Showing posts with label Delicious Mains. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Delicious Mains. Show all posts
Meatza Pie. You could look at this delicious recipe as a low carb version of Pizza, or you could look at it as an alternative type of meatloaf. Either or, one thing is for certain, you are going to fall in love with this quick, easy and delicious entrée!
I have adapted this recipe from one I found on Chicken.ca. It was originally designed to use ground chicken meat. I put my hand up. I am not at all fussy about ground chicken. Ground turkey I do like, but not ground chicken.
I thought it would adapt well to using ground beef however and I was right. It works beautifully with ground beef.
I also added some more seasonings to the meat mixture and my favorite pizza toppings. You can of course adapt these toppings to use your own favorite pizza toppings! (Even ham and pineapple!)
I have also added European measures for those who are living across the pond. I know how frustrating it is no matter which side of the pond you live to have to do all of the adapting. I do the work now so you don't have to!
I made this while my daughter was staying with me and she loved it. I also sent some over to a neighbor across the way and she enjoyed it also. Like any pizza, you can also freeze the leftovers, properly wrapped, to reheat at another time.
This is not only delicious, but very quick and easy to make, as well as being totally adaptable to your own favorite tastes and toppings! On this day we happily dressed it as a Pepperoni Pizza.
As I often say, simple, ordinary, uncomplicated ingredients.
- 1 pound extra lean ground beef
- 1 cup cooked rice (see recipe notes)
- 1 large clove garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 large free range egg, lightly beaten
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup (120g) pizza sauce
- 1 small onion, peeled and diced
- 1/4 each small green and red pepper, trimmed and diced
- 1/4 cup (45g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup (120g) grated Mozzarella cheese
- thinly sliced pepperoni to cover as desired
I buy my ground beef frozen at the local farmers market. It is sold by the pound and is free range and organic. At $6.99 a pound I consider it to be very reasonable. It is traceable and is of a very good quality. I have never had an issue with it. It has always been of exceptional quality.
Ever noticed when you buy supermarket ground beef it looks all lovely and red on the outside, but when you get to the inside, it is kind of grey? I don't like that. I also don't like that the package of ground beef you get at the supermarket has come from a whole host of animals.
I know that this ground beef I buy is traceable as well as being just as red inside as it is on the outside. Call me picky if you like, but that's just the way I like my ground beef.
You can cook rice specifically for this recipe (make sure you cool it down before using), or you can use leftover cooked rice. One exceptionally good option is to use the already cooked rice that comes in the pouches in the shops. I can think of two brands off the top of my head. Tilda and Uncle Ben's.
Today I used Uncle Ben's Garlic Butter cooked rice and it gave an excellent result, flavor wise. Plain or brown are also very good.
I added some seasonings because it sounded rather plain otherwise. They all worked well. I also chose to use two kinds of cheese, Parmesan and Mozzarella. Pizza just would not be pizza in my books without the two.
I used a good store brand pizza sauce. The garlic one. It worked beautifully and we kept the toppings fairly simple today as my daughter was here, just peppers, onions, and pepperoni.
You can go as crazy as you like with the toppings however. Chopped cooked bacon, ham, pineapple, olives, mushrooms, etc. Just pick your favorites and run with them!
HOW TO MAKE MEATZA PIE
Nothing could be simpler. I know I say that all the time, but its true. You will love the ease and simplicity of this!
Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter 10 inch round pie tin. Set aside.
Mix the beef, rice, seasonings and egg together to combine, mixing everything together well. Press this into the bottom and up the sides of the pie dish.
Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from the oven. Drain off any liquid or fat which has accumulated.
Spread the pizza sauce evenly over top of the partially cooked meat. Sprinkle with the grated Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the Mozzarella over top of the Parmesan cheese, reserving about a TBS to sprinkle over the top.
Scatter the top with the chopped onion and peppers. Lay out the pepperoni on top of these. Sprinkle with the reserved cheese.
Return to the oven and bake for a further 20 minutes (or longer) until the cheese has melted and started to brown and the meat is cooked through.
Leave to sit for 10 minutes before cutting into wedges to serve.
Notes
You can use leftover cooked rice for this, brown or white. You can also use 1/2 of a pouch of ready cooked rice such as Tilda or Uncle Ben's. On this particular day I used 1/2 pouch of Uncle Ben's Garlic and Butter rice and it was delicious! You can always heat the remainder of the pouch of rice to serve on the side if desired.
I served this simply, with a tossed salad on the side, and found it to be quite ample. I think this is a dish that children will love and men too!
It was a deliciously unique way of presenting a meatloaf. Terribly adaptable to all kinds of flavors and tastes! Quick, easy, economical. You can't ask for more than that!
Are you looking for delicious Ground Beef Recipes? I have plenty more where this comes from. Some of my favorites are:
STREET STYLE BEEF TACOS - Delicious, perfectly spiced chopped steak served on homemade tortillas with all of your favorite taco toppings. Also included is a recipe for your own homemade Avocado Cream to top them with. These are quite simply one of my favorite tacos. Not too spicy, although if you are a lover of heat you can certainly amp them up. These are fantastically tasty!
OVEN HASH - Economical and honest ingredients combined to make a delicious meal that your family will love. Not a hash with potatoes, but a delicious mixture of spiced minced beef, baked with tomatoes, onions and noodles. Comfort food. Family food. Simple, maybe . . . but never plain.
COWBOY CASSEROLE - A tasty combination of baked beans, ground beef and BBQ sauce, popped into a casserole dish and topped with some drop biscuits and cheese. Its such a simple make but incredibly delicious. This is a real family pleaser as well as being something that is popular at Pot Lucks!
Meatza Pie
Yield: 4 - 6 (depending on appetites)
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 55 Min
A meatloaf by any other name, this delicious version will convert any pizza lover into a meatloaf lover!
Ingredients
- 1 pound extra lean ground beef
- 1 cup cooked rice (see recipe notes)
- 1 large clove garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 large free range egg, lightly beaten
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup (120g) pizza sauce
- 1 small onion, peeled and diced
- 1/4 each small green and red pepper, trimmed and diced
- 1/4 cup (45g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup (120g) grated Mozzarella cheese
- thinly sliced pepperoni to cover as desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter 10 inch round pie tin. Set aside.
- Mix the beef, rice, seasonings and egg together to combine, mixing everything together well. Press this into the bottom and up the sides of the pie dish.
- Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from the oven. Drain off any liquid or fat which has accumulated.
- Spread the pizza sauce evenly over top of the partially cooked meat. Sprinkle with the grated Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the Mozzarella over top of the Parmesan cheese, reserving about a TBS to sprinkle over the top.
- Scatter the top with the chopped onion and peppers. Lay out the pepperoni on top of these. Sprinkle with the reserved cheese.
- Return to the oven and bake for a further 20 minutes (or longer) until the cheese has melted and started to brown and the meat is cooked through.
- Leave to sit for 10 minutes before cutting into wedges to serve.
Notes
You can use leftover cooked rice for this, brown or white. You can also use 1/2 of a pouch of ready cooked rice such as Tilda or Uncle Ben's. On this particular day I used 1/2 pouch of Uncle Ben's Garlic and Butter rice and it was delicious! You can always heat the remainder of the pouch of rice to serve on the side if desired.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!
On this day I topped mine with a delicious taco beef (or turkey) filling and all of my favorite taco toppings for a simple supper that was not only very easy to make but also very delicious!
If you enjoy tacos and you like baked potatoes then you are going to fall in love with these simple, quick and easy Taco Baked Potatoes. I wish that I had thought of this when my children were growing up, but alas, I did not. They would have loved them.
I can't claim to have thought of them even now. I was inspired by some Taco Potatoes that I saw on Life in the Loft House. I adapted the recipe by cutting it in half to make only two servings, and I also provided two ways to bake the potatoes.
You can bake your potatoes in either a regular oven or an air fryer. Both methods work beautifully, yielding beautifully baked potatoes with a lovely crisp skin.
She wraps her potatoes in foil, but I never do. I just bake them as is. No need to waste any foil and the skins get beautifully crisp because they bake rather than steam.
You can also speed up the process by prebaking your potatoes in a microwave oven. Just wash, prick all over, place onto a plate (using russet potatoes of course) and bake for five minutes on high, then flip over and bake for a further five minutes on high.
This is only time saving when you are doing only a few potatoes. I do always like to rub them after with a bit of oil and pop them into a hot oven to crisp up a bit. But this can be a real time saver when you are in a bit of a hurry.
One thing that I really miss here in Canada are the frozen already baked potatoes that we could get in the U.K. McCain made them and they were simply lovely, and very convenient as well.
They came in two sizes. You could get four large ones in a pack, or eight smaller ones in a bag. I used to often pick up the smaller ones. You could not beat them for a quick and easy side dish or something like this.
They also had frozen mashed potatoes that I just loved. I hardly ever made mashed potatoes from scratch during the last few years of my living there. They came in bags, large enough to feed four people and were quite inexpensive.
What you had was a bag of individually frozen mashed potato pellets. You just poured however many/much you wanted to cook into a baking dish and then popped them into the microwave. A few minutes later and you had a really decent mash.
I always used to add a bit of sour cream or milk, and sometimes some butter or cheese. Stir in some grated or chopped onion, etc. It was really good and very convenient and they were inexpensive too. You could usually buy a bag for a pound which was about $2.
No having to peel, cut up or boil potatoes. Very tasty! I wonder why they do not have the frozen mash or the frozen baked potatoes here? I know I would buy them and I am sure many others would as well!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE TACO BAKED POTATOES
Except for the toppings, every day simple ingredients. You can vary the toppings as to what you like and enjoy! Recipe makes two potatoes with toppings.
- 2 medium russet baking potatoes
- 1/2 pound extra lean ground beef or ground turkey
- 2 TBS taco seasoning (see notes on how to make your own)
- water as needed
Optional Toppings:
- shredded lettuce
- chopped spring onions
- grated cheddar cheese
- sour cream
- salsa
- chopped black olives
- guacamole
I never buy the baking potatoes that are already wrapped in foil. You just don't know what lies beneath the foil and I have found that they often taste and smell musty. I just pick up my baking potatoes loose. That way I can pick and choose the best and the right size for my needs.
Today I used ground turkey. I am not overly fond of ground beef and since I try to limit my red meat consumption, I usually use ground turkey in its place. You can use whatever ground meat product you like, or even a veggie option if you wish. All will taste good.
I like to make my own taco seasoning and have included a recipe to do that in the notes below. If you don't want to make your own I think you could use approximately 1/2 of a package of taco seasoning, and the water as recommended on the package.
I have included a list of our favorite toppings. I forgot to add taco sauce. We often like to have some taco sauce on our tacos, including these baked potatoes!
HOW TO MAKE TACO BAKED POTATOES
Nothing could be easier. I know I always say that, but its true!
Wash your potatoes really well, pat dry and then prick all over with a fork. (Don't skip this as they can explode in the oven from built up pressure.)
To oven bake: Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Rub the potatoes with a bit of oil and then place them in the oven right on top the oven rack. (This helps the air circulate around them, making for a nice crispy skin.) Bake for one hour. They are done when they yield slightly to pressure when lightly squeezed. Carefully remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
To bake in the air fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 400*F/200*C. Rub some oil over the skins of your potatoes and place them into the air fryer basket. Cook in the preheated air fryer for 40 to 50 minutes, depending on the size of your potato. They are done when they yield slightly to the pressure when lightly squeezed. Carefully remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
While the potatoes are baking make your meat topping. Spray a medium non-stick skillet with some non-stick cooking spray and crumble in your meat. Scramble fry over medium high heat until nicely browned. If there is any grease in the pan drain it off.
Add the taco seasoning and about 1/4 cup (60ml) of water. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a slow simmer and cook for about 10 minutes until nicely thickened. The mixture should be moist but not runny.
Cut a slit in the top of each potato and gently squeeze the sides to fluffy up and open. Place on each of two heated plates and top each with a portion of the ground meat filling. Sprinkle each with a bit of ground cheddar. Serve immediately with all of your other favorite taco toppings! Enjoy!
Quick, easy and delicious. These made for a really nice week night supper which didn't require a lot of faffing about or effort. My favorite kind of meal is simple food. These are also really economical!
Simple doesn't mean that it can't also be delicious. Delicious food, simply prepared, that's my promise to you!
I love the potato in any way shape or form. I will often turn baked potatoes into stuffed baked potatoes. Here are some of my favorite versions!
TWICE BAKED CAULIFLOWER CHEESE BAKED POTATOES - Crispy skinned and stuffed with a delicious cauliflower cheese mixture. Fabulously tasty, this is like having two of your favorite side dishes combined into one!
SALMON PIE STUFFED BAKED POTATOES - One of our favorite meals when I was growing up was French Canadian Salmon Pie. On this day I decided to use some baked potatoes and stuff them with the salmon pie mixture with the most delicious results, and there was no fussing about with making or rolling out crusts. These are some of my favorite stuffed baked potatoes. Delicious!
Yield: 2
Taco Baked Potatoes
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 15 M
Taco fixings and toppings make a really delicious topping for simple baked potatoes. A quick, easy and delicious meal! You can bake your potatoes in the oven or the air fryer. Its all up to you!
Ingredients
- 2 medium russet baking potatoes
- 1/2 pound extra lean ground beef or ground turkey
- 2 TBS taco seasoning (see notes on how to make your own)
- water as needed
Optional Toppings:
- shredded lettuce
- chopped spring onions
- grated cheddar cheese
- sour cream
- salsa
- chopped black olives
- guacamole
Instructions
- Wash your potatoes really well, pat dry and then prick all over with a fork. (Don't skip this as they can explode in the oven from built up pressure.)
- To oven bake: Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Rub the potatoes with a bit of oil and then place them in the oven right on top the oven rack. (This helps the air circulate around them, making for a nice crispy skin.) Bake for one hour. They are done when they yield slightly to pressure when lightly squeezed. Carefully remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
- To bake in the air fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 400*F/200*C. Rub some oil over the skins of your potatoes and place them into the air fryer basket. Cook in the preheated air fryer for 40 to 50 minutes, depending on the size of your potato. They are done when they yield slightly to the pressure when lightly squeezed. Carefully remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
- While the potatoes are baking make your meat topping. Spray a medium non-stick skillet with some non-stick cooking spray and crumble in your meat. Scramble fry over medium high heat until nicely browned. If there is any grease in the pan drain it off.
- Add the taco seasoning and about 1/4 cup (60ml) of water. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a slow simmer and cook for about 10 minutes until nicely thickened. The mixture should be moist but not runny.
- Cut a slit in the top of each potato and gently squeeze the sides to fluffy up and open. Place on each of two heated plates and top each with a portion of the ground meat filling. Sprinkle each with a bit of ground cheddar.
- Serve immediately with all of your other favorite taco toppings! Enjoy!
Notes
Make Your Own Taco Seasoning: Mix together 1 TBS mild chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp oregano and 1/2 tsp of onion powder, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Store in an airtight container out of the light for up to 6 months.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
I am so excited to show you this delicious recipe that I am sharing with you today. It is a simple, quick and easy main dish that you can have on the table in less than half an hour. I kid you not!
Its quick, easy and delicious. You have tender crispy coated juicy chicken breasts and a creamy almost Alfredo-like sauced pasta.
Crispy Chicken with Creamy Garlic Pasta is a complete meal for the most part. If anything I would add a salad on the side, but that's pretty much it!
My oldest daughter, the Olympian Athlete, is here staying with me for 10 days. She represented Canada in the Special Olympics World Winter Games in 2009. We were all so proud of her. She came out of the games with 3 gold medals and a bronze. She completed in Cross Country Skiing both as an individual and as a part of a team.
I was able to fly over to Boise, Idaho to watch her compete. What a proud mama I was! She just participated in the Summer Games here in Nova Scotia as a ribbon gymnast and bought home one gold, two silvers and a bronze for that!
The Special Olympics is a wonderful organization. I really applaud them and can tell you first hand that they have made a wonderful difference in my daughter's life. She is a confident and capable young woman with loads of drive and ambition.
She had been going to come over and spend a few weeks with me in England a few years ago, but Covid happened the the trip didn't. And then I moved back to Canada amidst the Pandemic.
In any case, we are having a holiday staycation here together in my little house for ten days, which will hopefully make up for it. I have all sorts planned, some of which is eating some good food together, and this recipe is one of the dishes I have planned!
I also want to do a tea party together, have a picnic, go on a few days trips, and in general, just enjoy each others company and hopefully we can cook together as well. She is a very competent cook.
I have always tried to create and write most of my recipes in a way so that anyone could cook them. I always have her in mind when I do so. She loves to cook and does really well at it, and she loves to cook my recipes and does very well with them.
This one I am sharing today is no exception. What you have here is a delicious use of a convenience ingredient (frozen chicken breasts), some pasta and a creamy sauce. Its a very simple quick and easy make! Delicious too!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CRISPY CHICKEN WITH CREAMY GARLIC PASTA
Just a few simple ingredients and about half an hour's time, that's all! This is a recipe geared to feed two people, but can very easily be doubled.
You will need:
- 2 frozen crispy coated chicken breasts (I used Pinty's)
- 1/2 pound (8 oz/226g) dried penne pasta
- parsley to garnish
- grated Parmesan cheese to garnish
For the sauce:
- 2 TBS butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 TBS plain all purpose flour
- 1 cup (240ml) chicken stock
- 1 cup (240ml) milk
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup (90g) grated Parmesan cheese
I did use pre-grated Parmesan cheese today. I buy it at the Deli-counter. It is not that stuff in the green can that doesn't need refrigeration. Just use the best that you can afford and what is available to you.
I used whole milk. I only keep whole milk in the house. I can't afford to keep more than one kind of milk, so I just buy the one that I will get the most use from. I buy the ultra-filtered one which means it lasts a lot longer.
This is important to me as a single person. I don't go through milk as quickly as other people and found that I was ending up pouring too much of it down the drain. Buying the Ultra Filtered one makes a huge difference in my kitchen as far as waste goes.
Also did you know that Ultra Filtered milk is higher in calcium than regular milk? It is also lactose free, has less sugar and more protein. Its a great milk for older women who are at risk for osteoporosis and for children as well.
The chicken stock I use is called Better than Boullion, Roasted Chicken Base. It comes in a jar and I keep it in the refrigerator. I find that it has a nice flavor and blends very easily into boiling water to make stock. I wish it had less sodium, but it is what it is.
I love the flavor of white pepper. It is earthy and not quite as hot as black pepper. It is the inner seed from the pepper corn. It is the pepper which you will find on most tables in the UK. It took me a while to get used to it when I first moved over there, but once I did, I found that I liked it more. It also looks good in a sauce without adding black specks.
HOW TO MAKE CRISPY CHICKEN WITH CREAMY GARLIC PASTA
This is such a simple make. It is perfect for nights when you are starving and want something delicious but don't want to spend a lot of time!
Preheat your oven and cook your chicken breasts according to the package directions. (Mine took 25 minutes at 400*F/200*C/gas mark 6, flipping them over halfway through the cook time.
While the chicken is cooking, cook your pasta to al dente according to the package directions. Drain well, rinse and drain again. Set aside.
Melt the butter over medium heat in a skillet large enough to hold the pasta. Once it begins to foam add the garlic. Cook for 30 seconds, until quite fragrant. Whisk in the flour, 1 TBS at a time, until you have a smooth paste.
Slowly whisk in the chicken stock and the milk. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and thickens. Add the cheese and whisk in until melted.
Add the pasta to the sauce in the skillet, tossing together. Heat through.
Serve hot with the cooked sliced chicken. Sprinkle with additional parmesan and some parsley flakes to garnish.
NOTE - just for future reference. If you find that when you are making a sauce like this, or even a gravy and it ends up with a few lumps in it, just pass it through a clean sieve. Lumps no more.
This was really simple and something which we both enjoyed. The sauce was rich and creamy. It went very well with the crispy chicken. A simple salad on the side and we were both very happy, very satiated campers!
I can't wait to cook something else together. I wonder what it will be??? Watch this space!
If you are a fan of pasta as much as we are, you might also enjoy the following simple pasta recipes:
EASY OVEN BAKED PASTA - Pasta which cooks right in the sauce, giving it even more flavor. No fuss, no muss. No boiling of water. Just bung the both together in a baking dish, pop into the oven and let the oven do all the work. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. Delicious! Some salad and a loaf of garlic bread and dinner is served!
CHEESY TUNA SKILLET PASTA - The pasta in this also cooks in the pan along with the sauce, tuna peas. This is a fabulously tasty skillet meal. It goes together really quickly and is done in about 15 minutes time maximum. While it is cooking you can be putting together a nice salad to serve on the side. I love simple meals like this!
Crispy Chicken with Creamy Garlic Pasta
Yield: 2
Cook time: 25 MinTotal time: 25 Min
Crispy coated tender and juicy chicken breasts served atop pasta in a rich and creamy garlic sauce. Done in less than half an hour. What's not to love about this one!
Ingredients
You will need:
- 2 frozen crispy coated chicken breasts (I used Pinty's)
- 1/2 pound (8 oz/226g) dried penne pasta
- parsley to garnish
- grated Parmesan cheese to garnish
For the sauce:
- 2 TBS butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 TBS plain all purpose flour
- 1 cup (240ml) chicken stock
- 1 cup (240ml) milk
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup (90g) grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven and cook your chicken breasts according to the package directions. (Mine took 25 minutes at 400*F/200*C/gas mark 6, flipping them over halfway through the cook time.)
- While the chicken is cooking, cook your pasta to al dente according to the package directions. Drain well, rinse and drain again. Set aside.
- Melt the butter over medium heat in a skillet large enough to hold the pasta. Once it begins to foam add the garlic. Cook for 30 seconds, until quite fragrant. Whisk in the flour, 1 TBS at a time, until you have a smooth paste.
- Slowly whisk in the chicken stock and the milk. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and thickens. Add the cheese and whisk in until melted.
- Add the pasta to the sauce in the skillet, tossing together. Heat through.
- Serve hot with the cooked sliced chicken. Sprinkle with additional parmesan and some parsley flakes to garnish.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan@aol.com
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!
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