Creamy Beef Egg Rolls

 

So I meant to make the Jamaican Beef Dumplings, but didn't think my kids and guests would like all that hot sauce, I would, any day...but was putting my wants on the back burner for the good of others! Ha ha, ok, ok, maybe I wasn't so selfless, I just didn't have the kind of mild hot sauce I wanted to use.  So instead I improvised.  Have you ever done that, threw together what you had hoping it would turn out good?  I have done that more than once these last few weeks since moving in to the new house.  Got a little hard to get back into the swing of some good meals, but I am getting there.  Last night I made battered cod, crash potatoes, and creamy mac-n-cheese for dinner.  Yum, but onto the dumplings, they were super scrumptious too!  I was so sad when in the morning I realized one lone egg roll had been left in the oven over night...that was sad having to throw that away...I could have had one more :(

1 lb ground beef
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon (or 1 cube) chicken bullion

1 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
4 oz cream cheese
egg roll wrappers (varies depending on how full you fill em')


1. Brown ground beef, seasoning with seasoning salt, garlic powder, chicken bullion, and pepper.  When browned add cream cheese and sweet chili sauce and heat thoroughly.

2. Place a generous amount of your meat mixture on the egg roll wrapper and roll up sealing the end with water.

3. Deep fry at 375°F for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve with your favorite dipping sauce, (my family loves sweet chili sauce) rice, and veggies and as always, enjoy!

Dyed Eggs

Getting ready for Easter...haven't gotten to the cooking yet (we are having a prime rib dinner after church tomorrow, my mouth is watering...) but am working on the eggs with the kids :)  So fun!  We wanted to try something different so here is what we are doing:

Sliced Steak Sloppy Johnnies

I came across this on Foodgawker awhile back and I finally made it last night (with venison though.)  I wish I would have made it sooner!  This was so delicious and personally I am not too crazy about sloppy joe's so this wasn't high on my list, but it is now.  The sauce was mouth-watering.  I wasn't crazy about the slaw, I am more of a creamy KFC girl when it comes to that, but when I hesitantly topped the meat with a small a mount, I was taken back, it was really tasteful.  Couple all of that with a toasted ciabatta roll...wow, my mouth was in food heaven.  So if you got some steak in your fridge I would highly recommend this tonight!

4 (8 to 10-ounce) flat iron steaks or any thin cut tender steak,
no more than 1-inch thick
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 small sprigs fresh marjoram or oregano or a generous sprinkle of dried herbs
2 sprigs rosemary
salt and freshly ground black pepper
extra virgin olive oil
4 (6-inch) ciabatta rolls or other large crusty rolls, split and toasted

Sauce:

1/2 cup beef stock

1 cup ketchup

2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
coarsely ground black pepper

Slaw:
1 medium shallot, peeled & grated
1 rounded tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons agave syrup or 1 teaspoon superfine sugar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cups slaw salad mix or shredded cabbage
celery salt
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Bring the steaks to room temperature before cooking. Put them in a shallow dish and rub both sides of the meat liberally with garlic. Season with marjoram, rosemary, and salt and pepper, to taste. Drizzle with a liberal dose of extra-virgin olive oil and let marinate for 15 minutes.

2. Preheat a cast iron griddle or large grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the steaks for 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Remove the steaks from the grill to a cutting board and let rest for a few minutes before thinly slicing against the grain.

3. In a small pot over medium heat, add the beef stock, ketchup, chopped garlic, Worcestershire, dark brown sugar, vinegar and lots of black pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes for the perfect sloppy sauce. Add your sliced meat, stir and let heat for a few minutes.

4. Place the grated shallot into a bowl and add the mustard, agave or sugar, and wine vinegar. Whisk in extra-virgin olive oil until well combined. Add the slaw and toss to coat. Season with celery salt, and salt and pepper, to taste.

5. Pile the sliced meat and sauce on the bottom halves of the bread and top each with slaw. Cover with the top half of the bread, serve and enjoy!




Recipe adapted from Taste and Tell.

Rosemary Grilled Chicken

Even though it snowed yesterday I am so ready to fire up the grill.  Matter of fact we did on Sunday and then that evening it snowed, snow, snow, go away, come back some other day..month...year...I can't wait for summer to be here!  In Montana we only have summer, a very short fall, and then winter for over half of the year.  Sigh, I miss the April showers bring May flowers...anyways, on to the food!

8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt

1. Trim all fat and tendons from chicken using a sharp knife. Make several small, shallow slits going crosswise down the length of each chicken breast to increase marinade's flavor. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a large resealable plastic bag or dish. Add prepared chicken breasts and let marinate at least 6 hours or all day.

2. Grill chicken over medium-high heat until well browned and firm (but not hard) to the touch, about 20 minutes.  Let chicken rest 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy with some Sweet Dilled Macaroni Salad, or Bacon Cheddar & Chive Mashed Potatoes.



Recipe and photo found at Handle The Heat.

I am moving!

I am moving today so my kitchen will be a little displaced for a while...hopefully I will be back to posting by the end of the week!!!  Whose knows, maybe I will post a few yummy recipes from other great cooks that I love to follow...Have a great day and think of me as I am lifting stuff upon stuff upon stuff upon stuff....get the point? :)

Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwich

I felt like something different for lunch today so I went with a grilled cheese, just improved...A jalapeno popper inspired grilled cheese sandwich with roasted jalapeño peppers, cream cheese, jack & cheddar cheese and crumbled tortilla chips for a bit of crunch.  I only made mine with jalapeños thinking the kids wouldn't like them...my middle child kept coming up to me asking me for more jalapeños...that was a sacrifice for me!

2 jalapeno peppers, cut in half lengthwise and seeded
2 slices sour dough bread
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup jack and cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon tortilla chips, crumbled

1.Place the peppers on a baking sheet with the cut side facing down.

2.Place the baking sheet on the top shelf in the oven and broil until the outer layer of the skin has blackened, about 8-14 minutes.

3.Place the peppers in a zip-lock bag or other sealable container, seal and let them cool until you can handle them, about 20 minutes.

4.Remove the skins from the peppers. The skins should easily "pinch" off.

5.Assemble sandwich and grill until golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 2-3 minutes per side.  Serve with some chips and salsa or guacamole and enjoy!



Recipe adapted from Closet Cooking.

Naan Bread

Naan is a thick flat bread that goes with so many dishes.  You can eat it with soup, sop up gravies, place your favorite fixins in it, use it to make pizza, and much much more.  It is soft and chewy, you will love it! It is super easy to make and very inexpensive, and who doesn't like good cheap food!

2 teaspoon dry active yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup warm milk
2 1/2 - 3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup yogurt
1 egg
1-2 teaspoons of your favorite spices
(I used garlic and cummin to go with my Chicken Tikka Masala.)

1. In a small bowl, combine the yeast, sugar and milk. Stir to dissolve then let sit for a few minutes or until it is frothy on top. At that point, stir in the oil, yogurt and egg until evenly combined.

2. In a medium sized bowl, combine 1 cup of the flour with the salt and your choice of spices. Next, add the bowl of wet ingredients to the flour mixture and stir until well combined. Continue adding flour a half cup at a time until you can no longer stir it with a spoon (about 1 to 1.5 cups later).

3. At that point, turn the ball of dough out onto a well floured counter top. Knead the ball of dough for about 3 minutes, adding flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking. I ended up using about 3 cups of flour total. The dough should be smooth and very soft but not sticky.

4. Loosely cover the dough and let it rise until double in size (about 45 minutes). After it rises, gently flatten the dough and cut it into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a small ball by stretching the dough back under itself until the top is smooth and round.

5. Heat a large, heavy bottomed skillet (I use cast iron) over medium heat and spray lightly with non-stick spray. Working with one ball at a time, roll it out until it is about 1/4 inch thick or approximately 6 inches in diameter. Place the rolled out dough onto the hot skillet and cook until the under side is golden brown and large bubbles have formed on the surface. Flip the dough and cook the other side until golden brown as well. Serve plain or brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with herbs and enjoy!

For the most bubbles, don't roll out the ball of dough until just before it is ready to be placed in the skillet. I experimented with different skillet temperatures and found that a medium heat produces the most bubbles in the dough and does not burn the surface.



Photo and recipe adapted from Budget Bytes.

Chicken Tikka Masala & Naan Bread

Chicken tikka masala is a curry dish of roasted chicken chunks (tikka) served in a rich-tasting red or orange-colored sauce. The sauce is usually creamy, lightly spiced and contains tomatoes. Chicken tikka masala has been found the most popular dish in British restaurants and it has been called a "a true British national dish."

The origins of chicken tikka masala are disputed. An expert on street food declared that the dish originated in Punjab during the last 50 years. Another view is that it originated in the first Indian restaurants in Soho, London, during the 1970s.  All I know is whoever invented this, thank you...

Marinade:
1 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice, from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

Sauce:
4 long skewers
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and salt. Stir in chicken, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

2. Preheat a grill for high heat.

3. In a large heavy skillet over medium heat melt butter. Saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Stir in cumin, paprika, salt, and garam masala. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.

4. Lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken onto skewers, and discard marinade. Grill until juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side.

5. Add grilled chicken to the sauce mixture and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve with naan bread and some jasmine rice, enjoy, and eat till your hearts content!!!



Recipe found at Sweet Pea's Kitchen.

Chicken Pillows

So I didn't marinate my Chicken Tikka Masala long enough before reading the recipe over again so I am going to marinate it overnight.  For dinner instead I made Chicken Pillows.

"Wow! Oh my lands, these are so good!" was the first thing my husband told me when he took a bite of these fluffy pillows...that sure makes me feel good!  The kids devoured them as well, and well I so wanted more than the one I allowed myself...there is always lunch tomorrow!  This is definitely going into out must keep recipe file!

Mix together with mixer (or by hand if your cream cheese is soft enough):
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream

Stir in
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons dried chives
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh onion minced (or I used 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes)
3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced (around 3 cups)
2 (8 ounce) cans Pillsbury crescent rolls
1/4 cup melted butter
Italian bread crumbs (around 2 cups)

Gravy
1 (14.5 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 package chicken gravy mix

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Using Pillsbury crescent rolls, take 2 triangular rolls overlap and push together at perforated seam to make into a square. Make sure you seal the perforations well so your filling doesn't come out (I overlapped them and gently rolled them out a little with a rolling pin.) Put about 3 tablespoons of chicken mixture in the center of each square. Fold the dough corners to the center over the chicken mixture forming a pillow.

3. Dip each pillow in melted butter on both sides. Roll in bread crumbs on both sides. Shake excess crumbs off. Place chicken pillow on cookie sheet and bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes.

4. Make gravy by mixing one package of chicken gravy mix, one can of cream of chicken soup and 3/4 can of water in a small pot. Mix together and heat until warm. Serve chicken pillows with gravy poured over top, garlic bread, and some yummy roasted broccoli with bacon and enjoy immensely!



Recipe found at The Girl Who Ate Everything.

Steamed Buns

So yummy! They went so fast I didn't even have time to take a picture of them before they were all eaten!  I made this without meat and it was good but next time I will make it with meat and maybe add some cream cheese. Buns were an awesome texture and I will definitely make this again.

Buns
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tbsp yeast
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup warm water

Filling
1 cup vegetables such as carrots, sprouts, cabbages (chopped or grated small)
1/4 cup chicken, meat or shrimp cooked cut small (optional)
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp chili powder

1. Marinate the vegetables in soy sauce and chili powder. Heat oil and stir fry. Cool before filling buns.

2. Combine yeast and sugar in warm water. When the mixture froths add all the ingredients mix, adding more water if it is to dry and knead into a smooth dough. Let the dough rest for 1/2 hour.

3. Make small balls, roll it thin and put a heaping tablespoon of the cooled filling in the center. Using your fingers bring the dough together pinching to close.

4. Place the buns about 2 inches apart and steam for about 10 minutes in a steamer lined with banana leaf, wax paper or cabbage leaves. I use a large dutch oven or stock pot and place a steaming tray in the bottom covered with wax paper. The buns are cooked if it has become big and the color has changed. Serve it hot on it is own or with a sauce of your choice. I used teriyaki and sweet chili sauce. Serve on it's own or with some rice and hot and sour soup and enjoy!



Recipe found at  Torview Toronto.

Weekly Menu

So I think I am going to try to go back to making my weekly menu's, that way I can plan ahead and try out new recipes easier.  Saves on the grocery bill too!  No more impulse shopping for me :) At least not as much...

Monday -  Dilled Chicken Strips, Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes w/Green Onions, & Homemade Mac-N-Cheese.

Tuesday - Steamed Buns, Fried Cabbage, & Egg Drop Soup.

Wednesday - Chicken Tikka Masala, Naan Bread, & Rice.

Thursday - Chicken Pillows, Roasted Cauliflower w/Bacon & Garlic, & Baguettes.

Friday - Venison Pizza & Bread Sticks.

Saturday - Sliced Steak Sloppy Johnnies, Applesauce, & Baked BBQ Chips.

Sunday - Jamaican Beef Dumplings, Rice, & Salad.

So leave me a comment and let me know what you are having this week!  Who knows maybe something you make will be on my next menu :)

Nann Bread & Chicken Tikka Masala...

I so wanted to make both of these lovely looking dishes for dinner tonight, but when I got all my ingredients out, alas, my yogurt was a little fuzzy...so I will have to make these in the next day or two after a trip to the store!