Almost Authentic French Cassoulet In 1 Hour

Every once in a while I like to glance at some of the pictures from my travels.  I admit, I sometimes get "sucked into" computer land and after an hour of reliving precious moments in faraway countries like Italy, Mexico or France, I'm no further in my quest to get my blog up to date with some tasty recipes for you.   Recently, I was inspired during this process when I came across the best French cassoulet picture taken in a little hamlet called Mirepoix in France.  Ah, Chez Papes, if only I could make a cassoulet that didn't take days to authenticate!

This is what I came up with, proud of it and I'm sticking to it!  Hope you try it!  It's a "one pot wonder".

French Cassoulet in 1 Hour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 Italian sausages (oops, or French)

4 bella mushrooms, sliced

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

1 (15.5 oz ) can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1tsp dried thyme

1 tsp Herb de Provence
i 1/2 cup roasted tomatoes, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, sliced

1/4 cup red wine

1/4 cup broth (I used chicken)

1/3 cup bread crumbs, seasoned can be used

In an oven proof 3 Qt pan add oil and remove sausages from their casings.  Lightly brown while cutting sausage into pieces using a wooden spoon.  Add mushrooms and onions and cook for just a few minutes.    Add the beans, spices, tomatoes, garlic and red wine.  Stir to mix well.  Put into the oven a cook uncovered for about 45 minutes.  If it starts to look dry, add the broth at this time.  Sprinkle on the breadcrumbs and continue to cook for an additional 10-15 minutes.  It should look "rustic" looking.

the original French cassoulet

Lamb Curry

Lamb curry is one of those dishes I make with leftover lamb from Sunday or a  Holiday dinner of leg of lamb.  I've made it from "fresh" cuts of lamb chops, but, somehow it always tastes better using precooked roasted leg of lamb.  This batch was made after Easter dinner, but finally found its way to the top of my posting list!  

This is much easier than it looks....give it a try!  Put it on your "favorite" list to make on those snowy nights, maybe not that 100 degree weather we're expecting soon!

Ingredients:

3 cups of preferably cooked lamb, cubed

2 Tbsp flour

2 Tbsp oil

1/4 cup white wine

1 cup chopped yellow onion

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 Tbsp curry powder

1/2 tsp each of cinnamon, coriander, salt and pepper

3 cups chicken or beef broth (I used chicken because that's what I had but beef gives it a hardier flavor.)

1/2 cup raisins

Directions

 1. Put the lamb in a medium sized bowl, add the flour and toss to coat.  In a large casserole pot, heat the oil on medium.  Add the lamb and cook until browned.  Remove from the pan.

Brown the lamb

 2.  Add the onions and brown for just a few minutes until soft.  Add the wine to de-glaze the pan (loosen the meat bits).  Throw in the curry powder, cinnamon, coriander, salt and pepper  and stir.
  

add the onions

add garlic and spices and wine

3.  Add the broth and raisins and turn up the heat to a slow boil.  Once it boils, turn the heat down to low, cover and simmer for about 40-45 minutes.  Check during the cooking process to make sure it doesn't stick to the pan.  It will thicken and the flavors will come together.  

Serve over rice.  This can be made the day before or hours before, then refrigerated.  It will be even thicker.

Prime Rib with Sweet Potato Hash

When writing a blog, I learned recently how important SEO is.  That is "search engine optimization". In a nutshell, watch what choice of words you put in the title or repeat in the body of the post.  Mostly, it can work in favor of how many hits you get.  However, I experienced a flurry of activity (hits) when my blog was definitely confused with a site that has (rhymes with corn and starts with P) no interest in food, travel or recipes, if you will.  The title of my blog post just happened to be the title of this persons blog.  Oops!  So, with this "hash" title, who knows what kind of hits it will bring!!

I had a bit of prime rib left over from Christmas dinner.  Steak, lamp or pork could also be used.  Once again, my kitchen is like a "box of chocolates"  You don't really know what you'll get!  This was pretty good though, especially if you love sweet potatoes.

Prime Rib and Sweet Potato Hash

2-3 cups of cooked, cubed prime rib

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

1-2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup of spinach

a handful of chopped fresh parsley

water or broth (if needed)

salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet or pot, on medium heat,  start to cook the potatoes in a bit of oil, stirring as you go for about 10-12 minutes.  Add the onions and cook until they are soft.  Then add the prime rib or any cooked meat.  Add a bit (maybe 1/3 cup) water or broth, spinach and parsley.  Simmer  uncovered for another 5 minutes or until the potatoes are done, adding extra liquid, if necessary.  Salt and pepper to taste.  This goes together very quickly, one of those mid-week meals.  Hearty, yet quick!

Lamb Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage is one of those vegetables that you can transform in so many ways.  I imagine my Czech ancestors were quite resourceful with cabbage as well as potatoes when it came to feeding their families.  Cabbage is inexpensive and good for you.  Why not try this.  It's easier than you think!

For this recipe I used lamb, however you can substitute beef or even pork if that's your style.  At the last minute (before going into the oven) I gave it an Italian twist by adding tomatoes and garlic.

Lamb Cabbage Rolls 

1 lb ground lamb, beef or pork

1 egg

1/4 tsp chili flakes

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 handful chopped parsley

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 tsp dried rosemary, slightly crushed

1/4 tsp salt

about 5 cabbage leaves

For the sauce

14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes (you could use fresh, this is what I had handy)

3 cloves chopped garlic

a drizzle of olive oil

For the filling, combine all ingredients, meat through salt, mixing well.  Form into log shapes about 2 1/2 inches long.  You should get 8-10 of these.

Meanwhile. gently tear off 5 cabbage leaves.  Add to a large pot of boiling water and cook for 6-8 minutes to make them limp.  This partially cooks them, plus it makes the cabbage more pliable and  easier to roll.  Drain and cool until you can handle them.  With a paring knife cut out the hard middle vein and continue to cut each leaf in half.

Have a 9x13 baking pan handy.  Place a meat "log" at the cut end of cabbage and roll up like you would a burrito, folding in the sides first and firmly rolling to the end.  Place seam side down into the baking dish.  Continue rolling.  

Pour and distribute the diced tomatoes and garlic on top.  Drizzle with olive oil and cover with foil.  Bake covered for about 1 hour.

Name That Dish! It's Giveaway Time!

What do you do with your leftovers?  Do you toss them or attempt to make something edible for a future meal?  Once in a while I have leftover Italian or chicken sausages.  You can get pretty creative with leftovers..anything goes, well, almost anything.  I do have limits.  I don't serve leftovers to guests.

For this meal, I went to the refrigerator to clean it out  (just kidding) find what I could create from 3 lonely sausages, a fennel bulb, one apple and a partial onion.  This is the result.  I'm not sure what to call this, so, if you can come up with a catchy name, you'll win the giveaway!  That easy.  Just comment with your idea..  Thanks for reading.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp butter

1 fennel bulb, cleaned, and sliced

1 apple, peeled, cored and sliced

1/4 -1/2 onion, sliced

1/4 tsp salt

a sprinkle of Herb de Provence

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 Tbsp maple syrup

2-3 precooked (leftover) sausage of your choice

1 Tbsp parsley

sprinkle of pepper

In a large skillet melt the butter with olive oil.  Add the fennel, onion,  apple and salt.   Sweat these until slightly soft but still crunchy.  Add the remaining ingredients and cook for 10 minutes on medium/low heat.  You can easily omit the meat and substitute the chicken broth for a vegetarian fare.  Enjoy..it's sweet, spicy and crunchy! 

Don't forget to comment, now, for your chance to win.  I'm limiting this giveaway to the United States, this time!

Creole Jambalaya

New Orleans has always been a place that appears fascinating in its unique way.  It's on my travel bucket list, but not in the top ten.  However, it's moving up quickly.  Why?  Because of its cuisine, a mix of seafood to make up a creole, gumbo or jambalaya.  So, what's the difference?  From what I can gather, in jambalaya the base is shrimp, ham and rice.  With Creole, the dishes refer to a cuisine derived from the French, Spanish, Indian and African influences.  Then, gumbo is a Creole dish (soup or stew) which is thickened with ocra or other thickening agents.  Are you confused yet?  At any rate, the people of Louisiana appeared to be wizards with the ingredients that were available to them.  Craw fish and alligator in the same pot?   Put it all in, add spices and simmer!

I  made my first creole jambalaya last week.  Our friends  had recently returned from a trip to New Orleans and came back bearing gifts, a cookbook called, "The best of the best of Louisiana cookbooks".  We took care of their amazing labradoodle, Lulu.  Watching this dog is a "gift" in itself.  She keeps me motivated to take my walks and also, whips my sassy spoiled cat into shape, if that's possible!




Cat: "I don't want to share your bed with you!"



Dog: "Okay, be that way...I'll sleep on your bed!  We're  color coordinated now!"

I love trying new recipes so I started with this one.  It's not as spicy as I expected it to be, so I sprinkled a bit of chili flakes on mine after serving.  Much better!  Next time I'll switch up the spices...

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp butter or margarine

3/4 c chopped onion

1/2 c chopped celery

1/4 c green or red pepper

1 Tbsp chopped parsley

1 clove garlic, minced

2 cups cooked and cubed ham

1 (28 oz) canned tomatoes, cut up and juice used

1 (10 1/2 oz) can beef broth

1 can water

1 cup long grain rice, uncooked

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 tsp dried thyme (I omitted)

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp pepper

1 1/2 lbs. raw, peeled and cleaned shrimp

Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven.  Add the onion, celery, peppers, parsley, and garlic.  Cook until tender.  Add the rest of the ingredients, except the shrimp.  Cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until the rice is tender.  Add the shrimp and simmer, again, until shrimp are cooked, about 10 minutes.   This makes 6-8 servings.   Pretty good!

Thanks, Lulu...we always enjoy watching you!  And thanks, Paul and Cathie for the cookbook!



A "love tap"




My dad's lap is off limits!



Leftover Mashed Potatoes = Shepherd's Pie

Do you ever wonder what to do with leftover mashed potatoes?  You can surely make some potato pancakes, but this recipe is so much better.  It's simply a meat pie with a mashed potato crust.  Also, known as Cottage Pie, it has many variations especially when it comes to the meat selection.  Don't feel limited by what I put in it.  Traditionally, it was made with lamb and those odd looking potatoes which were introduced to England from the "New World".  Of course, then the French , my ancestors, got a hold of the concept and sprinkled in some sweet and savory spices into their version of the meat pie.  (Recipe this Winter)

Shepherd's Pie

1/2 lb. hamburger meat

1/2 onion, chopped  See NOTES.

1 clove garlic, minced

1 peeled carrot, sliced thinly

1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup red wine or beef broth

2 cups leftover mashed potatoes

grated cheese and paprika for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  In a large skillet crumble and brown the meat.  Add the onion, garlic, carrot, mushrooms and oil.  Cook through for 10 minutes on medium heat.  Add the broth or wine and simmer for 15 minutes or less.  Meanwhile reheat the mashed potatoes in a small pan or microwave.  (so they will be spreadable)  You may need to add additional liquid, ie. milk or water to soften them up.

In a 2 qt casserole dish put the meat mixture on the bottom and spread the potatoes on top.  Garnish with cheese and paprika for color.  Cover and cook for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for 10 more minutes.  If you want a crustier finish you can broil the top for a few minutes.

NOTES: For the onion I had leftover honey glazed red onions.  In my opinion, this was the "secret ingredient"  The recipe will be one of the next posts.  It's worth it to make these onions ahead of time and serve them on sandwiches, pasta or in shepherd's pie! 

Italian Stuffed Shells - Pasta of the Month

It's that time again, pasta of the month - October.  I couldn't let the day pass without honoring my hubby with this great meal.  Happy Birthday, my man, and many more.

Creme brulee in Italy 5 years ago!

 
Truth be told this is not his birthday dinner.  It came from the archives of "not posted yet".   This amazing stuffed shells recipe is a special dish you can serve to your guests! 

  When I was a working girl, I confess, I actually had these delivered to my door from a frozen food supplier.  They were good, but not exceptionally good like homemade.  I thought these would be time consuming, but if you use prepared sauce they are relatively easy and quick.

Let's pretend I used ready made sauce from a jar.  (I didn't, but it's not a bad idea to streamline the recipe..)  Therefore, I won't give you the sauce recipe, this time...still working on the perfect marinara/bolognese sauce!  I promise, you will impress your guests as this dish comes out of the oven all cheesy and bubbly!

Ingredients:

about 3 cups of sauce (your choice) HINT: I used to saute Italian sausage and garlic to add to the store bought sauce

about 16 large pasta shells

For the filling:

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 handful chopped Italian parsley

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms

1 1/2 cup cubed eggplant

2-3 basil leaves chopped

ricotta cheese (15 oz container)

1 egg

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

For the topping:

1 handful chopped parsley

1 cup grated mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Boil water for the pasta shells, salting it as it starts to boil.  Cook them according to directions, al dente.

In a skillet, heat the oil, add onion,  mushrooms and eggplant and cook until soft.  In a bowl put the ricotta, basil,  parsley and eggplant mixture.  Add the egg and Parmesan and mix well.

Stuffed and ready to bake

Drain and cool the shells and stuff with the mixture.  In a 9x11 baking dish spread about 1/2 cup of sauce on the bottom.   Place the shells in a baking dish and  pour the remaining  sauce over the top, then add the mozzarella cheese and additional parsley.  Bake for about 25 minutes, allow to cool slightly and serve.    This dish will freeze well before the cooking process so you can make days ahead and enjoy your guests!

Cheesy and Bubbly!!  Yum!

Simple Stuffed Red Peppers

I'll be digging into my archives of recipes for the next couple of weeks.  These are meals that I've made over the course of the last year, but for some reason have not been posted.  With the advent of yet another "slim down" season, what I'm currently eating is not worthy of a post,  yet.  I'm surviving on basic rabbit food at the moment.  With some massive creative energy,  I may come up with some "keepers" I can share.    For now, enjoy this stuffed red pepper recipe from a few weeks ago.  Delicious!

Ingredients:

2 red peppers, cut in half lengthwise & cleaned

Parboil these for about 10-15 minutes, remove and place in a roasting pan.

1/2 lb. ground beef

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp onion, chopped

handful of chopped basil

1 hamburger bun in small pieces (or 2 slices of french bread will do)

3 large mushrooms, thinly sliced

salt and pepper to taste

1 large tomato, chopped or 4 canned whole peeled, cut


In a large skillet brown the meat and then add the remaining ingredients while stirring well.  Cook the filling for 15 minutes.

 Fill the red peppers with this mixture, sprinkle some Parmesan or  mozzarella on top.  Bake for about 20-25 minutes. 4 servings  

Mashed Potatoes vs Masked Cauliflower

I'm always looking for different ways  to present vegetables.  If you're  trying to figure out methods of disguising those veggies for small children or picky adults, this is your recipe.   In this house we have neither, however,  I like to experiment, so this is what I came up with as a side dish for my Chicken Paprika last night  

(Masked) Mashed Cauliflower

1 head of cauliflower, broken into small florets

5 qt pan of water

1 clove garlic, minced

pinch of salt and pepper

1/4 c milk or chicken broth

2 Tbsp butter or margarine + (optional) 1 T more for topping

3 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated


Bring water to a boil, and add the cauliflower and garlic.  Cook until soft.  Drain well and mash cauliflower.  Add salt and pepper, 1/4 c milk or chicken broth, 2 Tbsp butter or margarine and 2 Tbsp of the Parmesan cheese.  Mix and mash well and put in a glass pie plate or oven proof bowl.  Dot with butter and sprinkle remaining cheese.   Turn the broiler on low and broil until top is golden.  Serve.  You'll find that you can almost fool the eye and taste buds with this healthier alternative to potatoes. 

The Stoveman Swisschard Strata

The stove man swisschard strata almost sounds like a dance step, doesn't it? Well, a week before Christmas our gas stove decided to quit on us! Thankfully, it wasn't the stove you cook with. It ONLY supplies the heat for the house! Of course, it can't break when its 90 degrees outside. I think its factory set to break in 20 degree weather and before the Holidays!

Needless to say we did a few dance steps to get it back to working status. We found out that there aren't very many people in town to service this type of unit. The place where we purchased the stove had gone out of business. (as soon as they saw us walk out their door with the sale!) We did, however locate a very nice gentleman who offered to work on it for us. What we didn't realize was that he had never seen our kind of stove (translation: never worked on) and as he scratched his head in wonder, we were also wondering where our primary heat source would come from. I should also mention that this was a traumatic event for our cat who thinks this is her personal warming perch! After days of taking it apart, scratching his head, and replacing parts the unit fired up. For how long, we don't know!

As I was watching this unfold from the kitchen, I made this strata. Remember when I'm feeling stressed, I cook! Another great original was born from this ordeal. There is ALWAYS a bright side to everything! You just have to be looking for it....

Ingredients:

In a large bowl place

3 eggs, beaten

2/3 c milk

2 1/2 c bread cubes

Put aside for 30 minutes while you do the following.

Chop and steam 1 bunch of chard.

In a large skillet saute:

2 T oil

1/2 c onion

5 mushrooms, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 sage leaves, chopped

Add the chard and 1 cup of shredded fontina cheese. Mix well and add this to the bowl of egg/bread mixture. Mix until well blended and pour into a greased casserole dish. Add an additional 1/2 c fontina and a sprinkle of fresh nutmeg on top. Cook in the oven at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. Serve with a nice salad and dinner is served! Even better left over!

Bavarian Casserole - Schinkenknodel

Can you say Schinkenknodel? Someday I will tackle the Czech/German language, but right now I'm satisfied just to cook a little casserole with Bavarian influence. Not too long ago you would need to make your own spaetzle which is a Bavarian noodle (knodel). With all the international markets sprouting up it's nice to get the variety I never had as a child. It was always a real treat to have Grandma come over with a pot of red cabbage and sauerkraut to accompany a roast pork and dumplings! Yum. I am very fortunate to have a beautifully handwritten red cabbage recipe from Grandma that I cherish.

When I went to the International market I picked up a bag of spaetzle. I knew I would be preparing a Czech style casserole, eventually. If you've never tried spaetzle, I urge you to give it a try. It cooks very quickly like couscous or pasta and you can create different flavors to suit your style. I chose deli ham, mushrooms and onions for a base because that's what was in the refrigerator at the time. The results were surprisingly good! Great Czech comfort food and made with love and memories!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c sliced mushrooms

1/2 c onions, chopped

1/2 tsp garlic powder or fresh can be used

1 T oil

1 c cubed deli ham (1/2 inch thick)

2 tsp spicy brown mustard

1/2 tsp caraway seeds

2 T water

1 cup chopped spinach (for health)

1/4 c heavy cream or half and half

1/2 c goat cheese or Gouda might be more authentic

8 oz dry spaetzle noodles

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cook spaetzle according to directions. Meanwhile in a large skillet saute onions, mushrooms with garlic in the oil. Then add the ham, mustard, caraway seeds and water and simmer for about a minute. Add the cream and spinach. Mix well. Add the spaetzle and cheese of choice while blending the flavors. Prepare a 1qt - 2 qt baking dish. (using butter or spray) Pour mixture into the casserole pan and bake for 15 - 20 minutes, covered and 5 more minutes uncovered.