Lemon Curd

This is an Alton Brown recipe that I just LOVE.  It's super easy with a wonderful payoff.

ingredients 

5 egg yolks

1 cup sugar

4 lemons, zested and juiced

1 stick butter, cut into pats and chilled

Directions

Add enough water to a medium saucepan to come about 1-inch up the side. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, combine egg yolks and sugar in a medium size metal bowl and whisk until smooth, about 1 minute. Measure citrus juice and if needed, add enough cold water to reach 1/3 cup. Add juice and zest to egg mixture and whisk smooth. Once water reaches a simmer, reduce heat to low and place bowl on top of saucepan. (Bowl should be large enough to fit on top of saucepan without touching the water.) Whisk until thickened, approximately 8 minutes, or until mixture is light yellow and coats the back of a spoon. Remove promptly from heat and stir in butter a piece at a time, allowing each addition to melt before adding the next. Remove to a clean container and cover by laying a layer of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Breakfast Casserole

This isn't a quick recipe but it is a make ahead recipe.  We usually have this for breakfast on Christmas morning, but it does really well as a make ahead breakfast if you have company or, for us, a great dinner (or Dinfast if you're a Big Bang fan).  

Ingredients
6 eggs
1 tsp salt
4 slices cubed white bread, more or less depending on texture preferred
1 C grated cheddar or swiss cheese
2 C milk
1/2 tsp dry mustard
2 lbs mild or hot pork sausage
 
Instructions
Beat eggs. Add salt, milk and mustard. Mix well.
Slightly brown and drain sausage. Layer bread cubes, sausage and cheese in a greased 13 x 9 baking dish. Pour egg mixture over top. Refrigerate overnight.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
If desired, casserole may be frozen. If so, bake for 30 minutes, cool and freeze. When ready to use, thaw in refrigerator overnight and reheat.

I always make a few adjustments to the recipe.  I add at least 6 pieces of bread if not more for a more substantial base and I half the sausage and use a container of mushrooms.  It lends itself to customization.

Crockpot Pierogi and Kielbasa Casserole

This....is not diet at all .  While I am eager to have good, healthy recipes, I fall down every once in awhile for convenience sake.  I have taken a few years off because my grandmother's declining health and she is declining fairly rapidly, now.  It does mean that caring for her is a full time responsibility and even though hospice comes in 3 times a week, it is still a lot of work so quick recipes or slow cooker recipes will still be the order of the day.  Anyway, I found this one on pinterest and it looked comforting and easy.  I only had 2 boxes of pierogis (not sure how one would even fit 3 since this is a 6 quart slow cooker) so I went with 3 cups of brother instead of 4.

Ingredients:

3 16 oz.boxes Mrs. T’s  Frozen Cheddar Pierogies

4 cups chicken broth

1 8 oz. block cream cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 pound kielbasa – sliced (or other cooked meat mentioned above)

salt & pepper to taste

Directions: 

Combine all ingredients in your crockpot. Cook on high 2 – 3  hours, or on low for  4 – 6 hours.

Serve with a fresh green salad and parmesan garlic knots.

Serves 6 – 8

This was really good though I recommend the high setting for less time so the pierogis don't disintegrate.  I added some fresh parsley and onion tops from the garden for extra flavor.  I forgot to take a picture after it was done.  

Corned Beef and Cabbage (Pressure Cooker)

I know I did Corned beef and cabbage a few years ago, but that was in my slow cooker.  This year, I thought I would break tradition and try it in my electric pressure cooker.  I have an off-brand cooker so I tweeked it to work for mine (Geek Chef).

Ingredients
4 pounds corned beef (preferably flat-cut)
1 medium onion
2 tablespoons mixed pickling spices
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 pounds potatoes
1 pound carrots
1 head cabbage

Peel and slice the onion. Put the onions and corned beef in the pot. Add the mixed pickling spices and bay leaves, followed by the 4 cups of water.

Lock the lid in place and turn the venting knob to "sealing." Choose the "meat" (or high) setting. Set the time to 1 hour and 25 minutes.

Scrub and peel the potatoes (or leave them unpeeled) and cut them into 1 1/2-inch to 2-inch pieces. Peel the carrots and cut them into 3-inch lengths. If the carrots are quite thick, halve them horizontally. Cut the cabbage into 4 wedges.

When the time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, then carefully move the knob to "venting." Remove the meat to a cutting board and slice it thinly. Transfer the meat to a platter and cover it with foil to keep warm.

Place all of the vegetables in the pot with the liquid. Lock the lid in place and make sure the venting knob is set to "sealing." I am unable to cook under 10 minutes with anything but the "rice" setting so I chose that and set it for 3 minutes.

After the 3 minutes, quick release to stop the cooking.  Plate, and serve.4

*If you don't have mixed pickling spices, it's easy to make it at home. Combine 1 tablespoon of mustard seeds with 1 teaspoon of whole allspice berries, about 1/2 teaspoon of coriander seeds, 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger, and about 1 inch of a cinnamon stick.

** I didn't have any carrots because I forgot :/

Homemade Mexican Pizzas

I LOVE Taco Bell Mexican Pizzas!  But...not so good for me. I asked hubby want he wanted for dinner tonight and this was his answer, so I got to work.  I made a few substitutions so not sure how accurate a calorie count will be.  I would say the pizza itself was probably about 500 calories.  I found this copycat at Family Fresh Meals:


Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 package of taco seasoning
8 medium flour tortillas, plus vegetable oil for frying if you want a crispier pizza
2 cup refried beans
2 cup salsa
3 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1 cup of Roma tomatoes, diced
4 green onions, sliced thin
Extra Toppings:
sour cream and cilantro

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cook ground beef over a medium high heat. Once meats starts to brown, add in taco seasoning and water as indicated on the seasoning packet. Cook until meat is fully cooked through. Drain off any access fat.
NOTE: If you have extra time and don't mind a couple extra calories, you can fry each tortilla for 30-45 seconds on each side in vegetable oil. Make sure to drain off on a paper towel. This will give you a more of the taco bell crunch! If not, these still taste yummy with non-fried tortillas.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and spray with non stick cooking spray. Place 4 tortillas on baking sheet. Spread 1/2 cup refried beans evenly over four tortillas.
Evenly spread meat over beans and then top with 1/4 cup cheese. Top cheese with 2-3 Tablespoons salsa.
Place another tortilla on top, and spread another 2-3 Tablespoons of salsa over the top. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese over the salsa and arrange olives, tomatoes, and green onions over the cheese. Sprinkle another 1/4 cup cheese over the top of each pizza.
Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with a sour cream and cilantro.

I substituted Ground Turkey for the Ground Beef and Greek Yogurt for the Sour Cream.  Also, I DID deep fry the tortillas.  I think my tortillas were larger as well.  I finished it off with some Maduros on the side and a non-alcoholic Pina Colada

Nutrition Facts

Copycat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza

Amount Per Serving

Calories 405Calories from Fat 324

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 36g55%

Saturated Fat 18g90%

Cholesterol 150mg50%

Sodium 2963mg123%

Potassium 995mg28%

Total Carbohydrates 56g19%

Dietary Fiber 9g36%

Sugars 12g

Protein 56g112%

Vitamin A32.3%

Vitamin C8.3%

Calcium72.3%

Iron39.1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Lemon-Herb Cod with Crispy Garlic Potatoes Recipe

I have had this recipe for years.  I believe this recipe came from Cook's Country or America's Test Kitchen....one of those.  It tastes absolutely decadent, but is very low in calories, only 447 per serving (depends on the fish used and weight)

Ingredients:

2 Tbl Olive Oil 2 Russet Potatoes (8 oz each) 2 cloves minced Garlic 2 six to eight oz Cod fillets 1 Tbl real Butter 2 sprigs fresh thyme 1/2 Lemon, sliced thin

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Brush 13 by 9-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon oil.

Slice potatoes into 1/4 inch thick slices. Toss potatoes with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Shingle potatoes into baking dish in 2 rectangular piles measuring 4 by 6 inches. Roast potatoes until spotty brown and just tender, 30 to 35 minutes, rotating dish halfway through roasting.

Pat cod dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Carefully place 1 fillet skinned side down on top of each potato pile. Top fillets with butter pieces, thyme sprigs, and lemon slices. Roast cod and potatoes until fish flakes apart when gently prodded with paring knife and registers 140 degrees, about 15 minutes.

Slide spatula underneath potatoes and fillets and gently transfer to individual plates. Serve.