CAULIFLOWER "MASHED" POTATOES

I told you I would post easy recipes.  I told you it would be for the home cook who needs a fast dinner.  Well I don't think you can get faster or easier than this recipe.

CAULIFLOWER "MASHED" POTATOES
1 head cauliflower 1/8 skim milk Salt & pepper Paprika Cook cauliflower until fork tender. Place cauliflower (in pieces), skim milk, salt and pepper in blender. Whip until smooth. Pour cauliflower into small baking dish. Sprinkle with paprika and bake in hot oven until bubbly.

ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS -- SUMAC

A purple-red spice ground from the berries of a small Mediterranean shrub.  Adds a tart, lemony flavor to dips and dressings and goes well with meat, chicken and fish, tomato and avocado.

CHILI

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds ground chuck, browned and drained. (I often use ground turkey)
1 standard sized can of diced tomatoes
1 cup crushed tomatoes (I put the rest in a Ziploc bag and in the freezer for later use)
1 pkg. dry chili seasoning
1 can red kidney beans, rinsed
2 cups water
Salt to taste

Brown the ground chuck and drain. Add the seasoning mix, tomatoes, beans and water to the pan and stir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour (or longer). Taste and add salt if necessary. Serve topped with shredded cheese, or sour cream and avocado slices.

DEVILED EGGS

Deviled Eggs

This recipe is for 6 eggs which makes 12 deviled eggs. If you want to make 24 deviled eggs, cook 12 eggs and double the rest of the ingredients.

6 hard boiled eggs, cooled and cut in half
2 tsp. yellow mustard (you can use spicy mustard for a slightly different taste)
2 tsp. white vinegar (red wine vinegar will also work, but will change the color of the eggs a little bit)
2 T. mayonnaise (I use light, you can also use Miracle Whip if you like the taste of it)
Salt and pepper to taste.

Place the cooked yolks in a bowl with a pinch of salt (I use kosher salt) and mash with a fork until all large lumps are gone. Add vinegar, mustard and mayonnaise and stir rapidly with a fork to blend. Add a little black pepper and mix. Spoon filling into empty egg whites. Be careful not to fill them too full or you will run out of filling. You can serve as is, or sprinkle with paprika or top with olive slices for a “party” look.
　　

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, cut in pieces. Do not use liver, gizzard, or heart for soup.
1 cup chopped carrots (baby carrots or whole carrots peeled)
1 cup chopped celery
2 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
2 bay leaves
15 cups water (I have a big pot)
7 oz. dry egg noodles (I try to buy the most homemade looking I can find)

Rinse the chicken and place in large pot. If you are cooking for one or two people, and don’t have a large pot, just use one or two pieces of chicken and cover it with water. You will need to cut down the other ingredients as well, including the salt. You really can’t mess this up. Cover the chicken with the 15 cups of water, add the carrots, celery, salt, pepper and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and let cook for about 2 hours until the chicken is very tender. Remove the chicken from the pot to cool. Remove the bay leaves.

At this point in the process, I remove 5 cups of the broth and put it in a freezer container. Let it cool, and freeze it. You will be very glad to have it on a different night. Bring the remaining broth back to a boil, and stir in the noodles. Reduce to simmer and cover. The package should give you the amount of time for your particular noodles to cook (mine took 20 minutes). While the noodles are cooking, remove the chicken from the bones and skin. Cut or shred into bite size pieces. Measure 2 cups of chicken and add to the cooked noodles and broth. Add salt and pepper as needed. The remaining chicken can be placed in freezer bags and frozen, or you may refrigerate it for sandwiches the next day.

At a later date you can thaw the frozen broth, add the frozen chicken and simply place in a pan and bring to a simmer. Add a handful of rice, pasta or noodles and you have a second meal.
　
Tip:  Bay leaves are not poisonous but they do have sharp edges and can be a choking hazard. Make sure you always remove them before serving the food.

STUFFED SHELLS

Stuffed ShellsThis recipe will make 4 servings (2 shells each) and fits in a 9x9 baking dish, or small rectangular pan. If you want to make a 9x13 or larger-double the ingredients. I make a meatless version of this meal. I don’t add meat to the sauce, because so many people don’t eat meat these days. You may brown 1 pound of ground beef or turkey until done, drain and add to the sauce before putting the dish together if you want to. You can also substitute frozen cheese ravioli or tortellini for the shells if you can’t get the shells at your local store.














Ingredients:
8 Frozen Stuffed Pasta Shells (available in the freezer section of the grocery store in a bag, or sometimes in a box)
1 26 oz. (or larger) can or jar of prepared spaghetti sauce (Any brand will do, and any flavor you like will work)
12 oz. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (It also works just fine with cheddar or a blend)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. I generally spray a little Pam in my pan to make washing it easier, it isn’t necessary. Spoon a thin layer of spaghetti sauce into the bottom of the pan. Place the frozen shells (open side up) into the pan, spacing them slightly apart. Spoon the remaining spaghetti sauce over the shells, covering them completely. Cover pan tightly with foil and place in pre-heated oven for 1 hour. Remove foil and sprinkle cheese over the top, return to oven for just about 10 minutes until cheese is melted.

I like to serve this with hot bread, and a green salad. If I am taking it to someone’s home as a gift, I often just pick up a loaf of bread from the grocery bakery to take with it. I assume they can make their own salad. It is embarrassing how many people request “the recipe” for this dish. They are always surprised it was so easy to prepare.

BACON CHICKEN POTATO CASSEROLE

Who doesn’t love making a full dinner all in one dish? This casserole is packed with chicken and potatoes (and bacon), so it’s got great flavor and is really the only thing you need to fill your family up in the evening; serve it by itself or with a side salad or veggie and you’re good to go!
We love dishes that take care of multiple elements of a meal, so this casserole is perfect for that, plus it’s got a rich blend of spices that really make this chicken mouthwateringly good. Drizzle some of that leftover seasoning on to the potatoes, add some bacon, and this is seriously delicious! You can make this for dinner any day of the week, just know that you don’t have to dedicate a crazy amount of time to working in the kitchen in order to get a great meal—try this and see for yourself!

Bacon Chicken Potato Casserole

Serves 8
Ingredients

• 2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs (or breasts)
• 8 potatoes, cut into wedges
• 1 cup crispy bacon, crumbled
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400º F and lightly grease a baking dish with non-stick spray.
2. Place potatoes (in an even layer) in baking dish and season with salt and pepper.
3. Season both sides of chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper and set aside.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together garlic powder, paprika and cayenne. Take each piece of chicken and dredge it in the spice mixture.
5. Heat 2-3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown chicken on both sides.
6. Transfer to baking dish and rest chicken on top of potatoes.
7. Whisk remaining olive oil into spice mixture and mix until smooth. Then drizzle over browned chicken and potatoes. Top with crumbled bacon.
8. Place baking dish in oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until chicken is completely cooked through and potatoes are tender.
9. Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe adapted from Food