Turkey Mushroom Stroganoff

No pictures for this recipe folks - it wasn't quite pretty enough. That, and I was lazy by the time I got home at 8pm.

The original recipe came from a recent Taste of Home magazine I received in the mail. There are always so many recipes I want to try in each issue, but then they get tossed into a pile and lost. I forget. Time moves on. But . . . this time I was determined to try one out, and that's just what this gal did.

Turkey Mushroom Stroganoff
Adapted from Taste of Home's Chicken Portobello Stroganoff

20 oz. ground turkey (Why? Because my grocery store didn't package it in 16 oz. sizes, which I found uber strange. A pound would be just fine too as that's what the original recipe used.)
12 oz. button mushrooms, cut into large chunks
1 medium onion
1 tsp. jarred garlic (the equivalent of 2 cloves)
1 c. chicken broth (I made mine with warm water & chicken bouillon)
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
Salt and pepper, to taste
8 oz. light sour cream
Hot cooked egg noodles or pasta

In a large skillet, cook the turkey, mushrooms and onions over medium-high heat until the meat is no longer pink. Add the garlic and cook a minute or so longer.

Bring the mixture to a boil. Because of the moisture from the veggies, I had quite a bit of liquid in my pan. Cook until that's mostly evaporated. Add the broth, cream, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; cook until the liquid in the pan is reduced to half or so. This took longer that I thought it would, but I forgot to time it. Just eyeball it!

Reduce the heat and stir in the sour cream. You want it to heat through once the sour cream is added, but not boil so the sour cream curdles. On my stove, I had to turn the heat completely off because it wanted to continue to boil. Work with it and see what happens - if it continues to want to bubble, just take it off the burner. Serve with the noodles or pasta, or eat as is if you're low-carbing life as I am right now. I didn't miss them at all, but I'm not a pasta/rice/noodle kind o' person. Yes, I just admitted that. Please don't throw things at me.

The verdict? Well, I don't post recipes I don't like. My thought though - it was a little bland. Buppy liked it and said that it's what stroganoff is supposed to taste like, so I guess I aced that. To be honest, I've never had stroganoff before so I had no idea what to expect. I guess I just like a little more spice in my life! Buppy liked the fact that it used ground meat; he said that if you order it at a restaurant, they often use tough cuts of meat, so this was much easier to eat. If you like stroganoff, give it a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed. Oh, and I had the leftovers for lunch today at work. I'm happy to say it reheats well. Enjoy!

Linked to Miz Helen's Country Cottage Full Plate Thursday, 4/5/12.

Chicken with Lemon-Onion Pasta

I recently snagged a copy of Cooking Light magazine from the library with the intention of reading it on my lunch break at work. Truth be told, I generally work through my lunch (my anal retentiveness and all with trying to catch up on old projects), but I managed to skim it here at home.

There are several great-looking recipes I want to try, and I already have almost all the ingredients on hand. Bonus! This is one we had for dinner earlier this week, and we both really enjoyed how light it was.

Chicken with Lemon-Onion Pasta
Adapted from Cooking Light, Oct. 2010, p. 96

2 lg. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 c. (+/-) all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp. butter, divided
1 1/2 tsp. jarred minced garlic
1/4 lg. onion, chopped
1/2 water
1 chicken bouillon cube (I prefer soup base, but this was all I had on hand)
2 Tbsp. lemon juice (I used bottled with great results)
Hot cooked pasta (I like angel hair)

Cook pasta according to directions, omitting salt & fat. Drain and keep warm.

Place chicken breasts between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap or in a large, sturdy ziplock bag. Pound flat with a heavy skillet or meat mallet.

Place flour in a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in the flour mixture, shaking to remove excess.

Heat 1Tbsp. butter in a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 (+/-) minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan and keep warm.

Melt another tablespoon of butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onion and a light sprinkle of salt; saute 4 minutes. Add water, bouillon cube and lemon juice; cook 4 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 1 Tbsp. butter. Add the pasta to the onion mixture; toss well to combine. Serve chicken over the pasta mixture.

Ok, so I definitely deviated from the original recipe. It called for leeks instead of onions, but I forgot to pick some up at the produce market and refused to pay $2.99 for 2-3 of them at the regular grocery store. Besides, anything from the garlic/onion family makes me happy, so I subbed the onion in with no problem. Also, I was lazy and didn't pound out the chicken breasts. I deeply regretted this early on when I realized that I'd have to add water to the chicken pan and cover to steam the breasts because they just weren't going to cook through without burning the outside. A nice crust formed on the outside, but I lost that when I added the water. It would have been even crazier-tasty with the crust still intact, so I don't recommend skipping the pound-out stage. Also, the original called for 4 breasts, 6 ounces each. I used 2 very large breasts, which could have easily been enough for 4 people had I pounded them out. Actually, I ate about half of the breast I'd made for myself and Buppy had the rest of mine for lunch with the leftover pasta the next day.

This recipe was pretty simple to make, and I loved how 'Spring-y' it tasted. Light and fresh from the lemon juice, and the sauce was barely there. Enough to lend flavor to the pasta, which we both thought would be bland, but it wasn't a heavy sauce that weighed me down after I was done. Next time, I think I might add some artichoke hearts when I start sauteing the onions. How delicious does that sound? Enjoy!

Sorry about the picture quality. I have my new fancy-schmancy camera but have yet to figure out exactly what type of lighting I need for the best quality shots. I'm working on it though!

Experimenting with Philly Cooking Creme

Last week, I decided to experiment with some Philadelphia Cooking Creme. Kraft First Taste sent me 2 coupons for the stuff, one for a free container and one for $1.50 off another container. I found them on sale for $2.50 each at a local grocery store, so I basically paid 50 cents for each one.

I decided I wanted to do a chicken, veggie and pasta dish, so I started off by roasting up some fresh broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms and celery. The veggies were tossed in EVOO and seasoned lightly with some Mrs. Dash Herb and Garlic seasoning. I roasted everything at 425F for about 10 minutes.

For the chicken, I pounded out 2 boneless, skinless breasts and cut them into slices. I put 2 spoonfuls of flour into a plastic bag, seasoned it with garlic salt, black pepper and dried basil and added the chicken . . . then I shook it all around. I did the Hokey-Pokey . . . Oh wait, back to the chicken. I poured a tablespoon of canola oil (give or take) into a skillet and heated it on medium-high. I cooked the chicken in 2 batches (adding more oil as necessary) and removed to a plate (with a paper towel on it to absorb any excess oil).

I cooked up about 3/4 of a box of penne rigate per the instructions on the box, then combined the chicken, roasted veggies and pasta in a large skillet. I added 3/4 of the container of Italian Herb cooking creme, stirred it all together and heated through over medium heat until everything was warmed. Note: the pasta was cooked extra al dente because I knew it would continue to cook while I heated the mixture in the skillet. I added a little stock to the pan with the cooking creme, just because I wanted to thin the mixture out a little.

Overall, this was a tasty meal. I don't think I'll purchase any more of the cooking creme though. The convenience was nice, but the calorie count isn't great. Plus, I'm confident I can make similar sauces from scratch ingredients. I might change my mind when I taste the Savory Garlic one we still have unopened in the fridge, or when I go back to work and learn to again appreciate ingredients that make speedy dinners an option.

Thanks again to Kraft First Taste for allowing me to give it a try for free!

Chorizo & Pasta

Chorizo. It's one of those things where, if you grew up on the good stuff they served in Southern Texas, all else seems to fall short later in life. I've tried several brands purchased in both Wisco and here in MD, and neither is what I'd call good. The most recent stuff was alright, but didn't add much to the dish other than heat. No real flavor whatsoever. Yes, I know what chorizo is made of and no, I don't want to actually taste that flavor, but please man, throw some spices in there! Don't be afraid. On the plus side, it wasn't as bad as some stuff I've had in the past. One in particular tasted like straight chili powder. Blecky.

Since I've had some chorizo in in the freezer for several months, I gave good ol' BC a try and put it to use in a chorizo and pasta recipe.

Chorizo and Pasta
Adapted from Betty Crocker

15 oz. chorizo, casing removed
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced Italian tomatoes, undrained
2 tsp. chicken bouillon
2 c. water
4 c. classic egg noodles

In a large non-stick skillet, cook chorizo and onion over medium-high heat for approximately 8 minutes, stirring often, until chorizo is cooked and the onion is tender. Yes, I know it's hard to tell when chorizo is cooked because it doesn't really change color at all. Pay more attention to the onion if that's the case.

Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook approximately 10 minutes, stirring occassionally, until the noodles are tender. If the consistency is too thin, continue to cook a few more minutes without the lid to reduce the sauce. Then: eat!

Verdict: This was alright, but next time I'll probably use a different meat. As I said earlier, chorizo up North just isn't really worth eating (in my opinion, that is). I also think the addition of some other veggies (corn, black beans, wilted spinach, etc.) would probably make tasty, healthy additions. It reheats well, just to let you know, as I had some for lunch today and it was still good. Enjoy!

Chicken & Artichokes with Wine Sauce

I’m a big chicken fan, and we often cook with boneless, skinless breasts because they’re relatively healthy, quick and easy. I’m also a huge fan of artichokes, although I’ll admit more so the canned version than the fresh ones [which are so much work for such little reward!] White wine you say? Heck yes, throw some in! ‘Shrooms? Couldn’t live without ‘em. This dish was obviously a no-brainer for me. Turns out, I’m a fan of it, too! Shocker!

I must admit I was a bit skeptical when I saw there were no onions or garlic. I thought to myself, “Self, who cooks like that?” However both Buppy and I were pleasantly surprised and appreciated how light it turned out.

Chicken & Artichokes with Wine Sauce
Adapted from Proceed with Caution, which she adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, Bridal Edition, page 427

¼ c. white flour
½ tsp. dried sage
Salt & pepper, to taste
3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 can sliced mushrooms
1 can artichoke hearts [in water], quartered
1 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1/3 c. dry white wine
1/3 c. chicken broth
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Freshly cooked angel hair pasta

In a shallow dish, stir together flour, sage, approx. ¼ tsp. salt [I didn’t actually measure] and approx. 1/8 tsp. freshly cracked pepper. Coat the chicken breasts in this flour mixture.

Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over med.-high heat until hot. Cook chicken in hot oil until no longer pink. The breasts I was cooking were relatively thick, even after they were pounded down slightly, and they took about 14 minutes to cook through. The original recipe recommends 8-10 minutes, so keep an eye on them and continue to temp. or cut one open to test for doneness. Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm once cooked.

In the same skillet, cook the mushrooms and artichoke hearts in hot butter over medium heat for 3 minutes or until artichokes are tender.

In a container with a lid [so you can shake all this together], mix cornstarch, wine, broth and a pinch of salt. Shake until cornstarch is dissolved, then add this mixture to the skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.

Place a chicken breast [or half of one, depending on their size] on a bed of hot angel hair pasta and top with sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Side note: The pan I used to cook everything in is raised in the center and lays flat around the outside, so thickening my sauce at the end was a challenge because only the little that stuck to the middle was thickening and the rest flowed to the outside where it wasn’t. Boo. Make sure to use a flat pan so you don’t have the same trouble.

Side note, part deux: There wasn't a lot of sauce, so don't get your hopes up. Just want to make you aware. I'm thinking next time I might double the wine/broth and add a little extra cornstarch. Or possibly not serve it over pasta, but beside a potato or other starch.

Sketti & 'Balls

Buppy really likes spaghetti. Me? I’m not much of a pasta person, although I do enjoy spaghetti sauce on toast or an English muffin [weird, I know]. I used to actually eat it cold with toast in college [even weirder, I know]. And while it seems like a hot time of year to dive in and make some sketti & ‘balls, I did it. I think I’ve only made this for Buppy one other time since I’ve known him, and that was with turkey [which was ok by him] and kale [not so ok by him]. What can I say, I was trying to add some more veggies into our diets. Didn’t really fly with him or the kids though.

Last Monday, since I had the day off, I figured I’d make homemade meatballs and jazz up some jarred sauce. It worked out well if I do say so myself, and the kids and Buppy totally devoured this. Had I not been trying to take care of him and the kids at the same time [because of his back problems], I might have been ambitious enough to make my own sauce from scratch. This, however, was a delicious stand-in.Sketti & 'Balls
Recipe by Bugaboo

Meatballs
1 lb. ground pork sausage
1 c. dried breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 egg, beaten
½ tsp. Italian seasoning

Sauce
1 tsp. olive oil
4-5 lg. mushrooms, chopped
½ lg. onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. minced jarred garlic
½ tsp. Italian seasoning
1 [26 oz.] jar spaghetti sauce [whatever brand & variety you like best]

In a large bowl, combine breadcrumbs, cheese, pepper, garlic, egg and Italian seasoning; mix well. Crumble pork over the mixture and mix again to make sure all ingredients combine completely. Roll mixture into meatballs of desired size; I made mine about 1”.

To fry the meatballs, heat a non-stick skillet over med. heat. Add meatballs to the pan but do not crowd; I had to do mine in 2 batches. These cooked for approximately 5 minutes on each side or so; we like ours a little brown on the outside, but remember they’ll finish cooking in the sauce after being fried. Once one batch is done, remove to a plate covered with a paper towel to absorb some of the grease and set to the side until needed. Repeat with the 2nd batch once it’s finished frying.

To make the sauce, I first sautéed the mushrooms, onion, Italian seasoning and garlic in the teaspoon of olive oil in a large pot over med. heat. After approximately 10-15 minutes [once the veggies have become tender], I added the jarred spaghetti sauce. At this point, I added in all my meatballs as well so that everything could simmer together and the flavors could blend; I let this simmer for about an hour or so.

I made angel hair pasta to go along with this, although you can use whatever variety of pasta you like or happen to have on hand. Or throw it on a sub roll with some cheese for a meatball sub. I’ll tell you now, I could have easily used only ½ or ¾ of the meatballs this recipe produced for the amount of sauce I had; there’s much less sauce than normal, but since Buppy and I enjoy meatballs, it’s all good. With a sprinkle of fresh Parmesan cheese, this is a great spaghetti and meatball dinner! Enjoy!

Velvet Shrimp: Quick, Healthy & Delish

I love shrimp cooked almost any way. Breaded or naked (ha ha ha, I said 'naked'), fried, baked, boiled, steamed --- you name it and I'll devour it. The only time I don't particularly care for them are when they're over cooked, but other than that, I'm all in. While we don't eat them all too often, we still like to have some on hand in case we get a craving for seafood around here. Plus, it's quick to thaw.

As a staple appetizer when I was small, my grandma would put a block of room temperature cream cheese on a plate, douse it in cocktail sauce and throw 2 cans of small salad shrimp on top. I remember looking forward to this every year during the holidays. For some reason, I've never made that particular appetizer, but talking about it is makin' my mouth water. So simple, yet so, so tasty. Funny how 3 ingredients can be such a slam dunk!

Speaking of shrimp, I just went to check to see if I'd blogged about my shrimp 'za. I could have sworn I had, but apparently that was on my old, more personal blog. I'll have to pass that recipe on soon as it is wonderful! I know some of you might feel a lil' shady about a shrimp pizza, but fear not. Stay tuned for that upcoming recipe. Back to today's post though . . .

I found this recipe in a Light & Tasty magazine from Sept. 2006. Yes, folks, that's how long I've wanted to try this blasted recipe, about 3 years. How terrible is that? Oh well, Buppy and I had the night to ourselves a week or 2 ago and decided that it was time. The original name for the recipe is 'Makeover Velvet Shrimp', as in they took it and made it healthier than the original. While they didn't show the original recipe, I'm confident it couldn't have been any better than this was. So to sum up, not only is this recipe easy and divine, it's not too bad for you either!

Velvet Shrimp
Light & Tasty, Sept. 2006

12 oz. uncooked linguine
½ c. thinly sliced green onions
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. seafood seasoning (we used Old Bay since that's what we had on hand and enjoy)
1 lb. uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 Tbsp. all purpose flour
1 ½ c. half & half cream
¾ c. shredded part-skim mozzarella

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, cook onions and garlic in butter for 1 minute. Stir in seafood seasoning; cook 1 minute longer. Add shrimp; cook for 3-4 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Remove and keep warm.
Combine flour and cream until smooth; stir into skillet, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; stir in cheese just until melted. Return shrimp to the pan and heat through. Drain linguine; top with shrimp mixture. Yields 6 servings.I hope you enjoy this as much as we did!Update: I'm submitting this to Life as Mom's ultimate recipe swap for this Thursday (1/7/10). Go check it out for more healthy meals!