Category: Recipe

Recipe

Cheesy Ground Beef Empanadas

Suzanne Strength1 Comment
My brother-in-law is from Argentina and makes these fabulous empanadas for holidays when we are together.  His are from his mother’s recipe, passed down for generations and take hours to make.  Days!
These aren’t those.
These are actually pretty simple.  They use refrigerated pie crusts and the meat only simmers for 15 minutes.  Still doggone delicious!  I found this recipe at Great Grub Delicious Treats.

Cheesy Ground Beef Empanadas

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 tsp garlic salt
  • 1 tsp Slap Ya Mama® seasoning
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp crushed red peppers
  • 1/4 tsp chili powder
  • 8 oz can tomato sauce
  • 1 Tbsp diced jalapeños
  • 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated
  • 2 boxes Pillsbury™ Refrigerated Pie Crust
  • 1 egg

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°.

  2. In a cast iron pan or large frying pan, add ground beef, chopped onions, minced garlic and cook over medium heat until ground beef is no longer pink. Drain grease and return to pan.

  3. Sprinkle with seasonings, stir.

  4. Add tomato sauce and jalapeños, stir and let simmer for 15 minutes.

  5. Unroll pie crust on a lightly flour surface. Using a 4 inch bowl, turn bowl upside down and press down to cut dough. Should be able to get 4 pieces per pie crust.

  6. Add a little water to the edges of the dough before filling to help seal.

  7. Add a small amount of shredded cheese and about a 1/4 cup of meat mixture.

  8. Fold dough over and using a fork, close up the edges by pressing to seal and place on a baking sheet.

  9. In a small bowl, whisk egg and one tablespoon of water together. Using a basting brush, brush egg wash over the top of each empanada.

  10. Bake for 15 minutes or until empanada crust is golden brown.

  11. Carefully remove from oven and enjoy.

Recipe

Checkerboard Chess Pie

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More Quarantine Recipes!  This one I found in one of my old cookbooks: “Aunt Bee’s Delightful Desserts” which I probably got at a Cracker Barrel or similar.  Believe it or not, all of the Andy Griffith Show cookbooks are awesome and have great recipes that work and I love all of the trivia about the show that is included.  Give them a try if you ever see one!

Checkerboard Chess Pie

  • 1 stick butter or margarine
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 1 tablespoon dark vinegar (I used balsamic)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pie shell, unbaked

Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs, vinegar, and vanilla.  Mix and pour into an unbaked pie shell and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.  Serves 6-8

Recipe

Salted Butter Pecans Bites

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More quarantine cooking!  This time I made it for the folks in my neighborhood who came by a block party hosted at my house with Lobster Dog and Eleven Lakes Brewery.  We all sat at a safe distance and shouted our greetings to one another!  My deal was if they showed up, I gave them treats for their desserts.  This is one I made.

Salted Butter Pecans Bites

Makes 24

Ingredients

1 cup chopped pecans
Nonstick cooking spray
12 graham crackers
1 cup packed brown sugar
3⁄4 cup (6 ounces) salted butter
2 tablespoons whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 15×10-inch rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray with cooking spray. 

2. Bake the pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan, stirring halfway through, until toasted and fragrant, about 10 to 12 minutes.

3. Arrange the graham crackers in a single layer in the prepared baking sheet, slightly overlapping the edges.

4. In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, butter, and cream. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat, and stir in the vanilla and pecans. Pour the butter mixture over the crackers, spreading to coat.

5. Bake until lightly browned and bubbly, about 10 to 11 minutes. Immediately sprinkle with salt, and slide the foil from the pan onto a wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Break into bite-sized pieces.

Cat approved!

 

 

Recipe

Lemon Meringue Pie

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I have NO idea why I keep gaining weight during this time of Quarantine!  What could it be???

On a completely unrelated note, here is a Lemon Meringue Pie I made today that is amazing.

 

Lemon Meringue Pie

  • 1 1/2 cup sugar (plus 6 Tbsp. for meringue)
  • 3 Tbsp. Cornstarch
  • 3 Tbsp. Flour
  • dash of salt
  • 1 1/2 cup hot water
  • 3 slightly beaten egg yolks (save the whites for meringue)
  • 2 Tbsp. Butter
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice
  • 9″ pie shell (I prebaked mine)
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 tsp. cream of tartar

In saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt.  Gradually add hot water, stirring constantly.  Cook and stir over hgih heat until mixture comes to boiling.  Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes.  Stir small amount of this hot mixture into the egg yolks, then add these tempered yolks to your hot mixture.  Bring back to boiling and cook 2 minutems more.  Add butter and lemon juice, mixing well.  Pour into pastry shell.  Make meringue (see below). Spread meringue over filling. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes.

Meringue

Beat 3 reserved egg whites with vanilla and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.  Gradually add 6 Tbsp. of sugar, beating until stiff peaks form and all sugar is dissolved. 

 

Recipe

Recipe: HEARTY BEEF STEW

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Winter is a great time to get out your Dutch ovens and make stew!  This one is a favorite, but the broth is thinner than I’m used to.  I’m sure it’d be easy to thicken with a bit of a cornstarch slurry if you desire!

HEARTY BEEF STEW

INGREDIENTS
2 lbs beef stew meat
4 ounces tomato paste
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 medium carrots, diced
2 medium potatoes, cut into chunks

1/4 cup frozen peas
5 cups low sodium beef broth
salt and pepper (to season)

DIRECTIONS
1. First, prepare your meat by cutting it into chunks and making sure that it’s dry so it
browns well (just use a paper towel). Season it well with salt and pepper. Heat the
butter and olive oil in a large pot, then add in the meat and cook it until it has browned
on all sides. Remove it from the pot and set it aside (you may need to cook the meat in
two batches so it browns well and the pot isn’t too crowded).
2. Cook the diced onion and minced garlic in the same pot, just until the onion softens,
then add in the tomato paste and stir it in well (I used a whisk for this part), then let
cook for a minute or two. Still stirring, add in 4 cups of the beef broth (reserve the
remaining cup for later, in case you need to thin out the stew), then add in sugar and a
dash or two of Worcestershire sauce. Stir well and return the beef and all its juices back
into the pot, then cover and reduce the heat to low and just let the stew simmer for
about an hour and a half, stirring it occasionally.
3. In the meantime, prepare your vegetables. Peel and dice your carrots and potatoes (you can omit the potatoes and instead serve the stew with mashed potatoes). After the stew has been cooking for about an hour and a half, add in the carrots, potatoes and frozen peas, and let the stew cook for another half our, or until the meat and the vegetables are soft. If the stew is getting too thick, add some more beef broth at this point too, and check the seasoning. Serve hot with some crusty white bread!

 

Recipe

Recipe: Creole Shrimp and Lobster Bisque

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I don’t get the chance to cook too many seafood dishes because I’m practically the only one in my household who actually eats seafood these days.  I decided this weekend to cook something from Paula Deen that I found in one of her magazines, JUST FOR ME!  It was actually pretty easy, all things considered, and very tasty.

Creole Shrimp and Lobster Bisque

Ingredients

  • 2 cups half and half
  • 1 teaspoon Paula Deen’s Creole Blend Seasoning
  • 1/2 lb steamed medium size peeled, deveined, steamed and chopped fresh shrimp
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1/3 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 stalks finely chopped celery
  • 1 small finely chopped white onion
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 2 steamed fresh lobster tails

Directions

Remove lobster meat from shell; coarsely chop and set aside.

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and garlic; cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in flour, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in chicken broth; cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.

Add lobster meat and shrimp. Stir in half-and-half and Creole seasoning; cook for 10 minutes, or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Serve immediately.

Recipe

Spaghetti Carbonara

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Pasta is from God.  It can’t be bad, I refuse to believe it.  Dinner the other night for us was Spaghetti Carbonara.  Delish!  I clipped the recipe from a magazine a few years ago, but found a link to it online: Spaghetti Carbonara

Spaghetti Carbonara

Ingredients

Kosher salt

12 ounces spaghetti

6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 4 ounces), plus more for topping

Freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta.
  2. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Add the spaghetti and reserved pasta cooking water to the skillet and toss to combine.
  3. Add the eggs, Parmesan, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper; toss to coat. Cook, tossing continuously to avoid scrambling the eggs, until the sauce is creamy, about 1 minute. Stir in the parsley. Serve topped with more Parmesan.
Recipe

Tex Mex Dip

Suzanne Strength1 Comment

When we lived in Osceola, Arkansas we attended the First Presbyterian Church and each Wednesday night we had a fellowship supper.  Each family brought a dish to share and we enjoyed each others company and broke bread together.  Sue Moody brought this one night and I just loved it.  She graciously shared her recipe with me over 20 years ago and I still make it often!

TEX-MEX DIP

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 medium avocados
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1⁄2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 (1 1/4 ounce) packet taco seasoning mix
  • 21 ounces commercially prepared bean dip (plain or jalapeno)
  • 1 cup green onion, chopped
  • 3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 7 ounces olives, chopped
  • 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
  • tortilla chips

DIRECTIONS

Peel, pit and mash avocadoes in medium bowl.

Add lemon juice, salt and pepper.

In separate bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, and taco seasoning.

To assemble, spread bean dip on a large, shallow platter.

Top with avocado mixture.

Put on sour cream and taco mixture.

Sprinkle wit chopped onions, tomatoes, and olives.

Cover with shredded cheese.

Recipe

Potato Casseroles

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I have a TON of potato casseroles in my recipe files.  You need them.  Perfect for taking to potlucks, always welcome at cookouts, and the perfect comfort food to take to new parents or sick loved ones.  This one is creamy and delicious and I’d even eat it with eggs and bacon the next morning.

CREAMY AUTUMN POTATOES

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1⁄2 – 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, cut in cubes
  • 1 (10 1/2 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup or (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of celery soup
  • 3 -4 cups southern style hash browns
  • 1⁄2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400°F Butter a 1 quart casserole dish. In sauce pan, sauté onion and garlic in butter over med heat until tender. Stir in cream cheese cubes and undiluted soup; cook, stirring constantly, until smooth and hot. In casserole, alternate layers of frozen potatoes and cream cheese sauce, ending with sauce layer. Cover and bake 45 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and potatoes are tender. Remove from oven and sprinkle with shredded cheese.

If you prefer a crunchier topping try these:

Potato Casserole Sargento

  • 2 pounds Hash Browns; thawed
  • 3/4 cup butter; divided (1/2 and 1/4)
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon Pepper
  • 1 can cream of chicken and mushroom soup
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
  • 16 oz. Sour cream
  • 10 oz. Cheddar cheese; grated
  • 2 cups crushed corn flakes

Mix first 8 ingredients together well, saving 1/4 cup butter. Pour into big buttered casserole dish. Top with cornflakes and drizzle with 1/4 cup melted butter reserved. Bake at 350 for one hour. Can be halved at half the cooking time.

Recipe

Recipe: Mexican Roll Ups

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Midnight snacks.  My weakness.  I like to have a little snack before I head off to bed, so I make a batch of these to keep in my fridge and grab two or three to nosh on while I wrap up my computer time.  They are pretty light so don’t make you feel all bloated if you indulge a little later in the evening.

MEXICAN ROLL UPS

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 (8 ounce) carton cream cheese (softened)
  • 1 (3 1/2 ounce) can chopped black olives
  • 1 (3 1/2 ounce) can chopped green chilies
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1 tablespoon chopped green onion
  • 1 (8 ounce) package flour tortillas

Mix all except tortillas and spread on tortillas. Cut and serve with salsa.