Fifth Army Tuna Salad

This recipe is a family favorite and makes enough to feed an army!  I love this on summer days for an easy lunch.

Fifth Army Tuna Salad

1 small onion, chopped

1 bunch celery, chopped

12 oz ring pasta

12 oz Miracle Whip

10 oz canned tuna in water 

Boil pasta, drain, and rinse with cold water.  In a large bowl, mix onion, celery, pasta, Miracle Whip, and tuna.  Refrigerate until cold.

Beef Stew Calzones

Beef Stew Calzones

1 pound thin, boneless sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch cubes

3 tablespoons flour

Salt and pepper

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

16 baby carrots (about 4 ounces), cut into thirds

1 rib celery, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 onion, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 cup red wine

1 cup beef broth

1/4 cup canned diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon dried italian seasoning

1 yellow-fleshed potato (about 1/2 pound), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 1/2 pound refrigerated pizza dough

In a large bowl, toss the steak with the flour; season with salt and pepper. 

In a medium dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the steak and cook, turning, until browned, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate. Add the carrots, celery and onion to the pot and cook for 3 minutes. Return the steak to the pot, add the wine and cook, stirring up the browned bits, until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Stir in the beef broth, tomatoes, Italian seasoning and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Stir in the potato and cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside to cool, about 15 minutes; coarsely shred the meat.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 475°. Divide the pizza dough into 4 pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time, roll out the dough to a 7-inch round. Arrange one-quarter of the beef stew on one side of the dough round. Lightly brush the edges of the dough with water and fold to enclose, crimping the edges to seal. Repeat with the remaining dough and stew.

Transfer the calzones to a flour-dusted rimmed baking sheet and bake until puffed and browned, 15 to 20 minutes.

Scalloped Corn

This recipe is so simple, but amazingly delicious.  Every time I make this, everyone just raves about it.  It's so easy that you really can't pass up trying it - and I guarantee it will make an annual appearance at your Thanksgiving table!  I will tell you, my mother advises and I've experienced, how critical it is to use high-quality creamed corn and name brand Saltines.  Buy the regular kind, not the low sodium ones.  The difference it worth the extra dollar or two!

Scalloped Corn

2 cans cream style corn

2 eggs

6 tablespoons milk

24 Saltine crackers (crushed)

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Dash salt

2 pads butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix ingredients together and top with pads of butter on top.

Bake for 1/2 hour. 

Chicken Kelly

This is by no means a super healthy recipe, but incredibly delicious and certainly better than eating fast-food for dinner!  This is seriously one of my favorite recipes and perfect on a cold evening when you're in the mood for something rich and filling!  This is a real crowd pleaser!

Chicken Kelly

3 boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces

2 eggs

2 cups bread crumbs

2 tablespoon parsley flakes

2 teaspoon garlic powder (divided)

Canola Oil

3/4 lbs fresh mushrooms, sliced

6 oz muenster cheese

2 chicken bouillon cubes

1 cup water

Marinate chicken bits in beaten egg and 1 teaspoon garlic powder for at least 2 hours.  Mix bread crumbs, the rest of the garlic powder, and parsley flakes together in a bag.  Add chicken and shake until chicken is thoroughly coated. 

Brown chicken in oil and drain on paper towels.  

Add chicken to a covered pan or casserole dish.  Layer mushrooms and cover with cheese.  Add chicken bouillon to 1 cup of water and pour over casserole.

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Serve over rice.

Tex-Mex Lasagna

Tex-Mex Lasagna

From Cooking with Paula Dean, Sept/Oct 2006

2 cups chopped cooked chicken

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1 (15.25-ounce) can corn, drained

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chilies, drained

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

teaspoon salt

1 (16-ounce) container sour cream

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

6 oven-ready lasagna noodles

1 (8-ounce) package Monterey Jack cheese with peppers, grated

1/2 (4-ounce) package Cheddar cheese, grated

In a Dutch oven, combine chicken and next 12 ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and cream cheese.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 13x9-inch baking dish.

Spoon one-third of sauce into prepared dish. Top with 3 uncooked lasagna noodles. Spread one-half of sour cream mixture over noodles, top with one-third sauce. Sprinkle with half of cheeses. Repeat layers. Bake 35 to 45 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Mock Vegetable Risotto

This recipe looked delicious and fresh - and it was.  There was definitely too much cream cheese and next time I might only use 2 oz.  It would be perfect alone or served as a side dish.  I found this recipe on The Food Network website, but it originally came from Eating Well Magazine.

Mock Vegetable Risotto

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups instant brown rice

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 1/2 cups vegetable or reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1 red bell pepper, finely diced

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel)

1/2 cup grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese, plus more for passing, if desired

1/4 cup minced chives or scallion greens

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and salt and cook, stirring often, until soft and just beginning to brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Add rice and garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add broth and bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

Remove cover and spread asparagus and bell pepper on top of the simmering rice—do not stir into the rice mixture. Replace cover and continue simmering, adjusting the heat if necessary, until the liquid is almost absorbed and the asparagus is bright green but still crisp, about 5 minutes.

Add peas and cream cheese; stir until the mixture is creamy and the cheese is incorporated. Return to a simmer and continue cooking until the liquid has evaporated and the asparagus is tender, about 5 minutes more. Stir in 1/2 cup Asiago (or Parmesan). Serve topped with chives (or scallions) and additional grated cheese.

Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

3-4 medium beets

Mixed greens

4 oz goat cheese (Chevere)

Candied walnuts

Balsamic vinegar, to taste

Olive oil (optional), to taste

Kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Scrub beets and place in a pot of boiling water.  Boil until beets are tender and skins come off, roughly 30-40 minutes.

When cooled enough to handle, remove skins of beets and roughly chop into bite-size pieces.

Place desired portion of mixed greens onto plate, add beets, sprinkle goat cheese and candied nuts on top.

Season with salt and pepper to taste, and drizzle with vinegar olive oil.

Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Cutlets with Mustard Sauce

This is a Paula Dean recipe from 2006.  It was delicious, but I did make a few changes.  I doubled the amount of mustard I was using only because I was using a Honey Dijon and next time I will double the amount of sauce.  The recipe below reflects the "original" recipe.

  

Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Cutlets with Mustard Sauce

Four 6-ounce chicken cutlets, about 1/2 inch thick

4 thin slices of plain havarti cheese

4 teaspoons chopped thyme

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

All-purpose flour, for dredging

Extra-virgin olive oil, for frying

Preheat the oven to 350°. Using a small knife, cut a 4-by-3-inch pocket in the side of each chicken cutlet. Insert a havarti slice and spread 1 teaspoon of thyme in each pocket; press gently to close.

In a small saucepan, boil the chicken stock and cream over moderately high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the mustard and boil for 30 seconds, whisking a few times. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.

In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs. Beat in the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Put the flour in another shallow bowl.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1/4 inch of olive oil. Season the cutlets with salt and pepper. Dredge 2 cutlets in flour, shaking off the excess, then coat with the beaten egg. Fry over moderately high heat until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet. Coat and fry the remaining cutlets.

Bake the chicken for about 12 minutes, until just cooked through. Reheat the mustard sauce and pour onto plates. Set the cutlets on the sauce and serve.