Main Dishes
Beef Orzo Skillet
Now that school is back,
I really want to utilize my time and be more productive during the day. I have all these wish lists of things I want to accomplish. Like for instance, simplifying MY LIFE! LOL! That will always be #1 and most important on my list. However, I will probably NEVER accomplish it……. and I’m ok with that……… most of the time.
One thing I can probably, maybe, sort of do that with is dinner. You always hear about 30 minute meals and while some of them are good…… others are GREAT!
I happened to find one of those the other night when I was scouring the internet for some culinary inspiration. I ended up finding this one on my Calendar site I use, www.cozi.com.
It was SOOOOOOO good! The best part was that my kids gobbled it up and my little one didn’t even realize that there was Spinach in it!
It’s so nice to only mess up one pan when cooking and not a million bajillion (is that a word?) of them. I honestly do not know how my fingers do not shrivel up and wither away from all the pots and pans I wash????
You MUST give this one a try!
Recipe: Beef Orzo Skillet
Ingredients
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14.5 ounce) diced tomatoes ( I use the garlic, basil, oregano flavor)
- 1½ cups low sodium beef broth
- 1 tsp minced fresh oregano or ½ tsp crumbled dried oregano
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 8 ounces orzo pasta, dried (1 cup) – try whole wheat if you can find it!
- 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
- ½-¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
- Sprinkle salt into a 10 to 12 inch frying pan over medium-high heat. Crumble beef into pan and cook, stirring often, until meat begins to brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium, stir in onion, and continue to cook, stirring, until onion is soft but not brown, about 5 minutes. Drain grease from meat in a colander and return to pan.
- Add garlic, tomatoes (break them up with a spoon) and their liquid, broth, oregano, and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil then stir in pasta. Reduce heat, cover and simmer gently until pasta is tender to bite, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Meanwhile, squeeze as much liquid as possible from spinach. Stir spinach into pasta mixture just until heated through. Serve with cheese to add to taste.
*By the way, if you like a spicy kick, do what my hubby and I do and add cayenne pepper to yours!
ENJOY!
XOXO,
Esther
Loaded Potato Soup
I don’t know what is up with the weather lately. We have been getting so much rain this Summer!
Usually, we are talking about how much we wish it WOULD rain during the Summer, but instead, I find myself wishing it wouldn’t as much.
One thing I crave when we get rain is SOUP, regardless how hot it is outside! Not sure what it is, but my brain just seems to be wired like that.
I did a previous post once on a soup I fix when it rains a lot called Hamburger Soup. If you want to check that post out, you can see it here.
This one, however, is a “doctored” up version of my Mom’s regular Potato Soup. I LOOOOOOOVE my Mom’s Potato Soup!
It is the perfect comfort food for me because my mom used to make it all the time.
Her’s is a basic Irish version, but it’s easy to make it Loaded Potato Soup! You just add everything that you would normally add to a traditional Baked Potato.
Of course, I would probably refrain from adding any crazy things like salsa. Yup, wouldn’t add salsa…………….
And from the scratching you are doing to your noggin right now must mean I’m the only nut that adds salsa to their Baked Potato. *Moving ON!
I added Shredded Cheese, Crumbled Bacon, Sour Cream, and Chives. I swear I even saw the owls on this kitchen towel smile when I did it. They even knew how good this soup was. 😉
So, without further Adieu, I would like to share the recipe with you….. ‘Cause I wuv you that much! 😉
Recipe: Loaded Potato Soup
Ingredients:
– 7 or 8 Large Russet Potatoes, Skinned and Diced
– 2 Large Onions, Chopped
– 3 Tbsp. Butter
– 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
– 2 Tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
– 6 Cups Milk, (I used Skim)
– 2 Cups Water
– Cheddar Cheese, Crumbled Bacon, Sour Cream, Chives for Topping
Directions:
– Heat a large pot over medium high heat.
– Add onions, butter, and olive oil to pot and saute’ onions until “translucent” and softened.
– Reduce heat to medium.
– Add potatoes and stir well.
– Add flour, one tablespoon at a time and stir to coat in between adding flour. (work quickly because potatoes will try to stick to bottom of pot)
– Add milk and water to pot and stir.
– Simmer soup for 40 – 45 minutes until potatoes have softened and soup has thickened.
– To serve, top each bowl of soup with preferred toppings.
*Tip: If potatoes have softened and soup is not as thick as you would like, thicken by adding a 1/4 cup of Cornstarch to 1 cup of soup liquid in a separate bowl. Once thoroughly combined, add to soup pot and stir continuously until soup thickens. However, keep in mind that soup will definitely thicken once you add all your toppings.
Herbed Compound Butter
<a href=”http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/8641235/?claim=jh9cqpf625f”>Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>
Herbed Compound Butter!……………….
What?…………
You mean, you haven’t heard of it? “Why, I declare!”
Look! Compound Butter is just a fancy shmancy way of saying Butter with Stuff in it! And since we try not to be too fancy shmancy around here, that’s what we will call it.
Well, let me just tell you. The other night, I started off with the idea of making some for the grilled corn we were making for dinner. Then, as we started to sit down and eat, I remembered that I had seen an episode once on Foodnetwork where someone put it on their steak!
Since we just so happened to be having steak with that corn, I decided to give it a try. LAWRDY, Y’ALL!
You will die and go to heaven when you try it! It’s a MUST! Not sure I will ever have steak another way again! (*It was that good!)
Pretty sure after you try it, you’ll feel the same way. Plus, you aren’t going to believe how easy it is!
First, take some herbs. Anything you like. I chose to do Parsley and Rosemary.
Finely Chop…….
Add that to a softened stick of butter.
Mix well…. (*Now, most would put this in plastic wrap, form into a log, and place in the fridge to set up. After that, you can slice it like you would cookie batter and put on whatever you like.)
Me? I just put the bowl into the fridge for about 5 minutes and then just spooned it over whatever I wanted. LOL! *Patience is NOT a virtue of mine.
By the way, it’s just as good either way! 😉
Slather all over some fresh grilled corn AND a grilled steak! Oh my! Oh my!
You will NOT be disappointed!
ENJOY!
Recipe: Herbed Compound Butter
Ingredients:
– 1 Stick Butter
– 2 Tablespoons Parsley, Chopped
– 2 Tablespoons Rosemary, Chopped
Directions:
– Combine all ingredients and place in plastic wrap. Form into a “log”. Place in fridge for 1 hour . Cut butter into slices and place on top of vegetables, meats, casseroles……. the possibilities are endless!
– If you dont want to do any of this, just place bowl into fridge for 5-10 minutes and serve as you wish.
Father’s Day and a Fish Fry
When I think of my Dad, the first thing that comes to mind is his hands. They are true
Southern, Hard Working, Big, Farmer type hands. I always felt like my Dad was the strongest man in the world. I guess it’s kind of perfect that I went and saw “The Man of Steel” today, because that is exactly how I feel about my Dad.
SO! Since it is Father’s Day, I found it only fitting to go back and share another thing that comes to mind when I think of my Dad. His Fried Fish!
My Daddy can Fry a Fish like nobody’s business.
So, here is an old post I did when Mom and Dad visited last year.
Say “Hi!”, dad.
Enjoy!
Well, my Mom and Dad visited this weekend and I was sooooo happy to see them. They only live 3 hours away, but 3 hours is still 3 hours no matter how you look at it and I was tickled to be able to see them.
The last time they came down, we had a fish fry and it was absolutely amazing! My daddy sure can fry some fish.
SO! We decided to make that a tradition from now on when they come down. Mom made her corn cake fritters to go along with it and it was perfect.
Here is what we did!
First, dad took the catfish and rinsed them really well.
Then he coated them in seafood breader. *Mom wanted me to make a point to say that they usually ONLY use “Atkinson” brand. However, all we could find down here was Moss’ brand and her picky little heart just had to settle. FYI: It was still REALLY good!
Coat them really well.
THIS well!
This picture makes me want to sing, “Daddy’s Haaaaaaaaaands, were soft and kind when I was cryin. Daddy’s Haaaaaaands…..” (Sorry, just thought I would share and break out a little Holly Dunn)
On to the frying! Dad likes to use peanut oil to fry in. It has a higher smoking point, so it has a less tendency to burn the fish if cooking for long periods of time and gives it great flavor. I know that a lot of people have allergies these days to peanut oil, so substitute vegetable oil if this is the case.
You can fry between four and five pieces at a time depending on the size of your frying pan. Make sure not to overcrowd the pan. If you do, it will bring your temperature down and the fish may not cook correctly.
Fry smaller pieces of fish between 2-3 minutes. Fry larger pieces of fish between 3-4 minutes PER SIDE.
When fish are finished cooking, it is a great idea to drain them on a wired cooling rack so that the grease can drain and the fish stay crispy.
This is what they will look like! Yummy, right? RIGHT???
Dad’s 6 pounds of fish!
Recipe: Dad’s Fish Fry
Ingredients:
– 3-4 lbs. of white fish cut into pieces (we used catfish)
– 1 cup seafood breader to coat
– salt/pepper
– peanut oil or vegetable oil for frying
Directions:
Clean fish by rinsing with water. Do not dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Coat with seafood breader. (Breader will adhere to fish because of being wet from rinsing with water).
Meanwhile, fill pan with oil until about 2 inches deep. Heat oil over medium high heat to around 350 degrees.
*Always drop fish in and away from you. This way, if any hot grease splatters up, it will most likely do so away from you.
Fry small pieces of fish 2-3 minutes total. Fry larger pieces of fish 3-4 minutes PER SIDE.
Drain fish on a wire cooling rack to get a crispier crust.
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
You must be logged in to post a comment.