Shepherd's Pie

I LOVE shepherd's pie.  Did I mention that I love it?  I have had it all ways - with beef, with chicken, vegetarian and most versions I really like.  And now that it is getting chilly outside I decided it was time to have this for dinner.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef (I use 93% lean)
1/2 onion - chopped
5 button mushrooms - sliced thin
1 1/2 cups frozen peas - thawed
1 can "healthy" cream of mushroom soup
2 cups mashed potatoes

Preheat the oven to 350* and spray 9" x 13" baking pan with non stick spray.  In a large skillet, brown the ground beef and onions.  Once browned (about 8 minutes), add mushrooms and cook 2-3 more minutes.  Add peas and soup, stir and pour into baking pan.  Top with mashed potatoes, spread over the meat mixture and bake 25-30 minutes (this allows the flavors to combine).  Enjoy!

Variations:
I have seen many recipes that add cheese, which would probably be delicious between the beef and the potatoes, but I was trying to keep it on the light side.  You could add any number of veggies to this (chopped up small) - particularly if you have picky children.  It would be a good way to get them to eat their daily servings ;-).

Pesto Vegetarian Lasagna

Originally I had planned on making this crockpot lasagna, got frustrated by the lack of store bought pesto here and put it off until I only had time to make it as an oven lasagna.  I did make my own pesto which until this point in time had been intimidating to me for some reason.  I followed the recipe that I have linked using the word "homemade" and found it was super easy!  I will not be intimidated anymore and when we get settled in FL I have plans to make some in advance and freeze it.

Ingredients:
1 jar of pasta sauce
1 10 oz box lasagna noodles
2 cups pesto sauce (homemade or store bought)
1 12oz bag baby spinach
8 mushrooms, sliced thin
15 oz ricotta cheese
16 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
1 diced green pepper (or red or orange, green is what I had)

Cook the lasagna noodles until al dente.  Spray 9 x 13 baking pan with non stick cooking spray.  Spoon 2 tbs pasta sauce and spread through the bottom of the pan.  Layer 4 noodles across the bottom of the pan.  Spread 1/3 of the pesto across the layer of noodles, then ricotta and add to that a layer of including 1/3 of your mushrooms, bell peppers and spinach (you may choose to chop your spinach, but I prefer the leaves whole), cover with sauce and mozzarella cheese.  Continue with 2 more layers of noodles, pesto, ricotta, vegetables sauce and cheese.  The 4th layer should be noodles, sauce and mozzarella cheese only.  Bake for 40 minutes or until bubbly and the cheese starts to brown.

I would consider adding a variety of vegetables next time I make this, as I just used what I already had, but never again will I make lasagna without pesto!

Tomato Garbanzo Curry

One of these days I will remember to take pictures - I promise!!  I just get so excited for the food I forget to animate the posts :-).

I found the following recipe in a magazine at some point, I think of the Sunset recipe collections they put out a couple times a year.  It has become a staple in our house since we always have the ingredients on hand and I don't even refer to the recipe anymore.  I always make double since the leftovers are as good, if not better than the original dish.  I L.O.V.E. this recipe and would venture to guess it is one of Ben's favorites too.  I think he has even requested it on a few occasions.

Ingredients:
2 cans garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)
2 cans petite cut, diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
1 yellow onion, diced small
2 tsp cumin
1 tbs curry powder (less or more depending on your tastes)
oil for pan
Cooked rice of your preference
Plain yogurt

Directions:
Heat pan and add oil.  Once hot saute onion for 3 minutes.  Add garlic and saute one more minute.  Add cumin and curry, saute for one minute (you should start to smell the fragrance being released from the spices). Add garbanzo beans and tomatoes, stew for 10-15 minutes, lid on to prevent from drying.

Serve over rice and add yogurt on the side.  I am always sad not to have the yogurt in the event I have forgotten to pick it up, especially if I have made it a little spicy, so don't forget!!

Slow Cooker French Dip

Who doesn't love a slow cook recipe?  You put it in, go about your day and have a great meal to show for it at dinner time!  I will be the first to admit that I find some slow cook meals to be bland and boring, so I have made a concerted effort to find recipes that don't bore my taste buds to death.  I got this one from the dinner spinner by Allrecipes and it is sure to please!

• 4 pounds rump roast
• 1 (10.5 ounce) can beef broth
• 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed French onion soup
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer
• 6 French rolls
• 2 tablespoons butter

Directions

1. Trim excess fat from the rump roast, and place in a slow cooker. Add the beef broth, onion soup and beer. Cook on Low setting for 7 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. Split French rolls, and spread with butter. Bake 10 minutes, or until heated through.
4. Slice the meat on the diagonal, and place on the rolls. Serve the sauce for dipping.

Disclaimer:

To be honest, I am really bad at skimming directions and picked up powdered French Onion Soup mix instead of the condensed.  I still found it to be delicious! 

Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

My friend Jill loves orange chicken. I found a recipe on "A Year of Slow Cooking" and decided we need to give it a go. The overall consensus was that it needs to be spicy to be extra delicious, but I was hoping a toddler would be eating some of it so we went no spice. I will be adding some thai chili paste to the sauce next time, as the toddler was not interested in anything but the rice. However, there aren't any leftovers which I always take as a good sign. And I was looking forward to leftovers too, darn it!

1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken, cut in 2-inch chunks
1/2 cup flour (I used Pamela's Baking Mix)
olive oil, for browning the chicken
1 teaspoon salt
6 ounces (1/2 can) frozen no pulp orange juice concentrate, thawed
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons ketchup

Dredge the chicken pieces with the flour, and shake off the excess. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on the stove and brown the chicken on all sides. You are not trying to cook the chicken, just sear it so the flour breading sticks once the sauce is folded into the chicken.

Put the chicken pieces into your slow cooker. In a small mixing bowl, combine the orange juice concentrate, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt, and ketchup. Taste. If you'd like the chicken to be a bit sweeter, add a touch more sugar. Pour sauce mixture evenly over the chicken, and toss gingerly to coat.

Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for 3 to 4. Serve over white or brown rice.

Chicken and Mushrooms

• I discovered this recipe thanks to the AllRecipes.com dinner spinner - yum!
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• 3 cups sliced mushrooms
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 6 ounces mozzarella cheese, sliced
• 3/4 cup chicken broth

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place half of the mushrooms in a 9x13 inch pan. Dip chicken into beaten eggs, then roll in bread crumbs.
3. In skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Brown both sides of chicken in skillet. Place chicken on top of mushrooms, arrange remaining mushrooms on chicken, and top with mozzarella cheese. Add chicken broth to pan.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

I serve this over fettucini noodles (or any pasta noodles) that have been cooked in chicken broth. This reheats well, so make extra for lunch the next day.

Mexican Bean Pie

I LOVE beans, Reid loves beans and I am pretty sure Ben loves beans. I have made this dish, or some version of it a couple of times in the last month. The leftovers go great with eggs and salsa for breakfast or any other time of day really, it reheats well. I got it from the Allrecipes.com recipe spinner for the iPod and made a few changes. I will include the original recipe and show some adaptations I made.  I tagged it gluten free in the event you use corn tortillas.

• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, drained
• 1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
• 1 (2 ounce) can sliced black olives (you can do without the olives if you are not a fan, they do not make or break this dish)
• 1/2 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (I set aside a small portion un-spiced for Reid and made him his own little pie - it you have little ones leave it out and just spice your portion up with salsa)
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• ground black pepper to taste
• 5 (10 inch) whole wheat tortillas (I used corn tortillas and layered them a few per layer)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (I used a fine grater and only use about 1 cup of cheese - only because we get enough cheese fat in our diet elsewhere ;-)
• 1/2 cup salsa (optional)
• 1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
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1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 10 inch round cake pan or springform pan.
2. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, mix black beans, pinto beans, refried beans, olives, corn, bell pepper, and jalapeno pepper. Season with cumin, chili power, and black pepper. Cook and stir until thickened, about 10 minutes.
3. Lay one tortilla flat on the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Spread 1/4 of the bean mixture on the tortilla. Sprinkle 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese lightly over the bean mixture. Repeat layering, ending with a tortilla. Top with remaining Cheddar cheese.
4. Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Serve with salsa and sour cream for garnish. (I also garnish with avocado, because we LOVE avocado)