plan Monday
Tasty Tuesdays
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Tuesdays at the Table
Slow Cooker Thursday

SHRIMP BISQUE – Well, sort of.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.  God’s blessings on you, your family and friends.

  I will confess up front that this is not a true bisque, but it tastes so delicious and is definitely easy to make, who cares?  Not me!  When I first came across the recipe in Southern Sideboards (Junior League of Jackson, MS) one Thanksgiving, it fit the menu that I was planning.  And the rest is, of course, history. 

I had planned to make it this week because Hubby was asking for it, but I made chili instead.  What can I say?  It was just one of those “chili” days; plus, he was the one with the killer schedule this week.  Perfect Son-in-Law likes it as well, so I will plan to make it for them when we are there for Thanksgiving.

With quite a supply of shrimp in the freezer, I will make this with fresh shrimp.  I have never used the canned shrimp that is called for in the recipe, but you might want to give it a try.  I do think that the frozen salad shrimp might work well.  We like bigger chunks of shrimp, so I will use a 16-20 size of Royal Reds (but they are really pink!) cut up.  Ya’ gotta’ know that it’s flexible!

2 Tablespoons butter (the real stuff, unsalted)
2 green onions, chopped
2 Tablespoons flour
2 cups milk (I use Half and Half---mmmm)
1 (3 1/2-ounce) can creamed corn
1 (4 1/2-ounce) can shrimp (rinse, soak 20 minutes in ice water)*
Dash Worcestershire sauce
Red pepper flakes to taste
Dash Tabasco**
Freshly ground black pepper**

Melt the butter and sauté the green onions.  Add the flour and mix well with whisk.  Add milk, stirring over low to medium-low heat until thickened.  Add corn, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, Tabasco and black pepper.  (It can be refrigerated at this point and brought to heat before adding the shrimp.  I think the flavor improves by doing this, but it isn’t necessary.  You may need to add a little more milk if it seems too thick.)  Let the soup bubble up, add the shrimp and cook until shrimp is pink through. 

Garnish with chopped green onion or parsley.  Serve with a salad and crusty, hot French bread.  Serves 4.

* I use about 1 1/2 cups roughly chopped raw shrimp that has been cleaned and deveined (if needed).  You do not have to use Royal Reds.  Any flavorful shrimp will do.

**These are my additions that were not in the original recipe. 

I always double this because we love it leftover ---we just don’t always seem to have much of that, however.

Come back on MONDAY this week to join me for Crock Pot Wednesday:)  You can link up whenever you choose.  I’m really anxious to see how you use your slow cooker to assist with your Thanksgiving meal.  Tell us how you do that when you comment.

Linked to:
Pink Saturday with Beverly  (well, the shrimp does turn pink…..I’m working on my pink!)Friday Feasts
Foodie Friday

CROCK POT WEDNESDAY and Easy Chicken Rarebit

These days life is all about busy!  My schedule at school never seems to slacken and, of course, the holidays are pretty much on my mind all of the time.  I’m sure you can easily relate.  This week’s Crock Pot Wednesday offering is an easy sandwich – a change of pace from my recent soup and chili.

I like for our evening meals together to be welcoming and warm especially during these chilly nights.  Sometimes, those meals still need to be relatively simple for me to prepare.  This chicken rarebit is filling and yummy.  It does use a processed pasta sauce, but since I don’t use processed items very often, I will on the occasion when convenience needs to be a priority.  If you’re a Welsh rarebit fan, I think you will find this to be reminiscent of that traditional dish.  I hope it works just as well for your family as it does for mine.

1 3/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves *
1 14 to 16-ounce jar cheddar cheese pasta sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 – 3 drops Tabasco
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
4 tablespoons pale ale or dry white wine (optional)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large onion, halved crosswise and thinly sliced
6 pumpernickel or rye buns, split and toasted, or 6 slices pumpernickel or rye bread, toasted and halved diagonally
4 slices bacon, crisp-cooked, drained, and crumbled (optional)
1 tomato, chopped (optional)
Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Cut chicken diagonally into 1/2-inch thick slices; set aside.  *I prefer to gently brown the chicken before slicing, but you do not have to do so.  In a 3 1/2 or 4-quart slow cooker, stir together the pasta sauce, Worcestershire, Tabasco, melted butter, wine or ale, Dijon mustard, and pepper.  Add onion and chicken slices.

Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.  Taste for seasoning. 

To serve, spoon chicken and sauce mixture over bun halves.  Sprinkle with crumbled bacon and tomato.  Garnish with chopped parsley.

Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens.

Be sure to add a favorite slow cooker dish of yours to Mister Linky below.  Thanks so much for participating and be sure to check out all of these great blog events as well:
Chive Talkin
Menu Plan Monday
Tasty Tuesdays
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Tuesdays at the Table
Slow Cooker Thursday

PINK “MUFFINS” FOR PINK SATURDAY

I just had to share these “muffins” with you for Beverly’s Pink Saturday. 

My Perfect Muffin (aka Perfect Girl) attends Little Gym each week and loves it!  She can tumble and roll along with the big girls and seems to think just about any slender flat-topped surface is a balance beam.  To be such a girly-girl, she’s tough! 

She paused just long enough to have these precious pictures snapped.  I think she has the warmest big brown eyes and the sweetest smile.  Do you see that dimple?  I hope it stays there forever. 

My other muffin is this one from Taste of Home that I had almost forgotten about.  I don’t know why I could have done that because they are so tasty.  I happened to see them recently pictured in their Best Holiday Recipes publication and remembered that I had made them several times the past few years.  I’m planning to make them next week to share with some of my teacher buddies…okay, and maybe Hubby as well:)
 
Cranberry Upside-Down Muffins
(Just pretend that they are a very “dark” shade of pink.) 

Ingredients

• 1-3/4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• BATTER:
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract (I used orange on occasion.)
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

• In a small saucepan, combine cranberries and sugar. Cover and cook over low heat until juice forms. Uncover; cook and stir over medium heat for 10 minutes or until berries pop. Stir in nutmeg; cool slightly. Spoon into 12 paper-lined muffin cups; set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, whisk the egg, milk, oil and lemon extract; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Stir in walnuts. Spoon over cranberry mixture.
• Bake at 400° for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Carefully remove paper liners and serve muffins warm, cranberry side up. Yield: 1 dozen.

Cranberry Upside-Down Muffins published in Taste of Home's Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook Annual 2007, p47.

Be sure to come back for Crock Pot Wednesday.  I’d love to know how you plan to use your slow cooker to help out with the Thanksgiving festivities at your home.  Come share a favorite idea and/or recipe.

Also linked to:
Menu Plan Monday
Chive Talkin
Friday Feasts
Foodie Friday

 

 

 

 

CROCK POT WEDNESDAY and Acorn Squash with Orange-Cranberry Sauce

Thanks again for joining me for Crock Pot Wednesday.  I really appreciate it!

I hope your days are full of beautiful autumn colors and sunshine.  It has been absolutely perfect here for the past few days.

One of the first winter squashes I ever learned to cook was acorn squash.  This version is a perfect side dish for pork or chicken.  It’s also a nice change of pace from sweet potatoes.  Since I picked up several on our recent trip to the pumpkin patch, I decided to make this as an accompaniment to grilled pork tenderloin this past week.

2 medium acorn squash (about 2 pounds)
1 16-ounce can jellied cranberry sauce
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1/4 cup raisins (I typically use dried cranberries instead.)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
salt and black pepper to taste

Cut each squash in half lengthwise; remove seeds.  Cut squash into 1-inch thick wedges.  Arrange in a 31/2-4 quart slow cooker.

In a small saucepan combine cranberry sauce, marmalade, raisins and cinnamon.  Cook and stir over medium heat until smooth.  Pour over squash in cooker.

Cover and cook on LOW setting for 6-7 hours or on HIGH for 3- 31/2 hours.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Recipe courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens.

Linked to: 
In-Season Recipe Swap
Menu Plan Monday
Tasty Tuesdays
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Tuesdays at the Table
Slow Cooker Thursday

Join these ladies for some really tempting and tasty food ideas.

HANGING WITH RACHEL and Caramel Apple Cobbler

 

  Rachel and I were hanging out the other day while I was cooking dinner (or supper – whatever!).  I was doing one of my “thirty minute meals” while she was doing the same.  Only thing was, she was getting paid a gazillion bucks.  Me?  I got a humongous hug and kiss from Hubby for making Rachel’s caramel apple cobbler.  I think I got the better deal:)

I think Rachel and Paula pretty much have the same philosophy regarding full-flavored ingredients.  This certainly isn’t dietetic, but it has such incredibly yummy flavors that you won’t care one calorie!  

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 8 apples—peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges   (I used Granny Smiths.)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1-1/2 sticks (6 ounces) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 2 cups whipped cream, for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; add the apples. In a saucepan, bring the heavy cream, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the brandy, 2 tablespoons butter, the vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil, whisking. Lower the heat to medium and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes; pour over the apples.

2. In a food processor, combine the flour, remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the cinnamon. Cut the remaining 1 1/2 sticks butter into 1/2-inch pieces; add to the flour mixture and pulse until coarse crumbs form; stir in the nuts.

3. Scatter the topping over the apples and bake until golden, 1 hour. Let cool for 10 minutes. Serve with the whipped cream.  (Vanilla ice cream would be great as well.)

(Photos and recipe courtesy of Rachelraymag.com.)

Linked to:
Foodie Friday
Friday Feasts

CROCK POT WEDNESDAY and Smoky Chili

 

 

Welcome to Crock Pot Wednesday.  I hope you will join me this week by linking up a favorite slow cooker recipe with Mister Linky below.

 
With the arrival of crisp autumn days and nights, many of us are preparing chili and soup these days.  This chili recipe comes from Cooking Light, one of my favorite cooking magazines.  It was listed as a staff favorite for 2009, so I knew I would have to try it.  You should as well; it is delicious with just a hint of smokiness.  It is a nice change from my more traditional chili and Hubby has given it a “thumbs up” rating.  That’s as good as it gets:)

 Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1  pound  ground pork
• 1  pound  boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3  cups  chopped onion
• 1 3/4  cups  chopped green bell pepper
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 3  tablespoons  tomato paste
• 1  cup  lager-style beer
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt, divided
• 3  tablespoons  chili powder
• 1  tablespoon  ground cumin
• 2  teaspoons  dried oregano
• 3/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 6  tomatillos, quartered
• 2  bay leaves
• 2  (14 1/2-ounce) cans plum tomatoes, undrained and chopped
• 1  (15-ounce) can no-salt-added pinto beans, drained (These can be omitted if you prefer no-bean chili.)
• 1  (7 3/4-ounce) can Mexican hot-style tomato sauce (such as El Paso) (I couldn’t locate this, so I substituted regular tomato sauce and blended it with a couple of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. )
• 1  smoked ham hock (about 8 ounces)
• 1 1/2  tablespoons  sugar
• 1/2  cup  finely chopped cilantro
• 1/2  cup  finely chopped green onions
• 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) crumbled queso fresco
• 8  lime wedges

Preparation

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add ground pork to pan; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to slightly crumble. Drain well. Transfer pork to an electric slow cooker.

2. Recoat pan with cooking spray. Add pork shoulder; cook 5 minutes or until lightly browned, turning occasionally. Transfer pork to slow cooker.

3. Recoat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and bell pepper; sauté 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in beer; cook 1 minute. Transfer onion mixture to slow cooker. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, chili powder, and next 9 ingredients (through ham hock) to slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 5 hours or until meat is tender. Remove bay leaves and ham hock; discard. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and sugar. Ladle about 1 1/3 cups chili into each of 8 bowls; top each serving with 1 tablespoon cilantro, 1 tablespoon green onions, and 1 tablespoon cheese. Serve each serving with 1 lime wedge.

Note: You can also cook the chili in a slow cooker on LOW for 8 hours. For cooking chili on the stovetop, use a total of 12 ounces beer and simmer, covered, for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the pork shoulder is tender. 

Linked to: 
Menu Plan Monday
Tasty Tuesdays
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Tuesdays at the Table
Slow Cooker Thursday