Shepherd's Pie

The idea to use some leftover beef stew to make Shepherd's Pie = Brilliant! The stew was even better the next day because it had more time for the flavors to dance together. The addition of mashed potatoes on top - um, yes please! So, for the mashed potatoes I boiled some peeled parsnips with the potatoes. They add an extra kick to your regular run of the mill mashed taters. I also added 4 oz softened cream cheese, 1 head roasted garlic, half & half, Salt & Pepper. They were the perfect topper to this dish.

Shepherd's Pie       

Serves 2

Shepherd's Pie

ingredients

• Leftover Beef Stew
• Mashed potatoes

• Minced fresh parsley

directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375º.

2. Place the leftover stew in 2 oven proof single serving bowls. Cover each with some mashed potatoes. Place bowls on a baking sheet. Bake until the potatoes are golden brown and have a few crispy bits going on all over the top, about 30 minutes. Remove, let cool for at least 5 minutes before diving in.

Serve with some crusty bread or crescent rolls.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Pioneer Woman.

Beef Stew

Brrrrr... it's cold outside! It's a perfect time to whip up a batch of yummy beef stew. The ingredient list seems a bit long, but most of the stuff I had around the house already. I also decided to sub in mushrooms for 1/2 lb of the beef which turned out to be a great idea. The original recipe calls for a can of beer but I don't like to cook with beer much - so I just added more beef broth.

This is just the most perfect beef stew I have made. The broth was incredibly flavorful and the meat was just falling apart. I loved the addition of the mushrooms as well, in fact next time I might do less meat and more mushrooms. But really, it came out perfect the way it was. This recipe is a keeper, for sure! Check it out...

Beef Stew       

Serves 8

Beef Stew

ingredients

• 3 Tbsp EVOO
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 1/2 lbs beef stew meat
• 1 onion, diced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 oz white button mushrooms, quartered
• 4 cups + 12 oz low sodium beef broth
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt

• Freshly Cracked Black Pepper, to taste
• 4 potatoes, quartered (into bite size pieces)
• 4 carrots, roughly sliced (unpeeled)
• 2 Tbsp flour
• Minced parsley & crusty bread

directions

1. Heat the EVOO and butter over medium high heat in a large dutch oven. Season the beef with S&P. Add to the pot and let brown on one side without stirring, about 5 minutes. Toss beef around and let sear on the other side. Remove and set aside on a plate. Add the shrooms and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove and set aside on the same plate as the beef.

2. Add the onions to the hot skillet (add extra EVOO if pot seems dry) and cook for 3-5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Next, add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, paprika, sugar, S&P, beef & shrooms. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 2 hours until meat is tender.

3. Add the potatoes and carrots to the pot, stir, cover and simmer for an additional 30 minutes until veggies are tender.

4. Remove 1 cup of the cooking liquid and whisk in the flour. Pour this mixture into the stew and stir. Simmer for 10 minutes or so until the liquid has thickened up a bit. Turn off the heat and stir in the parsley.

Serve in bowls with some crusty bread for mopping.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Pioneer Woman.

Peach Whiskey Chicken

This was a lovely meal - the chicken was so tender and falling of the bone and the sauce was sweet, yet savory. I served the chicken over a bed of buttered egg noodles - yum. I don't know about you but buttered egg noodles brings me back to my childhood. My mom used to make them with baked chicken and it was so good. Anyway, the flavors in this dish are kind of hard to explain but it is rich and comforting. I added a few shakes of hot sauce to bring a tiny bit of heat to the party and it turned out great. I used chicken thighs but you can also use drumsticks if you like those better. Either way, the chicken should come out tender and flavorful.

Peach Whiskey Chicken       

Serves 2

Peach Whiskey Chicken

ingredients

• 3/4 Tbsp EVOO
• 3/4 Tbsp butter
• 4 bone in, skin on chicken thighs
• 1 onion, diced
• 1/2 cup whiskey (I used Crown)
• 1 cup BBQ sauce
• 1/4 cup peach preserves
• 3/4 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 peach, sliced (I used frozen)
• Buttered egg noodles for serving
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced
• Chopped fresh parsley

• Kosher Salt & Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

directions

1.  Preheat the oven to 300º. Heat the EVOO & Butter in a dutch oven over medium high heat. Brown the chicken on both sides until crispy and golden brown. Remove from pot and set aside on a plate.

2. Add the onions to the pot and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes until softened. Carefully pour in the whiskey and stir. Cook for 3 minutes to allow the whiskey to reduce.

3. Add the BBQ sauce, peach preserves, Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 cup water then stir to combine. Nestle the chicken into the sauce and add the peaches. Cover and place in oven for 1 1/2 hours. The chicken will be super duper tender and falling off the bone. Serve over a bed of buttered egg noodles and garnish with green onions and parsley.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Pioneer Woman.

Black Beans

I made a big ole pot of beans and used them to make this meal in addition to grilled veggie tacos, taco pizza and black bean burgers. All of the meals were fantastic and satisfying (no meat!). This dish is very colorful and pretty to look at. I mean we all eat with our eyes first so that is a big plus. You can also use canned beans but these came out just dandy for me and not difficult to make. Check it out...

Black Beans        

Serves 6-8

Black Beans over Rice with all the fixin's

ingredients

• 1 lb dried black beans
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded & diced

• 1 red bell pepper, seeded & diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded & diced
• 3 tsp Chile powder
• 3 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp kosher salt

Toppings:  Plain Greek yogurt, cilantro leaves, lime, avocados, diced bell peppers, shredded cheddar, sliced jalapenos.

directions

1. Place the beans in a large dutch oven and cover with 8 cups cold water and allow to soak overnight. Drain, Rinse and pick over, return to the dutch oven. Add the chicken broth, 2 cups water, garlic, onions, bell peppers. Bring to a boil, reduce to low and cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

2. Add the spices, stir and cover. Continue cooking for another hour. Taste and add any seasoning if needed.

Serve the beans over rice and add desired toppings.

Check out the delicious pizza I made with these beans:  Taco Pizza. 

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Pioneer Woman.

Turkey Reubens

You gotta love the flavors that come together with your traditional Reuben, but this one rocks out just as much with some Blackened sliced turkey. I tasted this turkey breast at the store this week and had to buy it, yep that good. I also got some quality Swiss Cheese to use on these and I think it does make a difference in flavor-town. The Thousand Island dressing is so simple to make it didn't make sense to go out and buy a bottle of dressing when I had all the ingredients to whip it up myself.

Turkey Reubens       

Makes 4 Sammies

Turkey Reubens

ingredients

• 8 slices Rye-Pumpernickel swirl Bread
• 2 Tbsp Dijon (eyeball it)
• 2 Tbsp Thousand Island Dressing (recipe follows)
• 1 cup sauerkraut, drained well
• 16 slices thin blackened turkey breast
• 8 slices Swiss Cheese
• Butter, pickles and chips

directions

To make 1 sandwich:
Spread some butter on the outer sides of each slice of bread. On one side add some Dijon and the other some Thousand Island dressing. Top one slice of bread with some cheese, sauerkraut and turkey. Top off with the other slice of bread. Grill in an electronic foreman grill for 3-5 minutes or in a skillet (3 minutes per side).

Serve with your favorite pickles on the side.


Thousand Island Dressing        

Makes about 1 cup

Thousand Island Dressing

ingredients

• 1 hard boiled egg, chopped
• 1/2 cup Mayo
• 1/3 cup sweet chili sauce
• 2 Tbsp each sweet pickle relish and chopped chives
• Juice of 1/2 lemon

directions

Combine all the ingredients in a jar and screw on the lid and shake until well combined. Let sit for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to dance and meld together.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Real Simple & Food Network.

Italian Sausage Soup

It's the perfect time of year to bust out some flavorful soups to warm you up! This one was really tasty and wish I had doubled the recipe. I added kale and Italian seasoning to kick it up a notch and it was a delightful addition to the other flavors going on. I also like to keep cooked pasta separate from soups as the noodle tends to drink up all the broth and then you are left with more of a stew. So I just cook up the pasta, drained it and set aside until I am ready to serve in the soup.

Italian Sausage Soup       

Serves 4

Italian Sausage Soup

ingredients

• 1/2 Tbsp EVOO
• 2 links Italian Turkey sausage, casings removed
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 Tbsp dried Italian seasoning
• 14 oz can diced tomatoes
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups bow tie pasta, cooked according until just al dente
• 2 cups (or more) green beans trimmed and washed, halved
• 2 big handfuls shredded kale
• Grated Parmesan cheese

• Kosher Salt & Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

directions

1.Heat the oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add sausage and browned and cooked through. Remove to a plate and reserve.

2. Add onion, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes to the same pot and cook for 5 minutes or so. Add the tomatoes and chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Add the kale and stir until combined. Cook for 10 minutes and add the green beans. Cook until beans are softened slightly. Season with S&P to taste. Put some noodles in a bowl and then add the soup. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese on top and crusty bread for mopping.

This one makes a great lunch the next day too!

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Cook This Not That.

Roasted Spaghetti Squash

I've been wanting to make this for some time now and finally got it into the rotation. We were both pleasantly surprised how well this meal turned out. It's so cool how it does shred up like noodles after it roasts for a bit! The texture was slightly firm and had a hint of sweetness. This turned out to be another meatless meal that left us both full and satisfied. We split one squash in half between the two of us and had a salad on the side. I used the squash itself as a bowl to serve the "noodles" in which made it fun. I added Parmesan, salt, pepper and some homemade fresh tomato sauce to the cooked squash and it was delish! Check it out...

Roasted Spaghetti Squash       

Serves 2

Spaghetti Squash

ingredients

• 1 spaghetti squash, split in half, seeds removed
• EVOO
• Parmesan cheese
• Tomato Sauce

• Kosher Salt & Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425º. Drizzle some olive oil all over the squash and rub in, season with S&P. Place squash flesh side down on a baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes until squash is tender.

2. Using a fork scrape the flesh into strands in each half of squash. Add EVOO, Parmesan, S&P, tomato sauce and toss to combine. Serve right in the squash (cool bowl,  right?)

Enjoy!

This recipe was created by Me.

Taco Pizza

We had all meatless dinners last week starting with a base of just one big 'ole pot of black beans and I have to say we didn't miss meat one bit. This is one of 4 meals we made and it was fantabulous! It was such a cinch to put together and you can use regular canned beans to make it even faster - the choice is yours! Either way, this meal is just perfect in my eyes and really pretty to eat too.

Taco Pizza       

Serves 4

Taco Pizza

 And.... the final product....

With all the fixin's!!!

ingredients

• 1 lb pizza dough
• 1 can black beans (14 oz or 2 cups)
• 1 tsp taco seasoning or mix equal parts (ground cumin, salt, pepper, garlic powder, Chile powder & ground coriander)
• 4 whole corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
• 1/2 cup canola oil for frying
• 1 cup grated extra sharp cheddar
• 1 cup grated pepper jack cheese
• Toppings: shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, diced avocado, cilantro, diced bell peppers, sliced black olives
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 3 Tbsp hot sauce

• Kosher Salt & Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

directions

1.  Heat a sauce pan over medium-low heat and add the beans with their juices and taco seasoning. Use a masher to smash the beans to a refried bean texture. Heat until no longer runny. Set aside.


2. In a cast iron skillet heat the canola oil over medium heat and fry the tortilla strips in batches until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel lined plate.


3. Preheat oven to 500º. Roll the dough out onto a baking sheet. Spread the beans and then sprinkle on both cheeses. Bake for 10 minutes until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted.

4. Sprinkle on the toppings. Mix Greek yogurt and hot sauce, adding enough hot sauce to make it pourable. Drizzle this mixture over the top of the pizza and then add tortilla strips. Serve with salsa.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Pioneer Woman.

Spinach-Artichoke Manicotti

Yummmm - this meal was so good. Not your average cheese laden manicotti either - this one was stuffed with artichokes and spinach. I used fresh sliced mozzarella to top with versus shredded to cut back on how much you use and the calories! I would certainly make this again and maybe even ahead so I have a quick weeknight meal to pop in the oven.

Spinach-Artichoke Manicotti       

Serves 4

Spinach-Artichoke Manicotti

ingredients

• 1 tbsp EVOO
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 oz jar marinated artichokes, drained
• 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed & drained
• 1 onion, minced
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 10 manicotti tubes
• 1/2 cup low fat ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup low fat cottage cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 5 oz sliced fresh mozzarella cheese

• Kosher Salt & Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

directions

1.  Preheat the oven to 350º. Heat half the EVOO in a medium pan over medium heat. Add 1/3 garlic and saute for 1 minute, add crushed red pepper (pinch), artichoke hearts & spinach. Cook stirring occasionally for 3-5 minutes. Season with S&P. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

2. Heat remaining oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add remaining garlic, onions & red pepper flakes. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 30 minutes. Season to taste with S&P. Let cool slightly.

3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the manicotti for 7 minutes. Drain and let cool on a baking sheet until you can handle them.

4. Combine the artichoke/spinach mixture with the ricotta, cottage cheese & Parmesan. Season with S&P. Stuff the manicotti tubes evenly with this mixture. Spoon half the sauce into a 9x13" baking dish. Add the manicotti and top with remaining sauce. Add slices of mozzarella on top. Bake for 35 minutes until cheese is melty and sauce is bubbly.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Cook this, not that; Skinny Comfort Food