Turkey Shepherds Pie

Turkey Shepherds Pie  (serves 4)

2 pounds russet pototoes - peeled and chunked
3 Tbsp butter
1/3-2/3 cup milk
Salt 
1 pound ground turkey
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
1 small onion - chopped
2-3 medium carrots - chopped
2 celery stalks - chopped
3 Tbsp flour
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup frozen peas
1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage or 1 tsp dried sage
Salt and pepper
1 cup cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Boil potatoes in salted water for 20 minutes or until fork tender.  Drain and return to pot.  Add butter and 1/3 cup of milk.  Whip potatoes with a hand mixer adding more milk as needed.  Salt to taste and set aside.
While the potatoes are cooking melt butter with oil in a large skillet.  Once melted add in turkey and cook until no longer pink then add onion, carrots and celery and continue cooking for 5 minutes over medium heat.  Stir in flour and mix well.  Slowly add chicken stock then peas and sage.  Allow to come to a simmer (if gravy is too thick add more stock or water). 
Pour meat mixture into a 4 quart casserole dish or 4 individual oven safe dishes.
Top meat with whipped potatoes and smooth so all of the meat mixture is covered by potatoes.
Sprinkle cheese over top.
Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Enjoy!

St. Patrick's Day Corned Beef and Cabbage and Left-over soup

St. Patrick's Day Corned Beef and Cabbage (Makes 4 servings)

1- 3-4 pound corned beef brisket
Water
2 1/2 pounds yukon gold potatoes
1- Head of green cabbage
4-5 carrots

Believe it or not - thats it.  Now for some finessing.

Get a BIG POT, you want something that everything will fit in.
Place the brisket in the bottom of the pot and add water to cover by 2 inches.
Bring to a boil then lower heat to a simmer.  Simmer for 2 1/2 hours, adding water if necessary to keep it covered.
While brisket is cooking, quarter the potatoes, slice the carrots into 4 inch pieces and quarter the cabbage.
Once the brisket has cooked for 2 1/2 hours place the cabbage on top of the brisket, then the carrots on top of the cabbage and lastly the potatoes.  Add just enough water so everyone is covered.  Continue cooking on a simmer for 30 minutes.  Check to make sure cabbage is cooked if it is still too firm let it go another 10 minutes.
Remove potatoes, carrots and cabbage to a large serving platter and cover with foil.  Remove brisket and let sit for 5 minutes before slicing against the meat grain in 1/4 inch thick slices.

Enjoy this Irish classic anytime.  The best part?  Leftovers! 
Corned beef makes a great sandwich, hash or soup. 

Left-over Corned Beef and Cabbage soup-
1 medium onion - diced
2 stalks celery - diced
1 Tbsp butter
3 cups beef stock or broth
3/4 cup quick cooking barley
1/2 pound corned beef - cut into strips
3-4 left over potatoes - chopped
2 left over carrots - chopped
1/4 head left over green cabbage - chopped

Saute onion and celery in butter until softened.  Add beef stock, 2 cups water, and barley.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Uncover reduce heat to medium low and simmer until barley is tender.  About 15 minutes.  Gently stir in corned beef, potatoes, carrots and cabbage.  Continue cooking 10 minutes.  Serve pipping hot. 

Enjoy!

Cheesy potato casserole AKA - Funeral Potatoes

We have been making this potato casserole in my family for as long as I can remember.  This was our go to pot luck dish.  Pot lucks, baby showers, and funerals.  Always funerals.  Hence the nickname Funeral Potatoes.  Whatever you want to call them they are delish and a great side with any meal.
These potatoes customize well if you need a lower temp oven just bake them a bit longer.  Need a higher temp cover them with foil.  Don't like cream of chicken?  Use cream of celery.  Can't find homestyle hash browns?  Use the shreds.  Want more cheese?  Go for it!  Want to lighten it up?  Cook the onions in olive oil and use low fat sour cream and cheese.  You get the idea.
Like I said we have been making these forever in my family and I am sure you will too.

Ingredients
1 bag frozen home-style hash brown potatoes (those are the square cut ones)
1 large onion - chopped
8 Tbsp butter - divided in 4 Tbsp portions
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 pint sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper
2-3 cups corn flakes

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly spray a 12x8 baking dish with non-stick spray.
Melt 4 Tbsp of butter in a skillet over medium heat, add in onions and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat.
In a large bowl (or right in the baking dish if you hate doing dishes) combine hash browns, sauteed onions, chicken soup, sour cream, cheddar cheese, salt and pepper.  Stir to incorporate fully.  Then spread evenly in baking dish.
Wipe out skillet and return to medium heat.  Melt remaining 4 Tbsp butter and toss with corn flakes.  Top potato mixture with corn flakes.
Bake uncovered for 1-1.5 hours until bubbly.  If topping begins to brown to much cover with foil.

Enjoy!

Lemon chicken with roasted garlic smashed potatoes

Lemon Chicken
4 Chicken cutlets
1 cup flour
6 Tbsp olive oil
6 Tbsp butter
2 lemons - juiced
2 garlic cloves - minced
2 Tbsp capers
10-12 green olives
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
Coat chicken cutlets in flour and shake off excess.
In a large skillet heat 3 Tbsp olive oil and 3 Tbsp butter over medium heart.  Once butter is melted place cutlets in skillet, don't overcrowd the pan work in batches if your skillet isn't big enough for all 4.  Cook on first side for 4 minutes then flip and continue cooking about another 4 minutes - depending on the size of your cutlets.
Once cooked through remove to a paper towel.  Rinse out pan, dry and return to heat.
Add the remaining 3 Tbsp olive oil and 3 Tbsp butter.  Once melted add in garlic and cook 1 minute.  Stir in lemon juice, capers, green olives, wine and chicken stock.  Cook over medium-low heat until reduced by half.  About 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in parsley.  Place chicken cutlets into sauce and turn to coat.
Serve hot with extra sauce spooned over top.



Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
3 pounds small red potatoes
2 Tbsp butter
1 head of roasted garlic*
2-3 Tbsp milk
2 Tbsp fresh parsley - chopped

Slice potatoes in half and boil in salted water for 15-20 minutes until tender.  Drain and return to the hot pan.  Add in butter, garlic, milk and parsley.  Check seasoning and salt if needed.

*Roasted garlic is something I keep in the fridge for times like this.  When I am using the oven to roast something for dinner I will toss a few heads in the side of the oven.  When they are done let them cool a bit then squeeze out into a plastic container and stash in the fridge.
To roast garlic cut off the bottom 1/3 of a head of garlic, place in a roaster like the ones shown below, drizzle with a teaspoon of olive oil.  Place lid on roaster and cook in a 400 degree oven for 1 hour.  Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly, you want it still warm otherwise the cloves are hard to get out.  Holding the bottom of the head squeeze gently to pop the cloves out of their skins.
No garlic roaster?  You can also wrap the heads in foil.

Potato leek soup with white cheddar cheese

Quick and easy this soup is perfect for a cold day.  Be sure to wash your leeks well before using, you can rinse them in running water or soak them in cool water to get the sand out.  You wont believe this creamy soup is ready in less than 30 minutes and only 1 pot to clean!

3 large leeks - white and light green parts only, sliced thinly
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves - chopped
4 cups chicken broth
2 1/2 pounds potatoes -cut into 1/2 inch dice (I used russets but Yukon golds would work good too)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
10 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese - cubed
1 cup milk or half and half

Saute leeks in oil and butter for 3 minutes, add garlic and allow to cook for 2 more minutes.  Add in potatoes and cook stirring frequently for 3 minutes.  Add broth, salt and pepper and bring to a low boil.  Simmer for 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Using a potato masher mash the potatoes in the pot to desired consistency.  Mash all for a creamier soup or leave some chunks if you like a chunkier soup.  Add in cheese and allow to melt then add the milk.  Check seasonings and adjust if needed.
Serve hot with crusty bread or a simple salad.

Enjoy!

Pot roast dinner in the oven or crock pot

Pot Roast with fingerling potatoes, baby carrots and gravy (Makes 4 servings)

2-2.5 lbs boneless beef chuck roast
1 large onion sliced
2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary (or 2 tsp dried)
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
2 tsp garlic powder
1 pound bag of baby carrots
1 pound bag of fingerling potatoes - sliced in half
1 cup beef stock
2 Tbsp worcestershire
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (Crock pot directions are at the end of the post)
In a small baking dish or oven safe pot scatter onions across the bottom and place roast on top of onions.
Season meat with salt, pepper, garlic powder and 1/2 the rosemary.
Place carrots and potatoes around the meat in the pan.  You want a close fit around the meat.  Sprinkle the remaining rosemary over the vegetables.  Whisk together the beef stock and Worcestershire and pour over the vegetables.  Cover pan tightly with foil or pot lid.
Bake for 3-4 hours until roast is tender and pulls apart easily.
Remove roast to a plate and cover with foil, remove vegetables with a slotted spoon to a bowl and cover.
If you used a pot to bake the roast you can make the gravy right in the pot, if you used a baking dish you will need to move all the cooking juices into a skillet and then continue.
In a small skillet melt butter over medium heat and whisk in the flour.  Cook for 1 minute then add the rue to the cooking juices.  Allow to come up to a boil then reduce heat to low.  If the gravy is too thick add a bit of water, if it is too thin let it simmer on low for 5 minutes to thicken up.

Enjoy!

Crock pot directions -
Layer onions in the bottom of the crock pot then add meat, seasons and vegetables as directed above.  Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 6 1/2 hours.
Gravy can be made right in the crock pot on high.

 

Baked potato soup

 So I found myself in a cooking funk lately.  You know what I mean, I have been cooking the same things over and over because I am uninspired and they are easy.  Starting 2 weeks ago I challenged myself to cook 4 new recipes a week to help me get back into a good routine of trying new things.  I am happy to say it is paying off!  I am happy to plan, shop and cook because I am looking forward to new yummy dished coming out of the kitchen.
I will post last weeks meal plan and recipes will be coming up shortly.  In the mean time cozy up with a bowl of this amazing soup.  It is thick and creamy and so filling you wont need anything with it.  It reheated perfectly also so make some extra for lunch.



Loaded Baked Potato Soup (Makes 4-6 servings)
2 1/2 pounds baking potatoes (I used half of a 5 pound bag of small russets)
12 ounces sliced bacon
2 Tbsp butter
1 small onion - chopped fine
2 Tbsp flour (I used white whole wheat but AP is fine as well)
4 cups milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
3 cups shredded white cheddar cheese
4-6 scallions - sliced
6 tsp sour cream

Heat oven to 400.  Pierce potatoes a few times with a knife and bake for 50-60 minutes until tender.
Allow to cool then scoop flesh into a bowl and mash.
(I baked the potatoes at lunch time when I was already using the oven then covered them with foil until I was ready to use them for dinner.  It worked out great and saved me from heating the oven twice in one day.  You could easily do them in the microwave as well to save time.)

In a large skillet cook bacon until crisp and remove onto paper towels to drain.  Reserve 2 Tbsp of the rendered fat.  Once cooled break into small pieces.

In a large pot or dutch oven add reserved fat and butter a heat over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes; sprinkle with flour and cook 1 minute.  Whisk in milk then add salt, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne.  Add in mashed potatoes and bring up to a simmer.  Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in 2 cups of the cheese, half of the bacon and     half of the scallions.

To serve ladle hot soup into bowls and top each with cheese, bacon, scallions and a dollop of sour cream.

Enjoy!!

Potato Asparagus and Artichoke salad

Ingredients
2 pounds baby red or blue potatoes - halved or quartered depending on size
1 pound asparagus - trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
1 can artichoke hears - drained and quartered
2 green onions - sliced
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper

Bring a large pot or salted water to a boil and boil potatoes for 10-15 minutes until just tender.  Add asparagus to cooking water for the last 2 minutes of potato cooking time.
Drain and allow to cool in the colander.
In a large bowl combine Dijon, lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper, whisk well to combine.
Add artichokes, green onions and potato and asparagus to the dressing and toss well to coat.
Cover and refrigerate or serve immediately.

Enjoy!