Beef and Corn Cups

Three of our grandchildren recently came for a 4 day visit and 

I was looking for something to make for supper that would appeal to their young, and sometimes fussy appetites.

I remembered making these for their Daddy many years ago and pulled out the recipe to give them a try.  Sure enough, they were as as much a success with today's children as for the previous generation.

For the beef mixture:

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 medium sized onion, chopped
• 1/2 a red or yellow pepper chopped (opt.)
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1 cup corn - either canned or frozen
• 1/2 tin undiluted mushroom soup
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Brown ground beef with onion and pepper, drain any fat.
2. Add basil and corn and remove from heat.
3. Add just enough mushroom soup to moisten the meat and corn.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Set aside to cool.

For the Cheese Sauce:

• 4 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Using an 8 cup measuring cup or bowl, melt butter in microwave.
2. Add flour and mix well.
3. Blend in milk a little at a time, stirring with a whisk until smooth.
4. Microwave for one minute at a time, stirring well each time.
5. Cook until it comes to a boil and thickens.
6. Stir in cheese until it melts and season to taste.

Note: I always use my microwave to make sauces but feel free to do it on the stove if that's your usual method.

For the Biscuits:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening or margarine
• 3/4 cup milk

1. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl.
2. Cut in shortening or margarine.
3. Add milk and mix lightly with a fork until dough forms a ball.
4. Knead briefly by hand just until smooth. (about 12 times)
5. Roll out on a floured board to about 1/4 inch thickness.
6. Using a circle or scalloped edge cutter, cut circles to fit into your muffin tin.  I used a 4 inch cutter.
7. Tuck into muffin tins so that the biscuit lines the bottom and up the sides of each cup. 
8. If you like, cut small shapes (heart, star) from leftover dough.
9. Fill with cooled beef mixture and top with a cut out star or heart.
10. Bake in a 450º oven for 12 minutes or until biscuit edges are lightly browned.
11. Serve with Cheese sauce.

Spicy Ranch Chicken

This is a very simple crock pot chicken recipe that only takes 3 ingredients.

1 Whole Chicken with majority of skin removed
2 cups prepared Ranch Dressing
1 – 10 oz. can of Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies

Spray crock pot with Pam. Pour 1 cup of the Ranch dressing in bottom of crock pot. Place whole chicken, breast side down, on the dressing. Pour the other cup of dressing on top of the chicken. Top with the can of diced tomatoes and chilies.

Cook on high for 1 hour and lower heat to low and cook for 4-5 more hours.

Remove the chicken and cut into pieces discarding any gristle and loose bones. Whisk the sauce remaining in the crock pot. Place chicken back into sauce. I served this with prepared rice and it was tasty without any need for more seasoning. You can serve some good hearty bread and a green vegetable with it to make a balanced meal.



Notes: If Rotel diced tomatoes and chilies aren’t available where you live any canned chopped tomatoes with chilies will work. Rotel has an extra spicy kick to it that we enjoy. If you’d like the sauce to be more gravy like you could add your favorite thickener to the sauce.

Spagetti and Meatballs

These days we all need a meal that is almost ready to eat when we walk in the door after a busy day. Make the sauce on the stove top while the meatballs bake in the oven. Add the meatballs to the sauce and let simmer on the stove top. If you are going to on the go all day put it all into a crock pot once it's been cooked and let it simmer. Great for a crowd or can be divided up into family size portions. 

Ingredients: for meat sauce

• 3 pounds ground beef
• 1 large onion
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 tsp Italian spices
• 2 tsp pepper flakes ( optional)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 1.57 litre of pasta sauce
• 1 796 ml can crushed tomatoes

Ingredients: for meatballs

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 small onion, grated
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 egg
• 1 slice bread, grated

Method: for meat sauce

1. In a large heavy pot fry meat, adding in onion, garlic and spices. Fry until meat is just done.
2. Add pasta sauce, crushed tomatoes, cheese and bay leaves. 
3. Cover and simmer on stove top. Make meatballs.

Method: for meatballs

1. In a large bowl mix all the meatball ingredients together and combine well.
2. Form golf ball sized meatballs and place on a baking sheet. (for easy cleanup line with foil or parchment)
3. Bake in 400º oven for 18 minutes. Add cooked meatballs to the sauce.
4. Allow to cook on low for at least an hour for flavours to meld. It's ready to serve, or cool and freeze for later use.

For stove top serving: ready to serve according to above directions.

For crock pot: place cooled sauce and meatball mixture into crock pot and turn on low for 4-8 hours. Because it is already all cooked you are just letting it simmer on low all day. The flavour just gets better as it simmers. 

Cook pasta as directed on the box. Serve and enjoy!

Left over meal idea. Baked Spaghetti casserole. If you have enough pasta and meat sauce left over stir together and put into a greased casserole dish. Top with some grated cheese and freeze. Remove from freezer, thaw and bake at 350º for 35-40 minutes, or until casserole is heated completely through. 

Thai Curry Chicken in Coconut Milk

Last year I was gifted a cookbook from my daughter's friend. This was a recipe she had submitted in the cookbook and I was eager to try it. The combination of ingredients makes for a tasty and healthy meal. She noted that you can substitute the fish sauce for another tablespoon of soy sauce, but I have to agree with her that the fish sauce is a key ingredient to the flavour of this dish. We like the sauce so I sometimes double it, but still only use the same amount of chicken and vegetables.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 tbsp red curry paste
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 1 onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 sweet red pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 cup light coconut milk
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish

Method:

1. In a large nonstick frying pan heat oil; stir-fry curry paste in oil for 30 seconds.
2. Add chicken strips and stir for 3 minutes.
3. Add onion and continue to stir for 1 minute, then add pepper strips and lemon rind. Stir-fry for 2 minutes or until onions are just beginning to soften.
4. Stir in coconut milk, sauces and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked. 

Serve over jasmine or basmati rice. Garnish with fresh herbs. Serves 4

Chicken Zharkovia (Russian Peasant Stew)

This was a dish that brings back memories from my mother’s kitchen growing up.

Chicken Jharkovia (Russian Stew)
1 fryer or roasting chicken cut up into pieces
Vegetables cut into large chunks
1 onion or 2 leeks
2 potatoes
2 stalks of celery
2 carrots
1 bell pepper
2 zucchini
2 parsnips, or turnips or both
flour to dredge chicken in
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon oil
2 tablespoons butter
4 cups chicken broth and 1 cup of water if more liquid is needed.



Have all your vegetables washed, peeled, cut and set aside. Prepare the chicken: roll in flour seasoned with salt and pepper (start with 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper). Shake off excess flour and add to heavy dutch oven with 2 Tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp oil heated.  Brown all chicken pieces well. Remove browned chicken from pan and add all the vegetables except zucchini and parsnips. Brown well in the drippings.  Add chicken to the vegetables and add 4- cups of broth. Cover and let simmer on top of stove or in preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. At this point taste and see if you need to add salt and pepper. Add the zucchini, parsnips and extra cup of hot water if needed. Cover again and cook for another half hour or until vegetables and chicken are cooked through.
Serve with good bread.