EasyStuffed Mushrooms

These healthy stuffed mushrooms make a delicious appetizer or side dish for any protein entrée.

INGREDIENTS

8 cremini mushrooms, scrubbed clean, stems removed, and stems chopped 

1Tbsp chopped onion

1 garlic clove, minced

1 Tbsp chopped walnuts

Salt and black pepper to taste

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1Tbsp Italian  breadcrumbs

1 Tbsp chicken stock

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp shredded cheddar cheese

Directions 

1 Preheat oven to 375°F.

Place all the stuffing ingredients except the cheese in a microwave bowl. Heat on high for 2 minutes.

Stir in the cheese and distribute the filling evenly in the mushroom caps.

Place in an oiled baking dish and bake for 20 minutes.

2 Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions and mushroom stems for 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and walnuts and sprinkle with salt. Stir well and sauté 2 more minutes. Turn off the heat and add the stock, breadcrumbs, parsley, and thyme. Mix well and set aside.

3 Toss the mushroom caps with olive oil. Fill each mushroom with the stuffing. Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese over each mushroom and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese browns a little. Allow to cool for 5 minutes or so before serving.

Serves 4-6 as an appetizer.

Mustard Chicken Dinner

Mustard Chicken 

4 servings

Ingredients 

4 medium bone-in, skin-on or skin-off chicken thighs 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon chicken broth

4 ounces sour cream 

2 tablespoons Dijon  mustard 

Directions

Place the chicken thighs on a plate,  skin side up, and pat them dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Turn them over and sprinkle them with more salt and pepper

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, place the chicken in the pan in one layer, skin side down. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes without moving, until golden brown. Turn the chicken pieces with tongs, and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, or until the thighs are cooked to 155 to 160 degrees. Turn the chicken to skin side up.

Combine the broth, sour cream, and Dijon mustard in a small bowl, and then spread ¼ of the sauce on each thigh.

Cover the pan and heat over low heat for 2-4 minutes to warm the sauce, and serve immediately.

Garlic, Lemon Potatoes, and Carrots 

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds Idaho potatoes, medium-sized, peeled, then halved lengthwise and quartered in wedges

5 carrots cut to the same length as the potatoes.

⅓ cup chicken broth 

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 large garlic cloves, minced

½ tablespoon dried oregano

½ tablespoon kosher salt

Directions

Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Put the potato wedges and carrots in a baking dish. Combine the chicken broth, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, and salt in a measuring cup. Mix.

Pour the mixture over the potatoes and toss to coat. Spread the potatoes and carrots into an even layer and roast them for 45 minutes, turning them halfway through baking or until the potatoes are golden brown and crisp on the edges and tender inside.

Remove them from the oven and serve with the chicken.

Saucy Pasta and Vegetables

 I

Ingredients


¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, chopped

Half of a small red onion, diced

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

9 oz package of fresh rigatoni pasta or penne pasta

14 pz can of snipped Italian tomatoes

1cup of chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2  cup heavy cream

Vegetables:

About 1 cup of each

Cut into one-inch pieces:

Carrots

Broccoli florets

Red bell pepper

A dozen and defrosted artichoke hearts

Grape tomatoes



Directions

Heat the oil in a Large skillet and add the garlic. Cook 2 minutes. Add the vegetables, Italian tomatoes, broth, and seasonings. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes.

Cover the skillet and keep warm.

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to package instructions, and drain the pasta in a colander.

Transfer the vegetables and sauce to the empty pasta pot. Turn the heat to low, return the cooked pasta to the pot, and add cream and cheese. Stir well, and adjust the seasoning. serve in individual pasta bowls with Italian bread.

Easy Three-Bean Chili

 

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef or turkey

2 tablespoons vegetable oil     

1 medium onion, chopped 

1bell pepper, chopped

 1 tablespoon  chilli powder

1 teaspoon  ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 (15-ounce) cans of beans, red kidney, pinto, and black, drained and rinsed

2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, with juice

Table salt toTaste

Directions

Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed nonreactive Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking, 3 to 4 minutes. 

Add the beef and cook until brown.

Add onions, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, oregano, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and add half. 

Add beans, tomatoes, and 1 tablespoon salt; bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. 

Remove cover and continue to simmer 1 hour longer, stirring occasionally (if chili begins to stick to the bottom of the pot, stir in 1/2 cup water and continue to simmer), until beef is tender and chili is dark, rich, and slightly thickened. Adjust seasoning with additional salt.

Serve with shredded cheese, chips, or coenbraffd.

Try Something New With Cauliflower

 Vary the topping  (see below) that will complement the other ingredients in your meal. In this recipe, I topped the stalks with cheddar cheese to go with turkey cutlets and sweet potatoes. Cauliflower comes in different colors, so I chose orange for fall.

Ingredients

yields 4 servings

1 large head of cauliflower, sliced lengthwise through the core into 4 steaks

¼ cup olive oil

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon dried  thyme

1 pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste

⅓ teaspoon each of salt and ground black pepper to taste

1cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay cauliflower steaks on the prepared baking sheet. Whisk olive oil and spices together in a bowl. Brush the tops of the cauliflower steaks with 1/2 of the olive oil mixture.

Roast cauliflower steaks in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Turn the steaks over and brush the tops with the remaining olive oil mixture

Continue roasting for 15 minutes more.

Top steaks with cheddar cheese and return the pan to the oven for 5 minutes more.

Variations 

Chili powder

Shredded Mexican blend cheese

Garlic, capers, Parmesan cheese 

Rosemary and Gruyere cheese