Pasta with Classic Pesto

This is a great meal for a busy night. You can make the pesto in the time it takes to cook the pasta. It may be cheaper to buy bottled pesto, but this is so much better!

Classic Pesto
The New Best Recipe

Ingredients
1/4 cup pine nuts
3 medium garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
2 Tbsp fresh parsley leaves (optional)
7 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water
1 lb pasta (long & thin or fusilli)

Directions
1. Toast the nuts in a small, heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until just golden and fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a plate.

2. Add the garlic to the empty skillet. Toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant and the color of the cloves deepens slightly, about 7 minutes. Let the garlic cool, then peel and chop.

3. Combine the basil and parsley (if using) in a heavy-duty zip-lock plastic bag. Pound the bag with the flat side of a meat pounder or rolling pin until all the leaves are bruised.

4. Place the nuts, garlic, pounded herb(s), oil, and 1/2 tsp salt in a food processor. Process until smooth, stopping as necessary to scrape down the sides of the workbowl. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl, stir in the Parmesan, and adjust the salt to taste. (The surface of the pesto can be covered with a sheet of plastic wrap or a thin film of oil and refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

5. Bring 4 quarts water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add salt and pasta to the boiling water and stir to separate the noodles. Cook until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, drain the pasta, and return it to the pot.

6. Stir 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water into pesto. Toss the hot pasta with the thinned pesto, adding the remaining pasta cooking water as needed. Serve immediately or let cool to room temperature.

Cheap Swanson's Chicken Broth at CVS

Swanson's Chicken Broth is on sale for $0.50 each this upcoming week at CVS. There is a limit of 10 instead of 4 (at Walgreens). They won't have that many, but you can get a rain check that doesn't expire. You can also take the ad to Target or Walmart, and pick up some for the same price.

Go here to see the ad.

Taco Chili

A wonderful coworker of mine, Monique, gave me this recipe along with all of the ingredients in a basket. So easy and so good. It's a keeper!

Taco Chili
Paula Deen
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
1 cup dried kidney beans
1/2 cup dried pinto beans
1 (1 1/4-oz) package taco seasoning mix
1 (1-oz) package buttermilk salad dressing mix
3 Tbsp dried minced onion
1 tsp chili powder (or more, to taste)
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 (16-oz) can tomato sauce
1 (11 3/4-oz) can diced tomatoes and green chilies
4 cups water
1 lb ground beef, cooked and drained

Directions
Place beans in a large bowl, cover with water and soak 6 to 8 hours, or overnight. Drain and add to a Dutch oven. Add seasoning packet, water, diced tomatoes and green chilies, tomato sauce, and ground beef.

Heat to boiling, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 2 hours, or until beans are tender. Serve with corn or tortilla chips.

King Ranch Chicken

We had this for dinner this weekend at Brett's parents' house. I've heard about this casserole many times, but I've never had it before. I was really excited to see the first 3 ingredients because I bulk up on them when they are on sale. Every two or three weeks, Walgreen's has Swanson's chicken broth on sale for 2/$1 (it's usually $1.29 a can at the grocery store!) and Campbell's condensed cream soups on sale for $0.79 each. You can usually find a $1 off of two Campbell's coupon on the internet, leaving the soups at $0.29 each. If you don't have a Walgreens near you, Walmart and Target both do price matching. All you have to do is take the Walgreens ad to either store and get the same deal there. Enjoy!

King Ranch Chicken
Sandy Hern
Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients
1 (10 3/4-oz) can cream of chicken soup
1 (10 3/4-oz) can cream of mushroom soup
1 can Swanson's chicken broth (or 2 cups chicken broth)
1 (10-oz) can crushed tomatoes and green chilies
1 package of 12 to 20 (6 inch) corn tortillas, torn into small pieces
1 large (3-pound) chicken, stewed, skinned, boned, and cut into bite-size pieces, or 2 to 3 cups cooked chicken pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 to 1 pound cheddar cheese, grated
1-1/2 tsp chili powder
Garlic salt to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine condensed soups, broth, chili powder, garlic salt and tomatoes; set aside. Oil a 9x13 inch pan. Layer half of the tortillas, half the chicken, half the onion, half the bell pepper, and half the cheese in the pan. Pour half the soup mixture over layers. Repeat layers of tortillas, chicken, onion, and bell pepper; pour remaining soup mixture over top with remaining cheese. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let sit 15 minutes before serving.

*Sandy seasons her chicken breasts with Tony Chachere's and lemon pepper, and then she cooks them on a George Foreman grill.

**If desired, dip tortillas in hot stock to soften, or cut tortillas in pieces. Casserole can be frozen. Reheat at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Mexican Rice

Mexican Rice
Ree Drummond

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons canola oil
½ whole large onion, Chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups long grain rice
1 can mild rotel (10 Ounce)
1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 Ounce)
2 cups low sodium chicken broth (I use a whole can of Swanson's)
1 teaspoon cumin (more To Taste)
1 teaspoon salt
Fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onions, then cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add rice and garlic. Stir constantly, making sure the rice doesn’t burn. Cook over low heat for 3 minutes. Add Ro-tel and tomatoes. Stir to combine and let cook for 2 minutes. Finally, add broth, cumin, and salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 additional minutes or until rice is done. Add more liquid as needed; rice shouldn’t be sticky.

Just before serving, sprinkle lots of freshly chopped cilantro over the top. Serve immediately.

White Chicken Enchilada Casserole

And another delicious meal by Ree. I make this, along with her Mexican rice, once every two to three weeks. It is also one of the best leftover meals ever.

My casserole version of White Chicken Enchiladas
Ree Drummond

Ingredients
2-½ cups cooked, shredded chicken
2 cups chicken broth
3 Tablespoons Canola Oil
8-12 whole corn tortillas
1 whole large onion, Diced
3 whole 4 Oz cans whole green chilies, diced
1 whole jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
1 teaspoon Paprika
½ cup heavy cream (I use fat free half & half, going to try milk)
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
1 cup sour cream (I use fat free or the new smart balance kind)
2-½ cups Monterey Jack Cheese, Grated
Salt And Pepper, to taste
Cayenne Pepper, to taste
Picante Sauce (optional)
Cilantro, Chopped (optional)

Directions
Microwave the tortillas to warm and soften them. Break them up into 1" squares.

Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in separate skillet over medium heat. Add onions and jalapenos and saute for 1 minute, just to start the cooking process. Add chicken, half of the green chilies, and 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Stir together. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth and stir. Add cream (or half and half/milk) and stir, allowing mixture to bubble and get hot. Turn off heat and set aside.

In a separate large skillet, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. (Light butter does not work. I've tried :o(.. ) Whisk together and cook over medium heat for one minute. Pour in 1 1/2 cups chicken broth. Whisk together and cook for another minute or two. Stir in the other half of the chilies. Reduce heat, then stir in sour cream. Add 1 1/2 cups grated cheese and stir to melt. Add 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Check seasoning and add salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste.

Ree makes these into enchiladas, but I am lazy, so I make it into a casserole. Use a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Go here to see a visual.

Pour cheese mixture all over the top, then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle generously with chopped cilantro, if desired.

Beef with Broccoli

***This wasn't so good for leftovers... I think the oyster sauce becomes overpowering. It was really good the night of though. I'll let you know if I ever find a better beef and broccoli recipe.

I have been going to the BCS Asian grocery store a lot recently. There are so many sauces I've never heard of before. So exciting! I love making stir fries (sp?), but I have noticed that they don't taste like real asian food. I want to change that; therefore, I have to branch out to new ingredients. Ok, so the ingredients in this doesn't sound too appealing, but they are! I don't like sushi or fishy fish, so don't worry, Oyster sauce doesn't taste anything like that. I've always wanted to try something on Jaden's website, but some of the ingredients made me nervous. Ree put up one of her recipes, so I knew I had to try it. Amazing.

Beef and Broccoli
Jaden from Steamy Kitchen
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 lb top sirloin or flank steak, thinly sliced into 1/8-in (3-mm)-thick strips
1-1/2 lbs broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
1 tablespoon high-heat cooking oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic

BEEF MARINADE
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon cooking oil
Freshly ground black pepper to season the beef

STIR-FRY SAUCE
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
2 teaspoons Chinese black vinegar (or balsamic vinegar)

Directions
In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the Beef Marinade. Add the beef and let mari- nate for 10 minutes at room temperature.

In a small bowl, mix together the ingre- dients for the Stir-fry Sauce.

In a wok or large sauté pan, add 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water and bring to a boil. Add the broccoli and cover to steam for 3 minutes. The broccoli should be bright green, crisp tender and you should be able to pierce the stem with a fork. Drain.

Discard the water in the pan and dry the pan well. Set the pan over high heat and when hot, add the high-heat cooking oil and swirl to coat. Add the garlic and fry for 15 to 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the steak strips, keeping them in one layer and fry 30 seconds. Flip the strips and fry the other side.

Pour in the Stir-fry Sauce and stir to combine. Simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 30 seconds. Add the cooked broccoli back into the pan and toss to coat well.

Green Chili with Pork

I've been so busy, I never update my blog anymore! So sad, I know. I still can't find my camera charger, but to be perfectly honest, I haven't looked that hard. It's dark by the time I get home these days, so the pictures wouldn't be so pretty anyway.

I made Ree's Spicy Shredded Pork a week or two ago (which is delicious, of course) and used the rest in the following recipe I found on Tasty Kitchen. I had never made roasted poblano peppers, but I love cooking with new things. I'm actually making it again tonight (halving the recipe) with left over pork I made in the crockpot from Thursday.

Green Chili with Pork
candykettle on Tasty Kitchen

Ingredients
1/4 cups Olive Oil
2 whole Yellow Onions
8 whole Garlic Cloves, Peeled And Minced
8 whole Jalapeno Peppers, Stemmed And Minced
3 whole Carrots, Peeled And Sliced Crosswise Into 1/2" Pieces
1-1/2 Tablespoon Oregano
3 pounds Boneless Pork Loin, Cut Into 1/2" Cubes
5 cups Chicken Stock, Homemade Or Canned
28 ounces, weight Canned Plum Tomatoes, Crushed And Well Drained
1 whole Potato, About 8 Oz, Peeled And Grated
12 whole Poblano Peppers, Roasted And Peeled - instructions here
Salt To Taste
Cumin To Taste (if you like cumin)

Directions
(Roast poblano peppers by turning them on an open flame of a gas burner or grill until charred. Wrap the chilies in a paper bag. When cool, peel charred skin from the peppers. Stem and seed the peppers, and slice or chop.)

In a 5-quart heavy stock pot, warm the oil. Add the onions, garlic, jalapenos and carrots and cook, stirring once or twice, for 10 minutes. Stir in oregano and the pork cubes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat has lost all pink color, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the chicken stock, salt, cumin, tomatoes, and the grated potato. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 hours.

Cut the poblanos into 1/2″ strips. (I would dice them up, it is a little strange having long strips of poblano peppers in a soup.) Add them to the chili and cook, stirring often, for another 30 to 45 minutes, or until the pork is tender and the chili has thickened to your liking.

Serve topped with sour cream. Warm crusty garlic bread goes well with this soup, too.