Today’s recipe came from Martha Stewart – the queen of modern recipes. (Sorry, Martha – but Julia Child shall always remain reining queen in my book). I love the title of Martha’s recipe – Sage Pork Chops in 15 Minutes. Any time I can have a home cooked meal on the table in 15 minutes I’m there.
Tag: Easy Weeknight Supper
Slow Cooker Pollo en Salsa Picante Rojo
This recipe has been on my weekly planner for a while now. I kept postponing it because I kept forgetting to thaw out the darn chicken. Then it occurred to me – why thaw the chicken?
Giovanni Rana Maine Lobster Ravioli
Good quality ingredients make all the difference in the world, be it cooking from scratch, or in this case, packaged foods. A few years back I discovered Giovanni Rana Pastas. You’ll find them in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. The price is a bit of a shock when you compare it to other prepackaged pastas – nearly twice the price. But when you consider the philosophy of the company, you’ll understand why.
Slow Cooked Pulled Pork Sandwiches – just what the Doctor ordered
Hands down, this was some of the best pulled pork sandwiches I’ve ever made. These delicious sandwiches deserved lots of step-by-step pictures under perfect lighting. But honestly, it was five in the morning, my camera battery was somewhere other than in its bag, and as I staggered around in our kitchen half-asleep, my blog and snapping photos were the furthest things from my mind. Start dinner, make coffee and pack lunches for my guys, those were the things on my mind this morning.
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Savory Mushroom Pork Chops with Asparagus Stalks
Have I mentioned that I like to collect cookbooks? I’ve lost count of how many books are now in my collection. For a while, it was new books (as in new at the time), and later became an obsession with old cookbooks. With very good reason.
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Kielbasa Sausage with Herbed Potatoes and Corn
I actually made this tasty supper for my family a few years back while desperately seeking something my family would enjoy and my picky brother would actually eat. It is actually very similar to a creation of my own, only with herbs to elevate the delicious flavors. It was so delicious, so simple and so awesome that I posted it straight away to my Facebook page that very night. I couldn’t wait to share this scrumptious find with my friends and family.
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Hamburger Helper Cheesy Italian Shells
If someone had told me that my 504th posting would have been how to make a Hamburger Helper Style meal without a box, I would have laughed. No way – I would have something sensational, something so awe-inspiring, it will knock your socks off. Yet, here it is. I will admit, I stressed about reaching over 500 posting – and then I realized it is just a number. The point of my little blog isn’t about numbers, it’s about enjoying my life, my family, and puttering about in my cozy kitchen. Simple pleasures and the sound of my guys laughing together – that’s what matters.
This is now my eighth “installment” of Hamburger Helper meals without using an actual box of “Hamburger Helper”. Yep, the easy, busy mom’s best friend, only without all the stuff no one wants to eat in the first place. Have you ever read a box of Hamburger Helper ingredients? Half of the ingredients are words I cannot even begin to pronounce – but have no fear – all those yellow and red dyes and words that seem to be a bunch of letters strung together have all been deemed safe for human consumption by the FDA – so no worries. Right? What’s that – you aren’t impressed? Neither am I. Especially when you consider how absolutely easy it is to skip the box and still have all the convenience of a quick, easy weeknight meal. Add a fresh salad, some warm bread and tall glasses of ice-cold milk – what more do you need? Oh, and just like the boxed variety – one pan will do the trick. Unlike the box variety – this dish has chunks of tomatoes you can actually see.
I adore suppers that only need a tossed salad and warm bread for the finishing touches – especially the bread part. Bread has to be my greatest weakness. I could easily sit down with a loaf of fresh-baked bread and sweet butter and call it a day. Happy, content. Okay, maybe a glass or two of a full-bodied red wine to go with the bread. Yeah, bread and wine – reminds me of a prior life – before Hubby. Sitting ’round a campfire on a beach in San Francisco, dining on warm, fresh-baked San Francisco Sourdough slathered in butter and drinking cheap wine from a Bota bag. And cheese. Yeah, bread, wine and cheese . . . oh, but I digress. We’re here to talk about Hamburger Helper-Style suppers.
Hamburger Helper Style Cheesy Italian Shells
Italian Shells:
1 lb Lean Ground Beef (Ground Turkey is fine, too)
1-2 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 ¼ Cups HOT water
½ Cup Milk
1 Can (14 oz) Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes with Garlic
2 Cups Medium Shell Pasta
1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
¼ Cup Parmesan Cheese
Seasoning Package:
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
1 Tablespoon Italian Seasonings
1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
In a large skillet, brown the ground beef and garlic together. Drain well.
Add water, milk, tomatoes and pasta. Bring to a boil. Stir in seasoning package (everything else but the cheese). Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 12-15 minutes or until liquid has evaporated and noodles are tender.
Stir in the Mozzarella and Parmesan Cheeses, cover and simmer a few minutes more to allow cheese to melt.
Remove from heat, uncover, and allow to sit for 5 minutes for sauce to thicken.
That’s it – dinner is served.
What’s that? You missed the other seven posting? No need to worry – All delicious, all one-skillet, all family friendly.
Hamburger Helper Style Chili-Cheese Macaroni
Hamburger Helper Style Skillet Lasagna
Hamburg Helper Style Cheesy Jambalaya
Hamburger Helper Style Stroganoff
Hamburger Helper Style Cheeseburger Macaroni
Here we go again – my 7th installment of Hamburger Helper Style one-skillet dinners. There isn’t a whole lot more to say about Hamburger Helper. I am surprised, considering when Hamburger Helper first hit the market place, that it wasn’t marketed with a subtitle of “Mother’s Little Helper”. Then again, the Rolling Stones were singing about “Mother’s Little Helper” in reference to Valium – so maybe they wanted to avoid any confusion between the two. Just kidding – a little.
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One-Pot Cheesy Pasta with Sausage
Have you seen all these one-pot pasta dishes floating around the internet? Don’t you just love the idea of everything cooking up in one pot? The particular recipe I chose to inspire me came from The Slow Roasted Italian. It was simply too pretty to pass up. And I was a bit curious, too. Uncooked pasta in the same pot as all the other ingredients, to be cooked together – how does that work?
Mexican Style Chicken Lasagna
While I might not serve this “Lasagna” on Christmas Day, the garnish of green onions and chopped tomatoes do bring in that holiday colors. This recipe could easily be doubled for large gatherings, perfect for pot-luck parties.
Slow Cooker Ground Beef and Three-Bean Supreme
I will never forget the first time we tasted this wonderful slow cooker delight. Kiddo was enjoying a break from work, as business in the event industry tends to taper off in the winter. You would think Holidays would be a busy time. Perhaps in the past, that were true, when companies put on elaborate parties for their employees. These days, people would rather find a few extra dollars in their Christmas Stocking than to toast in the new year with the boss.
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Pepper Steak Stir-Fry over Steamed Rice
I found this recipe on mrfood.com. After reading the original recipe over carefully, I made a few adjustments. Nothing new there – it’s just a way to “claim” something as my own, putting a personal touch to it. I highly encourage all cooks to do the same.
Chipotle-Orange Glazed Pork Chops with Mango-Jicama Salad
The first time I made this dish, I was a bit apprehensive. Chipotle and maple syrup together? Really? Yes, really! There’s just enough kick from the chipotle that you know it’s there, yet the maple syrup is your savior, taking the edge off just a bit. An added bonus is that sweet-salty sensation these beautiful chops impart.
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Citrus Dijon Pork Medallions with Apple, Orange and Fennel Salad
You win some, you lose some. The first time I tried this recipe for Citrus Dijon Pork Chops it looked fabulous, but the pork chops were less than what I had hoped for. The flavor was there, so it wasn’t a question of the recipe itself. The problem lay in my choice of Pork Chops. The chops did not come out as tender and moist as I had expected. Live and learn. The next time I made this dish, I decided to forgo the packaged Pork Chops in the meat counter and went for a beautiful Pork Tenderloin. Cutting my own chops or if you prefer Pork Medallions is easy. Besides, I have yet to have a Pork Tenderloin fail me.
The rest of recipe itself was very tasty. I love the crunch of the apples between bites of pork chop. I did make some minor adjustments – increased the orange juice (for the chops), decreased the fennel (in the salad). Fennel is one of those personal things – you either like the licorice flavor or you don’t. I love all things licorice – so for me it was awesome. My guys don’t care much for the taste, which was okay since it meant more fennel for me.
Speaking of fennel – when I was at the market picking up the ingredients for this recipe, in the produce section they had miss labeled the fennel as “Organic Fennel/Anise” as though these were different names for the same vegetable. While both impart a similar black licorice flavor, they are very different plants. Anise is harvested for its seeds, and the plant itself is not edible. Fennel is also harvested for its seeds, but the plant itself can also eaten. It has a wonderful “crunch” and great flavor – especially in salads and stews. When you google images for anise, you will get photos of the Star Anise seeds (again, not anise – star anise are the seeds from a completely different plant – a tree that is grown predominantly in the Orient.) Anise is actually more akin to a shrub, while fennel is the vegetable we find in the grocery store. When I pointed this out to the produce clerk, she shrugged and said “same thing.” Okay, just like yams and sweet potatoes, right?
Citrus Dijon Pork Medallions
1 lb Pork Tenderloin
Salt and pepper for seasoning
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Butter
3/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 tablespoon cold water
Cut pork tenderloin into 6 medallions. Season with salt and pepper, set aside.
In a saucepan, combine orange juice and Dijon mustard over medium heat. Whisk to blend well and bring to a boil.
While the orange juice mix is heating, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water in a small bow and set aside until ready to use.
Once the orange juice comes to a boil, give the cornstarch mixture a final whisk, then whisk into the orange juice and remove from heat. Set aside until ready to use.
In a large skillet or grill pan, heat olive oil and butter, coating the pan well.
Place the seasoned chops in the skillet. Cook over medium heat until just cooked through, about 7 minutes per side. Ladle some of the orange juice mixture over chops, (just enough coat the chops in the sauce), cover skillet and let cook about 5 or 6 minutes longer.
Remove chops from skillet and place on a rimmed serving platter. Pour any pan drippings from the skillet into the remaining orange juice mixture. Whisk to blend the pan dripping for a smooth finish. Pour sauce over the pork chops and serve.
Apple, Orange and Fennel Salad
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 apple, cored and sliced (or chopped)
1/2 fennel bulb, sliced
1 Cup Mandarin Oranges or Navel Orange slices
In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, Dijon Mustard and olive oil.
Toss fennel and apples in dressing. Transfer to serving platter, top with orange slices and serve with pork chops.
Hamburger Helper Style Salisbury Steak
I can always tell when we are getting into the busy season in the Event business . . . shortcut meals start hitting the dinner table in record numbers. Oh but it is better to make a quick meal at home than to let my guys wiz through the nearest fast-food joint and bring home a bag of whatever. What is this now? Oh yes – installment six. We’re getting quite the collection of Hamburger Helper style suppers.
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