Shepherd's Pie

Wednesday night dinner:
30 minutes Shepherd's Pie
Sweet & Sour Cabbage
Salad
5-minute bread pudding

I have made the shepherd's pie before and it was a big hit. Tonight (I am ashamed-I didn't take pictures) I put them in individual little ceramic dishes (in fall colors). They were quite cute. The sweet & sour cabbage my mom has made for years. And the bread pudding was a trial and error, with no error! It was fabulous! A must try!!

Shepherd's pie

2 lbs potatoes- peeled and cubed

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 1/2lbs ground beef

1 carrot- peeled and chopped

1 med onion - chopped

2 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp flour

1 c. beef broth

2 tsp Worcestershire's sauce

3/4 c. mixed frozen veggie

2 Tbsp sour cream

1 lg egg yolk

1/2 c. cream

salt, pepper and paprika to taste

1. In large pot boil potatoes in salted water until fork tender, about 12 minutes

2. While potatoes boil, heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef to pan and season with salt and pepper. Brown meat all the way through. Add carrots and onion and cook for 5 minutes.

3. In another small pan over medium heat. Melt butter, once melted add flour and whisk continuously until very light brown. Whisk in broth and Worcestershire's sauce. Cook to thicken, about 1 minute.

4. Add gravy to meat mixture. Stir in the mixed veggies.

5. Drain potatoes and pour them into a bowl. (Its best to let them cool a little). Combine sour cream, egg yolk and cream

6. Pour cream mixture into potatoes and mash until almost smooth (leave some lumps)

7. Preheat broiler to high. Fill rectangular dish (or individuals) with meat mixture.

8. Spoon potatoes over the meat and sprinkle with paprika. Broil about 6-8 minutes (keep an eye on it though it can burn quickly)

Sweet & Sour Cabbage

1 whole head red cabbage (about 2lbs)
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. white vinegar
1/4c. butter

1. Wash and remove outer leaves of cabbage. Coarsely shred (taking out white core).

2. Place in pot with water to cover and add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. Once at a boil reduce heat to medium and simmer 20 minutes.

3. Remove from heat and drain, return to pot.

4. Add brown sugar, vinegar and butter, toss until combined and butter is melted.

5. Warm through on the stove on leave on low to keep warm.

5-minute Bread Pudding

1 whole loaf cinnamon raisin bread
1/2 stick of butter at room temp or spreadable butter
1 can (14 ounce) sweetened condensed milk
1/4 c. milk
2 jiggers brandy or baileys Irish cream
Whipped cream
ground nutmeg

1. Heat griddle or large skillet over medium. Butter each slice of bread on both sides. Grill until golden brown and crispy. About 2 minutes on each side.

2. While bread grills, make the sauce: In a small saucepan, heat condensed milk over medium heat until lose and creamy, add milk and stir to blend. Remove from heat to add the brandy or baileys Irish cream.

3. Remove bread from grill and slice into bite size pieces . Pile into dessert cups (about 2 slices of bread per person). Spoon cream mixture over bread and let it soak in a little. Finish with whipped cream and sprinkle with nutmeg.

I didn't have any whipped cream so I used ice cream and it worked great! I also didn't have the brandy and just winged it with the baileys but it worked too.

~Eat up & Enjoy!

Coconut Curry Chicken

Tuesday night's dinner:
Coconut curry chicken
Rice
Green beans with almonds
Moroccan green mint tea

This was a very easy and quick dinner. All the flavors went together well and they were very subtle. My mom isn't a fan of curry and she loved this dish. The mint green tea really pulled it all together nicely and added a nice refresher. We served the chicken over the rice.

Coconut Curry Chicken

3 tsp. olive oil
12 oz. skinless, boneless chicken breast cut into 1 in cubes
1 med. onion thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
1/2-1 minced jalapeno chile
2 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1/2 tsp. curry powder
3/4 c. coconut milk
2 tbsp. cilantro chopped

1. In large skillet heat 2 tsp oil on medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken chunks with salt and black pepper. Add to skillet and cook 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer chicken to clean plate.

2. While chicken is cooking. Make your choice of rice according to directions.

3. In same skillet on medium add remaining 1 tsp of oil. Add onion and cook 3 minutes or until soft, stirring occasionally. Stir in bell pepper, jalapeno, ginger and garlic; cook another minute. Stir in curry powder; cook another minute. Stir in coconut milk making sure to scrap any browned bits from the bottom.

4. Return chicken to the skillet and cook another 3-5 minutes to heat through and slightly thicken sauce. Add cilantro and save some for garnish.

Green Bean w/ Almonds

Take a bag of frozen green beans, heat according to directions with a small pad of butter, once heated through stir in sliced almonds.

Moroccan Iced Tea

5 c. water
3 green tea bags
4 Tbsp sugar
1 c. mint leaves

1. Boil the water- once at a boil add tea bags
2. Muddle the mint leaves with the sugar
3. Let the green tea steep for 5 minutes
4. Add all ingredients into 1/2 gallon pitcher and fill remainder up with cool water

Happy eating.

~Enjoy~

Weekly Menu 1

Im back to atleast a little while. I lost my day job at a physical therapy office. So my life is back to being a house child/maid. Now with that I have made a menu for most of the week.

I will have the following recipes up after they are made so I can give my opinion.

Happy cooking!!

I'm baaaaaaack!

Hi!! I'm back for the day.
Sorry to all 3 of my followers (2 of which I usually talk to on a weekly basis). I have been occupied with my Corgi blog. :-) And that one is much easier to write spur of the moment post on my dog, while at work.
But today... today is different...today is a change of pace.

Let me just let you in on something: Caffeine aka coffee aka energy drinks, they usually do nothing for me. My step-grandmother is Cuban, every time I see her we have some Cuban coffee- You know the very strong, very sweet, in the itty bitty cups coffee. I take 3 shots of those, into the car to head home and I am out like a light bulb.
Energy drinks aka red bull just make me tired. But today I decided to try a Rock Star energy drink. First off it taste MUCH better than red bull it also sugar free and carb free (good for me). It a wild berry flavor and pink, and yummy. I am wired up!
I'm at work, bored, and my main source of entertainment is not going to be here today. Why? you ask.
Cause the office gave him a new title: Massage Therapist aka Mover aka Puppet to do whatever we want him to do.
Not fair, not fair, not fair. I need my sarcastic, side kick, that gets me though the day.
And now not only do I NOT have my side kick of the day, I am hopped up on caffeine!!!!
My eyes want to close, but they are just wired open feeling.

PS. This rock star would be VERY tasty with a splash of vodka. YUM....

Cookig Frenzy

I have been on a cooking frenzy lately, trying out all sorts of recipes (mostly on the weekends, because of my new work schedule). There will be a new posting for Shepard's Pie up probably this evening. So far that recipe and the past 2 have been from Rachel Ray's 30 minute comfort food cookbook. At the beginning I was not a fan of Rachel Ray I'm still not a huge fan, but warming up . Since starting my new job. NBC is always on in the waiting room, and at 2 o'clock the Rachel Ray show is on. I kind of want to put it on mute, but I will admit her recipes are pretty darn good, and pretty darn easy. I will soon venture to my other 500 (kidding) cookbooks soon.
Keep an eye out for the Shepard's Pie.

Apricot Chicken

Yummm.... This is a winner dish. Serve with couscous and a squash or zucchini.
::kisses finger:: cest magnific!

Apricot Chicken

3-4 Boneless chicken breast
salt and pepper to taste
1 lg onion, roughly chopped
2 tbsp cider vinegar
12-15 died pitted apricots, chopped
2 cups (or 1 14oz can) chicken broth
1 cup apricot preserve

1. Heat large skillet with a lid over medium high heat, and add olive oil to just cover the bottom.

2. Season chicken breast with salt and pepper, and add to the pan. Lightly brown chicken on both sides.

3. Add onions and cook until tender (about 5 minutes).

4. Add vinegar to the pan and let it evaporate.

5. Add apricots and broth. Lightly boil until liquid reduced by about 1/3-1/2. Stir occasionally.

6. Cover pan, reduce heat to a simmer, and let chicken continue to cook all the way through (about 15-20) minutes.

7. Serve and ENJOY!

Recipe courtesy of Rachel Ray (with minor adjustments)

Pork Chops with Golden Applesauce

Pork Chops with Golden Applesauce

Applesauce

2-3 large Golden delicious apples, chopped
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2 tsp lemon juice
2 oz raisins
1 inch fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
3 tbsp brown sugar (light or dark)
2 cups apple juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

1. Combine apples and all of the above in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.

2. Boil on high until liquid is reduced to about half. Stir occasionally.

3. Once liquid is reduced, take a smasher and lightly smash the apples leaving some chunks.

4. Turn the heat to low, put a lid on it and let it simmer until ready to serve. Keep checking to make the liquid hasn't evaporated too much.

Pork

4-6 center cut boneless pork loin
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
pinch of garlic powder
pinch of ground ginger

1. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil to the pan.

2. Season pork chops on one side. Using tongs put into skillet seasoned side down. Season the other side.

3. Brown and caramelize 2 minutes each side. The reduce heat to medium and cook the rest of the way through. (Using a pan to cover makes the cooking through easier). Occasionally turning the chops.

4. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes.

5. Top with the applesauce and enjoy!