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Mexican pizza

Posted in Easy meals, Recipes, tagged , , , on March 17, 2011| 2 Comments »

Mexican pizza casserole homemade

I’ve had a lot of people ask me for easy recipes that you can throw together without a whole lot of effort. I have quite an arsenal of these from my highly creative mother (who fed our family of 6, plus the odd guest or 2). She is a genius at coming up with simple, delicious recipes with random ingredients, and over time many have developed into family favorites. Thus, I have decided to add a new category on my blog just for these. I’ll tag these recipes (and any other ones I come up with along the way) as “Easy meals,” and if you want to look at the whole list of these easy recipes, you can just click on “Easy meals” button at the top of the page. These meals are perfect for:

  • Beginners
  • Anyone who is busy ever.

I think that pretty much covers it.

Ingredients

Now this will be fun… These recipes are in this category partly because you can make them with an assortment of ingredients. Mexican pizza is really quick to whip up if you have some of these ingredients on hand! You don’t need everything I’m listing – this is mostly to give you ideas.

  • Ingredients to make cornbread (or cornbread mix)
  • 1 can refried beans
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • Black olives, sliced
  • Shredded meat (I used chicken)
  • A handful or two of frozen corn
  • Shredded cheese
  • Sour cream
  • Salsa

You can also add green chiles, bell peppers, or whatever you want.

Directions

This is ridiculously easy, and it tastes delicious!

  1. Prepare 1 batch of cornbread and bake it spread out in the bottom of a large glass casserole dish. Leave the oven on when you take it out.
  2. Heat a small sautée pan while the cornbread is in the oven, and sautée the corn in about 1/2 tsp olive oil until some of the edges are just barely turning brown. I used chipotle-flavored olive oil, and I sprinkled a lot of black pepper on the corn as I cooked it. Set it aside. You can just use plain corn, but this extra step gives it an amazing flavor.
  3. I sautéed a chicken breast (seasoned with Cholula chili-lime seasoning) in a few drops more of the same chipotle olive oil, then I took it out and shredded it with a fork. I put it back in the sautée pan for another minute or so, so the shreds from the inside of the chicken breast can get some seasoning too.
  4. Spread the refried beans evenly across the cornbread “crust.” Sprinkle the tomato, olives, shredded chicken, corn and whatever else on top.
  5. Sprinkle cheese across the top to your desired thickness (or at least to whatever thickness you can get away with..).
  6. Bake it for about 10 minutes, or just until the cheese is fully melted.
  7. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

I grew up eating it, so it’s a comfort food for me too. This is seriously delicious. What would you put on it? I’d love to hear your variations!

Mexican pizza close-up ingredients

 

Mexican casserole side view of cornbread, beans, tomatoes and olives

 

chicken sautéed in olive oil and seasoning

 

Sautéed shredded chicken breast

 

Finished Mexican pizza with melted cheese

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White beans and spinach

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , , , , , on March 14, 2011| Leave a Comment »

wilted spinach, white beans and tomatoes

This side dish is delicious. Stephen thought it was ok, but I am a sucker for balsamic vinegar, so I loved it! It has a unique taste, so if you’re just beginning to build a relationship with plain vegetable dishes, you might want to wait a while before trying this.

Ingredients

This recipe makes 4 servings. The original recipe came from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, where it’s called “White beans & wilted spinach salad.” This dish is served warm, however, in which case I simply cannot file it into the “salad” category of my brain. Hence, the name change.

  • 1 medium onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced (use one of my favorite kitchen tools ever – it will change your life)
  • 1 Tbs olive oil (or thereabouts… of course I didn’t measure)
  • 1 can navy beans or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (I used cannellini)
  • 1 14 1/2-oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1 tsp dried thyme (I used about 1/2 tsp because I’m not a fan of thyme if it’s too strong)
  • 4 cups fresh spinach, torn (I was lazy and didn’t tear mine)
  • 2 slices turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled (this didn’t make a huge difference in the flavor… if you have some on hand, use it, but if not, don’t worry about it)
  • 4 tsp balsamic vinaigrette (you can also use red wine vinaigrette)

Directions

This seriously just takes a few minutes to put together.

  1. Sauté the onion and garlic with the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until tender (about 3 minutes).
  2. Stir in the beans.
  3. Drain the tomatoes, reserving 1/3 cup liquid. Stir in the tomatoes, reserved liquid and thyme. Cook and stir until heated through, about 2 minutes.
  4. Add the spinach and bacon, stirring about 30 seconds to wilt the spinach.
  5. Divide into bowls and drizzle each bowl with 1 tsp vinaigrette (but seriously… who’s going to measure that?). Season with salt and pepper, and serve warm.

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Cinnamon Rolls

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , , , , , on March 10, 2011| 8 Comments »

Homemade cinnamon rolls fresh out of the oven

I really wanted to make cinnamon rolls one day, but most of the recipes I found required ingredients I didn’t have on hand. I had already told Stephen of my plans, however, so there was no turning back. After a quick search, I found a recipe (with normal ingredients!) on this adorable blog called Shoplifting in a Ghost Town. Side note: Who calls them cinnamon buns? It sounds like a hot dog bun. Mustard and ketchup for breakfast, mmm-mm!

Hers was a little hard to follow, because you have to scroll all over the place to match up the ingredients with the directions. However, it’s the cutest recipe I’ve ever seen, so at least go check it out just to make you smile!

Ingredients

Surprise, surprise – I didn’t make any drastic changes! Here’s what I used:

Dough

  • 2 1/4 tsp (or 1 package) yeast
  • 1 1/4 cup warm (not hot; she says go for “baby’s bathwater” temperature) milk
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 6 Tbs butter, softened (I always use unsalted)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 Tbs vanilla extract (I use Mexican vanilla… YUM)
  • 4 1/2 cups flour

Filling

  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 Tbs ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • 2 Tbs softened butter

Icing

  • 1/2 package cream cheese, very softened (I used the “1/3 less fat” neufchatel cheese, but it ended up slightly lumpy, so it might be smoother with real cream cheese)
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 Tbs vanilla extract (or less, but I love the extra flavor)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar (I used a little less than a cup)

Directions

It’s pretty easy to make, but you need to block out some time to let it rise. I actually made the dough ahead of time, let it rise and then stuck it in the refrigerator for a few days. It lost some of its “pouf” because of it, but not much, and it still turned out perfect. I would definitely go the refrigerator route again, especially if I wanted to make the cinnamon rolls for breakfast without a huge wait.

  1. Warm the milk in a mixing bowl and pour on the yeast. Let it sit for a few minutes before stirring.
  2. Add the 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp salt, 2 Tbs vanilla, 2 eggs and 6 Tbs butter and mix.
  3. Stir in the 4 1/2 cups flour. I started with 2 cups, stirred in 2 more cups, and then added the last 1/2 cup. It should be thick enough to knead together.
  4. Heavily flour a flat surface (like a kitchen counter) and knead the dough for a few minutes until it’s smooth. Flour your hands too!
  5. Lightly grease another bowl and place the ball of dough inside. Make sure the bowl is big enough, because the dough should double in size after rising. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp dishtowel and let it rise in a warm place. I set the bowl on a stool near a space heater (but make sure it doesn’t get too hot!). It should take about 1 1/2-2 hours, or until it doubles in size.
  6. While it rises, you can mix together all the ingredients for the filling (except the butter) and set aside.
  7. When the dough has doubled in size, flour that flat surface again and place the dough on it. Roll it into a large rectangle. Some people use a rolling pin. I use a bottle of smoky olive oil. To each his own…
  8. Spread the 2 Tbs of softened butter on the dough rectangle. And by “spread,” I mean smear it around with your fingers. Cover it with the filling mixture.
  9. Roll it up long-ways and cut about every 1 1/2 inches. Place in a buttered dish (I ended up using 2 small dishes for 12 cinnamon rolls). Optional: let it sit in the pan for about 30 minutes to expand some more. I didn’t do this and they turned out great. Bake at 350° for about 40 minutes.
  10. Beat together the frosting ingredients and pour on top of the cinnamon rolls when they’re finished.
  11. Devour with your husband and sister-in-law (or whoever is in the vicinity). Leave no prisoners.

I didn’t get any pictures when I initially made the dough, but here’s what it looked like when I put it together:

Cinnamon roll dough with filling spread out

Rolled up cinnamon roll dough

Unbaked cinnamon rolls in the pan

Bowl of icing for the cinnamon rolls

Close-up of fresh homemade cinnamon roll

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The best wrap ever

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , , , on February 9, 2011| 9 Comments »

That’s what my carnivorous husband said of this vegetarian meal.

I told him what I was going to make, and he sounded very skeptical. “Where’s the meat?”

“Um… there is noneBUTITWILLBEDELICIOUSJUSTGIVEITATRY!”

He ate two.

And another for dinner.

Success.

I know, the suspense is killing you. It’s a slightly altered recipe from Better Homes and Gardens called “Portobello Wrap with White Bean-Chili Spread.”

Portobello wrap with white bean-chili spread from Better Homes and Gardens

(The photo is not mine, it’s from the Better Homes and Gardens website.)

It makes four wraps. One is enough for a meal, even for Stephen (who is not exactly a dainty eater).

Ingredients

I changed around the ingredients a little (I CAN’T HELP IT!). You can click on the picture for the original recipe, but MINE is the one for which Stephen professed his undying love, so it’s up to you…

  • 4 portobello mushroom caps
  • 1/4 cup of this mixture… I sloshed together some olive oil, white vinegar, balsamic vinegar and Italian seasoning, stirring until combined. I know this frustrates some of you to tears. I’m sorry. Maybe try 1/2 olive oil to 1/4 white vinegar and 1/4 balsamic with a heavy sprinkle of seasoning?
  • 1 19-oz can white kidney beans (cannellini), drained and rinsed
  • 2 cloves garlic (I minced mine with one of my favorite kitchen tools ever)
  • 3 Tbs olive oil
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 cups fresh spinach (I used baby spinach from a bag)
  • 1 Tbs of the confusing oil-and-vinegar mixture (separate from the rest)
  • 4 8-inch (aka large) tortillas
  • 4 oz. feta cheese (um… that’s what the recipe said. I’m not sure how much I used.)
  • A few sprinkles of shredded cheddar

Directions

If your significant other thinks a rounded meal is steak, you may field questions about the absence of meat during this process. Smile encouragingly and keep working. I have an awesome husband who has great faith in my random efforts in the kitchen, so he’s always willing to try new things.

  1. Place the mushrooms on a baking pan (with edges so it doesn’t drip) and brush both sides of each mushroom with the 1/4-cup oil-vinegar mixture. Let it sit for about 15 minutes.
  2. Blend the beans, garlic, olive oil, chili powder and salt in a blender or food processor until nearly smooth. Set aside.
  3. Toss the spinach with the remaining Tablespoon of the oil-vinegar mixture and set aside.
  4. Preheat the broiler (basically, set your oven to “broil,” which means some intense heat is only going to come out of the top heating element and not on the bottom). Move your top oven rack till it’s about 6 inches from the top of the oven. Place the pan of mushrooms on this top rack and broil about 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, take out the pan, flip the mushrooms over and put them back in for another 3 minutes. Take them out and slice them into strips.
  5. Spread some of the bean purée on a tortilla and top with mushroom slices, spinach mixture and cheese (mostly feta but with a tiny sprinkle of cheddar). Roll it up and repeat with the next tortilla. If you’re not going to eat them all at once, you can place the wraps in the refrigerator.

Side note: As I was writing this blog post, Stephen walked by and said “Oh man, those were so good!” I’m telling you – don’t knock it till you try it!

Another side note: I don’t deprive my husband of meat all the time. I’m pretty sure I ate a year’s worth of beef last week. This wrap was totally warranted.

I don’t want to mess with perfection, but I’m sure curiosity will get the better of me – I’d love to try this recipe with gouda cheese next time. Or even better, a combination of gouda and feta. Mmm.

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Potato bread with herbs

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , , on February 5, 2011| 3 Comments »

Homemade potato bread and rolls cooling on a metal rack

Be still, my heart.

I had wanted to make this bread ever since I saw it in my cookbook several months ago. It was lovingly bookmarked with an old Walmart receipt and revisited often, but I never had time to make it. I finally decided that today would be the day. And OH, IT WAS.

The scent of bread rising/baking/cooling/being devoured is one of my favorite smells in the world. I was in such bliss that I almost didn’t notice the mound of dishes left over from lunch.

One batch makes 2 loaves, and since I only have 1 loaf pan, I made dinner rolls with the other half. I’ve always been rather fond of variety.

Ingredients

This recipe comes from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. Most of the ingredients are pretty basic, so you’ll probably only need to buy the cream of potato soup.

  • 7 to 7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 packages active dry yeast
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 2 Tbs sugar
  • 2 Tbs butter
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 10.75-oz can condensed cream of potato soup
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup snipped fresh chives (I used approx. 1/8 cup dried chopped chives)
  • 1 Tbs fresh dill (I used 1 tsp dried dill. It also says you can use tarragon.)

Directions

The biggest surprise of this recipe was… I actually followed all the directions. I KNOW. It was a strange experience. But I don’t make bread very often, so I wanted to tread lightly with this one instead of blundering in with my own ideas.

  1. Combine 2 1/2 cups of the flour with the yeast in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
  2. Heat and stir milk, sugar, butter and salt in a saucepan until just warm and the butter mostly melts.
  3. Add the milk mixture to the bowl of flour along with the soup, sour cream, chives and dill (or tarragon). Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for about 30 seconds, constantly scraping the bowl, then beat on high speed for a few minutes. Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
  4. Sprinkle some flour on a clean counter and dump out the dough onto the floured surface. Flour your hands as well, and knead some more flour into the dough until it is relatively stiff, smooth and stretchy. This should take about 5-8 minutes. You may need to add a little more flour as you go.
  5. Melt 1 Tbs butter into a large bowl (or lightly grease the bowl however you prefer). Shape the dough into a ball and place it in the bowl, turning over so the whole surface of the dough is greased.
  6. Cover with a slightly damp dishtowel and let it rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes, or until it doubles in size. Some possible rising places: in an open oven set to 100°, in the laundry room on top of a warm dryer, etc. I set it on a couple of books stacked up near my space heater. Basically, it needs to be warm but not too hot.
  7. Punch down the dough once in the center. Cover and set aside for 10 minutes. During that time, grease 2 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. Or, if you’re me, grease one loaf pan and one baking sheet.
  8. Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a loaf and place in the pans. If you’re using the other half for rolls, it makes about 12 rolls (if you’re only making rolls and no loaves, it makes about 24). Divide the rolls and place them 1-2 inches apart on the greased baking sheet.
  9. Cover and let rise in a warm place 30-40 minutes or until double in size.
  10. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Bake the loaves about 25 minutes (if you made rolls, take them out at 18 minutes). If the top of the loaf starts to brown too quickly, you can cover it with tinfoil. When it’s done, it should sound hollow when you tap it.
  11. Remove the bread from the pans and let it cool on a wire rack.
  12. Devour with butter.
  13. Come back for more.

Stephen and I had a couple rolls with dinner, but I put the rest in a freezer bag and stuck them in the freezer. The loaf is in my refrigerator tempting me to cut it open and toast it with butter.

I kept forgetting to take pictures, but here are a few:

This is after the first rise. I had just divided the dough.

Bread loaf and rolls after rising once

This is after the second rise:

Loaf of bread dough after rising twice

Ready to bake:

Loaf of bread and rolls ready to bake

Fresh out of the oven and Stephen already snatched a roll:

Homemade rolls fresh out of the oven

Glorious:

Fresh homemade potato bread right out of the oven

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