Archive for Main Dishes
Homemade Beef Bologna
Posted by: | CommentsI did it. I made bologna. Mine didn’t turn out nearly as pretty as Tammy’s. Maybe that’s because I adapted the recipe? Or maybe it’s simply because Tammy has a magic touch I don’t seem to have. (Tammy is super talented!) Regardless, we have a healthy, easy-to-make lunch meat that I will feel no guilt about feeding to my family.
A couple of notes about this recipe:
In order to avoid artificial flavorings, you’ll want to use a liquid smoke which does not have any additional ingredients beyond “liquid smoke”. Some liquid smoke varieties have caramel coloring and I don’t know what else. I have found that Lazy Kettle Brand contains only liquid smoke. I’m sure there are other “all natural” brands of liquid smoke – this is the one I found first.
In addition, Tammy’s recipe includes Morton’s Tender Quick Salt, which is a great salt for preserving. However, I hesitate to use this salt now that I’ve learned that it contains nitrates. Therefore, I tried simply using my trusty Redmond’s Real Sea Salt. I figure, I’m keeping the bologna in the fridge or freezer anyway so I don’t need to worry about “preserving” the meat, right?
Overall, I’m pleased with how the bologna turned out. Well, aside from the fact that mine didn’t turn out pretty like Tammy’s. Tammy, how do you do it? :)
Homemade Beef Bologna (adapted from Tammy’s Recipes)
3 pounds ground beef (I used grass-fed beef)
2 Tablespoons sea salt
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons “all natural” liquid smoke
Mix all ingredients together, sticking your hands into the bowl to squish it all together in order to mix the ingredients well. Mmmhmm, that’s the fun part.
Divide the mixture into two parts and shape two “logs” of meat. I don’t like having plastic touch my raw meat if at all possible, so I placed parchment paper on top of plastic wrap to help form the log and to wrap it for the fridge. (Yes, this may seem obsessive, but I’m weird - what can I say?)
Wrap the bologna logs well and place them into the refrigerator for 24 hours.
Unwrap the meat and place both logs into a buttered baking dish. I used a 9×13 inch Pyrex dish. Bake in a 300° oven for 30 minutes, then in a 200° for another 2 1/2 hours.
Cool and store in the freezer or fridge.
A big thanks again for Tammy’s Recipes for inspiring this recipe! Now, on to her Spicy Beef Pepperoni!
I’m super thrilled with this recipe because I totally love bologna. I know that’s a silly thing to love, but love it I do. Kinda like how I love beef hot dogs.
Do you like hot dogs and bologna, or do you think I’m a little bit nuts for thinking they taste good? Hey, at least now I can eat bologna again without feeling like my stomach is turning inside out!
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Easy Chicken Burritos (Perfect for the Freezer!)
Posted by: | CommentsAs I sat down to write this post, I could think of nothing exciting to say about these Easy Chicken Burritos. Therefore, I have decided to see if I can win “The Most Boring Blog Post Ever Award”. Most of this post has nothing to do with burritos, but really, there’s only so much a person can say about burritos. See look – there they sit:
Here is my very boring post:
Today I cleaned my ceiling fans and dust bunnies fell down onto the math books below. It was gross. When I got the mail this morning, most of it was junk mail so I put it directly into the recycling. We can’t find Malachi’s left tennis shoe. Today I’m wearing a brown shirt. I have a lot of brown shirts. I like brown.
I gouged my thumb on a kitchen cabinet yesterday. It hurts. Today I bonked it again. That hurt worse. The weather today is nice. Tomorrow it might get cooler. I need to pick green beans. And tomatoes.
I picked up our Azure Standard order today. We got a box of strawberries. They are good. Somehow we got strawberry juice on our kitchen floor tonight. I wiped it up.
I did four loads of laundry yesterday. They aren’t folded yet. Asa’s jeans are all too short. So are Elias’. So are Justus’. Kids grow fast.
We have crickets in our house. They are loud.
Here is a burrito recipe. These taste good. They are pretty much exactly like the Bean and Cheese Burritos and Beef and Cheese Burritos I’ve already written about, except that instead of using beans or beef, you use chicken.
(Told ya it was boring. Although that part about the weather was really pretty exciting. Except for not really.)
Easy Chicken Burritos
10 whole wheat tortillas (one batch homemade)
2 cups cooked chicken
1 cup shredded cheese (I use white cheddar)
1 cup salsa
Sea salt and/or chili powder to taste
Chop cooked chicken into tiny pieces or run it through a food processor. Stir together shredded chicken, cheese, salsa and spices. Spoon mixture into a warm, soft tortilla. Wrap and serve.
We like freezing these burritos, then rewarming them for quick lunches. To rewarm: Place desired number of burritos on a baking stone or cookie sheet. Heat in a 350° oven for about 15 minutes or until slightly brown, crispy and hot.
What’s the most boring thing you can think of to tell me right now? Or maybe the most exciting? (If your laundry is folded and put away, I don’t want to hear about it. Over-achievers.)
Healthy Homemade Pigs in a Blanket
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Have I ever told you about the trophy I won back when I was in high school? I’m not very athletic, so I hope you aren’t imagining some sport trophy. If so, you’re going to be rather disappointed, although amused, I’m sure.
My trophy proudly displayed a golden pig. Don’t laugh. It had a wooden base and stood about 15 inches tall and there at the top was a golden hog that was probably around 3 inches long. Oh how I wish I still had it so that I could take a picture to show you. Wait – what did I just say? Do I really wish I still had my pig trophy? Why? So that I could use it to decorate my living room? (Precious Moments figurines, family pictures, pig trophy…) Yes, I think I’m glad my golden swine got misplaced.
In case winning pig trophies aren’t common where you’re from, let me explain my prize. I was a farm girl and we were involved in 4-H. Each year, we raised pigs to take to the fair. One year, my pig won Reserve Grand Champion. It was a proud moment – and also a little embarrassing because well, what teenage girl do you know that can truly appreciate being awarded with a trophy of a pig? The only one at the fair more excited/embarrassed than me was my brother. His pig took the Grand Champion prize, so his pig trophy was even bigger than mine. Yep, those were some pigs.
Kind of makes you want to read Charlotte’s Web again, doesn’t it?
I say all of that to say: “I had a pig trophy and you didn’t, neener-neener-neeeeeener.”
Just kidding. (Even though it’s probably true – neener-neener.)
But really, I just wanted to share a new idea I’ve come up with for making a healthy variety of Pigs in a Blanket. I don’t want to get all “farm animal technical” here on you, but even though these are called “Pigs in a Blanket”, there’s actually no pork in these. I prefer my hot dogs to be all beef, no nitrate, no nitrite, no nootrote (I made that one up) and otherwise as healthy as a processed meat can possibly be. But to call these “Cows in a Blanket” – well, that just does nothing for me. It doesn’t sound nearly as cute. And really, these treats do look like little pigs wrapped up taking a nap. As we all know, pigs are always willing to be swaddled. I know my 4-H pigs always went directly where I told them to go. (bah)
Healthier “Pigs in a Blanket”
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup melted butter
1 cup plain yogurt
16 beef hotdogs, cut in half (I buy Applegate Farm Beef Hotdogs from Azure Standard)
32 small pieces of cheddar cheese (optional)
That dough recipe may sound a bit familiar. It’s my go-to recipe for Homemade Pizza Pockets, Homemade Poptarts and a variety of other goodies that require a flaky, buttery crust.
Mix flour, salt, butter and yogurt together. Knead ingredients together on a floured countertop until the dough is ready to be rolled out. Use a floured rolling pen to roll the dough to a 1/8 inch thickness. Use a knife to cut the dough into 32 rectangles.
Place one piece of cheese (if desired) and one hotdog half on each rectangle.
Roll it up and place it on a well buttered baking dish. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned.
My kids especially like the Pigs in a Blanket made with cheese. These warm up great as leftovers and can be frozen. (I’d bake them first before freezing, then pull them out and rewarm them in the oven for a few minutes.)
I’m posting this recipe as a part of our Funky Fresh Kitchen series to remind us all that you can make all kinds of great dishes that are kid friendly and fun AND healthy!
Tell me all about your trophies, pigs, brothers, athleticism (or lack thereof), carrot sticks, or anything else remotely relating to this post. Your comment is your entry for a chance to win one of five $10 gift certificates to the Heavenly Homemakers Shop.
Teaching Your Kids to Cook: Turkey Ranch Pinwheels
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As I mentioned a few days ago, we’re working hard at our house on a new curriculum/ebook called Teaching Your Kids to Cook. Just like Learn Your Letters, Learn to Serve, this has become a family project. I’m the one writing it, but all the kids get to be a part of putting this all together (and posing for pictures), which makes this task so much more fun!
Malachi (age 6) was eager to help me try a new “recipe” idea – one that requires no cooking – just a little bit of spreading, rolling and sprinkling. In the middle of summer, any recipe that requires “no cooking” is a winner, so we decided we’d give you a sneak peek into this recipe before the book is completed!
Turkey Ranch Pinwheels
4 Soft Whole Wheat Tortillas
3 Tablespoons Ranch Dressing (we make our own ranch dressing)
½ cup Turkey, cut into tiny pieces
½ cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Spread Ranch Dressing on each tortilla.
Sprinkle bits of cheese and turkey over the ranch covered tortilla.
See what a nice job Malachi did!
Roll the filled tortilla up as tightly as you can.
Let a grown up help cut the rolled tortilla into pinwheels:
Malachi was so excited that he “made dinner for our family” and he declared this to be the “awesomest dinner ever!” It’s true – these Turkey Ranch Pinwheels were super easy to put together, didn’t require a stove or an oven and Malachi (age 6) was able to do most of the work all by himself (okay, not really, but sort of). We devoured this entire plate – and we had made a triple batch!
Since we had been taking pictures of the entire process Malachi wondered, “Don’t you need a picture of me eating them, Mom?” Well sure. Just in case you aren’t sure what to do once you finish putting your Pinwheels together, here’s Malachi to show you:
Do your kids enjoy helping you in the kitchen? I know it’s usually easier (and less messy) to do the work yourself…how often do you pull the kids into the kitchen to help?
Update! The book is finished – find Teaching Your Kids to Cook and Learn to Cook books here!
Teriyaki Chicken and Veggies
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During our Gluten Free Recipe Parade this week,
each time you see the above “badge”,
be sure to leave a comment for a chance to win one of five
$10 Gift Certificates to the Heavenly Homemakers Shop!
I think I’d make this dish every other day if my family would let me get away with it. It is the perfect combination of flavors and I LOVE IT. It’s great because you can use leftover chicken if you have it, any veggies you have on hand…and if you have fresh pineapple? Well, be still my heart.
I don’t have an exact recipe for this dish. It’s more of a “throw food together” kind of dish, depending on what you have on hand. Then, make some brown rice and whip up some Teriyaki Sauce to pour on and you’ve got a great meal! So, forgive me for not putting exact measurements on this “recipe”. Just make enough for your family!
Here’s what you need:
- Chicken – You can use leftover chicken (from cooking a whole chicken) and just stir it into the veggies, or you can brown up some chicken breasts or tenderloins
- Chopped veggies (zucchini, carrots, sweet peppers, corn, peas, green beans or any others you would like) stir fried in olive oil
- Chopped pineapple (fresh or canned), optional
- Cooked brown rice
- Teriyaki Sauce (This sauce is only gluten free if it is made with Gluten Free Soy Sauce!!! I recommend Organic Tamari Soy Sauce from OliveNation)
Here’s what to do:
Get your brown rice cooking. (I have easy directions for cooking brown rice here.) Mix up Teriyaki Sauce and have it ready to go when chicken and veggies are done.
Chop up your veggies and stir them around in a skillet over medium heat with olive oil until they are tender. If your chicken needs to be cooked, throw that in too. (See what a fancy cook I am?) :) If you want, you can season your veggies and chicken with garlic.
Toss pineapple into the veggies to cook for just a few minutes.
Serve rice, veggies, pineapple and chicken with Teriyaki Sauce poured over the top!
What veggies would you throw in to create this meal? I know my menu plan said something different, but I think I’m making this tonight anyway. :)
Just a reminder!! Tomorrow is the big Gluten Free Parade Recipe Link-Up! Hope you’re making plans to share recipes that do not contain wheat, barley or rye! (If your recipe contains oats, we’ll use gluten free oats!)
Taco Corn Fritters
Posted by: | CommentsWhen Matt and I were at Whole Foods recently, we saw that they had some sort of Jalapeno-Corn fritter for sale on their hot bar. They looked SO GOOD, and while I didn’t figure our kids would appreciate the jalapenos, immediately my brain started thinking through how I could create something like this for a quick lunch that would be a little more kid-friendly. Feel free to add jalapenos to this recipe if you want. Just don’t touch your eye after messing with jalapenos. Or at least have milk handy if you do. But really…just don’t touch your eye.
I kind of wanted an “all in one” meal, which is why I put taco meat in our fritters. Then, since it had taco meat, I figured it needed cheese. Those items are optional…but wow are they good! Of course though, I’m the girl who needs her beef. ;)
Taco Corn Fritters
1/2 pound cooked hamburger meat seasoned with taco seasoning mix (Many commercial taco seasonings contain gluten! I highly recommend making and using this wonderful homemade recipe!)
2 cups cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup melted butter or coconut oil
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups frozen or canned corn
oil for frying (I used palm shortening)
Brown hamburger meat and add taco seasoning mix to taste. Mix together remaining ingredients, stirring in the seasoned meat. Melt palm shortening in a skillet. Scoop 1-2 Tablespoons of corn mixure into the hot oil and press down to form a “pattie”. Fry for 5-7 minutes on each side until cooked through. (I had my electric skillet set to 350°.)
The great thing about these Taco Corn Fritters is that they even taste good cold, which means they would make a great grab and go lunch or snack!!! I haven’t tried freezing these (because we eat them too quickly!), but I’m pretty sure you could make up a big batch and freeze them for “fast food”.
So would you put jalapenos in these, or not? How would your family like them best?!
Cheeseburger Macaroni (A Hamburger Helper Make-Over!)
Posted by: | CommentsI’ve been meaning to share this recipe with you forever!!! It’s really become one of my favorites because it tastes so good and is SO easy to make. When I threw out the Heavenly Homemakers Recipe Challenge, a few of you mentioned Hamburger Helper make-overs. Isn’t there one that’s like a “Lasagna Skillet” or something like that?? You might want to try Lasagna Casserole as a very tasty alternative. And now…this Cheeseburger Macaroni!
Here’s the background information (that you may or may not care about) for my Cheeseburger Macaroni recipe:
Back in my good ol’ Coupon Queen days, I used to buy oodles of boxes of Hamburger Helper anytime they went on sale for 99¢ and I had a coupon to get them for less than that. Sometimes I’d have cabinets full of them that I’d found for just a few pennies each. I’d enjoy them for a quick and easy meal (and I’d drink a Pepsi or two with it, you can be sure).
My favorite variety of Hamburger Helper was Cheeseburger Macaroni. I LOVED it. I’d save it for special nights. Yes, special nights with Hamburger Helper, Cheeseburger Macaroni style. Wow.
Gone are the days of having a stockpile of Hamburger Helper (and my beloved Pepsi)…and I’ve gotta say that now that I’m used to eating more whole foods, the idea of either one makes me feel a little bit woozie in the tummy. But I still crave that hamburger-cheesy-noodly taste, you know?
So one day, I had some leftover taco meat and just for fun, I stirred it into the Creamy Mac and Cheese I was making for lunch. Wowza!!! My Cheeseburger Macaroni days were back…only better! Here’s how I make it:
Cheeseburger Macaroni
1 Pound (give or take) Ground Beef or Turkey
1 Tablespoon Taco Seasoning
1 Recipe of Creamy Mac and Cheese
Sea Salt to taste
The directions are super complicated…are you ready? Make the Creamy Mac and Cheese. Meanwhile, brown the meat. Once the meat is fully cooked, sprinkle in the taco seasoning. Stir the seasoned meat into the Creamy Mac and Cheese. Done.
If you feel like it, you can mix in just a little bit of cream cheese or sour cream or tomato sauce…this recipe is very flexible. It’s super kid friendly, and very easy to throw together on a busy night.
Now, it’s been several years before I’ve made a “convenient” box of Hamburger Helper, but I’m going to venture to say that this healthier variety of Cheeseburger Macaroni doesn’t take any longer to fix than making a box of Hamburger Helper. How ’bout that?
Were you (are you?) a Hamburger Helper lover? If you currently are…is there anything more I can say that will help you stay away from the pretty little box?
P.S. I have a Tater Tot recipe almost ready to share with you!! :)
Easy Alfredo Sauce
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I love a good alfredo sauce. Want to know why this recipe is so good and rich? It’s full of butter and cream. Indeed, this recipe is neither fat free nor dairy free. I am very much not afraid of real and healthy fat…you can read more about that here. For those of you who need to eat a dairy free diet, I’ll try to come up with something a little less “cow” next time. ;)
Easy Alfredo Sauce
1/2 cup butter
One pint of cream (2 cups)
1 garlic clove
2 Tablespoons cream cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Bring the butter, cream, garlic and cream cheese to a boil. Turn down the heat, simmer and stir for about two minutes. Add the grated cheese and stir until melted. Simmer the sauce for 15-20 minutes until it becomes “thick and saucy”, stirring occasionally.
And now, a few alfredo pictures:
Into the pot go the butter, cream, cream cheese and garlic…
The parmesan cheese is shredded and ready to add once we’ve boiled the other ingredients for a couple of minutes.
Here’s our sauce, simmered and ready to serve…
OH. YUM.
Are you wondering about the pasta I served with our Easy Alfredo Sauce? It looks like WHITE pasta, doesn’t it? Ah, but it isn’t!! I’m very excited to tell you that this was Gluten Free Corn Pasta from OliveNation. My OliveNation friends told me that their GF pasta tasted awesome and wow they were right!!! It’s great stuff! AND, if you recall, just like with vanilla beans, OliveNation offers Heavenly Homemakers readers a 10% discount (use the code hhm2011).
Now, you can of course add chicken to this dish if you like. Just saute a little chicken in some olive oil and toss it into the sauce. For that matter, that steamed broccoli I served on the side tasted great stirrred right into the sauce and noodles on our plate!
Are you a red sauce or a white sauce kind of pasta lover? Or does it depend on the day?
Take a peek at all of our High Five Recipes -
High Quality Recipes…Five Ingredients or Less!
Barbecue Brisket (Easy!!!)
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I’ve always been told that cooking a brisket is hard, which is why I avoided ever buying one…even though Matt always told me that it was his favorite cut of beef. Finally one day at the farmers market, I timidly went ahead and splurged on a small grass-fed beef brisket. I proudly brought it home and showed it to Matt (who was of course very excited to see me the brisket in my hands).
So what did I do next? I promptly put it into the freezer and avoided looking at it…for weeks.
Good grief…I was afraid of a frozen piece of meat.
I’d paid good money for that little hunk of beef…I did not want to mess it up! No one I asked knew how to cook a brisket or they simply answered that same answer I’d always heard: “Cooking a brisket is really hard. They can come out really tough.”
Well shucks.
I don’t know where the courage finally came from, but one day I pulled that brisket out and did a little research on how to cook it. A barbecue variety of brisket sounded better than anything, so that is what I decided on.
Um hellllllooooo!!! NEWS FLASH: Cooking a beef brisket is REALLY EASY!!!! And don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise!!!
The trick is this: Cook it low and slow. Or slow and low, whichever works better for ya.
I’ve now made many a brisket because after biting into THE most delicious and tender meat EVER I’ve decided to join Matt in the “Brisket is my Favorite Cut of Beef Club”.
Care to join our club?
Here’s a little tutorial, which is rather silly because why do you really need pictures to show you how to put meat in a dish and cook it, but whatever. And also, it really isn’t very fun to look at raw meat in a dish. Ah, but here’s a tutorial for BBQ Brisket nonetheless… (Apparently reading this is your initiation before joining our “Beef Brisket is my Favorite Cut of Beef Club”.)
I usually buy a 2-3 pound brisket. They aren’t the cheapest cuts of meat, neither are they the most expensive. I have been able to find them for about what I’d pay for a roast (grass fed, organic), so I feel like it’s a pretty good deal.
Step number one: Put your brisket in a cooking dish (Wow Laura, thank you for showing us a picture of this. We would never have been able to follow that step if you hadn’t shown us what you meant.):
Step two: Whip up a quick batch of High Five BBQ Sauce. Spread the sauce over the brisket.
Step three: Put a lid on the baking dish. (Again, what a fabulous tutorial.)
Bake the brisket low and slow and slow and low. I go with 250° for 4-5 hours.
Slice the meat “against the grain” (which, of all things, I don’t have a picture of) and serve.
This meat tastes so, so, so good served with Cream Scalloped Potatoes and some green beans or a salad.
Don’t ever let anyone tell you that cooking a brisket is hard. And if anyone ever DOES tell you that it is hard, you give them a link to this tutorial because it could be that they’ve just never had anyone ever show them how to put meat into a dish before. Ah yes, I’m always here to help.
So what club are you in…as in…what’s your favorite cut of beef? Or do you have a favorite? (Hmm, maybe you have a favorite cut of…chicken?)
Easy Italian Pasta Bake
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It almost seems silly to even call this a recipe. It’s basically a “cook some noodles in spaghetti sauce, add meat, top with cheese” kind of idea. Goulash in a casserole dish. Spaghetti with different noodles and turned into a casserole. Ah, but instead of letting you know all of that, I’ll act like it’s a fancy dish called…Italian Pasta Bake.
You’re impressed, aren’t you?
Ah well…simple recipes are what I do best. They’re what my family likes best and they’re easy to make. This recipe also freezes well and is easy to make for company.
Italian Pasta Bake
1 pound ground beef or turkey
1/4 cup chopped onion or 3 Tablespoons dry minced onion
4 cups tomato sauce
2 cups water
2 Tablespoons basil
1 Tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder or one clove fresh garlic
Sea salt to taste
10 ounces whole wheat pasta, any shape (we like bionature brand)
2 cups shredded cheese (we use white cheddar, but you can use mozzarella or any combination of your favorite cheeses)
Brown meat and onion together. Meanwhile, bring tomato sauce, water and herbs and spices to a boil. Stir in pasta and boil until tender. Do not drain. The pasta should have absorbed the liquid! Mix in cooked meat. Salt as desired. Spread mixture into a 9×13 casserole dish and top with cheese. Bake uncovered at 350° for 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through and through.
So, do you have a favorite pasta shape? I think picking the shape of pasta for our dinner is kinda fun. Penne, Fusilli, Rotini, even good ol’ Elbow.
Ah the joy of picking pasta shapes. Am I the only one who thinks this is fun?
