9 of 52: Bungalow Pie

Will has been asking for hearty meals lately and neither of us have ever tried lamb, so I thought - why not try it out! I ran across this recipe for Cottage Bungalow Pie, and decided to try it with ground lamb. 

Sorry lambchop!

Ingredients:

2 tbsp butter, melted

3 large carrots, cut in slices

S&P

3 tbsp tomato paste

1 lb ground lamb

thyme seasoning

1 cup beer 

3 tbsp flour

3/4 cup frozen peas (not pictured)

1 large russet potato - very thinly sliced

The How To:
Preheat oven to 400.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp butter over medium-high.  

Add carrots, and cook for about 5 minutes.

Season with S&P and stir in tomato paste.  

Add meat and brown. 

Cook until cooked through - about 8 minutes.  

Add thyme and beer and bring to a boil.

Add flour and stir.  

Add about 1/2 cup of water and cook until the mixture thickens (2-4 minutes)

Stir in peas and season with S&P.

Transfer mixture to a 2 qt. baking dish.

Top with potatoes.  

Season with S&P and butter.

Bake until potatoes are browned (45 minutes)

Now that Will and I have tried lamb, we know that we do not like it.  We thought it had a tangy after-taste.  In our opinion, this dish would be much better with ground beef.  

This dish is not Will approved.

The aftermath

Here is a shout out to lambchop to make up for this meal.. 

8 of 52: Mushroom, Turkey and Black Bean Tortilla Casserole

Whew, I feel like it's been a while.  Finally I have some time to mix up some new meals.. Tonight, Will requested something hearty and quick so I decided on Mushroom, Turkey and Black Bean Tortilla Casserole.  If you click the link, you will see that I made quite a few changes to this typically vegetarian dish.  

Ingredients:

Olive Oil

Carton of portobello mushrooms
Garlic
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 can black beans
6 flour tortillas
1 lb ground turkey breast
Salsa
2 cups of sharp cheddar
S&P


The How To:
Preheat oven to 400.
Pull out two large skillets -- 
In one, brown the turkey.  
In the other, heat a little olive oil over medium-high and add mushrooms.  Cook, stirring often until they are browned (7ish minutes).  Add garlic, cayenne, S&P, and black beans.  Cook until warmed through (5ish minutes).  
Remove from heat and combine the turkey and the black bean/mushroom mixture.

Grab a large baking dish.  Arrange the tortillas in halves in the bottom of the dish.  Top with the mixture, salsa, and then sprinkle on some cheese.  

Cover with foil and bake until the center is hot and cheese melts (about 15 minutes).  Uncover and bake until cheese is bubbling (about 5 minutes).  

Try to do a better job at your presentation than I did.  Enjoy!

We added a little sour cream and it was really good.  If I made this dish again, I would probably add some diced green chilis to the mixture.  This dish has been Will approved. 

Will being cute.

Will looking less than thrilled.. 

 Here is my debut picture to the blog.. Will had me pose with a peach.. 

just peachy.. 

7 of 52: Bangin' Good Shrimp

Will and I are both huge shrimp fans, usually I just saute some shrimp and we dip it in cocktail sauce (with extra horseradish, of course).  But, keeping with the spirit of 52 new dishes I looked up a few shrimp dishes and set on this one for Bangin' Grilled Shrimp Skewers.  This is a super fast dish so it's great for a weeknight.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 tbsp light mayo
2 tbsp Thai sweet chili sauce
1 tbsp Sriracha (to your taste)
1 lb shrimp
Olive Oil
S&P
Sesame Seeds (not pictured)

The How To:
Combine mayo, chili sauce, and sriracha and sit aside.
Put some olive oil in a medium skillet on medium heat.
Add your shrimp, let them cook until they are almost done - about 4 minutes

Add a few sesame seeds for about 1 more minute.

Put your shrimp in a bowl, add the sauce.  Serve!

Will gave this dish, "more of a no than an eh.. but didn't hate it."  Take that for whatever you'd like, there is no science to this rating method.  In my words, we just prefer cocktail sauce.

6 of 52: Gnocchi with Chicken, Mushrooms, and Gorgonzola Sauce

Tonight I felt like taking a risk, so I did just that by making something super filled with mushrooms (Will is not a huge fan, but I am).  My excuse was that I had some pre-made gnocchi on hand and I thought that Gnocchi with Mushrooms and Gorgonzola Sauce sounded pretty good, so why not give it a try. Of course Martha makes her gnocchi from scratch, but I cheated used some pre-made and also added chicken to mine! 

Ingredients
2 Chicken breasts
1 package gnocchi
1 cup half and half
1 cup vegetable stock
4 oz Gorgonzola cheese (beware, this has a very different taste, swap it out for feta or blue cheese)
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper
olive oil
12 oz assorted fresh mushrooms chopped (oyster, cremini, portobello, chanterelle - I bought 1 of the gourmet mushrooms from Publix and 1 of the portobellos) 
Truffle oil (optional, and not pictured)

The How To:
The chicken.. 
Preheat oven to 400.
Tin pan with tin foil (for easy clean up) 
Cook chicken for 45 minutes.

The sauce... 
If you are cheating using pre-made gnocchi - bring water to boil
Add gnocchi
Let it simmer for about 5 minutes
Then turn the heat way down and just keep the gnocchi warm until the chicken/sauce is ready

While the water is heating for the gnocchi.. 
Bring cream and stock to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high.
Reduce heat and let simmer for about 5 minutes.
Add in cheese (I used Gorgonzola); stir until melted (about 2 minutes)
Stir in nutmeg, cayenne, salt and pepper.

Heat some olive oil in a skillet and add mushrooms
Let them cook for about 5 minutes
Add the shrooms to the cheese mixture and stir 

Put the gnocchi and chicken in a separate dish (for serving)
Add the cheese/shroom mixture and stir
Serve!

This dish is Will ehpproved.. (he gave it an ehhh..)

Although Will did not give this a full hearted thumbs up, I would like to say that he did eat two plates of it..
This dish definitely does have a very distinctive taste (it's the cheese) but I thought it was delicious (coming from a mushroom lover - I do have evil plans to convert Will.. its just a matter of time.. <insert evil laughter>).


PS
How cute does Will look in these pics?!  

5 of 52: Cheesy Jalapeño Stuffed Chicken

For the fifth new dish and the last day of my twenties, I bring you: Cheesy Jalapeño  Stuffed Chicken.  

This is served up with some quinoa (say it KEEN - WAAA), butternut squash, and tomatoes







Ingredients: 
Bacon Bits
2 jalapenos, diced (leave seeds if you like it hot)
1 1/2 oz Fat Free Cream Cheese 
2 tbsp Sour Cream (not pictured)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup panko
1 lime
2 chicken breasts
Olive Oil 
Kosher salt and pepper (to taste)
Paprika (also not pictured)

The sour cream is not pictured because I used it only because I didn't really have as much cream cheese as I was hoping, and I needed something... 
The paprika is not pictured because it was a last minute add.. 

Yes, this is really how I cook. I just kinda throw stuff in as I go.. 

The How To:
Wash and dry chicken breasts, then either beat them down slice them so they are thin (this is to ensure faster cooking)
Preheat the oven to 450.
Line a baking dish with aluminum foil (for easy clean up)
Grab a medium bowl - combine cream cheese, shredded cheese, jalapeno, bacon bits, and a pinch of paprika

Lay the chicken slices out so that you can spread the cheese/jalapeno mixture on each slice - about 2 tbsp mixture on each

Roll each of the chicken slices and lay them in the pan (secure with a toothpick if needed)

Drizzle olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper on each chicken roll - then top with some panko.  I am the worst at measuring - just make sure the chicken is covered.

Pop your chicken in the oven for about 23 -25 minutes and then eat! 

Ready to try out the chicken

Honestly, I think this recipe could be improved a little -- I should have added more cream cheese, and maybe more lime juice.  I thought it would be better if it was a little juicier. 
But, Will did really like it.  His exact words were "Wow, the taste really lingers!" 

Needless to say, this dish is Will approved.

4 of 52: Chili-Rubbed Salmon

Generally, I make a lot of seafood.  So for today's meal I was a little hesitant trying a new way to make Salmon.  The thing is, Salmon is my wheelhouse.  I have perfected the way to make it and I don't see a reason to change a good thing.. But.. I needed a new dish.. so I tried out the Chili-Rubbed Salmon recipe.

Quite honestly, it didn't taste too much different than my "normal" (not new) way of cooking it.  But I do prefer my ol' trusty recipe.  (Which I won't be sharing on this blog - so you'll have to ask)

Ingredients:

1 lb of Salmon (leaves some for lunch tomorrow)

Chili Powder 

Cayenne Pepper

Dried Oregano

Garlic Salt

Kosher Salt

Olive Oil

The How To:

To remove the skin - place the salmon skin side up on aluminum foil (for easy clean up)

Turn the broiler on high and place the salmon on the top rack - for two minutes

Remove the fish and the skin should peel away with no problem

Grab a large nonstick skillet and add some olive oil and the salmon

Put some kosher salt, oregano, cayenne pepper, and chili powder on top of the salmon, then immediately flip it over and do the same on the bottom. 

Let the salmon cook for about 4 to 5 minutes

Then flip and let the bottom cook for about the same amount of time.

Done.

I love cooking fish.  Easy and fast.

This dish is Will approved.

I'd like to say he loved it so much he had to text all his friends -- but he was just being rude... 

3 of 52: Sausage Gravy

Will and I were both born and raised in the South and one thing that is loved in the South is Sausage Gravy.  For some reason, it is surprisingly hard to find in the city.  Every time Will and I go out to breakfast he talks about Sausage gravy, so this morning I thought.. Why not try to make it.

Grab your whisk, you're gonna need it.

Ingredients:

1 lb reduced fat pork sausage

4 tbs butter

5 tbs flour

1 2/3 cup low fat milk

pinch cayenne pepper

Sea Salt/Pepper (to taste)

Crescent rolls (I would have used biscuits, but I didn't have any)

The How To:

Prepare Biscuits/Crescent rolls as you normally would

Brown the sausage in a large skillet

In a large sauce pan, melt the butter

Once the butter is finished foaming add the flour

Whisk this mixture for about a minute or so, until it is thoroughly mixed

Add the milk, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper

Now it's time to put your whisk to good use - I had to whisk it for about 5 minutes, just until it has thickened a little 

Add the sausage, little by little, while you continue whisking

Whisk until you have the desired consistency - About 10 minutes

Serve over the crescent/biscuits - enjoy!

Especially good mixed with scrambled eggs

This dish is Will approved.

Side Eats

Blackened Salmon, Scallops, Broccoli and Tomatoes

Just to prove to you that I have indeed been cooking.. and eating (hard to believe I know)

Tuna, Tomato and Cheese Pasta

Here are just a few dishes -- sadly, they are not new or they are something that Will did not eat...

2 of 52: Cheeseburger Pie

I know you probably thought that I had abandoned you already.. but I didn't.  Will went out of town for a few days and I had to make a trip to Buffalo.  So I had to wait until we were both at home, hungry, and I had enough time to actually cook something.  
Those of you that know Will, know that one of his favorite foods of all time is a Cheeseburger.  So I knew that I HAD to try out the Cheeseburger Pie.






Ingredients:

1 can of crescent rolls
1 lb lean ground beef
About 4 tbsp Ketchup
About 3 tbsp Mustard
About 2 tbsp Flour
About 2 tbsp Low Fat Milk
About 1 tbsp diced jalapenos 
1-2 cups shredded sharp cheese
Pickles (Wickles are my favorite)
Pepper (to taste)

*Note: 
Mayo is pictured, but it was not used



The How To:
Preheat oven to 375.
Take the crescent rolls out of the can, and spread then in a pie pan.
Once the oven has heated, go ahead and pop the "pie crust" in the oven for about 8 minutes
Brown the ground beef until browned (When I do this step I add a little extra water, and then drain off some of the extra fat -- Thanks to my Mom for that tip)
After draining, stir in ketchup and mustard (I did not measure, I just put as much as I felt like putting)
Sprinkle the mixture with a little flour, and add a little milk
Stir well and leave mixture on heat until it has thickened a little
Remove from heat and add about a half a cup of shredded cheese
Pour your mixture into the "pie crust" and bake for about 10 minutes 
Add the remaining cheese, some extra ketchup, mustard, and pickles if you so choose (Will hates pickles) 

Tomatoes would be excellent on top, but I didn't have any - so maybe for next time.

This dish is Will approved.

1 of 52: Spicy Spaghetti Squash with Black Beans

Oh, the pressure for the FIRST new meal of the year.  I sent Will two options both involving Spaghetti Squash - the winner was: Spicy Spaghetti Squash with Black Beans.

I have linked to a Whole Foods recipe - I never follow any recipe step by step so I'll also tell you how I did it.

Ingredients:

1 Medium Spaghetti Squash
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (called EVOO from now on) 
1 Jalapeno Pepper (seeded and diced)
1 Red Pepper (seeded and diced)
1 can of Black Beans (drained)
1 bag of Frozen Roasted Sweet Corn
1 can of Green chilis
Sriracha Sauce (to taste)
Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper (S&P)
Mexican Chili Powder (to taste)
Juice from 1/2 one lime



The How To:
Preheat oven to 405.
Cut the big hunk of squash in half (this is not as easy as it sounds - don't cut yourself)
Scoop out the seeds
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (or don't - this is for easy clean up)
Spray a little EVOO on the foil/sheet, and then put your squash empty seed side up
Sprinkle a little S&P on top 
Pop that squash in the oven for about 45 min.

When there the Squash has about 10 minutes left, it is time to start the filling:
Put some EVOO in a large pan, then put in the Jalapeno and Red Pepper until they look a little roasted 
Then add the beans, corn, green chilis, lime juice, and a little more S&P to the mix.  
Add as much Sriracha as you think you can handle and a few dashes of Chili Powder.  
For extra kick add in some Cayenne Pepper
Mix it all up and let it sit there until it is good and warmed up or the squash is done

Once your Squash has finished cooking - it's time to scrape the insides into a huge bowl 

Remember to keep your squash to use it as a "bowl"
Add your filling to the squash scrapings and mix it up
Put the mixture into your squash "bowl" and enjoy! 

This is one spicy dish.  But, Will gave it a thumbs up!