Showing posts with label one pot meals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label one pot meals. Show all posts
I just adore Gnocci . . . those delicious little Italian potato dumplings that combine my adoration of potatoes and pasta in the most perfectly delicious way!
They are also very versatile. I like them simply boiled with some butter, salt, pepper and cheese . . . browned in butter like fried potatoes, with a tomato sauce and cheese, with vegetables, with meat, with gravy . . . you get the idea. I love Gnocci any way I find them!
You can get them in a few different flavours also . . . sweet potato, beetroot, etc. My favourites however are the basic old fashioned plain potato, coz I'm a simple girl like that.
This dish today is a simple vegetarian dish with a simple sauce that goes together very quickly, in a flash really. You could call this a 15 minute supper!
Sliced mushrooms get browned in a non stick skillet with a bit of cooking spray, or if you are feeling really naughty you could use a bit of butter and oil. (Just sayin!)
Once they are softened and beginning to turn golden, (It helps if you let them sit instead of agitating them, which makes them release their juices and you don't really want that) you add some garlic and cook until fragrant and then . . .
The piece de resistance . . . double/heavy cream . . . ohhh . . . so rich. So tasty . . .
You also add a nice amount of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a goodly amount of fresh baby spinch, letting that cream bubble up and thicken and wilt the spinach . . .
After that you toss in the gnocchi (which you've also been cooking. Takes literally seconds.), well drained of course and a nice smidge of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Presto chango! Dinner is ready! I like to scatter some more Parmesan on top. I grate the garnish Parmesan a bit coarser so people can see it . . . sit back and wait for the ooohs and aahhs . . . and they will come. Trust me.
*Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Gnocchi*
Serves 4
pinch freshly grated nutmeg
salt and black pepper to tasteCook the gnocchi according to the package directions in a saucepan of lightly salted boiling water. Drain well. While the gnocchi are cooking soften the mushrooms in a large skillet you have lightly spritzed with low fat cooking spray. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or so longer. Add the ream and spinach. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cook until the spinach has wilted and the sauce thickend. Stir in half of the cheese and season to taste with salt, black pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Stir the cooked and drained gnocchi into the mixture. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese and serve immediately.
You could also add a TBS of grainy Dijon mustard to the sauce if you wanted to. It adds a nice zip. I didn't do that this time. Break out the crusty bread because you are NOT going to want to miss any of that delicious sauce! Bon Appetit!
In our house when I was growing up you could tell what day of the week it was by whatever my mother was cooking for supper. Friday nights were always hot dog nights.
On Saturdays we had baked beans. Sundays was a roast usually . . . pork, which was always served cold because that was the way my father liked it, cold with mustard . . . very occasionally a chicken, and even more rarely a roast of beef.
My dad didn't like roast beef. Week nights would be spaghetti one night . . . burgers or chops another night, and probably leftovers from Sunday one night.
I don't think I was quite as predictable, although my family certainly had their favourites . . . which I cooked for them fairly often . . .
things like spaghetti bolognese, or beef stew, oven fried chicken, baked beans and ham, enchiladas or tacos, etc.
You couldn't tell what day of the week it was by what I was cooking however. I never kept to a schedule.
I was a great list writer and menu planner, but more often not whatever we had for supper depended on my mood, the larder and whatever I felt like cooking or eating.
I was a great list writer and menu planner, but more often not whatever we had for supper depended on my mood, the larder and whatever I felt like cooking or eating.
They usually liked whatever I cooked. I tried hard not to cook things they were not fond of, which really . . . wasn't very much. My kids (except for the youngest who was extremely fussy) ate just about everything.
I loved cooking and I loved cooking for them. Nothing has changed except for the size of my household.
I loved cooking and I loved cooking for them. Nothing has changed except for the size of my household.
Now is it just the two of us and occasionally the young missionaries or other guests. Todd is fairly easy to please, but loves meat and potatoes best of all. Rib sticking food.
Occasionally I will cook this for our supper, which is quick and easy and quite adaptable size wise . . . its not difficult to cut the recipe in half to suit just two of us.
As you are cooking it some of the potatoes break down to thicken the sauce. The paprika gives it a hint of warmth, but not too much, although you could certainly add more paprika if you want it spicier.
I am a meat and potatoes lover also, although I try not to each many potatoes these days because of the diabetes. New potatoes are low GI so they are not as hard on you as regular ones, so that is what I use.
A vegetable and a salad on the side (for me) and we are good to go! Todd likes crusty bread with his to sop up all the juices.
1 TBS olive oil
1 TBS butter
2 brown onions, peeled, quartered and thinly sliced
1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp sweet hungarian paprika
10 medium new potatoes, peeled, sliced in half lengthwise,
and then sliced again into 1/2 inch thick half moons
375ml chicken stock ( 1 1/2 cups)
1 TBS chopped fresh parsley
Heat
1 TBS of olive oil in a large non-stick pan over medium high heat.
Add the smoked sausage and brown well on both sides. Scoop out with a
slotted spoon and keep warm.
A delicious one pan warmer which goes down a real treat. Super simple and quick to throw together.
1 pound of smoked sausage, sliced into 1/4 inch thick roundsand then sliced again into 1/2 inch thick half moons
Add the onions to the pan along with teh
butter. Cook, stirring occasionally over medium low heat until
lightly caramelized. Add the garlic, paprika, salt and pepper and cook
until fragrant, about 1 minute or so.
Add the sliced potatoes. Stir to coat with the onions and garlic mixture. Add the chicken stock, bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Partially cover and
continue to cook until the potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.
(About 20 minutes.) Try not to break the potatoes up too much. The
sauce will thicken during this time. Gently fold in the smoked sausage
and heat through.
Taste and adjust seasoning as required. If desired
add a drizzle of olive oil. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. Crusty
bread is nice with this.
This is one of my cheap and cheerful entree's, a one pan supper, which is quick, easy and quite delicious. Its often the simple things in live which bring us the most pleasure.
This is one of my cheap and cheerful entree's, a one pan supper, which is quick, easy and quite delicious. Its often the simple things in live which bring us the most pleasure.
I am a big fan of delicious and simple one pan suppers. Especially during these warmer months when I tend to spend more time out in the garden and less time in the kitchen cooking. Quick, easy and simple suppers are the rule of order most days.
This is one of our favourites. It combines a lot of the flavours of your favourite corn chowder, with pasta and cheese . . . with a lovely smokiness from the sausage, garlic,the heartiness of corn, the richness of cheddar cheese and a bit of stodge from the pasta bow ties.
It's like a very thick chowder and every bit as satisfying as you favourite corn chowder, except it is a lot heartier and makes an excellent family dinner for four. I add herbs . . . marjoram and thyme . . . which go very well with the sausage and corn . . . and the cheese. There are a few sausage skillet supper recipes floating around the ether, but this is mine and it's an original. It's showing here today for the very first time!
The spring onions scattered on top add a nice touch of colour and additional texture. All you need to make it a complete and very satisfying meal is to add some crusty bread to sop up all those rich cheesy juices and a salad on the side to help complete some of your needed five a day.
*Cheesy Smoked Sausage and Corn Skillet Supper*
Serves 4
One of those quick and easy skillet meals that uses things most people have in their larders. Simple and delicious.
1 TBS Olive oil
1 pound smoked sausage, sliced
1 large onion, peeled and diced
2 fat cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
450ml of chicken stock (2 cups)
1 (400g) tin of creamed corn (14 oz tin)
110ml of cream or milk (1/2 cup)
8 ounces of small pasta shapes (I like to use bow ties)
salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
180g of grated strong cheddar cheese, divided ( 1 1/2 cups)
a handful of sliced spring onions to garnish, both the white and green parts
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the smoked sausage and brown on both sides. Scoop out and set aside. Add the onions. Cook, stirring frequently, without browning, until softened. Stir in the garlic. Cook until the garlic becomes very fragrant. Return the smoked sausage. Add the stock, creamed corn and milk or cream. Season with salt and pepper and add the thyme and marjoram. Stir in the pasta shapes and bring to the boil. Reduce to low and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the pasta has cooked and the sauce has thickened somewhat. Stir in 2/3 of the cheese to melt. Scatter the remainder over top and remove from heat. Cover with a lid and allow the cheese on top to melt. Scatter the spring onions over top and serve immediately.
This recipe showcases Capellini pasta. Capellini is not something which I have had a very easy time finding here in the UK actually.
Capellini, or angel hair pasta traditionally cooks in a fraction of the time as regular pastas. I decided to do an all in one pan dish, with the pasta actually cooking in the sauce. I thought Capellini would be perfect for this because of it's shorter cooking time.
I used fresh chorizo sausage, which was easily crumbled and gave the sauce a bit of a kick. Feel free to use the dried version as well. Both are good.
Some tinned chopped tomatoes, a tin of drained borlotti beans, some frozen peas along with onion, garlic and stock and I had a very delicious entree indeed, and all in one pan.
I like it when I can cut back on the washing up don't you??? All in all it made for a lovely and fairly quick supper. A scattering of grated cheddar on top and we were good to go. The pasta worked very well and the whole dish was very tasty and colourful. A pleaser all round!
*Chorizo Skillet Supper*
Serves 6 to 8
I have a love affair going with the Bratwurst sausages that you can buy at Aldi. They are very lean and I think they are delicious, with the flavour of fennel and spice. Oftimes I will treat us to a meal of sauerkraut and bratwurst. We love German food in this house. The Toddster lived in Germany several times . . . a couple as a soldier and once as a civilian. I lived there as a small child, in the Black Forest, when my father was in the CAF. As a couple we have gone on holidays a few times to Germany. It's one of our favourite places to go, so it's no surprise that we love German food.
I often freeze half of the package of Bratwurst when I buy it, because well . . . there are only two of us and we can only eat so much. One for me, one for Todd and yes . . . she is a spoiled pooch, one for Mitzie.
I had bought a turkey crown for Christmas the other day and in order to fit it into the freezer, I had to take something out and so I took out some Brats I had frozen and a few other bits. I didn't feel much like eating Brats and Kraut however . . . what to do, what to do.
I decided to make a one pot supper, using the Brats, potatoes and some sliced white cabbage. I sliced the Brats into coins and browned them on both sides along with a chopped onion. I then added the potatoes, cut into cubes (no need to peel) and some sliced cabbage. I braised the mixture in a bit of chicken stock until the potatoes were fork tender.
I then added some double cream (just a touch) and some grated cheese, half stirred in with the cream to make a creamy sauce. . . and other half sprinkled on top. I then popped the whole dish under the grill to melt the cheese to a bubbling golden brown.
Oh baby, this was some tasty! And so easy to make as well. I love it when I am inspired to just take what I have and put it together into something magically delicious. I guess I find that pretty easy because I have been cooking for years and years. I kind of know by now what works and what doesn't. It guess it comes with practice.
Don't worry though I am always happy to share. I do hope you will give this a go and that you come back and tell me how much you enjoyed it! We thought it was fabulous and it's become a new favourite with us. OH, and I used low fat cheddar which worked really well. Normally the lower fat stuff won't. It was Pilgrim 30% lower fat strong cheddar. It worked wonderfully.
*Brat and Spud Autumn Warmer*
Serves 4salt and black pepper to taste
Turn on the grill. Scatter the remaining cheese over top of the mixture in the pan and then pop under the grill until the cheese is melted and bubbling and beginning to brown lightly. Remove and serve.
There's not many of us that are not watching our food pennies these days. I know I am feeling the pinch, which means I am working hard to economize and to stretch my food pounds as far as they will go. Making what I do have stretch as far as possible.Economizing doesn't mean that you have to compromise on quality though. Take minced beef for instance. Lots of people will opt for a cheap mince, thinking they are saving money. In reality, this is just a false economy . . . as all of your savings gets poured down the drain in liquid fat . . .
You get what you pay for. I'd rather pay a bit more and have meat that is not only better quality . . . but healthier for my family. You can always stretch it out with other things to make it go that little bit further and save you that little bit extra.
I will always opt to buy a lean or an extra lean packet of beef mince. What I have here today is one recipe for cooking several packets of extra lean mince, that you can then use in several different ways, feeding a family of four each time . . .
In truth, you could probably divide the finished cooked mince into three portions (instead of two) and get three meals out of it, but I have done just two here today. Both are delicious, economical, quick and easy, and (I am hoping) quite different than anything you may have tried before.
First the cooked mince recipe. You can cook this up and then divide it into two or three portions depending on how much you want to economize, then wrap and freeze one (two) portion (s) for use at a later date, (just thaw out overnight in the refrigerator), and one for use today.
This delicious mixture has all of the flavours that you would find in a hamburger, minus the bun . . . there is pickle relish, fried onions, mustard, steak seasoning, etc. And it's fabulous all on it's own . . . truly.
*Burger Mince*
Makes 8 servings worth
(so enough for a casserole and four cheeseburgers!)
Printable Recipe
Delicious minced beef sauteed with all the seasonings and flavourings you might have in a hamburger, cept it's not in a burger. Ready to use in grilled cheese sandwiches and casseroles.
2 pounds extra lean steak mince
1 TBS steak seasoning (Montreal Steak seasoning, or something similar)
1 large onion, peeled and finely minced
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
2 tsp liquid beef bovril
2 TBS of hamburger relish (the pickle stuff you put on burgers)
mild mustard to taste (about 2 tsp does it for me)
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Spray a large nonstick skillet with some nonstick cooking spray. Heat it over medium heat until hot. Crumble in the steak mince. Cook stirring and mashing until it is cooked through completely. (I use my potato masher to cut down on the lumps. That is just my personal preference.) Add the onion and garlic, and continue to cook and stir until the meat is beginning to nicely brown and the onions are softened. Stir in the bovril, hamburger relish, mustard and worcestershire sauce. Cook for several minutes to meld flavours. Taste and adjust seasoning as required with some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
The mince is now ready to use as you wish.
I was sitting here the other night kind of craving a grilled cheese sandwich . . . and yet at the same time I was wanting a burger. You know how it goes . . . at least I hope you do. Tell me I'm not the only glutton in the crowd! Say it ain't so!!
Anyways, I had seen on the telly one day a Grilled Cheese Sandwich Burger . . . that is an actual hamburger which has been grilled in the middle of two Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.
Yes, folks, it does exist. I think this picture is one from Friendly's. One can scarce imagine just how many calories are in one of these babies . . . and I dare say it's not for the faint of heart! Now that's what I call a real mouthful! I was intrigued. It did look rather good . . . and I was betting it also tasted really good . . . but could I dare to ingest that much fat and calories??? Never ever in a million years. I value my life too much!
And so I decided to compromise on something somewhere in the middle . . . and I put together a Grilled Cheese Sandwich which had all of the flavours of a burger . . . kind of like a Grilled Cheese Burger . . . but with only two slices of bread and half the cheese of the restaurant version. Definitely healthier and . . . if you use low fat cheese, not really all that bad for you.
The difficulty comes in trying to photograph it in a way that is actually looks as delicious as it tastes. I am no food stylist when it comes down to that sort of thing . . . but even so, this looks pretty good to me.
You've got all the flavours of a traditional cheeseburger . . . fried onions, sweet pickle relish, mustard . . . ground steak and a few other bits and bob's . . . sandwiched between two tangy slices of strong cheddar, tucked into two buttered slices of bread, (If you really wanted to be a glutton you could butter the sandwiches with garlic butter, but . . . I just couldn't do that to my arteries!) and then grilled until the bread is all toasty . . . the cheese is all gooey . . . and the three together just taste blissfully scrumdiddlyumptiously fabulous!!
As a once in a bluemoon treat this went down really well. I served them up with homemade oven fries . . . sweet potato and baking potatoes cut into half moons, tossed with a bit of olive oil and some herbs and spices and then baked in a hot oven until they were crispy. "Diner" food . . . cept it's at home.
Go on . . . tuck in . . . you know you want to. Just one bite, ok? (With a bit of ketchup on the side for dipping. Nom Nom!)
*Grilled Cheese Burgers*
Makes 4
Printable Recipe
Deliciously different.
8 slices of a sturdy white bread
8 slices of sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 of a recipe of Burger Mince
softened buttter
4 slices of streaky bacon cooked crisp (optional)
Lay half of the bread slices out onto a cutting board. Cover each with one slice of the cheese. Top each slice of cheese with 1/4th of the cooked mince and then another slice of cheese. Top with the final four slices of bread. Spread the outsided with softened butter. Heat the oven to low and have a baking pan ready.
Heat a large nonstick skillet. Cook two sandwiches at a time until they are golden brown on one side, flipping halfway through the cooking time to brown the other side. Place in the warm oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining two sandwiches. Cut each sandwich in half on the diagonal to serve.
I used the other half of the mince recipe to make a delicious casserole to take to a pot luck supper we were having at the church last Friday evening. I couldn't really spoon into it to show you just how delicious it was . . . but I did manage to take a few tasty pics of the outsides of it I think . . .
I tucked this fabulously flavourful beef mixture into the centre of two lucious layers of homemade macaroni and cheese . . . rich and creamy . . . cheesey delish! Then I topped it with some more cheese, buttered bread crumbs . . . and to make it even scrummier several slices of semi crisp bacon . . .
Baked in the oven for about 20 minutes so that the crumbs got all crispy and the bacon got all crisp-ier . . . and the meat mixture melted into all that mac & cheese surrounding it . . .
F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S!!! Dare I say that??? It was though . . . I would call this "empty dish delish" . . . because that is what I brought home . . . an empty dish. (I love it when that happens!!)
That can't be bad! You're family will love this, and so will you, because not only is it extra scrummy . . . but it's also quick and easy . . . perfect for those nights when you are just too pooped to work very hard at cooking a meal. A bit of a green salad on the side, and perhaps a french loaf and . . . easy peasy, lemon squeasy . . . you've fed the family a delicious meal.
*Cheeseburger Mac & Cheese*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe
Macaroni and Cheese with a delicious burger layer in the centre and topped with crispy bacon.
One four serving recipe of macaroni and cheese
one half of the Burger mince recipe
4 slices of streaky bacon, partially cooked and cut in half
1/2 cup of soft white bread crumbs
1 TBS melted butter
4 ounces of strong cheddar cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a square casserole dish. Layer it in the following manner: 1/2 of the mac and cheese, the burger mince, the remaining half of the mac and cheese.
Combine the bread crumbs with the melted butter. Stir in the shredded cheese. Sprinkle over top of the casserole. Top with the bacon slices.
For this casserole today I used my Cheater's Mac & Cheese Recipe, which worked very well, but you can use any Mac & and Cheese recipe you want to use.
Bake in the heated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until nicely browned and heated through. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Another good way to use this cooked mince mixture it to make up a recipe of biscuit or scone dough. Pat it out to a large rectangle and then spread the dough with some mustard and ketchup. Sprinkle with half of the cooked mince (4 servings) and then press the mince in slightly. Roll up in a tight roll and then cut into 1 inch slices. Bake in a hot oven until golden brown. You can also sprinkle the tops with cheese before baking. Delicious!
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