Monthly Archives: May 2009

Casseroles, Chicken, Main Dish, Make Ahead, Mexican, Tortillas

Monterey Tortilla Casseroles

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Nonstick spray coating
6 6-inch corn tortillas, each cut into 6 wedges
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 cup loose-pack frozen whole kernel corn
1 16-ounce jar salsa verde
3 tablespoons light dairy sour cream
3 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup crumbled Mexican chihuahua or farmer cheese (4 ounces)
Light dairy sour cream (optional)
Snipped fresh cilantro (optional)
Chopped tomato (optional)
Jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced (optional)

Spray four 10- to 12-ounce baking dishes with nonstick coating. Place 5 tortilla wedges in the bottom of each dish. Place remaining tortilla pieces on a baking sheet; bake in a 350 degree F oven about 10 minutes or until crisp and golden. Meanwhile, combine chicken, corn, salsa, the 3 tablespoons sour cream, cilantro, and flour. Divide mixture among dishes.
Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree F oven for 20 minutes. Arrange baked tortilla pieces atop casseroles. Top with cheese; bake for 5 to 10 minutes more or until heated through. If desired, garnish with additional sour cream, jalapeno slices, cilantro, and tomato. Makes 4 servings.
To bake frozen casseroles: Bake, covered, in a 350 degree F oven for 25 minutes. Uncover; bake about 20 minutes more or until heated through. Top with tortilla pieces and cheese; bake for 5 to 10 minutes more or until heated through. Garnish as above.
To micro-cook frozen casseroles: Cover microwave-safe casseroles with waxed paper; micro-cook on 30% power, allowing 4 minutes for 1 casserole and 5 minutes for 2 casseroles. Continue cooking, covered, on 100% power until heated through, allowing 2 to 4 minutes for 1 casserole or 3 to 6 minutes for 2 casseroles, rotating the dishes once. Top with baked tortilla pieces and cheese; micro-cook, uncovered, about 30 seconds more or until cheese is melted. Garnish as above.
Make-Ahead Tip: Assemble casseroles as directed above, except do not top with baked tortilla pieces; place baked pieces in a moisture- and vapor-proof plastic bag. Freeze casseroles and tortilla pieces up to 1 month.

Beef, Ground Beef, Main Dish, Make Ahead

Mini Meatloaves

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1 slice whole grain bread
1/3 cup milk
1 3/4 pounds lean ground beef
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 carrot, grated – about 1/2 cup
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
2 tablespoons onions, grated
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
3/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons corn syrup

Preheat oven to 350. Tear bread into small piecs and transfer to a large bowl; add milk. Let bread soak until absorbed, about 1 minute.
Add beef to bread mixture; mix well with a fork. Add egg, carrot, parsleyy, onion, oregano, mustard, salt and pepper; mix until well combined.
Using your hands, form 1/2-3/4 cup meat mixture into a ball; place in an ungreased muffin cup. Repeat for a total of 8 mini meat loaves.
In a small bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, Worstershire sauce and corn syrup; mix well. brush glaze over the top of each meat loaf.
Bake meat loaves until tops are lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle each meat loaf with about 1 tablespoon cheddar. Bake meat loaves until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes longer. Let cool for 5 minutes.
Run a knife around each loaf; remove from muffin cups and serve.

6 Servings

Ethnic - Regional, Mexican, Pork

Mojo Pork

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1 cup Mojo Criollo Marinade (we used Goya)
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 1/2-lb boneless pork loin roast, well trimmed
2 navel oranges, peel and white pith removed, flesh cut into sections
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Mix 3/4 cup of the marinade, the pepper and garlic in a 3 1/2-qt or larger slow-cooker. Add pork and turn to coat. (If you have time, cover and place in the refrigerator to let pork marinate for several hours, turning occasionally.)
Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours or until pork is tender.
About 10 minutes before serving, combine oranges, onion and remaining 1/4 cup marinade in a medium bowl. Leave at room temperature.
Transfer pork to cutting board; slice. Skim fat from top of liquid in slow-cooker. Spoon liquid over sliced pork. Stir cilantro into orange mixture; top pork with mixture.

6 Servings

Eggplant, Hash Brown Potatoes, Mushrooms, Soups, Vegetables, Vegetarian, White Beans

Minestrone Genovese

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1oz. dried porcini mushrooms
1/4 lb. Swiss chard, stems removed
1/4 lb. spinach, stems removed
Salt
2 small zucchini, diced
2 medium white potatoes, peeled and diced
2 Japanese eggplants, peeled and diced
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups pasta
2 cups cooked white beans
2 tbsp. pesto (see recipe below) Freshly ground black pepper

Soak porcini in 2 cups warm water until soft, about 20 minutes. Remove porcini, rinse, chop and set aside. Pour porcini water through a coffee filter and reserve. Chop chard and spinach leaves.
Bring porcini water and 6 cups salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add porcini, chard, spinach, zucchini, potatoes, eggplant and oil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour.
Add pasta to soup. Cook pasta for about 10 minutes, add beans and cook 5 minutes longer. Stir in pesto and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot or, in the Genovese tradition, at room temperature. Sprinkle with parmigiano-reggiano, if you like.

Pesto

2 tightly packed cups stemless fresh basil leaves
2 tbsp. pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
Coarse salt
1/2 cup mild extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano

Crush basil, pine nuts, garlic and a large pinch of salt into a fine paste with mortar and pestle. Drizzle in oil, stirring constantly, then stir in parmigiano-reggiano. Put plastic wrap directly on surface of pesto, then set aside. If using a food processor, put pine nuts, garlic and salt into the bowl of the food processor fitted with a metal blade and blend to a paste. Add basil, drizzle in oil and process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in parmigiano-reggiano.

Cheese, Mexican, Tortillas, Turkey Breast

Mexican Lasagna

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6 ounces turkey breast tenderloin
1 14½-ounce can dried tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano
3/4 cup skim-milk ricotta cheese
1/3 cup plus 2 tbsp. shredded nonfat (real mozzarella) cheese
2 tbsp. nonfat liquid egg substitute
2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped white onion
1 tsp. minced roasted garlic
1/2 tbsp. chili powder
Tortillas

Preheat oven to 400 F.
In a food processor, chop up the turkey breast.
In a skillet, add onion and 2/3 cup chopped turkey.
Add tomatoes, garlic and chili powder, and cook about 2 minutes.
In a bowl mix together the ricotta cheese, 1/3 cup mozzarella cheese, egg substitute, cilantro, salt and pepper.
Line a nonstick 9-inch-round cake pan with one of the tortillas and spread the turkey mixture over the tortilla, leaving a 1-inch border. Place a second tortilla on top and spread with all of the ricotta mixture, again leaving a 1-inch border. Add a third tortilla and cover to within an inch of the outside with the remaining turkey mixture.
Top with the fourth tortilla and cover with aluminum foil.
Place in oven for 10 minutes, remove foil and sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of mozzarella cheese over top and put back in oven for 2 minutes.