Category Archives: Main Dish

by | April 20, 2011 · 8:23 am

Mashed Potato Bar

I love hosting dinner parties.  I am not sure why, but my husband and I just love having friends over and feeding them!  While I do love the company and enjoy cooking, one thing I do not like about hosting a dinner party is that fact that I spend so much time in the kitchen preparing the food and not enough time sitting around the table with my guests.

Last week we had 2 couples over for dinner along with all of their children (4 kids under 4!).  I wanted to come up with a meal that everyone would enjoy so I put together a mashed potato bar.  It was a huge hit and was really minimal work and preparation.

I provided 2 kinds of potatoes, mashed and baked.  Then, I made a few different toppings: broccoli and cheese, barbecue pulled pork and sauteed mushrooms along with grated cheese, sour cream and crumbled bacon.  I also served a green salad and bread sticks on the side.

Guests loaded on the toppings and had fun making their own creations.

The best part about this kind of meal is that you can cater it to your own tastes.  Try topping your potatoes with shredded chicken, grilled veggies or your favorite chili.  The options are endless!

What is your go-to dinner party meal?

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by | April 13, 2011 · 8:16 am

Toasted Ham and Cheese Sandwiches with Onion and Poppyseed Butter

While growing up, these ooey gooey sandwiches were a weeknight staple.  The secret is the butter that is spread on both sides of the bread.  It melts into the cheese and gives the sandwiches a ton of flavor.  Serve with a fresh salad and you have a weeknight dinner that is on the table in 20 minutes.

Toasted Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

6 onion rolls
shaved ham
12 thin slices of Swiss cheese
1 stick of butter, softened
1/4 cup thinly diced or grated onion
2 Tbsp poppy seeds
2 Tbsp mustard

Create the butter mixture by mixing the grated onion, poppy seeds and mustard into the softened butter.

Split your rolls and place, face up, on a large cookie sheet.  Spread a thin layer of the butter mixture on each side followed by a slice of swiss cheese on each side.  Top with Ham.

Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the roll is toasted.

These may sound like your everyday toasted sandwich, but don’t be fooled!  These ham and cheese melts pack lots of flavor and are filling enough for dinner.

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by | March 30, 2011 · 8:27 am

Cream of Potato Soup

I am such a fan of home made soups.  They are quick to make, satisfying and give you leftovers for days.  My neighbor makes the most amazing Cream of Potato Soup and I was so excited when she shared the recipe with me.  This soup is rich, creamy and surprisingly, easy to make. Top it with some shredded cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon and you have the perfect meal for chilly, early spring night.


Cream of Potato Soup

8 – 10 potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons chicken bouillon crystals
8 oz cream cheese
1-2 cups milk
2 – 3 Tablespoons corn starch
1/4 cup water
salt and pepper to taste

bacon, grated cheese and green onions for topping

Place diced potatoes  in a large soup pot and fill the pot with water until it is level with the potatoes.  Add the butter and the bouillon crystals and boil until the potatoes are fork tender.

Next, stir in the cream cheese until completely melted.  Add 1-2 cups of milk until you reach a nice, soup-like consistency.  Bring this mixture just to a boil. Be careful not to overheat this soup or some of the potatoes may burn to the bottom of the pan.

In a separate bowl, mix water and cornstarch until smooth.  Add it to the soup a little at a time until you reach a nice, thick consistency.  Add salt and pepper to taste, remove from heat.

Serve with cooked and crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar cheese and green onions.



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by | March 18, 2011 · 7:52 am

March Madness BBQ Beef Sliders

Get your pencils and brackets ready…It’s March Madness! I love this time of the year: nail-biting games, googling universities I’ve never heard of, healthy competition between friends and endless hours spent in my pajamas. When all you want to do is park it in front of the TV, a delicious easy recipe is a necessity. So tonight, while I am cheering on my alma mater (Go Marquette!), I’ll be feasting on these yummy BBQ Beef Sliders perfectly tender, no doubt due to my new masterbuilt smoker.

Slow Cooker Shredded BBQ Beef

3-4 lb boneless beef chuck roast
1 C ketchup
1 C BBQ sauce (I use Sweet Baby Rays)
1 C water
2 TBSP vinegar
2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
2 TBSP brown sugar
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Combine all ingredients except roast in slow cooker. Mix well. Add roast. Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours. Remove roast. Shred meat and discard excess fat. Return to sauce and heat through. Serve on small to medium buns.

I typically serve these sandwiches with sweet potato fries. One of my favorite parts of this meal is the leftovers. You can freeze the beef and reheat a few weeks later when you just aren’t (gasp!) in the mood to cook.

Let the madness begin. GO MARQUETTE, GO GO GO GO!

Who are you rooting for this March?

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by | March 16, 2011 · 8:21 am

Slow Cooker Corned Beef Sandwiches

There are fancy ways to do corned beef and then there is the cheater way. By putting the slow cooker to work, these super easy corned beef sandwich melts may be using the cheater way but they are totally perfect for a weeknight St. Patty’s day meal. We left off the saukerkraut because neither the hubs or I are a fan, which means these aren’t technically Reubens but they’re just as tasty!

reuben rachel sandwich

Slow Cooker Corned Beef Sandwiches
1 packaged corned beef roast
baby swiss cheese
thousand island dressing
pumpernickel rye bread

Place corned beef roast in a slow cooker and season with seasoning packet and extra ground pepper. Add 2-3 cups of water until roast is submerged about 1/2 way. Cook on low heat for 5-6 hours. Remove from liquid and slice roast into thin cuts.

Toast two pieces of bread per person and slather toasted bread with dressing. Stack two layers of corned beef on one piece of bread and top with two pieces of cheese. Microwave for 30-40 seconds until cheese begins to melt. Top with other piece of bread.

corned beef sandwiches

And Now for Dessert!
Want a tasty Irish inspired dessert to round off your meal? Here’s ideas that range from easy to rich, in case you missed them:
Guinness Float
Irish Car Bomb Ice Cream
Chocolate Guinness Cake with Bailey’s Cream Cheese Frosting

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by | March 2, 2011 · 8:40 am

{Haute Pie} Irish Pasties

With St. Patrick’s day right around the corner, I wanted to try my hand at some traditional Irish fare.  These hand pies are commonly eaten in Ireland and are called Irish Pasties (pronounced pass-tees, not pay-stees).  They consist of a tender pastry crust filled with potatoes and meat, usually beef.  I made mine with some left over pot roast, however you could always use a simple ground beef as well.

Irish Pasties

2 cups left over pot roast fully cooked  (cooked ground beef or beef roast can also be used)
2-3 russet or Idaho potatoes, peeled, quartered and sliced thin
2 pre-made pie crusts (usually come in a 2 pack)
olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Milk for brushing on the pastries

Roll out pie crust and cut each in half so you have 4 half circles (each half circle will be 1 pie).  Let them sit out while you prepare the meat and potatoes to allow them to reach room temperature.

Heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saute pan.  Add potatoes and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally so they do not burn. Covering the pan may help speed up the cooking process.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Heat left over pot roast in the microwave until warm and mix with cooked potatoes.

Spoon mixture onto each of your 4 half circles, only covering one side.

Fold over crust to cover filling completely.  Then,  roll and pinch sides to seal in filling.  Make 4 slits on top of the pie for steam to escape.  Brush each finished pastry with milk and place on a baking sheet.

Bake at 400 for 18 -22 minutes or until crust is golden brown.  Serve warm with a side of ketchup.

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by | February 28, 2011 · 8:14 am

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

Giveaway Winner!

First off, congrats to HAP reader Stephanie who was our random winner in the Permanent Baggage wristlet giveaway! Stephanie will soon be receiving a wristlet of her choice…perhaps in the Vita Plaid pattern that she mentioned!

BONUS: Permanent Baggage is offering 20% off for anyone who entered the drawing! Just use the coupon code ILUVAPPLEPIE when you check out at the Etsy store.  A big thanks again to everyone who entered and to Kamryn at Permanent Baggage!

Easy Weeknight Enchiladas

This is one of those recipes that isn’t really a recipe at all. In fact, it’s by no means a traditional enchilada recipe but I love it because you can really play with the components based on what you like or what’s in your fridge. It’s versatile, seriously fast for weeknights and makes great lunch leftovers so the concept makes a regular appearance in our menu lineup.

Chicken Enchiladas
3 chicken breasts or 2 package of chicken tenders, cut into small chunks
cumin
garlic powder
chili powder or chipotle powder
dash of cayenne
dash of salt
2/3 can refried beans
3 green onions, diced
1 pkg low-fat ricotta cheese
1 large jar picante sauce, salsa or taco sauce
6-7 large flour tortillas
1 pkg shredded cheddar

Preheat oven to 375.  In a large saute pan, cook chicken chunks over medium heat with 1-2 Tbps olive oil.  As chicken begins to cook, season liberally with cumin, garlic and chili powder.  Sprinkle with salt and cayenne and toss chicken well to coat evenly.  Add green onions and 1/3 of the jar of salsa and stir well. Cook for 5-7 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

Meanwhile, working one tortilla at a time, paint the center of the tortilla with refried beans and then with ricotta. Spoon a portion of the chicken mixture over the ricotta. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

chicken enchiladas

Roll tortilla around filling, tucking the ends under, and place in a 13×9″ baking pan. Repeat with each tortilla (they’ll fit tightly in the pan). Pour remaining salsa over the enchiladas and top with remaining cheese. Bake for 25-28 minutes until cheese begins to turn a light golden brown.

easy enchilada recipes
Other Tasty Enchilada Combos:
Beef (or Venison) and Black Beans
Shredded Pork with Corn, Rice and Tomatillo Salsa
Roasted Vegetables and White Cheddar

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by | February 23, 2011 · 8:37 am

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

This Sunday, snow was in the forecast which meant my family spent a lazy day snowed in.  I love breaking out my slow cooker on days like these.  It makes the whole house smell wonderful and warm as dinner slowly cooks away all day.

This pot roast recipe couldn’t be any easier and it truly is delicious.  Some people add potatoes and carrots to their slow cooker while the meat cooks, however I never seem to have success with this.  So, I usually make mashed potatoes and roasted carrots on the side.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

4-5 lb Beef Roast, any kind
3/4 cup water
1  (1  1/4 ounce) packet of gravy
1/2 of a ( 1  1/4 ounce) packet of ranch dressing mix
2-4 teaspoons of corn starch, for thickening gravy at the end

Place the meat in your slow cooker and sprinkle with entire packet of gravy mix and half of the packet of ranch mix.  Pour water around the meat.

Cook on low for 8-10 hours or until the roast is fully cooked.  I recommend cooking it on low because that seems to make the meat more tender.

After the roast has finished cooking, remove the meat from the slow cooker and shred.  Tent with foil and set aside.  Next, make the gravy by placing all of the drippings from the roast into a sauce pan. I recommend skimming off the clear layer of fat from the top.  Heat over medium heat until warm.  Add cornstarch 1/2 teaspoon at a time until the gravy has a nice thick consistency.

Poor the gravy over the shredded beef and serve.

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by | February 18, 2011 · 7:46 am

Heart Healthy Beef and Broccoli

February is National Heart Health Month and today we are joining up with Sodium Girl, a fellow Homies nominee, for a recipe rally in the name of healthy tickers. The USDA recently announced new dietary recommendations, cutting the daily average of sodium intake by over 50% to 1,500 mg daily.

Take a look at your labels. Sodium is everywhere, in copious amounts. So the challenge of the day is to recreate a typically sodium-packed meal into a low to no sodium meal. When I think sodium, I think Chinese take-out. Can you really recreate a Chinese meal, like saucy savory Beef and Broccoli, with no sodium and still have it taste like Chinese food?

Challenge accepted.

I’m not going to lie. I made this dish twice. The first dish was okay, but nothing to share. My husband and I both agreed it was missing what I didn’t add – soy sauce. Why not just add a dash of soy sauce?  Even lower sodium soy sauce is packed with a quarter of your daily sodium intake in just one tablespoon! So I embarked on a mission to evade the almighty soy sauce.

Heart Healthy Beef and Broccoli

1 lb. thin sirloin tip steak, cut into strips across the grain
2 C fresh broccoli florets
8 oz water chestnuts
1/2 TBSP minced garlic
1/2 TBSP grated fresh ginger
1 TBSP peanut oil
1/4 tsp Chinese Five Spice
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1 TBSP white balsamic vinegar
1 TBSP rice wine vinegar
1 TBSP honey
1/2 TBSP corn starch

Heat peanut oil in a wok or deep skillet on high heat.

Whisk together balsamic vinegar, rice wine, honey, pepper, corn starch and Chinese Five Spice. Set aside.

Toss beef into the oil, searing on both sides, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, saute for 1-2 minutes. Add broccoli and water chestnuts, cooking until broccoli is softened, about 3-5 minutes. Add vinegar mixture and toss until well-coated, about one minute.

Serve over a brown rice.

The second time around, this dish was quite a success! Juicy, flavorful, I hardly missed the soy sauce. I hope you enjoy it too.

Here’s to healthy hearts!

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by | February 4, 2011 · 7:52 am

Rising to the Challenge: Bacon Artichoke Souffle

I recently teamed up with my friend Erin from Hot Dinner Happy Home to tackle the much-feared souffle. And today, we share our experience with you.

Erin: Wimp.  Yellow-belly.  Coward.  Fraidy-cat.

I consider myself all of the above. I refused to ride a roller coaster until I was 13, and even then it required incredibly strong peer pressure. I cried when my husband tried to coerce me down a slightly steep ski slope. And, unfortunately, this character trait has crept into my kitchen. There are things I deliberately avoid making because, well, I’m scared. I shudder when I read “yeast” in an ingredient list. And deep-frying? Oy. Dangerous.

Stef: A natural competitor lurks within. It started as a very small child. A crib couldn’t confine me, I’d crawl out of it. I read 116 books as a second grader to ensure I won the Bubble Gum Book Report Award. Anyone can walk on their feet, so I decided I would walk on my hands. While my inner daredevil may have been tamed a bit over the years, my competitive nature will never die.

I’ve been cooking for quite some time now and occasionally step out of my comfort zone. But recently, I got the urge for a challenge. So I enlisted a friend to embark on a culinary adventure.

Erin: Yes, and I was that lucky friend! Stef was willing to drag me out of complacency to try something new. Armed with room-temperature egg whites and a powerful stand mixer, we were ready to tackle the (nearly) impossible. We, Stef and Erin, regular gals on a cooking crusade, would make a souffle.

Bacon Artichoke Souffle

unsalted butter for greasing
5 TBSP grated Parmesan cheese
4 1/2 TBSP unsalted butter
3 1/2 TBSP all-purpose flour
1 1/2 C whole milk
6 large egg yolks
10 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, thawed, squeezed of excess water and finely chopped
4 ounces cooked bacon, crumbled
1/2 tsp dried dill
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
8 large egg whites, room temperature
1/4 tsp salt

Cook bacon according to directions. Crumble and set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare the souffle dish by thoroughly greasing the bottom and sides with a stick of unsalted butter. Once coated, spoon in 3 TBSP grated Parmesan and coat the dish. Set aside.

In a large sauce pan, make a modified blonde roux by melting 4 1/2 TBSP unsalted butter and slowly whisking in flour, until fully dissolved. Continue to whisk as it bubbles, about 20 seconds. Do not allow it to brown. Slowly whisk in milk, continuing until the  mixture comes to a simmer and thickens. Remove pan from heat.

One at a time, whisk in egg yolks, creating a smooth mixture. Continually whisk to avoid making scrambled eggs in the still hot mixture. Next, stir in bacon, artichokes, dill, pepper, nutmeg and 2 TBSP Parmesan cheese. Whisk until combined. Set aside.

With an electric mixer on high-speed, making sure your bowl is fully clean and dry, add room temperature egg whites and salt. Beat mixture until whites are smooth and shiny and create stiff peaks. The mixture should increase about eightfold in volume.

Delicately fold 1/3 of the egg white mixture into the sauce pan with a rubber spatula. Next fold the sauce pan mixture back into the egg white mixture, turning over the egg whites with the sauce until combined.

Once combined, gently spoon (do not pour!) the mixture into your souffle dish. Place in oven, close the door, and immediately decrease the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Bake for 35-45 minutes. Do not disturb the souffle by opening the oven door. When complete, the top of the souffle should be browned and crusted. Take out of the oven and serve immediately, as souffles deflate once they lose steam.

Stef: Success. That souffle had nothing on us. Airy, fluffy, crispy on top and bursting with bacon-y goodness. With a kitchen victory under our belts, we indulged in our culinary delight with a glass (or two) of crisp white wine. Even the baby gobbled a healthy serving of souffle. Who knew souffle was family friendly?

Erin: In addition to being delicious, it wasn’t even that hard.  Stef, thanks for showing me that it’s worth it to step outside your comfort zone!  Now, about that packet of yeast that’s been languishing in my cupboard…

What is your biggest cooking fear or challenge? We’d love for you to share!

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