Chicken and Spinach Burger Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms

I had ground chicken.  I had portobello mushrooms.    A little google searching and I came up with this chicken parm-y related stuffed mushroom and I am not sad about it.  I used about 1/2 of the burger mix for these and then made 3 oz. patties out of the rest and stuck them in the freezer for mini burgers sometime later.

Chicken and Spinach Burger Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

4 large portobello mushrooms, cleaned with stems removed and gill scraped out

1 lb. ground chicken

about 5 oz. of frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1 small onion, diced finely

1 t. salt

a bit less than 1 t. pepper

1/2 t. onion powder

1/3 c. fresh parsley, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 egg

1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese

4 slices of pepper jack cheese

1 c. or so marinara or pizza sauce 

Mix together the spinach, onion, salt, pepper, onion powder, parsley, garlic, egg, and parmesan cheese in a bowl.  Add the chicken and combine.  Form four 2 1/2 oz. patties or so and form the rest into patties for the freezer for another day.  You choose the size based on what you want them for.

Put the 4 mushrooms cap-top side down on a baking tray sprayed with oil.  Roast at 450 degrees for about 10 minutes, flip them over and bake another 3 or 4 minutes.

Reduce the temperature to about 400 degrees and place a chicken patty in each mushroom cap.  Bake for about 12 or 13 minutes until internal temp on the chicken is around 165 degrees.

Then top each with a dollop of marinara or pizza sauce and a slice of cheese.  Return to the oven for about4 minutes to melt the cheese.  Then add one more light dollop of sauce and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.  Finish off for another minute or so in the oven.

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t = teaspoon

c = cup

oz = ounce

Chicken Kabob Seasoning

 Really good and simple chicken kabob seasoning here!

I served these along side of red baby potatoes, that I halved and par boiled to soften some and then tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper, granulated garlic, fresh dill and fresh parsley.  We finished them off to crisp up a bit on the flat top grill.

We also had bell peppers of assorted colors and red onion tossed in olive oil and za'atar seasoning.

Chicken Kabob Seasoning

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in desired skewer size

1 T. melted butter or olive oil (I used avocado oil)

1 t. salt

1/2 t. freshly cracked black pepper

1/2 t. garlic powder

1/2 t. paprika (I used a combo of regular and smoked paprika)

Microwave Salmon

 Microwave Salmon?!? WHAT?  No, seriously, this is awesome.  Super great flavor, super quick.  I'm 'hooked'. Hahahahaha.  Thanks, Jean, for the recipe!

Microwave Salmon

12 oz. or so salmon, skin on or off, either works

2 t. salt

2 c. lukewarm water

Seasoning of your choice (this time I used salt, lemon pepper, and dried dill)

Put the salmon in a dish with sides that can go in the microwave so it fits snuggly.  Sprinkle with your seasonings.  

Dissolve the salt in the water and pour in the salmon dish, but don't cover the salmon.  Have the top exposed.

Cover the salmon dish with a plate or loose plastic wrap.  Microwave for 4 minutes.  Then let it sit for another 4 minutes before uncovering.

Remove from the water and serve.

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oz = ounce

t = teaspoon

c = cup

Italian Seasoning

 Make your own Italian Seasoning -- don't buy it!

1 T. dried basil

1 T. dried oregano

1 T. dried thyme

1 T. dried Marjoram

2 t. dried Sage

1 T. dried Rosemary

Popovers

 Guess who got a popover pan for Christmas?  ME!  I found this recipe on the King Arthur flour website and it was duplicated on another site that said it was the 'best'.   We enjoyed them!  They are large and tasty.  

Popovers

4 eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 c. whole milk, lukewarm at 110 degrees or so

3/4 t. salt

1 1/2 c. flour (178 grams)

3 T. melted butter, slightly cooled

In a blender, combine the eggs, salt and milk.

Add the flour and blend. Then add the butter.  Blend until frothy.

Let it sit for 15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Position the oven racks so one rack is at the top setting and another is in the bottom third of the oven so there is room for the popovers to pop.

Put the popover pan on a sheet pan in the hot oven for 2 minutes.  Remove it from the oven and spray  the insides and rims of each popover pan section with nonstick spray.

Split the runny batter between the 6 popover cups.  Bake for 20 minutes, trying not to open the oven as they rise.  After 20 minutes, reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake another 10 minutes.  If the tops are getting over-browned, slip a sheet pan on the top shelf to shield the popovers from burning. 

Remove the popovers from the oven and pierce each popover with a paring knife to release steam.  Slip  them from the pan and enjoy.  

Warm is best.  These are best right out of the oven.  If you need to make in advance, you can warm them in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes or so to reheat and maybe crisp up again.

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t = teaspoon

T = tablespoon

c = cup

Pasta Fagioli

 I signed up for a recipe site geared toward a healthy eating plan for 'maturing' women recently.  I've tried some awesome stuff from them. homemademethod.com.  This one is going to be on repeat.  It is SO GOOD. This is a 6 serving recipe below.

Pasta e Fagioli

2 T. olive oil, divided

1 lb. ground beef, grass fed preferred

1 1/2 c. diced onion

2 c. diced carrots

4 stalks celery diced

3 c. kale spines removed, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 c. chicken or veggie stock

2 T. tomato paste

2 cans diced tomatoes

t t. coconut sugar

1 T. Italian seasoning

1 t. salt

1 t. pepper

1/2 c. water or more as needed

1 c. Ditalini pasta, dry (or macaroni noodles work too)

1 can kidney beans drained and rinsed

1 can cannellini beans drained and rinsed

For serving (optional):

1/2 c. parsley, fresh, roughly chopped

1/2 c. parmesan cheese, shredded

Heat 1 T. oil in a large pat over med high heat.  Add the beef and cook and break it apart until fully cooked.

Drain the fat from the pot and transfer the meat to a bowl aside.

Cook the pasta to al dente.  Drain and set aside.

Heat 1 T. oil in the same pot.  Add the onions, carrots, and celery and sauté over med high heat until tender, about 6 minutes.  Add the kale and garlic and sauté 1 minute longer.  

Add the stock, tomato past, tomatoes, sugar, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to med low.  Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are soft, 15-20 minutes.  Add water if needed.

Add the pasta and beans to the soup.  Add water if needed.  Cook until beans and pasta are hot, about 5 minutes more.

Garnish with parsley and parmesan if desired.

Lingonberry Salmon

 We try to stick to a Scandinavian theme for Christmas Dinner each year.   Lingonberry Salmon sat next to Norwegian meatballs this year.  This is based off the Quick Cured Lingonberry Salmon on northwildkitchen.com but changed a bit since we don't have fresh lingonberry readily available here.  I used a lingonberry jam instead.  It's a bit more runny than it probably should be, but it still works in a pinch.  We also did ours on the grill using cedar planks instead of baking it.  (I doubled this recipe for our crowd, but here is the single version)

Lingonberry Salmon

2 lb. salmon (We use sockeye whenever we can!)

1 T. salt

1 T. sugar

1 c. fresh or frozen lingonberries (recipe says you can sub chopped cranberries, too).  I used 1/2 c. or so of lingonberry jam in it's place

1/4 c. honey

1/4 c. whole grain mustard (I used stone ground)

1/4 c. melted butter and cooled

Place the salmon on a sheet pan, skin side down.  Combine the salt and sugar and rub it on the salmon.  Cover with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge and let it sit for an hour or so. 

Take it out and rub off with a paper towel as much of the salt and sugar mixture as you can.

In a small bowl, combine the mustard, honey, lingonberries (or jam), and the melted and cooled butter. 

If you are grilling this, transfer the salmon to the cedar planks (be sure to presoak these so they don't burn).  Spread the mustard-jam mixture over the salmon.

Grill and enjoy.

If you are baking the salmon, bake the salmon in a baking dish (without the planks of course) at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

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T = tablespoon

c = cup

lb = pound

Oven Baked Bacon Wrapped Scallops

I think I found my new favorite way to do scallops!   And if you like bacon, well, you are in luck here.  Here is what I did.  And here is what I will do again.

Bacon Wrapped Scallops

1 lb. scallops, muscle removed, rinsed and dried

Bacon strips (1/2 the number of scallops you have)

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Garlic Powder

Paprika

Prebake your bacon strips so they start to cook but are still soft.  I did mine for about 8 minutes.  Cut each strip in half the long way. I do my bacon in the oven on 400 degrees on a wire rack on a foil lined sheet pan.

Wrap each scallop in a half cooked bacon strip and secure it with a toothpick.  Trim off the bacon if it is too long.

Put the wrapped scallops on a wire rack.  I used the same one I used for the bacon.  Brush each scallop with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.  Flip the scallops over and repeat on the other side.

Bake the scallops for 15 minutes at 425 degrees.  Recommended internal temp is 115-125 degrees.  At 15 minutes, mine were mid 140's degrees and I prefer them a bit higher temp.  They were really, really nice.

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lb  = pound

Dinner Rolls

I found this recipe on thestayathomechef.com and wow.  It's the first time I've actually gotten bread dough to have that velvety feel.  Love.  This was a definite good addition to the Thanksgiving spread.  Will make again!

Dinner Rolls

2 c. whole milk

2 T. instant dry yeast (I used quick rise)

1/4 c. sugar

2 t. salt

6 T. salted butter, softened

2 large eggs

6 cups flour, divided 5 1/2 c. and 1/2 c.  (I used 600 grams and 60 grams to begin with)

1 T. salted butter melted

Microwave the milk in 30 second intervals until it reaches 100 to 110 degrees.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook, combine the warm milk, yeast, salt, softened butter, eggs and 5 1/2 c. flour.

Start on low speed.  Once the flour starts to incorporate, increase the speed to medium.  Slowly add the remaining 1/2 c. of flour until the dough pulls away from the sides.  The dough mixture should be slightly sticky and soft. The amount of flour is an estimate and you should go by feel.  I ended up using more like 1 c. or more of flour, not 1/2 cup.  

Transfer the dough to a large lightly oiled bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise until about double in size.  The recipe said this should take about 90 minutes but mine didn't take that long.  (Maybe since i used quick rise?).  My dough was so soft!!

Lightly grease a 13 x 18 baking sheet.  Punch down the dough and divide into 24 equal pieces.  (With the flour I added, mine were 69 grams.)  Place your hand into a cupping shape parallel to a clean countertop.  Place the dough ball between your palm and the countertop for approximately 30 seconds until you have a smooth round ball.

Place the rolls on the prepared baking sheet.  Cover again and rise until double in size, about an hour. (mine took less)

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 12 to 14 minutes until lightly browned.  (at least 190 degrees internal temp)

Just before they are done, brush them with the melted butter.

Let the rolls rest on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

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degrees are in Fahrenheit.

c = cup

t = teaspoon

T = tablespoon

Peanut Butter Cup 'Cookies'

Looking for a way to use up that leftover Halloween candy?  Try this with Peanut Butter Cups!!  Basic, but still attractive and delicious.

Peanut Butter Cup 'Cookies'

Whatever # of leftover peanut butter cups you are looking to get rid of

Double the amount of Ritz crackers as you have PB cups

On parchment paper or a baking mat, place a ritz cracker with a peanut butter cup on top.  Put in a 350 degree oven for 90 seconds for when the tops of the cups just start to get shiny but not melted.

Remove from the oven and top each with another ritz cracker.

Freeze the new sandwich cookies for about 15 minutes to set them up.

Peanut Butter Scones

I can't decide if I like scones or not.  Store bought ones are often too dry, while my first attempt at making them at home produced ones that were too doughy.  My local bakery does them right, so I keep trying.  This recipe from Midwest Living magazine attracted me because, PEANUT BUTTER, duh.  I upped the PB because, PEANUT BUTTER, duh. And, I added a peanut butter drizzle on top to add a bit more sweetness.  The end result is quite decent if you are looking to make a scone.  

When the scone craving hits, I would make them again, but maybe only do 1/2 batch since they are heavy and makes 12 at full-force.

Peanut Butter Scones

1 c. quick cooking rolled oats (I only had old-fashioned so I ground them a bit in the blender)

1 1/4 c. all purpose flour (160 grams)

1/2 c. whole wheat flour

2 T. packed brown sugar

1 T. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

1/3 c. peanut butter

1/4 c. cold butter

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 c. milk

1 t. vanilla

1/2 c. raisins (I didn't add these, but maybe would do dried cranberries or other berries next time?)

1/2 c. peanuts, chopped

1/4 c. toasted wheat germ

1 T. milk

2 t. packed brown sugar

Lightly grease a large baking sheet and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, flours, 2 T. brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Using a pastry cutter, cut in the peanut butter and cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Make a well in the center.

In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, 3/4 c. milk and vanilla.  Add all at once the the dry ingredients with the raisins, wheat germ, and peanuts.

Turn dough on a well floured surface.  Knead gently for 10-12 strokes or until nearly smooth.  Divide dough in half and pat each portion into a 6 inch circle.  Cut each into 6 wedges.

Place wedges 2 inches apart on prepped baking sheet.

Brush edges of wedges with 1 T. milk.  Sprinkle with 2 t. brown sugar.

Baked at 400 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until golden.  

Optional glaze drizzle

A scoop of powdered sugar and a generous spoon of peanut butter, and a bit of milk whisked together.  Add the milk in small bits so it isn't too runny.  Add more powdered sugar if you need to thicken it.

Once cooled a bit, drizzle the wedges with the glaze.

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Per magazine: 250 cal, 12 g. fat, 30 g. carbs, 3 g. fiber, 8 g. protein

Creamy Dill Salad Dressing

I planted dill among my flower pots this year and it was a very good move.  What a great summer flavor!  We've had an abundance of it so I whipped up this salad dressing to use tonight.  Amounts are estimates since I didn't measure anything. I mixed this up in a small mason jar.

Creamy Dill Salad Dressing

1/3 c. mayo

2-3 T. sour cream

1/2 t. Worcestershire sauce

a few dribbles of lemon juice

less than one clove grated garlic

salt and pepper

milk to thin it out a bit

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c = cup

T = tablespoon

t = teaspoon

Pasta Salad

Pasta Salad says summertime, am I right?  Here is a great recipe and it is really flexible where you can add or subtract ingredients or amounts you prefer.  Here is what I did this time and it was fab. This is best if it is made a couple hours ahead of time so the dressing has a chance to absorb.

Pasta Salad

16 oz. box of tri-colored rotini, cooked per package instructions

Salami, chopped or sliced 

Pepperoni, chopped or sliced (I probably had 8 oz. total with the salami and pepperoni)

1/3 c. or so red onion, diced small

large bell pepper ( I used a combo of red, orange, and yellow)

1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered

small can of sliced black olives

8 oz. pepper jack cheese, diced (could also use mozz)

3/4 t. Italian seasoning

1/2 c. grated parmesan

3 T. fresh chopped parsley (I didn't add this--I forgot!)

dressing

1/4 c. olive oil

1/4 c. vegetable oil

3 T. red wine vinegar

1 t. Dijon mustard

1 t. sugar

1/2 t. Italian seasoning

1/2 t. salt

several cracks of pepper

Whisk together and toss it with the pasta salad mixture.

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c = cup

T = tablespoon

t = teaspoon

oz = ounce

Crustless Quiche

 I made this for Easter this year since we had a small group for a change.  Repeat!!

Crustless Quiche

8 strips bacon, cooked and chopped

16 oz. bag frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (I didn't have a full bag, maybe 13 oz or so?)

6 eggs

2 oz. onion, thinly sliced

3/4 c. heavy cream

8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

3/4 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

a pinch of nutmeg

Combine all of the ingredients with a mixer.

Grease a pie plate or 8x8 glass dish.

Pour the mix in the prepared dish and spread it evenly.

Back for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Creamy Vegetable Soup

While scrolling through facebook one day, a post popped up about Dolly Parton's Stampede Soup.  Apparently, she doesn't share the recipe but there were a few copy cat versions that I found and tried my version of it.  As I was making it, it occurred to me that it is basically like the base for my Chicken Pot Pie recipe minus the chicken and the addition of an overload of heavy cream.  That's fabulous, so what could go wrong??  Pretty good, I must say.   Serve with Biscuits and it really hits the spot.

This recipe only makes about 4 servings so you won't have to worry about eating leftovers for the rest of the week.

Creamy Vegetable Soup

4 T. butter

1/4 c. flour

1 t. onion powder

1 t. garlic powder

3/4 t. pepper

3/4 t. salt

2 1/2 c. chicken broth

2 c. frozen mixed vegetables

1 c. heavy cream

Melt the butter, then add the flour and spices.  Combine and cook for a couple minutes until it's a nice golden brown.

Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and veggies and cook to simmer a few minutes.  It will thicken up a bit.  

Remove from heat and use an immersion blender to blend the veggies in to your desired consistency.

Place back on the heat and stir in the heavy cream until the soup comes back to a hot temperature.

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T = Tablespoon

t = teaspoon

c = cup

Make Ahead Egg Muffins or Mini Loaves

Here is another Christmas breakfast item I made ahead for a stress-free, delightful Christmas Morning.  

After they were baked and completely cooled, I froze them.  After thawing in the fridge for a day, I warmed them up in the oven at the same time I warmed the Hash Brown Casserole.

The original recipe was to put these in muffin tins, but I used my mini loaf pan (makes 8) so we could have servings that were a bit larger.  

The main idea here came from spendwithpennies.com

Make Ahead Eggs

10 eggs

1/4 t. pepper

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. garlic powder

1 1/2 c. ham, 8 slices of bacon, or 1/2 lb. browned sausage (I think I may have used 1 lb. sausage?)

1/2 red bell pepper, diced (I used green)

1/4 c. onion diced small

1 c. shredded cheddar, or other blend of your choosing

1/2 c. mozzarella cheese

Sauté the bell pepper and onion a bit.

Whisk the eggs, salt, and pepper.

Grease the muffin or loaf pan generously with butter.

Divide the pepper and onion mix, meat of your choosing, and cheese in each muffin or loaf.  Pour the egg mix over the cheese mix.

Bake for about 25 minutes or until set.

Let them rest a couple minutes and then run a knife around the edges to release them for the tin.

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c = cup

t = teaspoon

Jingle Juice

 Looking for a festive holiday cocktail for a crowd?  Look no further.  This recipe came from our friend Dawn and has been made several times in the neighborhood.

Jingle Juice

2 bottles red Moscato

1 bottle prosecco

1/2 c. vodka

4 c. cranberry apple juice

2 c. frozen cranberries

1/3 c. mint leaves

2 limes sliced 

In a large vessel or punch bowl, combine all the ingredients.

Hash Brown Casserole

I made this for Christmas breakfast this year and our crowd of 7 almost finished the whole dish!  I was trying to keep things manageable and stress free, so I baked this several days ahead of time and put it in the freezer after it was cool.   

There is a lot of stuff in here, so it was good to get it done early.  After thawing in the fridge for a day or two, I popped it in the oven to heat it through day-of.  A very good decision and one I would make again!  Recipe source:  chefsavvy.com

Hash Brown Casserole

30 oz. frozen shredded hash browns, thawed and patted dry

3 T. butter

1 large onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 c. flour

1 1/2 c. chicken broth

2 c. milk

1 t. Dijon mustard

1 t. Worcestershire 

1 t. Italian seasoning

1 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

2 1/2 c. shredded sharp cheddar, divided (I shredded a block of cheddar.  It melts a lot better than pre-shredded)

1 c. sour cream

1/4 c. parmesan cheese, grated

Melt butter over medium high heat and sauté the onions for a few minutes until they start to get tender.  Add the garlic and cook another minute.

Stir in the flour and cook for a minute.

Slowly whisk in the broth, milk, Dijon, Worcestershire, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.  Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes.  The idea here is to get it to thicken up a bit.

Remove from the heat and add the 2 cups of the shredded cheddar.  Whisk it until the cheese is melted.  Stir in the sour cream.

Layer the hash browns in a 9x13 casserole dish.  Pour the cheese mixture on top.  Top with the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheddar and 1/2 cup parmesan.

Bake for 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees until it is golden brown and bubbly.  Allow it to rest 10 minutes or so before serving.

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nutrition notes for 8 servings: 325 cal, 13g carbs, 13g protein, 25g fat

c = cup

t = teaspoon

T = tablespoon

Bacon Wrapped Smokies

 I'm bringing these to our neighborhood Holiday Appetizer and Cocktail Night!

Bacon Wrapped Smokies

1 lb. bacon (prob not thick cut bacon)

1 14 oz package Little Smokies weiners

1/2 c. brown sugar

pinch of cayenne

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Cut bacon in thirds.  Wrap bacon around a smokie and secure with a toothpick.

Combine the brown sugar and cayenne.

Roll each smokie in the the brown sugar mix.  

Place the smokies on the baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, flip them over and bake for another 10 minutes or until the bacon is done as you like it.

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lb = pound

oz = ounce

c = cup

Gingerbread Bars

 I saw this recipe pop up in my Facebook feed.  Everyone needs a bit of gingerbread around the holidays, right?   After I made them, I wasn't sure I was going to keep the recipe.  But, the people have spoken.  Everyone that had one loved them, so here you go.

Bars

2 1/2 c. all purpose flour

1 1/2 t. ground ginger

1 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. ground nutmeg

1/4 t. ground cloves

1/2 t. baking soda

3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened

1 c. brown sugar (I used dark)

1/3 c. unsulphured molasses

1 egg + 1 yolk

2 t. vanilla

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened

8 oz. full fat cream cheese, softened

2 - 3 c. powdered sugar

1 - 2 T. heavy cream or milk

In a bowl, combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and baking soda.  

In another bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until fluffy.  Beat in the molasses and vanilla, then add the egg and yolk until fully combined. 

Gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.

Press the dough in a greased 9x13 pan with your hands  (You may need to grease your hands to keep the 'sticking' to a minimum.)

Bake for 22-25 minutes or until the edges start to pull away from the pan and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Allow them to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

Beat the butter until light and fluffy.  Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth.  

On low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, alternating with 1 T. of heavy cream or milk.  Continue beating until the frosting reaches your desired consistency and sweetness.

Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled bars.

Top with festive sprinkles, if life leads you in that direction.

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c = cup

t = teaspoon

T = tablespoon

oz = ounce