Lentil Soup

We hope all of you had a loving Valentine's week!

We had such a sweet Valentine's Day! The downside was our choice of steaks but the steak sauce from Nigella that we made could have made a pair of Nikes taste delicious! I just love her.

This week has been a real challenge with work and family demands and just plain human fatigue! Plus, I made the mistake of not planning meals so everything was hit or miss. We must have gone to the grocery store a half a dozen times and usually we go once. That's why planning is so important (and even more so if you're busy). Haven't got time to plan? You just can't afford not to! It streamlines your life, keeps you on budget, and meal prep is a joy instead of a thrown-together-at-the-last-minute fiasco!

Another confession concerns my Friday night Polynesian chicken catastophe. I thought I'd try a recipe out of one of Grandma's more obscure cookbooks. The sure sign of recipe success is the amount of wear on the cookbook. If it doesn't have dogeared corners, scribbles, recipe adjustments, and random math calculations in the corners, it wasn't one of Grandma's favorite books. This one was apparently not one of her favorites. First mistake.

Second mistake: Too much ginger.

Third mistake: Grilling with a new cast iron grill pan...inadequately seasoned

Fourth mistake: Cooking a meal when no one was even home! Why?

Those are all the mistakes I can think of at the moment. Suffice it to say I spent the better part of Friday night scrubbing my new cast iron grill pan with a nylon scrub pad. My kitchen window will testify to that. I had to scrub that on Saturday morning. Ewwww!

On Sunday when we did our weekly fridge cleaning, my dear husband cut up the Polynesian debacle and we sampled a few bites. It actually didn't taste bad chilled and I thought it might be great atop an Asian variety salad. The disaster ended up okay after all.

So that's my week. Just like everyone else, mine don't always work out as expected! Such is life!

I will admit that my lesson learned from no planning last week began with a plan this week--hearty soups will be on the menu and I might even try some bread recipes to go along with them--in the bread maker, of course.

So this week is going to be great...I just know it!

Lentil Soup

1 cup dry lentils
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cooking oil
3 cans beef broth (or 4 cups homemade)
½ can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon thyme
¼ teaspoon pepper

sea salt
1 bay leaf
½ cup carrots, chopped
½ cup celery, chopped
1 pound smoked beef sausage, sliced (opt.)

Rinse lentils thoroughly and set aside. In Dutch oven, heat oil and cook onion and garlic until tender. Stir in lentils, broth, ½ can of tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, thyme, pepper. Add bay leaf. Bring to boiling then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add carrot and celery and bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer again for 20 minutes. Add water if necessary to reach desired consistency.  Cook until lentils, carrots and celery are tender.  If using meat, stir in last and heat through. Add sea salt to taste. Pull out bay leaf before serving. 6 hearty servings.

Layered Mexican Casserole

Here's a mild but hearty "Mexican" casserole that could be spiced up if you have the palate for it. Grandpa wasn't big on spicy food and Grandma always toned things down out of respect for him. This one was a flavorful favorite though and even Grandpa liked it. It's easy, budget friendly, and the servings are generous. Served with a little cornbread and salad on the side, it's a full meal deal. You could probably go meatless on this one too and never notice a difference!

If I were to jazz it up a bit I might sprinkle some pepper Jack cheese on top instead of the cheddar, add a little more chili powder and some hot sauce. That would be all you'd need to warm up a cold winter day!

Layered Chili Casserole

1 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons butter
1 large chopped onion
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon oregano
Dash pepper
4 cups (2 1-pound cans) red beans
1 cup (8-ounce can) tomato sauce
¾ cup crushed corn chips
1/3 cup grated Cheddar cheese

Brown meat in heavy skillet; spoon into a 2-quart casserole. Melt butter in skillet. Add onion and garlic; sauté until onion is clear. Add spices, beans, tomato sauce, and corn chips. Mix thoroughly and spoon over meat. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake in 350F oven for 25-30 minutes or until heated through and bubbly. Serves 4.

Super Chili

Chili is about the most versatile soup on the planet. You can spice it up if you want it hot or keep the temperature low. With beans, meat, and peppers or without them. Thickened or not. Sky's the limit!

We've posted another chili recipe (Easy Stovetop Chili) which is very good, but this special batch was for the boys on Super Bowl Sunday and it was a hit. Matter of fact, they requested it for next year! Plus it wasn't a budget buster so all around it was a win.

If you have a big crowd, make a lot of it and keep it warm in the crockpot.

Super Chili

1/2 pound of bacon, diced

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2-1 pound ground chuck

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 bottle beer (your choice; we used Guinness)

2 cans (or one large can) tomato sauce

1 can diced tomatoes

2 cans black or red beans

2 tablespoons chili powder

salt and pepper

Cooks the bacon in a Dutch oven or large skillet. Once cooked, discard some of the bacon fat, reserving a little for cooking the onion and garlic. Saute onion, garlic, and red bell pepper then add ground chuck and cook thoroughly until no longer pink.

Pour in bottle of beer, scraping brown bits and incorporating into mix. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 5-10 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, tomatoes, beans, and chili powder. Add salt and pepper to taste and simmer for about 40 minutes. If you double the recipe, you'll need to simmer longer.  Transfer to crock pot to keep warm if serving large crowd.

Serve with Irish Soda Bread.

Stir Fry & Sauce

This week I think we're on a theme of quick and easy meals. There is no requirement of a lengthy preparation or laundry list of ingredients for a recipe to be good! Grandma would pull out her George Foreman or a plain old electric skillet to prepare some of her finest meals!

This chicken stir fry is an example of one of those fine dishes...cooked right in a skillet, not a fancy wok or anything like that. Grandma used to tell me that today's popular small appliance is tomorrow's garage sale fodder--and I know only too well how true that is! So no wok. Just a skillet.

The real secret behind a tasty stir fry is to get the freshest vegetables possible and a high quality (homemade preferred) sauce, although too much of a good thing isn't necessarily good either.  Limit the sauce, since the vegetables should be the real star of the show! 

As for the noodles, Grandma didn't use them in her stir fry but our kids love 'em so they're mandatory! 

Prefer no meat? Meatless is certainly do-able and the healthiest option of all. Use vegetable broth when making the sauce.

Modify, modify, modify to your liking, but the sauce is definitely a keeper and you can control the MSG, gluten or sodium by what goes into it. Prepare it the night before so the flavors have time to "ripen." You'll have plenty sauce for at least 2 stir fry meals. You can also use it for a regular marinade even if you're not making stir fry.

Stir Fry Sauce:

1-2 tablespoons cornstarch

¼ cup brown sugar, packed

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ tsp ground ginger

1/3 cup soy sauce (whatever variety you prefer--gluten free, MSG free, low sodium)

1/4 cup cider or white vinegar

1/3 cup water

1 cup chicken broth (use beef if you are preparing beef stir fry or vegetable if meatless)

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate overnight so the flavors are enhanced.   Mix well before using.

Grandma's Chicken Stir Fry

¼ cup canola or vegetable oil

2 large boneless chicken breasts

4 cups of fresh vegetables (broccoli, carrots, bok choy, onion, pea pods)

1-2 packages yakisoba noodles (or your preferred variety)

1 cup sauce (recipe above), divided

Prepare noodles according to package directions (they may have to be rinsed and separated).

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.

Wash chicken and pat dry. Cut into cutlets, strips, or chunks and place in bowl. Pour ½ cup sauce over chicken until oil is heated; brown chicken in heated skillet. Prepare vegetables and add to skillet with cooked chicken. Cook 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add in noodles with remaining ½ cup of sauce and stir to combine for 1-2 minutes. Stir fry is done when vegetables are heated through and have bright color.

Easy and Delicious Stovetop Chili

This recipe flies in the face of yesterday's post touting Grandma's lack of dependence upon the almighty prepared-item-in-the-can.  However, even Grandma used the canned varieties of tomatoes and beans without guilt. Sometimes she even opened up a can of corn or peas! As much as she would have loved to be the consummate farm girl that she was and go out to the garden and pick and prepare her veggies fresh, she lived in the city and urban farms had not quite taken off at that time. 

She didn't make this dish often, because Grandpa didn't care for foods that were too spicy, but when she did the wonderful smell was unmistakable. It can be made with or without the beef and still be amazing too.  This is also a great freezable item or a great dish to take to potlucks. Be sure to break out the cast iron skillet or muffin tin and make some cornbread to serve with it! Your family will sing your praises, I promise.

Easy and Delicious Stovetop Chili

1½ lbs natural lean ground beef (optional)
2 Tbsp butter
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup bell pepper, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans (do not drain)
1 (15 oz) can small red beans (do not drain)
1 (15 oz) can pork and beans
2 (14.5 oz) cans petite diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper

Brown ground beef; pour off grease or liquid. Set aside. 

In Dutch oven or heavy pan, melt butter and saute onion until golden. Add bell pepper, celery, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and chili powder. Add in browned beef and combine. Stir in canned beans, pork and beans, tomatoes, and tomato sauce, stirring until combined. Add sugar, salt and pepper. Heat to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours. 8 servings.

 

Serve with cornbread and salad for a filling and delicious meal!

NOTE: This freezes beautifully. Let cool after cooking and pour into your desired container.

Layered Spaghetti Casserole

This Layered Spaghetti Casserole is good on so many levels! Here's why:

1. It's a great use for leftovers of spaghetti sauce (like Grandma's Famous Spaghetti Sauce).

2. It's great for meal planning at least once a month, which is so important for working parents trying to live within their means but still provide meaningful meals.

3. It can be cooked with or without meat...aka cheaper and healthier.

4. It can be prepared in advance and frozen.

5. It's so easy Grandpa could put it together and feel mighty proud of himself. 

6. It's absolutely delicious and even your picky eaters will love it.

It's all about meal strategy, planning and coordination. Sounds very scientific, doesn't it? Really it's not rocket science. Just good common sense.

This casserole is delicious with a salad of greens and some great bread or rolls or better yet, how about those Parmesan Breadsticks?

Layered Spaghetti Casserole

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb natural, lean ground beef, optional
2 cups good spaghetti sauce (like Grandma's)
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small can mushrooms
Italian seasoning
Parsley
¾ pound Spaghetti noodles
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese


Preheat oven to 375F.  Begin heating the water to cook spaghetti.

Grease a deep baking dish and sprinkle 1/3 cup of the Parmesan cheese on the bottom. 

Meanwhile, cook onion in olive oil until translucent then add in minced garlic and mushrooms.  Add in ground beef, if desired, and cook until no longer pink, then drain off any grease. Stir in sauce and simmer.   Add spaghetti noodles to boiling water and cook until almost done (don't over boil because the spaghetti will cook further in the oven). Drain off all water then begin layering as follows:

½ of spaghetti noodles on top of Parmesan cheese already in casserole dish.
½ of the sauce mixture over the spaghetti noodles (don't mix in)
Sprinkle on Italian seasoning and parsley
1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese
 
Other ½ of spaghetti  noodles
Other ½ of sauce mixture
Sprinkle more Italian seasoning and parsley

Sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese on the top and cook 25 minutes in 375F oven or until cheese on top is melted.