Spinach Rice Bake

I first found this recipe years ago in San Francisco A La Carte, a cookbook produced by the Junior League of San Francisco, only the dish was called Herbed Spinach Bake. The recipe I use now is an adjusted version that was submitted to Taste of Home by a reader. This cook changed some of the herbs and added nutmeg, which is a wonderful addition with the spinach. We love this dish alongside meat, poultry and fish in place of potatoes. I've served it here with Chicken Parmesan posted on 10/23/2013. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach
1 cup cooked long grain rice
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded medium cheddar cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup milk
3 tbsps. finely minced onion
2 tbsps. minced fresh parsley
2 tbsps. butter, softened
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1. Cook spinach according to pkg. directions; drain well by pressing the spinach with the back of a large spoon in a fine mesh strainer.
2. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine.
3. Transfer mixture to a greased 8 x 8-inch baking dish.
4. Cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake 20 - 25 minutes more or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Yield: 4 - 6 servings
Note: The casserole can be prepared in advance, covered and stored in the refrigerator until time to bake and serve.

Fruited Cabbage Salad

This recipe is one of those creations that comes from necessity, you know, one of those times when there is stuff in the refrigerator and you need to get dinner on the table, but don't have a clue as to what you are going to do. I didn't have whipping cream and oranges to make the Fruit and Cabbage Salad posted on 3/29/2010, but I did have some summer fruit and some Cool Whip. So, I added some nutmeg to the Cool Whip, because it is my husband's absolute favorite spice, and dressed the shredded cabbage and chopped fruits with the mixture. He liked it, and that's good enough for me. Maybe your family will, as well. The Chicken Parmesan recipe was posted on 10/23/2013 and the Spinach Rice Bake is to come soon. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 cup shredded cabbage
1/3 cup fruit such as halved grapes, sliced strawberries, chopped fresh pineapple or pineapple tidbits, or mandarin orange slices. I used a variety.
1/3 cup Cool Whip
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/3 cup miniature marshmallows, if desired

1. Combine shredded cabbage and fruit in a salad bowl.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the Cool Whip and nutmeg; stir into salad. Stir in marshmallows.

Yield: 2 servings
Note: This would be very easy to increase for a larger family; just go by your families needs.

Taco Soup

Years ago when we lived in California, my husband tasted this soup at a potluck at work. He liked the soup so much that he brought the recipe home for me to make. Like so many recipes I have, it was put in a drawer and forgotten. I came across it awhile ago and decided to give it a try. I didn't have all the ingredients on the pantry shelf so I had to make a few substitutions, but they worked. The recipe is basically a "dump" recipe. You know, the kind of recipe in which you open a can and dump it in the pot? We ate the soup without the taco chips and cheese, and because it has such good flavor it is still a delicious soup. Saves calories, as well. So easy to throw together at the end of a busy day when everyone is hungry. Blessings...

Recipe: 

1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 16 oz. can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 16 oz. can whole kernel corn, undrained
1 16 oz. can Mexican style tomatoes, undrained
1 16 oz. can tomato sauce
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 4 oz. can chopped green chilies, undrained
1 small can sliced olives, drained
1 cup beef broth
Tortilla chips, Mexican 4 cheese blend, if desired

1. In a large soup kettle, brown ground beef and onion. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Add all remaining ingredients except tortilla chips and cheese. Cook over medium heat until heated through. (I covered the pot and simmered the soup for about 20 minutes to blend the flavors).
3. Put broken tortilla chips in each soup bowl and ladle soup over. Top with cheese.

Yield: 9 1/3 cups
Note: I didn't have Mexican tomatoes, so I used plain diced canned tomatoes. I also didn't have a pkg. of taco seasoning, so I used 2 tsps. Southwest Seasoning and 1 tsp. ground cumin. I had leftover olives in the refrigerator so I sliced about 1/4 cup. All worked very well.

Easy Chicken Parmesan

This easy chicken recipe is one I made a few times, as written, and I was not happy with the end results. The crust became a soggy mess in the baking process and was all but flavorless, as a result. I decided to give frying a try in order to crisp-up the crust, and I added some garlic for more flavor. What a dramatic difference when some butter and olive oil are added to a hot skillet and the chicken is fried for about 6 minutes per side. Crispy and flavorful on the outside; moist and tender on the inside.

Here the chicken is served alongside Spinach Rice Bake and a cabbage salad I'm working on. The recipes will soon be posted. This chicken would be delicious served with pasta and a marinara or spaghetti sauce. Blessings...

Recipe: 

1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsps. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 egg, beaten to blend in a pie pan
5-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz. each)
1 tbsp. olive oil, add more if needed
1 tbsp. butter, add more if needed

1. Pound chicken breasts with a meat mallet between sheets of plastic wrap until of uniform thickness. This ensures even cooking.
2. Combine bread crumbs, cheese, and seasonings in another pie pan.
3. Heat a 12" skillet over medium heat; add butter to melt. When the butter is melted add the olive oil and stir to combine.
4. Dip chicken breasts in egg and then coat in crumbs. Add to hot skillet being careful not to crowd the pieces. Fry for 6 minutes or until a deep golden brown. Turn pieces and continue on second side for 5-6 minutes. If the chicken is browning too fast turn heat down to medium-low. I cook on a gas stove and I needed to turn the heat down because it cooks very hot.

Yield: 4-6 servings
Note: I use empty cereal bags for pounding meat. They are much sturdier and my meat mallet doesn't get clogged up with meat. Much easier clean-up and less expensive than plastic wrap.

Steamed Cabbage

This recipe is one of my favorite "go-to" recipes when I have cabbage in the frige. I read about preparing cabbage in this way in a cookbook on southern cooking; before then, I had never heard of it. This preparation is so simple and tasty. This is my version of the original created by the cookbook author. Blessings...

Recipe: 

2 cups shredded cabbage
1/2 tsp. butter
1/2 - 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
lemon-pepper seasoning

1. Steam the cabbage in a vegetable steamer basket until crisp-tender; just a few minutes. Don't overcook as the cabbage will get mushy and unappealing. Remove to a serving bowl.
2. In a small bowl, melt butter in the microwave; stir in 1/2 tsp. lemon juice. Pour the dressing over the cabbage and sprinkle with lemon-pepper seasoning. Taste and add more lemon juice and lemon-pepper seasoning a bit at a time until the desired taste.

Yield: 2 servings.
Note: This recipe is easily increased for a larger family.

Herbed Stuffed Green Peppers

I was raised on things like stuffed green peppers, only the stuffing was always ground beef. My father would not have considered ground turkey an acceptable substitute, so mom would not have given this recipe a try. In fact, I'm not sure my mom has ever cooked anything with ground turkey. So, when I came across this recipe a number of years ago, I decided to give it a try in order to compare it to the recipe I was raised on. I love having alternatives to the traditional, if they work. Ground turkey works very well and the herbs turn the traditional taste of the stuffed peppers of my childhood in a whole new direction. These peppers are low in calories and fat and high in flavor. Blessings...

Recipe:

6 medium to large green peppers, tops and seeds removed

1 lb. ground turkey

1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes with liquid

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tsps.)

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. dried thyme, crushed

1/2 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. rubbed sage

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. salt, optional

1-1/2 cups cooked rice ( I use instant brown rice)

1/3 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese

1. Traditionally the peppers are blanched in boiling water for 3 minutes, drained and rinsed in cold water. I don't do this as I hate soggy peppers. I clean the peppers, dry them and set them aside to fill.

2. In a large skillet with a nonstick finish, brown the turkey. Remove and set aside.

3. In the same skillet, combine tomato liquid, onion, celery, garlic and herbs. Simmer until vegetables are tender and the mixture has begun to thicken.

4. Stir in tomatoes, turkey and rice. Stuff into peppers and place in a baking pan.

If you don't blanch the peppers, add about 1/4 inch of water to the bottom of the pan to steam the peppers as they cook. The peppers are crisp-tender.

5. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Top each pepper with about 1 tablespoon of cheese. Return to oven for 3 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

Yield: 6 servings

267 calories

A Cup of Tea, a Warm Muffin and a Friend

When was the last time you got together with a special friend for some catching up and something yummy to eat? I must confess that the last time I did was when we went home for a vacation in July. Right now that time seems like a lifetime ago. I have a very special friend that I haven't had lunch with since February of this year and another friend that I haven't been able to connect with on the phone in weeks. We play phone tag. My point? Life gets way too busy and relationships suffer.

We brought a puppy home with us when we went on vacation. My life has been turned upside down and my clean home, is no longer. My husband and I rarely sleep through the night because of crate training, and stomach and intestinal distress. Three visits to the vet in two months; we are almost on a first name basis with her. And the bank account is sorely lacking in funds, at this time.

It seems my relationships have taken a dramatic turn away from my lady friends toward a precious female Labrador Retriever, for the time being. I long to spend time with my friends to do all the catching up, but puppy training doesn't wait and we will have a good puppy-citizen, which takes lots of time. This is also the reason that I struggle to get more than two posts done in a week. It's frustrating, but a very real part of my life for right now. I'm looking forward to the time when she is old enough to go out for walks with me, and when my time is more my own again.

Never in my life did I think I would be "parenting" again, but I am. There will be time for lunch with a friend again soon, but in the meantime, we email one another and I will continue to use the phone to stay in touch the best I can. Relationships with our friends and family are so important, and the stuff of life does tend to get in the way of our time together. Thankfully, the Lord willing, we will have another day and time to connect. We must be careful that not too much time goes by though. We simply don't get the time back. Blessings...