Angel Hair Pasta with Peas, Tomatoes and Garlic ~ Recipe

 

It's been a while since I've posted a recipe here on the blog, so I thought I would share a simple dinner that we had last week.  Pasta is my go-to dinner when I want something quick, easy and satisfying.  This easy pasta dish can be prepared in about 15-20 minutes!

Angel Hair with Peas, Tomatoes and Garlic

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 lb. Angel Hair pasta

1 can diced tomatoes (14 oz) with garlic and olive oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese plus more, to taste

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic and cook for one minute.  Add canned tomatoes and a quarter cup of starchy cooking liquid (from pasta pot) and cook for five to seven minutes. Add salt and pepper, to taste.  Add frozen peas and cook for 1-2 minutes or until peas are warmed through. 

Drain pasta.  Add pasta to skillet with tomato and pea mixture.  Top with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (or however much you like).  Toss pasta with tongs. Serve in bowl with additional sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper on top.

Enjoy!

Cottage Mama's Note:  If you can't find canned tomatoes with olive oil and garlic, try substituting Italian seasoned tomatoes or just use plain diced tomatoes.  During the summer months try using diced, fresh tomatoes to take advantage of the delicious seasonal ingredients that are available.

Smoked Chipotle Pulled Pork Quesadillas ~ Recipe

As you might have noticed, I'm on a slow cooker kick lately and this recipe is no exception.  You make the Smokey Chipotle Pulled Pork in your slow cooker during the day and then make the quesadillas right before you're ready to eat.  You can also serve this pork just as it is on a hamburger bun or use it as a filling for tacos.....it's very versatile.

Smoked Chipotle Pulled Pork Quesadillas

Ingredients:

3-4 pound pork loin roast

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon oregano

1 teaspoon chile powder

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 cup chipotle salsa or 1 tablespoon of chipotle in adobo sauce (sauce part only)

Flour tortillas

Shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese or Mexican cheese blend

Directions:

Place pork loin roast in slow cooker and top with onions, garlic, cumin, oregano, chile powder, and chipotle.  Set on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 5 hours.  

Once pork is cooked, remove from slow cooker and shred with two forks.  Return the pork back to the slow cooker to soak up all the juices.  This recipe makes a lot of pork, so you will only use part of it for the quesadillas.  Freeze remaining pork for later use or plan your weekly menu around other recipes using shredded pork.  

To assemble quesadillas, sprinkle shredded cheese on top of tortilla.

Place some of the pork mixture on top of the cheese on one side of the tortilla.  Heat skillet on medium and melt a little butter.  Once butter has melted place tortilla, as pictured above, into pan.

When the tortilla is in the pan, fold the cheese only side over on top of the pork mixture.  We don't want to fold the quesadilla before it goes in the pan because then we won't have butter on both sides of the tortilla.

Cook for about 3 minutes or until golden brown.  Flip quesadilla and cook until other side is golden brown.  Once both sides are cooked and cheese is melted, remove from pan and cut in half.

You can make as many of these as you would like or as many as your family can eat!

I like to serve these with some chipotle salsa, but you could dip them in any salsa your family enjoys.  Would also be great with some sour cream or guacamole as well.

Personally, I think two quesadillas is a perfect dinner serving and one is probably good for lunch.  Feel free to get creative here and add in any ingredients you would like.  

This pork is SO delicious, give it a try........you're going to love it!

Slow Cooker Green Chicken and Rice Soup ~ Recipe

I have been asked by quite a few people recently about how I manage my time.  And you know what, that's a really good question.  One that makes me stop and think, how do I manage my time?  I guess I just go about life doing what I love doing and don't really think about how I make it work. Well, I'm going to give it some more thought and I'll try create some posts on time management in the future. 

I'll tell you right off the bat, I don't get 'it all done'.  I don't think anyone does.  You can't be all things to all people all of the time.  I just don't think that is possible.  However, one of the very first things that popped into my head when asked 'how do you manage your time?' was my slow cooker (or crock pot).

The slow cooker is one of the absolute best inventions for the busy mom or for anyone, for that matter.  It allows you to prepare a home cooked meal, but it doesn't put any time constraints on you in regards to when you get it done.  Feeling motivated in the morning?  Throw in all the ingredients and set it on low.  Have a few minutes while the kids are napping in the afternoon?  Throw in all the ingredients and set on high.  You can make dinner work for you whenever it's convenient.  Plus it makes the house smell great all day!

If you like warm, comforting meals, you're going to love my Slow Cooker Green Chicken and Rice Soup.  This soup can cook all day and through the use of 'Uncle Ben's Ready Rice' (I love this stuff), your meal can be ready in minutes when you are ready to eat.

Slow Cooker Green Chicken and Rice Soup

(Serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

3-4 chicken breasts (frozen or thawed)

1 box chicken stock

1 can white beans (rinsed)

1 jar green salsa (I used Frontera brand ~ Tomatillo)

1 cup frozen corn

1 onion, chopped

1 teaspoon chile powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 package 'Uncle Ben's Ready Rice ~ Whole Grain Medley ~ Santa Fe Style'

Garnish (optional): Crushed tortilla chips, shredded jack cheese and sour cream.

Directions:

Place first 8 ingredients into your slow cooker (or crock pot).  I used frozen chicken breasts, but you can use fresh as well.  Set slow cooker on low and cook for 7-8 hours.

Before serving, remove chicken from slow cooker and shred with two forks.  Then return chicken back to slow cooker.  Cook your 'ready rice' according to package directions (should only take 90 seconds) and add the entire contents of the package to the soup.  Stir to combine. 

Serve topped with shredded jack cheese, crushed tortilla chips and sour cream, if you so choose.  Soup is delicious re-heated the next day.

I have absolutely no affiliation with Uncle Ben's or Frontera Kitchens, I just happen to like these products for super-easy shortcut meals.

Country Fried Steak with Cream Gravy ~ Recipe

Country fried steak must be a southern thing.  People around here in Chicago give me a strange look when I ask them if they have ever had it before.  My family moved from California to Texas right after I turned 13 and I have been hooked on country fried steak ever since.  I guess you could say, it was love at first bite.

Not only is country fried steak delicious, but it is also a very inexpensive cut of meat which makes it perfect for a family on a budget.  If you've never tried country fried steak, I'm sorry to say that you are missing out.  Come on, give this southern classic a try!

Country Fried Steak with Cream Gravy

Ingredients:

For Steak ~

4 cube steaks

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup of milk

1/2 sleeve of Saltine crackers, crushed

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons Lawry's seasoned salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1.5 teaspoons onion powder

3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 Tablespoon butter

For Gravy ~

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 -3 cups milk

1/2 teaspoon Lawry's seasoned salt

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Beat eggs and milk together in a bowl.  Mix flour, saltine crackers, seasoned salt, onion powder and black pepper in a large zip-top bag.  Mix the flour/cracker mixture and crush the crackers while mixing.  Crush them until they blend in with the flour.  Then pour the mixture out onto a large plate.

To bread the cube steaks, dip the steak in the egg mixture, then coat them on both sides with the flour/cracker mixture.  Make sure to cover the entire steak by pressing down on both sides.  Shake any excess breading off before cooking.

Preheat a large, heavy-bottom skillet on medium heat.  Add oil.  Once oil is heated, add butter.  When butter is melted, add steaks.  Cook steaks for 3-5 minutes on each side, until the crust is a golden brown.  You may have to do this in batches if you are cooking more than four steaks or your pan is small.  Once steaks are cooked through, remove from pan and allow to drain on a plate covered with a paper towel.

Now for the gravy.  Leave the remaining oil and butter in the skillet.  Turn up the heat to medium-high.  Add flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to combine with oil/butter.  You want 'cook' the flour.  If you add your milk right away, the flour will retain a lot of the 'flour-y' taste - we don't want that.  Once the flour is cooked, add the milk one cup at a time with a whisk.  Whisk each cup of milk picking up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan and dissolving the flour/oil/butter into the milk.  Whisk quickly so as not have any lumps.  Add salt and LOTS of freshly ground black pepper.  Depending on how thick you like your gravy, you can use 2 or 3 cups of milk.  Continue to cook until gravy reaches your desired consistency. 

Serve your country fried steak with mashed potatoes and any vegetable of your choice.  Pour gravy over the top of the steak and potatoes.  Don't forget your garnish!  I used fresh parsley to add some color to the plate.  

Sit back and enjoy this complete comfort indulgence!

Apple, Ham and Cheese Dinner Cups

My mom (Grandma Jane) came to stay with us for a week after baby Cass was born.  Whenever she comes after I have a baby she brings tons of recipes and does major cooking.  She completely stocked our freezer with easy-to-prepare meals and little shortcuts (like already cooked shredded chicken) to make my life easier.

Well, while mom did tons of cooking while she was here, there were a couple recipes she never got around to making, so I decided to try my hand at this one after she left - Apple, Ham, and Cheese Dinner Cups.  Mom forgot the recipe, so I lucked out and found it in our kitchen after she left.  She had already bought all the ingredients, so it was super-easy for me to whip up!  I called them dinner "cupcakes" to entice my girls to give them a try.

Apple, Ham and Cheese Dinner Cups

Ingredients:

1 can Pillsbury Grands Jr. Golden Layers Biscuits (10 count)

1/3 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 cup apricot preserves

3/4 cup chopped ham

3/4 cup chopped apple

3/4 cup cheddar or jack cheese

2 tablespoons chopped green onions

Substitution: I used left over pork loin (cubed) instead of ham in mine, but chopped, cooked bacon would be delicious as well!

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Pull out your regular sized muffin pan and spray with cooking spray.  Open biscuit can and stretch out each biscuit to about 2.5"-3" wide.  Place biscuit into muffin tray, pressing it so it's like a little cup that you can use to put your filling inside.

Mix sour cream, mustard and preserves together in a bowl.  Once mixed, add your meat, apple, cheese and green onions.  Divide the mixture among the 10 muffin cups.  Bake for 22-25 minutes or until golden brown.  I suggest using the middle rack of your oven.  

Serve two per plate along with a nice side salad.

Enjoy!

Mexican Taco Pasta Bake

Life with three kids is going pretty well.  Have I touched my sewing machine since Caspian was born? Well, no, not even once.  I'll get back to the machine eventually - it's always there waiting for me, ready to welcome me back with open arms.  But this little guy.......he's already growing up right before my eyes, so I am trying to soak up all the little baby time possible.

One of my biggest challenges has been preparing dinner because I'm never quite sure when my little guy is going to nurse.  He tends to want to eat right when I should be cooking dinner - go figure, right?  However, he seems to be doing a pretty good mid-afternoon nap, so I'm trying out some new recipes that I can prepare during the day and then just pop in the oven before dinner.

Today I'm sharing my latest recipe that I tried out last night.  I'm calling it "Mexican Taco Pasta Bake".  It's really all the flavors in a taco, but mixed is mixed in with pasta and cheese.  What could be bad about that, right?

The next time you want to prepare a meal ahead of time, give this one a try.  My husband even went back for thirds!  Would also be great to feed a crowd and your kids will love it too!!

Mexican Taco Pasta Bake

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef (or ground turkey)

1 lb. pasta (any shape)

1 onion, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

1 can Rotel (tomatoes with green chile)

1 package taco seasoning

1/2 brick light cream cheese

1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Topping:

1 cup crushed tortilla chips

1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Garnish:

Sliced green onions, slice black olives, and sour cream.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Meanwhile, brown ground beef in a large saute pan.  Remove beef from pan and drain on a paper towel.  Add onion and green pepper to pan and saute until cooked through.  Add back in cooked ground beef, taco seasoning and Rotel.  Stir to combine and cook for 3 minutes.  Add in cream cheese and melt it down into the beef mixture.  Once cream cheese is melted, add 1/2 cup shredded cheese.  

Drain pasta.  Pour beef and cheese mixture over cooked pasta and stir to combine.  Spray a large casserole dish with cooking spray.  Pour combined pasta and beef mixture into the casserole dish.

Sprinkle the top of the pasta with crushed tortilla chips combined with shredded cheese.  Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes.  Might need a little longer if it has been refrigerated.  Basically you are just melting the cheese and heating it through since all the ingredients are already cooked.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of sliced green onions and black olives.

 

Tortellini Chicken Soup

Fall is finally in the air and nothing feels better than a warm, comforting bowl of chicken soup.  This is a little different take on your traditional chicken noodle soup.  If you're looking for something to soothe the soul, this would be it!

Tortellini Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

1 rotisserie chicken or two (bone-in) roasted chicken breasts

1 package fresh tortellini (8 oz.)

Olive oil

2 carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 box chicken broth (I prefer low-sodium organic)

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt (more, if needed)

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (for garnish)

Directions:

Shred or chop chicken.  Heat a large, heavy bottom pan over medium heat and drizzle bottom with olive oil.  Add chopped celery, onions and carrots.  Cook for approximately 6-8 minutes.  You want the vegetables to cook, but you really don't want to add much color to them.  

Add thyme and cook another 2 minutes.  Cooking the thyme with release more of the flavor.  Feel free to add more if you like a stronger flavor.  Add salt and pepper as well.  Like I've said before I love black pepper so I would probably add more, but I included a modest amount for this recipe.

Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Once the soup is boiling add fresh tortellini and cook according to package directions (probably 6-8 minutes).  In the last several minutes add your chicken.

Sprinkle the top of the soup with some grated Parmesan cheese before serving.  I love this soup with good ole Saltine crackers crushed on top or some crusty french bread for dipping.

Leftover Remix: Grilled Shrimp and Roasted Corn Pasta

Yesterday I posted my recipe for Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Corn Relish.  Well, we had some leftovers and I decided it would be fun to turn them into something new for the following dinner.  There are very few additional ingredients for this pasta dish, but your family will never know they are eating something very similar to the night before.

If you would like to make this dish, but fear you might not have any leftovers from the night before, just plan ahead and make a double recipe of the spicy shrimp.

Leftover Remix:  Grilled Shrimp and Roasted Corn Pasta

Ingredients:

Leftover Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Corn Relish (pineapple removed)

1 pound cavatappi pasta (or any shape you like)

1 package grape tomatoes

Olive oil

3/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Cook pasta according to package directions.

Place leftover corn relish, grilled onions, and grape tomatoes on a large baking sheet.  Drizzle with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.  Roast in the oven for approximately 20 minutes or until grape tomatoes start to get wrinkly and corn starts to get a little color.

Meanwhile, cut up your shrimp into small pieces.  Once you remove your corn and tomato mixture from the oven, add your shrimp to the baking sheet - this will warm them up without cooking them any further.

Drain pasta.  Add all the contents from the cookie sheet into the pasta.  Make sure to scrape up all the little brown bits (this gives the great roasted flavor).  Add your Parmesan cheese and an extra drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper (to taste).

Garnish with additional sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and serve with freshly baked garlic bread.

Now that's practically two meals in one - how great is that?  I love things that do double duty!

Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Corn Relish

A week ago it actually felt like spring here in Chicago (though today, not so much), so I had grilling on the brain.  One of my favorite foods is grilled shrimp and I came up with this spicy grilled shrimp recipe with corn relish that is perfect for those warm weather days.  This recipe may appear to have a lot of ingredients, but most of the spices can be found in your pantry.

Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Corn Relish

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

Shrimp:

1 lb. raw shrimp, shells on

1/4 cup olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Juice of 2 limes

Corn Relish:

1 bag frozen corn (or several ears fresh with kernels removed if in season)

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 green onions, sliced

1/4 cup cilantro

Juice of 2 limes

1/2 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

Extras:

1 red onion, sliced

Pineapple, cubed - fresh or canned chunks

Rice, of your choice

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients under "shrimp" to make a marinade/paste for the shrimp.  Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade.  Add shrimp to marinade and let sit for 20 minutes before grilling.  You do not want to over marinate shrimp.  The acid from the lime juice will start to cook the shrimp ever so slightly and if you marinate them all day then you can end up with some tough, over cooked shrimp.

Drizzle the remaining marinade over your sliced red onions.

Cube pineapple or used canned pineapple chunks.  If you would prefer to do these as kabobs, just cut your onions into chunks rather than slices.  We happened to have one of those pans that go on the grill (so nothing will fall through) and just decided to go with a deconstructed kabob to make our lives easier.

Defrost your frozen corn and combine all ingredients under "corn relish".  Allow flavors to come together.  This can be made up to a day ahead of time.

Heat up your grill.  Add the onions, then the shrimp and finally the pineapple once the grill is hot.  The shrimp should take approximately 6 minutes (3 minutes on each side), but the onions will take a bit longer.  If you are doing a kabob, just put everything on the grill all together.

Serve with corn relish and rice of your choice (I made some red beans and rice)........my mother always told me to make sure you garnish your plate (something she learned from her mother).  Doesn't that fresh bit of cilantro just make the plate look so much more appetizing?  I think garnishing is worth the effort - it shows your family that you truly care and that the food you serve them is filled with love.

Tomorrow I will show you how I turned the leftovers from this meal into a fabulous pasta dish!

Stuffed Poblano Peppers

My husband and I have a thing for southwestern cuisine. We love it all!  I think I could serve my husband southwestern food every day of his life and he would never get tired of it........and neither would I.  We're a match made in heaven, I guess.

We both love Chile Rellenos, which is what I originally considered making with these beautiful poblano peppers.  But the idea of frying something didn't really appeal to me, so I came up with this slightly healthier alternative - Stuffed Poblano Peppers.  These peppers are stuffed with a mixture of tomatoes, green chiles, zucchini, cilantro, rice, garlic, onions, Mexican spices and Monterey Jack cheese.  They are baked in the oven and garnished with sour cream and more fresh cilantro.

In the mood for some southwestern cuisine?  Give these a try!

Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Serves 3-6

Ingredients:

3 poblano peppers

1 can Rotel (tomatoes and green chiles)

1 can green chiles

2 large cloves garlic, chopped

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 zucchini, sliced

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

2 Tablespoons chile powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less depending on how spicy you like it)

1 Tablespoon cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups Monterey Jack cheese

2 cups cooked white rice, prepared according to package directions

Garnish - Sour cream and cilantro

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cook white rice according to package directions.  Cut poblano peppers in half, lengthwise.  Remove seeds and white parts.  Place in a baking dish.

Meanwhile, over medium heat, saute onion, zucchini, garlic, chile powder, cumin, cayenne and salt and pepper.  Once onion is cooked add Rotel, cilantro and the extra can of green chiles and cook until most of the moisture has cooked out.

Add vegetable mixture to cooked white rice and stir to combine.  Add one cup of cheese and combine.

Spoon rice mixture into each poblano pepper half.  You want plenty of rice in each one, so make sure it's mounded up pretty high. 

Next, add the remaining cheese on top of each pepper.

Place peppers in oven for 30-35 minutes.  If for some reason your cheese starts to get too brown, just place some foil on top and finish cooking.  Mine ended up just right, but every oven is different.

Peppers are complete once they are easily pierced with a knife and cheese is golden brown.

Serve one pepper or two (if you have hungry adults).  My husband and I both ate two, but we are pretty big eaters and didn't have a lot of side dishes.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream on each pepper and a sprinkling of fresh cilantro.  If you have salsa on hand, that would be great too!  You can add additional side dishes - we had warm buttered tortillas, but some refried beans would be another good idea.

Cottage Mama's Note:  This dish is a great way to sneak some veggies into your non-veggie lovers.  I used zucchini because that's what we had on hand.  You could use sliced carrots, corn or even add in some black beans for extra fiber.  Watch the cayenne pepper if you plan to serve this to little kiddos.  Luckily my little ones like some spice, but if they aren't used to it, ease them into it slowly.