skillet diners Archives - The Midnight Baker

Beef Patties With Onion Gravy

Judith Hannemann — Sun, 06 Mar 2022 00:00:52 +0000

There’s no better comfort food than these beef patties with onion gravy.

Beef Patties With Onion Gravy: Pure Comfort

These beef patties are in the same category as meatloaf and mashed potatoes–it’s pure comfort food and a traditional family favoirte.

The reason I love this meal is that not only is the gravy outstanding, but the beef patties are interesting as well.

In this recipe, you sauté the aromatics before adding them to the meat mixture. This especially comes in handy if you are using very lean–90 per cent and above–ground beef. The reason is you are not only adding the sautéed veggies but the oil they cooked in as well. This will make the beef less dry. That tablespoon of oil is the trick.

If you like the spurtle (affiliate link) in the above pic, I got it on Amazon.

That Mix Isn’t Just For Gravy

We all know those envelopes of brown gravy mix–because a lot of us cheat and use it for gravy. I do now almost exclusively because beef roasts are so extremely trimmed nowadays that there aren’t sufficient drippings to make the real deal. I think it tastes pretty good too.

However, that’s not the only thing I use it for. It’s also a great seasoning for burgers and lots of other beef-based recipes. This is one of those recipes. The idea came to me when it was called for in a pot roast recipe–not as a gravy component but as a seasoning.

Onions

I used one large onion, but if you want more, use as much as you want. By the same token, use less if you desire.

If you don’t like onions or they don’t agree with you, then they can easily be omitted from the gravy. It will taste fine without them.

Additionally, any medium red wine will do here. I’m just partial to Madeira with beef. If you have no wine on hand or just don’t want to use it, substitute with an equal amount of additional beef stock.

The Recipe

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Beef Patties with Onion Gravy

The ultimate comfort food

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beef patties with onion gravy, hamburgers with gravy, skillet salisbury steak

Servings: 6

Calories: 360kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

2 lb lean ground beef
1 cup soft breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1/2 cup celery finely diced
1/2 cup onion finely diced
1 envelope brown gravy mix or 3 tbs bulk dry brown gravy mix
1 tbs olive oil

Gravy:

3/4 cup beef stock
1/4 cup Madeira wine
1 large onion sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Thickening:

3 tbs flour
6 tbs water

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Cook onion and celery until tender but not browned; about 5 minutes.
Mix ground beef, breadcrumbs eggs, cooked celery and onion and brown gravy mix in a large bowl. Divide into 6 equal portions and form into patties.
Heat the same pan you used for the celery and onions over medium high heat. Brown patties on both sides. Remove from the pan.
In the same pan, cook the onions for 5 minutes, being careful not to burn the onions. Deglaze the pan with the wine then add the beef stock, salt and pepper.
Return the patties to the pan with the onions and stock, bring to a boil, cover then reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes.
To make gravy, remove the beef patties from the pan, mix the flour and water and whisk into the pan liquid. Cook, whisking frequently, until it bubbles. Cook over low heat for 3-5 minutes. Return patties to the pan and heat through.

Notes

If you don't want to use the Madeira wine, just add an additional 1/4 cup of beef stock.

In UK, old-fashioned Bisto (the kind you have to cook) can be subbed for American brown gravy mix.

Nutrition

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Mushrooms With Pappardelle

Judith Hannemann — Wed, 13 Jan 2021 00:00:22 +0000

Mushrooms with pappardelle is a great meatless meal.

A Great Meatless Meal

Quite a while ago, a friend and I were discussing how much our eating habits and tastes have changed after reaching 50.

With me it was a case of not being able to eat huge meals anymore since too much food on a plate was actually intimidating. With her it was that she really didn’t want to eat meat every single night. That was in my top 10 as well. It really has nothing to do with any “cause,” it’s merely that your taste changes when you age.

Even if you have no age-related inclinations as my friend and I did, you surely won’t miss eating meat when you have this scrumptious mushroom and pasta dish placed before you. If you hate mushrooms, just skip this post LOL. I can’t think of an adequate substitute!

Mushrooms

In this recipe, the more “gourmet” the mushrooms are, the better it will taste.

It’s not really easy to find a good selection of gourmet-type mushrooms (i.e. Trumpet Royale, etc) in most food stores. But I’m sure everyone can find portabellas, baby bellas or cremini.

The mushrooms I used in this were re-hydrated ones I got off of Amazon. I generally prefer fresh, but that wasn’t a possibility here. The big surprise here is that since they are dehydrated, they last forever so I don’t have to worry about them going bad and having to throw them away.

Another good thing about dehydrated mushrooms is that the liquid you use to re-hydrate them can be used as stock. That’s a win-win the way I see it.

Pappardelle

I’ve never seen this pasta variety in the store brand or even a national brand. This is one pasta shape that you can only seem to find the imported variety. It’s also available in the fresh refrigerated pasta section.

Pappardelle is wide and thick so it’s good for hearty and rustic pasta dishes. It’s one of my favorites and I make sure I have it on hand when I make my bolognese.

However, if you can’t find it or if you just don’t want the extra expense. a regular thick spaghetti such as bucatini or a thick non-tubular shaped pasta such as gemelli is a good substitute.

The Recipe

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Mushrooms With Pappardelle

A hearty meat-free meal fancy enough for company

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Course: Dinner, Main, Main Course, vegetarian dishes

Cuisine: American

Keyword: meatless dinners with mushrooms, using gourmet mushrooms, using pappardelle

Servings: 4

Calories: 612kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1/2 tsp kosher salt plus more as needed
1/4 cup olive oil plus more for drizzling
1 1/2 lb mixed fresh mushrooms shiitake, oyster and/or cremini, trimmed and sliced
2 tbs unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic finely minced
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
12 oz pappardelle
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
While the water is heating, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the 1/4 cup of olive oil until shimmering. Add about half the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they begin to wilt and make space in the pan; then add the remaining mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until they give up their liquid; then increase the heat to boil the liquid away and caramelize the mushrooms, 8 to 10 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium, add the butter and let it melt. Stir in the garlic, rosemary, salt and red pepper flakes just until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the vegetable broth and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to its lowest setting and cover to keep warm.
Meanwhile, add the pappardelle to the boiling water, and cook until al dente, 1 to 2 minutes less than the package directions. When the pasta is ready, use tongs to transfer it to the sauce, reserving the pasta water. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with the parsley and toss to coat, adding a little reserved pasta water if the pan seems dry. Remove the skillet from the heat, and sprinkle with the grated cheese. Toss and serve hot,

Notes

I used dried gourmet mushrooms that I re-hydrated.

Nutrition

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Swedish Meatballs

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 19 Sep 2020 23:00:37 +0000

These creamy Swedish meatballs are so delicious and easy, they’ll be a regular on your menu.

Swedish Meatballs: An Old Standby

Here’s an old comfort dish that has not decreased in popularity over the years!

I remember them being popular as long as I’ve been alive. OK, in my earliest era I remember Swedish meatballs being the “in thing” as an appetizer or a party buffet offering. Way back then, they were more thought of as a finger food than a main course. But one thing that’s a constant about food is that it is always in flux.

What makes them “Swedish” is one thing I could never understand because they were just basic meatballs except for the touch of nutmeg. Perhaps that’s it. However, I have never associated nutmeg with being Swedish, but what do I know?

About The Nutmeg

Nutmeg is a strong spice so you have to be careful using it. A little goes a long way; trust me.

I once tasted Swedish meatballs where whoever made them got a little heavy handed with the nutmeg. As I recall, it was quite unpleasant (at least to my taste) and I was reluctant to eat them every after.

But I was watching some really old Julia Child shows–like from the early 1960s–recently. There was a show dedicated to quiches and Julia used a couple of gratings of nutmeg in the custard. She used whole nutmeg and a grater and just gave it two scrapes. I wanted to make a quiche so I tried that in the one I made. You really cannot taste the nutmeg, but it definitely enhanced the flavor. It is just something you cannot put your finger on but would miss if it wasn’t there.

I applied the same logic to these meatballs and they were fantastic. Of course if you like a strong nutmeggy flavor, then use more, but do try it with only a trace amount first remembering you can always add more.

Creamy Sauce

The sauce base is condensed cream of mushroom soup. However, other stuff is added to give it that homemade taste. If you’d like to make your own cream-of soups, they do taste better and the recipe can be found following the link in this paragraph.

The Recipe

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Creamy Swedish Meatballs

An easy family pleaser

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Course: Dinner, Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: appetizers, easy classic recipes with ground beef, ground beef family dinners, meatball recipes

Servings: 4

Calories: 490kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef or turkey
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1 egg
1 tsp salt
punch of ground nutmeg
1 tbs olive oil
10.5 oz can cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup beef stock
3 tbs sour cream
4 cups cooked noodles or pasta
fresh parsley for garnish.

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Mix the ground beef or turkey, onions, bread crumbs, egg, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl. Shape into 20 smallish meatballs
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs on all side. Drain off excess fat.
Add the stock to the skillet containing the meatballs, scraping up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Stir in the soup and sour cream. Reduce heat, cover and cook for about 5 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through.
Serve over hot noodles. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley if desired (it adds a nice pop of color to the dish)

Notes

If you have whole nutmeg just 2-3 scrapes on a grater will be perfect.

Video

Nutrition

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Scallops In Brown Butter Sauce

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 18 Aug 2020 23:00:08 +0000

Scallops can fit into any budget when used as a condiment.

Yes, Scallops Can Be Economical

Do you love scallops but get comatose when you see the price? At face value, I wouldn’t consider $20 a pound to be within most peoples’ budget–including mine.

However, in this recipe, you don’t have to have the premium IQF sea scallops or anything expensive. I admit I love scallops and sometimes will treat myself to the high-class variety but not often.

The good part of this recipe is that you can use any variety of them and most stores do sell the orphaned ones as “pieces.” As a result, that particular kind is the most perfect thing for this dish because it’s basically a pasta concoction where the scallops are more of a condiment than the main attraction.

Quick-Cooking Scallops

The major caveat when cooking scallops is you must never overcook them!

You may think they are under-done and give them a few extra minutes in the pan, but this is a big mistake. It’s a mistake I’ve made more than once myself until I learned that with scallops, more than any other seafood, that less is more.

A quick sear is all they need. They are done when the middle part looks translucent. Once they’ve gone opaque, they are over cooked so be especially careful to monitor this.

Fresh Is Best

As with anything containing herbs, I always recommend using fresh.

Fresh herbs are readily available in most supermarket produce sections and what you don’t use, you can always freeze.

This recipe contains pretty common herbs so they won’t be hard to get. If you grow your own, you’re ahead of the game and to me, that’s the way to do it. You can’t get much fresher than going to the pot and picking what you need.

But if you don’t have access to fresh, the standard rule is to use half of the amount called for for fresh.

The Recipe

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Scallops In Brown Butter Sauce

An economical way to serve scallops

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Course: Dinner, Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: budget scallop recipes, quick scallop recipes

Servings: 4

Calories: 570kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

4 tbs butter
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white vermouth or dry white wine
1 lb sea scallop pieces
1 tbs olive oil oil
12 oz. fettuccine cooked
3 tbs chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tbs tarragon
1 tbs lemon zest

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In large skillet, cook butter over medium, swirling pan, until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and wine. Cook for 2 minutes.
In medium skillet, cook scallops in oil over high for 3 minutes. Turn scallops. Add 3 tbsp. of browned butter. Baste for 2 minutes.
Add pasta, herbs, and lemon zest to large skillet. Toss until coated; season. Top pasta with scallops and pan drippings.

Nutrition

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French Caramelized Onion Chicken

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 01 Aug 2020 23:00:42 +0000

French caramelized onion chicken is always a hit with anyone that tastes it. There’s many recipes for it, but this one is the best.

Insanely Popular

Like most recipes, there’s nothing new under the sun. This recipe fits into that category too. Over the years I’ve seen renditions of this with every kind of meat. I even have something similar made with ground beef.

Recently, a friend made this again for her family and posted about it on a Facebook cooking group we both belong to. Well, it took off with members making it with many different substitutions and to suit low-cal and keto diet plans. The response was enormous.

I based this off my friend Lillian’s recipe because hers didn’t rely on convenience ingredients. If anyone would like to see some of Lillian’s recipes from the days she’d blog–sadly she doesn’t anymore-just visit My Recipe Journey.

Make-Ahead Onions

The one step in the recipe that takes the most time is caramelizing the onions. I admit that I don’t like making them because it needs almost constant attention to avoid burning. I also don’t look forward to standing, watching and stirring for 30 minutes or more.

However, a few years ago I discovered that I can make caramelized onion very easily and the trick is to do them in a slow cooker. This way, you can make a load of them, use what you need and freeze the rest. Yep, they freeze well so it saves you time for when another recipe calls for caramelized onions.

Choose Your Cheese

Any melting cheese will work with this recipe.

I chose to use the standard Swiss cheese because if you want to get technical and authentic here, that’s what the French would use.

Lillian chose to make it with provolone. I can really get behind that because it would add tons of flavor and provolone is one of my favorite cheeses.

Jack cheese and colby would be good choices too, as well as mozzarella.

The Recipe

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French Caramelized Onion Chicken

Great family dinner everyone will love

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Course: Dinner, Main, Main Course

Cuisine: French

Keyword: chicken breasts with cheese, french onion chicken, using provolone cheese

Servings: 4

Calories: 677kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

2 lbs onions sliced see NOTES
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
2 cups beef broth
1 cup swiss cheese grated
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil divided
2 tbs all-purpose flour
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried sage
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350º F/180C.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, oven-proof pan or skillet over medium heat. Add onions, season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes, or until softened and caramelized.
If you have caramelized onions you may skip the step above and just proceed to the next step
Add balsamic vinegar and cook for another 3-5 minutes or until darkened, but not burned.
Remove onions from heat and transfer to a medium bowl.
Heat remaining olive oil in skillet and raise heat to medium-high.
Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, thyme and sage, then place in skillet and sear on both sides until golden brown. Remove chicken from heat and set aside.
Pour beef broth into skillet and bring mixture to a boil, scraping up stuck bits from the bottom of pan.
Return heat to medium-low and whisk in flour, stirring until smooth. Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until mixture has thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
Return chicken and onions to pan, stir together with beef gravy, then top with grated swiss cheese.
Transfer skillet to oven and cook until cheese is melted and bubbly, and chicken is cooked through.
Remove from oven and serve hot

Notes

If you pre-made the caramelized onions, skip the onion cooking step and omit 2 tbs of oil.

Video

Nutrition

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Taco Spaghetti

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 25 Jul 2020 23:00:12 +0000

These tacos have no shells. It’s served over spaghetti but is just as flavorful. Maybe more–voila; taco spaghetti!

Tacos That Think Out Of The Box

You won’t meet too many people who don’t like tacos. It’s one of America’s (and quite possibly the world’s) most beloved fast foods.

But what do you do when you have to have some and you’re out of shells or anything else you can use as one?

The answer is–use some spaghetti! After all, what is taco filling anyway. It’s a basic meat sauce but unlike Italian flavorings, it’s got Mexican flavorings.

As a result, it’s the perfect thing to top spaghetti or any pasta for that matter.

Seasoning Makes A Difference

Of course you can use the handy dandy package of taco seasoning that you get at the supermarket. It’ll work very well.

However, it will taste way better if you make your own. When you make up your own batch of taco seasoning, you can customize it to your taste.

For instance, cumin is not one of my favorite spices and I find most commercial varieties go too heavy handed for my taste. When I make my own, I reduce the amount. Yes, the flavor is necessary but for my personal tastes I don’t like it to be the most prominent flavor. That’s the beauty of making your own.

This is my favorite recipe for taco seasoning. And as always, adjust for your personal tastes.

Spice It Up

This is pretty darned good the way it is, but if you like spicy, then go to town.

You could always add an extra can of green chiles in addition to what’s in the diced tomatoes. How about some diced jalapeño tossed on top. How about some red pepper flakes in with the meat. The possibilities are endless.

The Recipe

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Taco Spaghetti

Think tacos out of the shell

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Course: Dinner, Main, Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: mexican spaghetti, one pan mexican dinners, quick mexican dinners, tacos without the shell

Servings: 4

Calories: 515kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef
1 tbs olive oil
1 recipe taco seasoning see NOTES
1 10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles such as Rotel mild
1 tbs tomato paste
8 oz spaghetti broken in half
3 cups water
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 tomato fresh seeded and diced
2 tbs cilantro fresh chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown ground beef, crumbling while it browns.
Drain off any excess fat and add the taco seasoning, canned diced tomatoes, tomato paste, spaghetti and water. Bring to a boil then cover, reduce heat and simmer until spaghetti is tender, about 15 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in cheeses until they are melted.
Serve topped with the fresh diced tomato and cilantro.

Notes

1 packet of commercial taco seasoning can be substituted

Video

Nutrition

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Shrimp Florentine

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 30 Jun 2020 23:00:23 +0000

Why not serve this easy shrimp florentine as a mid-week meal?

Shrimp Is Economical

Shrimp has become very reasonable in price lately since there’s many weekly sales that include it. I now consider it to be an economy ingredient and I’m using it a lot more often.

Shrimp is also most people’s favorite seafood. There’s a reason for that–it’s delicious and quick cooking. There’s also many ways to make it so I compare it in many ways to ground beef.

Whether you make shrimp deep fried, in stir fries or with a nice sauce over pasta or rice, it’s pretty much universally liked.

Shrimp Florentine: Less Than 30 Minutes

Who wouldn’t want a delicious and yes, gourmet dinner in less than 30 minutes. Of course the answer to that would be everyone.

Shrimp, as stated before, is very quick cooking. All you need to do is cook it until it turns pink. That takes less than 10 minutes with most sizes of shrimp.

The sauce begins with heavy cream which is a good shortcut to a quick-cooking sauce. Of course it also tastes great! The sauce also gets additional flavor from being reduced after the addition of chicken stock.

You can use less-fatty versions of the heavy cream. Light cream and half-and-half would be good substitutes but bear in mind that those substitutions require a longer time to reduce the necessary amount.

So, the combined cook times for the dish come to 20 minutes or under even with the reduction. It’s 30 minutes or less if you use the lighter creams.

Undiluted evaporated milk can be used in a pinch, however, I don’t recommend it. It does have a certain “taste” which will come through even after cooking. If you don’t mind that, then by all means, use it if you don’t have any cream.

About The Spinach

Frozen spinach requires you to squeeze out all the water you can. I am always amazed at how much water is actually in the stuff. In dishes such as this, I try not to use it for that reason alone.

As always, fresh baby spinach is best to use in this. The measurement for the spinach in the recipe is based on drained frozen spinach, so if you have fresh, double or triple the amount.

The Recipe

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Shrimp Florentine

Easy and elegant dinner

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: 30 minute seafood meals, recipes for lent with shrimp, shrimp florentine, shrimp in cream sauce recipe

Servings: 4

Calories: 457kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 lb shrimp cleaned and deveined
2 tbs olive oil

Sauce:

1 clove garlic minced
1 tbs unsalted butter
1/2 cup rich chicken stock
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese grated
1 cup chopped spinach thawed and water squeezed out (see NOTES)
Salt & Pepper to taste.

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat a large pan over medium high heat. Add the oil and when it shimmers, add the shrimp. Cook just until it starts to turn pink; remove from pan.
In the same pan, add the butter. When the butter is melted, add the garlic and cook only until it’s fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the stock, cream and grated cheese. Stir well, and cook until the liquid is reduces 25 per cent, about 6-10 minutes.
Add the spinach and the shrimp. Simmer for about 5 minutes and serve immediately.

Notes

Fresh baby spinach may be substituted, but use about 2 cups.

Nutrition

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Rigatoni with Sausage and Escarole

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 12 May 2020 23:00:56 +0000

Here’s another money-saving pasta meal using escarole with a gourmet hint.

A Meal That’s Budget Friendly

In these trying times, who isn’t looking for a meal that’s easy on the wallet?

Under normal circumstances, I think we’re all pretty much food-budget savvy but now it’s become an issue that’s of tantamount importance. Most of us realize that beans, rice and pasta fit nicely into this budget niche. However the type of meals made from these ingredients don’t provoke much enthusiasm. Of course there are some–one of my favorites being Jamaican Coconut Rice–but usually this isn’t the case.

This recipe actually will get your taste buds going. It’s main source of protein is the beans and the pasta, but it contains just enough sausage to jazz up the flavor.

Versatile Escarole

OK, this might be one item that isn’t in your usual repertoire. Let me tell you–it should be!

Don’t bypass it when you’re in the produce section of your store. It’s one of those greens that wears many hats so there’s lots of ways you could be using escarole in your meal planning.

If you’ve ever had Italian wedding soup, it’s one of the main ingredients. After you’ve eaten it cooked, you’ll be using escarole often.

It’s also good as is. Instead of buying your usual lettuce, use it as a salad green. Let it replace lettuce in your salads and sandwiches. It’s got body and a great flavor.

Don’t Toss The Water

When you cook the rigatoni, don’t throw the water away! Pasta water is a part of this dish that makes the sauce what it is.

When you cook the pasta, cook it for a few minutes less than the package states. That’s because it is cooked again in the skillet. You also want a bit of bite too it as well.

So when the pasta is done as the recipe states, remove it to the skillet using a slotted spoon so you preserve the cooking water.

The Recipe

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Rigatoni with Sausage and Escarole

One of those money-saving pasta meals with a hint of gourmet

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Course: Main, Main Course, pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: budget pasta meals, italian sausage recipes, using escarole

Servings: 6

Calories: 573kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

3 tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp rosemary
8 ounces Italian sausage casings removed
15 oz can chickpeas rinsed, patted dry
¼ cup dry white wine
12 oz rigatoni cooked about 2 minutes less than per package directions, reserve pasta water
Kosher salt
8 cups lightly packed torn escarole
¾ cup finely grated Parmesan divided
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbs unsalted butter

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high. Fry rosemary, until fragrant. Discard.
Add sausage to same pot and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon and stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 8–10 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate.
Add chickpeas to pot and cook, tossing occasionally and mashing some chickpeas with spoon, until browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Transfer about half of chickpeas to plate with sausage. Add wine to pot, bring to a boil, and cook until liquid is almost completely evaporated, about 2 minutes.
Use a slotted spoon to remove the rigatoni (don't discard the water). Add pasta to pot with chickpeas and add escarole and 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Cook, tossing often, until escarole is wilted, pasta is al dente, and sauce is thickened, about 4 minutes. Add another ¼ cup pasta cooking liquid, then gradually add ½ cup cheese, tossing until melted and dissolved into a luxurious, glossy sauce. Thin with more pasta cooking liquid if needed. Season with pepper, and more salt if needed. Add butter and toss to combine, then mix in reserved sausage and chickpeas.
Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup cheese.

Nutrition

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Quick Sweet and Sour Pork Stir Fry

Judith Hannemann — Sun, 01 Dec 2019 00:00:39 +0000

This sweet and sour pork is ready in a jiffy. A really easy pork stir fry.

Quick Sweet And Sour Pork: Dinner In 20 Minutes

Are you thinking about stopping at the Chinese take-away tonight for your dinner?

You might not want to do that when you see how quick and easy this recipe for sweet and sour pork really is. Whats more you save big bucks because this has got to be half the price of what you’d pay at the take-out. OK, I know you have to cook it and sometimes that’s the thing you want to avoid (under those circumstances get the take-out LOL). However, there’s very little work involved here and it’s delicious too. Even the kiddos will like this one!

Got Pork?

Have you got pork on hand in the form of chops, country-style ribs or anything else? Well, you can use it here.

Even though the recipe calls for tenderloin or boneless loin, rest assured, you can use other pork cuts! While I have a couple of tenderloins and boneless loins in my freezer now thanks to great sales, this isn’t always the case. I’ve cut up bone-in chops and even those country-style ribs to make this easy pork stir fry. An added bonus here is the bones can go to make your own stock!

You could do the same with chicken if you want and it should be good too, but I also have a recipe for more authentic sweet and sour chicken if you’d like to try that.

Pork Stir Fry With Lots Of Color

This pork stir fry has loads of color. All that color comes from the great veggies that the dish contains.

The snow peas are quick cooking and so are the green onions. Just make sure to slice the carrots extra thin so they cook to crisp-tender quickly too.

The Recipe

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Quick Sweet & Sour Pork

Don’t call take-out when you can make this delicious sweet & sour pork in your own kitchen

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Course: Dinner, Main, Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: easy stir fry with pork, pork stir fry recipe, pork,, stir fry, sweet and sour recipes

Servings: 4

Calories: 309kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 lb boneless pork loin or tenderloin cut in 1/2-in/1.3 cm pieces
3 cups snow peas cut in half
2 carrots thinly slices
2 green onions/scallions cut in 1/2-in/1.3 cm pieces
1/2 tbs balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic finely minced
3 tbs oil
pinch of salt
pinch of sugar
1 tbs sesame seed-optional

Sauce

2 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tbs soy sauce
3 tbs ketchup
1 tbs cornstarch/cornflour
1/3 cup water

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a small bowl, toss the pork with the 1/2 tbs balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt.
Mix all sauce ingredients in another bowl; set aside.
Heat 2 tbs of the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and stir fry until pork is nicely browned and cooked through; about 5 minutes. Remove the pork to a plate.
Add the remaining oil to the pan. Add the garlic, pinch of sugar and the carrots. Stir fry for about 3 minutes or until carrots are crisp-tender. Add the green onion and stir fry for an additional 2 minutes.
Add the pork back to the pan along with the snow peas and the sauce. Cook for 3 minutes.
Top with sesame seeds if desired.

Video

Nutrition

The post Quick Sweet and Sour Pork Stir Fry appeared first on The Midnight Baker.

Chicken Piperade

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 12 Oct 2019 23:00:19 +0000

Colorful bell peppers make this chicken piperade not only beautiful but tasty too.

Where This Chicken Recipe Starts

This chicken recipe starts with a basic recipe I posted before. That was simple sautéed chicken. In fact, it’s what chefs call a “master recipe,” since many dishes that are totally different begin with it.

Most basic sautés are master recipes. You actually don’t have to go much further if you’re looking for something simple and delicious. The best part about these basic recipes is not just that they’re quick; the bar is raised by making the reduction sauce. And you can do a lot of fancy stuff with those, but that information will come in later posts.

Chicken With Peppers Recipe: Using Excess

I sure wish I knew about this recipe years ago when my late husband used to make a big garden. He always planted bell peppers and for some reason, they were prolific every season. I’d make relish with the ones I couldn’t use, and would dice and freeze some of them. However, there wasn’t much I could think of doing with the rest besides stuffed peppers and pepper steak. Let me tell you, we got tired of those meals very quickly!!! I wish I had and arsenal of more recipes using excess peppers. We would have loved a chicken recipe that used some of those peppers.

Chicken piperade is a delightful change to the usual and it does use at least a cup of each colored pepper. I do find that the minimum amount called for isn’t really enough so I double and triple the amount when I make this. I also love onions so I double up there too. However, if you’re not a great lover of onions, stick to the one large onion. This is a great way to use up those excess peppers

Avoid Overcooking

Because peppers look really blah when they’re overcooked, you’ll want to avoid doing that.

Cook the peppers until they are just tender–that should be less than 10 minutes. What I do is slice them as thin as I possibly can. That way, they cook pretty quickly and maintain their great taste and color.

The Recipe

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Chicken Piperade

Chicken with sauteed onions and peppers. Nothing better

Prep Time15

Cook Time35

Course: Chicken, Dinner, Main, Main Course

Cuisine: French

Keyword: bell pepper recipe, chicken recipe, quick chicken dinners

Servings: 4

Calories: 137kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

recipe Sauteed Chicken

Pepper Mixture:

1 cup red bell peppers cut in strips
1 cup green bell peppers cut in strips
2 cups sliced onions
1 large clove garlic finely minced
1/2 tsp thyme
2 tbs butter
1 tbs oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Follow the recipe for Sauteed Chicken but omit the beurre manie. Remove chicken and the sauce to a deep dish and keep warm
Wipe out skillet and again heat over medium heat.
Add the butter and the oil and let the butter melt. Add the onions and cook until they are translucent. Add the pepper strips, salt, pepper, thyme and garlic. Cook about 5-10 minutes or until onions are tender, but not browned and peppers are tender but still a bit crisp.
Add chicken and sauce to the skillet and toss in the veggies. Cover and heat for 5 minutes or until chicken is hot.

Notes

I double and even triple the amount of each pepper and use another cup of onions too. That way it’s a complete meal in itself.

Due to the limitations of the app for nutritional information, refer to the linked recipe and add the calorie count for 1 serving to the amount of calories stated here.

Video

Nutrition

The post Chicken Piperade appeared first on The Midnight Baker.