Burrito Pie

Just a short post tonight after a long, tiring, but fun day. We had a great night tonight with another couple and their three kids. The Skinny Girl was flowing and I made Burrito Pie. This is the easiest thing to make and impresses everyone! It's a family favorite. As you can see George loves it!

Burrito Pie

from familyfun.com

INGREDIENTS

• • Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3/4 pound lean ground beef
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 (15 1/2-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
  • 4 (10-inch) flour tortillas
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup salsa
  • 8 ounces Cheddar or Monterey Jack, grated

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INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, warm the oil. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and sauté another minute.
  2. Increase the heat to medium, then add the ground beef, chili powder, and cumin. Cook the mixture until the beef is browned and no longer pink, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Add the salt, water, black beans, and corn, and bring the mixture to a boil. Allow it to continue boiling, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates, about 20 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool for 10 minutes.
  3. Heat the oven to 350º. Using the rim of a 9-inch springform pan (see "Tools of the Trade" above) as a template, trim 3 of the tortillas to the size of the pan. Leave the fourth tortilla untrimmed. Note: You can also bake this dish in a 9-inch round cake pan and serve it like a lasagna.
  4. Butter the bottom and the sides of the pan. Press the untrimmed tortilla evenly into the pan's bottom. Spread 2 tablespoons of the sour cream over the tortilla, followed by 1/4 cup of the salsa. Spoon and spread a quarter of the beef mixture over the salsa, then sprinkle a quarter of the grated cheese evenly over the top.
  5. Place one of the trimmed tortillas on top of the cheese, then repeat the layering of the sour cream, salsa, beef, and cheese. Continue this way until the ingredients and tortillas are used up. You should end up with four layers, topped with the final sprinkling of cheese.
  6. Bake the pie until heated through, about 30 minutes. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes, then remove the rim from the springform pan, if you used one. Slice the pie into wedges using a sharp knife. Serves 10.

Beautiful Disaster (NY Cheesecake)

Yesterday I scrambled to make this beautiful cheesecake (while needing to simultaneously broil meatballs) and after much juggling and overnight refrigeration I cut into it this morning to find it was undercooked. I think this proves that my oven runs a bit cool. This isn't the first time I followed a recipe only to find I needed to cook what ever it was a few minutes longer. Lesson learned.

I'm including the recipe here because flavor wise it was as close to perfect as you could get. The texture was perfect at the outer third...only the center was "creamy" instead of "cheesecakey" I adapted the original recipe to reflect a thicker graham cracker crust that sneaks up the sides a bit. This is my preference over a crust that only covers the bottom. 

Classic Cheesecake

adapted from foodnetwork.com

INGREDIENTS

• Crust

  • 9 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • Pinch fine salt

• Filling

  • 2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups sour cream
  • 6 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

• Topping

  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

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INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
  2. For the crust: Melt the butter, covered in the microwave, in a medium microwave safe bowl, or a saucepan. Brush a 9-inch springform pan with some of the butter. Stir the remaining butter together with the crumbs, sugar, and salt. Press the crumb mixture over the bottom of the pan, taking care to get the crust evenly into the edges. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool. Wrap the bottom and up the sides of the pan with foil and put in a roasting pan.
  3. For the filling: Beat the cream cheese on medium speed with a hand-held mixer until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and beat just until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl and beaters as needed. Slowly beat in the sour cream, then eggs, vanilla and both citrus zests; take care not to over whip. Pour into the cooled crust.
  4. Bring a medium saucepan or kettle of water to a boil. Gently place the roasting pan in the oven (don't pull the rack out of the oven). Pour in enough hot water to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake the cheesecake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes---the outside of the cake will set but the center will still be loose.
  5. For the topping: Stir together the sour cream, confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Spread over the top of the cooked cheesecake and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Turn the oven off, cook the cheesecake in the residual heat in the oven for about1 hour. This gentle finish minimizes the risk of the dreaded crack in your cheesecake.
  6. Remove cheesecake from the roasting pan to a rack. Run a knife around the edges and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
  7. Bring cheesecake to room temperature 30 minutes before serving. Remove the springform ring. Dip a knife in warm water, wipe dry before slicing each piece. 

The Smaller Kitchen (Chipotle Meatballs)

Here is a photo of just one view of my old kitchen:

And here is a photo of a similar view of my current one:

You may be asking yourself, why did this crazy woman not cook in the first kitchen? Well I was asking myself that same question tonight when I tried to gently bake a cheesecake at that same time I needed to broil meatballs. Oops. The end result is a cheesecake I will blog about tomorrow and these killer Chipotle Meatballs below. It calls for white rice, but I serve them over brown rice too. Enjoy!

Spicy Chipotle Meatballs

from RealSimple.com

INGREDIENTS

• • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons chopped canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for serving
  • 1/4 cup bread crumbs
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • kosher salt and black pepper

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INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and half the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes (with their juices) and chipotles; using a potato masher, break up the tomatoes. Simmer, partially covered, until the sauce has thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. If the sauce becomes too thick, add up to 1/2 cup water.
  2. Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the package directions.
  3. While the rice is cooking, in a medium bowl, combine the beef, cilantro, bread crumbs, egg, cumin, the remaining half of the garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Shape the mixture into 16 meatballs (about 2 heaping tablespoons each).
  4. Heat broiler. Place the meatballs on a foil-lined broilerproof baking sheet and broil, turning once, until cooked through, 8 to 12 minutes. Add the meatballs to the sauce. Serve over the rice and sprinkle with additional cilantro.

The Hovering Husband (Pasta alla Norcina)

Today I was so happy to actually have in the house the makings of what my husband wanted for dinner. I asked him to tell me what he wanted and he said, "Please make me that pasta with the mushrooms and sausage that you found on that food blog you read." That was easy.


I made it at 4:00 so the baby could have some. There's something about my one year old gobbling down my cooking that just tickles me to no end. As my husband says, "The baby is a good customer!"

When Dave walked in at 8:00 pm he literally stood behind me while I heated it up for him. Like right behind me, hovering. I think if I had turned around I might have caught him drooling. This truly is his favorite dish.

Pasta Alla Norcina

adapted from Recipes From The Italian Cuisine

INGREDIENTS

• • 1 Pound Mild Italian Sausage
  • 1 Small Onion, Finely Diced
  • 8 Ounces Fresh Mushrooms, Cleaned And Coarsely Chopped
  • 2 Cloves Garlic, Peeled & Minced
  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1/2 Cup Dry White Wine
  • 1/2 Cup Dry Red Wine
  • Salt & Pepper
  • 1 1/2 Cups Heavy Cream
  • 
    
  • To Serve:
  • 1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley and Basil
  • Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

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INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. Remove the sausage meat from the casings, and cook until no longer pink in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, breaking up the meat with a fork as it cooks. Once the meat begins to brown, add the olive oil, onions and mushrooms and continue to cook until the onions and mushrooms are soft and just beginning to brown. Add the garlic and cook another minute or two.
  2. Add wine, and simmer uncovered a few minutes until the wine has reduced by half. Add cream and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Continue to cook over medium low heat until the sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes at which time you can bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Keep the sauce warm and cook your pasta of choice until it is al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water. Add the sauce to the pasta in the pot, adding just a little water if the sauce seems too thick.

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Shicksa Soup

Tonight my wonderful babysitter made dinner for both kids and then for me with leftovers for Dave. Just simple grilled pork chops with asparagus sautéed in garlic. There's definitely something about our sweet Elsie's cooking that makes everything taste better. Now that I'm cooking, I hope to learn a lot from her. She's also a great tester of my dishes, and doesn't hesitate to tell me what to tweak!


That being said, I was beaming with pride last week when Elsie loved my Matzo Ball Soup. I was particularly happy when my Jewish husband said he loved it too! Not bad for a Shicksa from Southern California!


Don't be worried if the soup is a bit bland until the very end. The true taste comes out after everything is in the pot...add a little salt and pepper and you're good to go.


Matzo Ball Soup with Chicken and Asparagus
(adapted from 30-minute suppers magazine)


INGREDIENTS

• 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup matzo meal (NOT matzo ball mix)
• 2 Tbsp club soda
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced thin
• 10 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 rotisserie chicken (about 2.5 lbs), skin discarded,meat shredded into bite size pieces (about 3 cups)
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill

• INSTRUCTIONS

  • 1. Whisk together eggs, 2 tbsp of the oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir in matzo meal and club soda. Cover and let sit on counter until it thickens, about 10 minutes.
    2. Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in Dutch Oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook onion and carrots until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in broth and bring to a boil. Using wet hands, roll teaspoonfuls of matzo mixture into 3/4 inch balls, dropping them immediately into simmering broth. Reduce heat to medium-low and gently simmer, covered, until balls have doubled in size, about 15 minutes.
    3. Meanwhile, place asparagus in a microwave-safe bowl, cover and microwave on high until tender and bright green, 3 minutes or so.
    4. Stir asparagus, chicken, and dill into soup. Simmer, uncovered, until chicken is heated through, about 1 minute. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Serve.

Marinara with Meatballs

My Mother-in-Law makes meatballs. My Sister-in-Law makes meatballs. I'm sure my husband's Aunts make wonderful meatballs. Needless to say I have tremendous shoes to fill.


Judging from the happy groans around the table...I think I hit this one out of the park. Please read through recipe before starting...you split the onion mixture between the sauce and the meatballs.


Marinara with Meatballs: 
(adapted from Cook's Country)


Onion Mix

• 1/4cup olive oil
• 3onions, chopped fine
• 8garlic cloves, minced
• 1tablespoon dried oregano
• 3/4teaspoon red pepper flakes

Sauce

• 1(6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 1cup red cooking wine or dry red wine (if you have a bottle open)
• 1cup water
• 4(28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
• 1/2cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4cup fresh basil leaf
•  Salt
• 1.5teaspoons sugar

Meatballs

• 4slices white sandwich bread torn up
• 3/4cup milk
• 1/2pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1cup grated Parmesean cheese
• 1/2cup chopped fresh Italian parsley 
• 2large eggs
• 2garlic cloves, minced
• 1.5teaspoons salt
• 2.5pounds ground beef chuck (80 percent lean)
• 
  
• Instructions:

• 1. For the onion mixture: Heat oil in LARGE Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook onions until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer half of onion mixture to large bowl and set aside.
• 2. For the sauce: Add tomato paste to remaining onion mixture in pot and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add wine and cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in water and tomatoes and simmer over low heat until sauce is no longer watery, 45 to 60 minutes. Stir in cheese and basil and adjust seasonings with salt and sugar.
• 3. For the meatballs: Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Mash bread and milk in bowl with reserved onion mixture until smooth...and by smooth I mean no lumps. Otherwise you will have bread chunks in your meatballs which is a bit weird.  Add remaining ingredients, except ground beef, to bowl and mash to combine. Add beef and knead with hands until well combined. Form mixture into 2 1/2-inch meatballs (you should have about 16 meatballs), place on rimmed baking sheet, and bake until well browned, about 20 minutes.
• 4. Transfer meatballs to pot with sauce. Simmer for 15 minutes. Serve over pasta. I use a fork friendly pasta my kids can pick up...not spaghetti or anything long.

Some back story...

So here's a bit of back story. I've always wanted to cook...I even thought of going to chef school. I love dining out, drinking fine wine, and taking photos of what I find (Facebook friends are rolling their eyes). My problem was that I was overwhelmed. I couldn't figure out how to make my ever increasing grocery bill translate into dinner on the table a minimum of five nights a week with leftovers for my husband to take for lunch the next day.


I decided about a month ago that after 13 years of marriage, the least I could do for my wonderful husband was give him dinner every night, even if he has to heat it up after the kids and I have gone to bed. There's something about a home cooked meal at the end of the day that makes life just that much sweeter. But with a 1 year old that goes to bed at 5pm, a 6 year old that goes down at 7pm, and an Ironman husband that eats like a horse getting home at 9pm, I found myself very scattered, and basically making 3 "meals"at night...none of which were particularly inspired.


I stumbled on a fantastic food blog that included great recipes, beautiful pictures and fantastic advice. I started sitting down with cookbooks on Thursday mornings, making a menu for the week (based on family activity schedule), checking my pantry, and then making my grocery list. Not only did I feel more organized, I actually had a plan, and started to look forward to feeding my troops.

I spent 8 years in a kitchen that would make professional chef's drool and cooked only a handful of times. We've downsized recently, and my much smaller kitchen with its casement windows overlooking my bird feeder suits me much better. I'm finally experimenting, um....cooking, and loving every minute of it.

My Troops

Peanuts and Playdates? (Peanut Butter Sandies)

Today I decided to make peanut butter cookies before Gertie had a play date. So without knowing if her new friend was nut intolerant, I proceeded to slather what seemed like the entire kitchen in peanut butter. Fortunately said friend could eat the cookies safely and with gusto...just not with an accompanying glass of milk! I call them sandies because they have that great sandy texture that cries out to be dipped.


Peanut Butter Sandies:
(adapted from peanutbutter.com)

Ingredients 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. salt 1 cup Peanut Butter 12 Tbsp. butter 3/4 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in small bowl; set aside. 2. Beat peanut butter with butter in large bowl with electric mixer until smooth. Beat in sugars, then eggs and vanilla until blended. Beat in flour mixture just until blended. 3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Arrange cookies on ungreased baking sheets 2 inches apart. Gently flatten each cookie and press crisscross pattern into tops with fork dipped in sugar. 4. Bake 17 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool completely on wire rack. Store in tightly covered container.