Turkey Sausage, Mushroom, and Potato Gratin

I'm beginning to think if something gets 5 Stars on CL reviews, I should follow the people who give the 5 stars and see what they don't like. Because it seems like if something is 5 Stars on CL, D and I find it bland, missing something or inedible.

We found this recipe bland and missing something.
Worse, as left-overs it becomes incredibly mushy. Will not have again.

Turkey Sausage, Mushroom, and Potato Gratin

Home fries meet casserole in this ultimate comfort food dish that's great for brunch or dinner. It's most economical to buy a block of cheese and shred it yourself.

Yield: Serves 4 (serving size: about 1 cup)
Hands-on:27 Minutes
Total:1 Hour, 12 Minutes

Ingredients
2 (4-ounce) hot turkey Italian sausage links, casings removed (used pork)

1 tablespoon butter
3 cups chopped onion
4 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms
1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
Cooking spray
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme (used 2 tsp of dry)

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage to pan, and sauté for 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Remove sausage from pan; drain. Wipe pan with paper towels. Melt butter in pan. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms; sauté 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add potatoes and salt; sauté 5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally.

3. Stir in sausage and broth. Remove from heat. Spoon potato mixture into an 11 x 7-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray; top with cheese. Cover and bake at 400° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes or until golden. Sprinkle with thyme.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 358; Fat: 13g; Saturated fat: 6.9g; Monounsaturated fat: 3.9g; Polyunsaturated fat: 1.6g; Protein: 19.5g; Carbohydrate: 40.5g; Fiber: 4g; Cholesterol: 63mg; Iron: 2.6mg; Sodium: 619mg; Calcium: 196mg

Cooking Light NOVEMBER 2011

Chiles Rellenos Casserole

I found this recipe the other day when all I really wanted was comfort food. I showed it to D and he said, "UM YES!" So there you go.

It was really good. D thought you could substitute all the egg mixture with taco shells. I thought you could eat this for breakfast. Either way, we'll have again. We both thought it needed more green chilies.

D used 1 lb of chicken because we had no side.

Chiles Rellenos Casserole

Photo by ALB

One of those “wow” dishes. It’s comforting, full of flavor, different than any other casserole you’ve had, and it’s really easy. Could it get any better? When corn is in season, by all means, cut off fresh kernels to use instead of frozen.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 (3 1/2-inch) square)
Hands-on:38 Minutes
Total:1 Hour, 50 Minutes

Ingredients
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 pound ground chicken (used 1 lb)
1 cup chopped onion

1 3/4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (16-ounce) can vegetarian refried beans
1 (4-ounce) cans whole green chiles, drained and cut lengthwise into quarters(drain into chicken mixture) (next time use 2 cans)
Cooking spray
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded colby-Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed and drained
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (used 1/4)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups fat-free milk (used 1C 2%)
1/8 teaspoon hot sauce
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 egg whites

Preparation
1. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken and onion; cook 6 minutes or until chicken is done, stirring to crumble. Combine chicken mixture, cumin, and next 5 ingredients (through refried beans) in a bowl.

2. Arrange half of green chile strips in bottom of an 11 x 7-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray; top with half of cheese. Spoon mounds of bean mixture onto cheese, and spread gently, leaving a 1/4-inch border around edge of dish; top with corn. Arrange remaining chile strips over corn; top with remaining cheese.

3. Combine flour and salt in a bowl; gradually add milk and hot sauce, stirring with a whisk until blended. Stir in eggs and egg whites; pour milk mixture over chile strips. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until set; let stand 5 minutes.

Nutritional Information (original recipe)
Calories: 344 ;Fat: 13.8g; Saturated fat: 5.5g; Monounsaturated fat: 3.8g; Polyunsaturated fat: 1.4g; Protein: 23.3g; Carbohydrate: 31.6g; Fiber: 7g; Cholesterol: 107mg; Iron: 2.7mg; Sodium: 655mg; Calcium: 264mg 

Cooking Light JANUARY 1995; NOVEMBER, 2012

T-Bone Steaks with Bacon-Parmesan Butter

Another one from Weber Grilling.  You know I picked it out based upon Bacon butter.  I mean, really?  How did bacon and butter never cross my mind?  D made it.  It was good.  The steak was delicious as well. D made it with Ribeyes instead of T-bones because they were on sale.

The potato salad was really good too.

Would have again.

T-Bone Steaks with Bacon-Parmesan Butter

Photo by ALB

Recipe by Jamie Purviance from weber.com
Serves: 4 to 6
Prep time: 50 minutes
Grilling time: 6 to 8 minutes

INGREDIENTS
BUTTER

3 thick slices apple wood smoked bacon
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, softened
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

SALAD
1½ pounds small fingerling potatoes, preferably in assorted colors (used Yukon Gold)
Kosher salt
8 ounces slender green beans, trimmed and cut crosswise into thirds
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
1½ tablespoons white wine vinegar
1½ tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves (used 1.5 tsp dried)
1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
10 ounces grape tomatoes, each cut in half (about 2 cups)

4 T-bone steaks, each about 1 pound and 1 inch thick, trimmed of excess fat (used ribeyes)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until it is crisp, 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally. Transfer to paper towels to drain and let cool. Finely crumble or chop the bacon. In a small bowl using a fork, combine all of the butter ingredients until well blended.

Put the potatoes in a large saucepan of cold, generously salted water and bring to a boil over mediumhigh heat. Boil until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, 12 to 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the potatoes from the water and place on a baking sheet. Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook just until crisp-tender, 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water to stop them from cooking.

In a large serving bowl whisk the shallot, vinegar, tarragon, and mustard. Add the oil in a steady stream, whisking constantly to emulsify. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cut the warm potatoes in half lengthwise, add them to the bowl with the dressing, and toss gently to coat. Add the green beans and tomatoes and toss gently again. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Let stand at room temperature while preparing the steaks. (The salad can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead, kept covered in the refrigerator. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving.)

Prepare the grill for direct cooking over high heat (450°F to 550°F). Let the steaks stand at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before grilling.

Lightly coat the steaks on both sides with the oil and season evenly with the salt and pepper. Brush the cooking grates clean. Grill the steaks over direct high heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until cooked to your desired doneness, 6 to 8 minutes for medium rare, turning once or twice (if flareups occur, move the steaks temporarily over indirect heat). Remove from the grill and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes.

Top each steak with an equal amount of the bacon-cheese butter and serve with the potato salad.

weber.com

Jalapeño Popper Quiche

So I forgot who posted this on message board the other day but the original poster was NCBeaches.  I saw it and said, "How did I not see this?  And how does it not have bacon in it?"

So I started making it on Friday night, but we had an emergency and I didn't get to finish it.  D finished it on Saturday morning.

It was really good, but it needed more cream cheese, more bacon and me to stop seeding jalapenos so well.
Would have again.

Jalapeño Popper Quiche

Photo by ALB

Original Recipe by Closet Cooking
Posted by NCBeaches

Servings: makes 6+ servings (breakfast??? You know I got 4 servings).

Ingredients 
1 (9 inch) pie shell, pre-baked (used Pillsbury refrigerated and baked at 450 for 5 minutes)
1/2 cup cream cheese, room temperature (needs more...used 1/3 fat)
Added 2 slices of bacon (use 4 next time)
2 jalapenos, diced (seed them is you prefer less heat)
1/2 cup milk (used 2%)
1/2 cup cream (used heavy)
5 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 jalapeno, sliced
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated

Directions 
Spread the cream cheese over the bottom of the pie crust and sprinkle on the diced jalapenos.

Heat the milk and cream over medium heat until just before it boils, about 5 minutes and pour it into a large bowl.

Pour the eggs into the heated cream while stirring constantly.

Mix in the paprika and salt.

Pour the mixture into the pie plate and bake in a preheated 350F oven for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven, arrange the jalapeno slices on top, sprinkle with cheese and bake until the cheese has melted.

Roasted Garlic and Butternut Squash Cassoulet

Another 5 Star from CL, and a 2-3 Star from us.

First is takes a long time to make.  I remembered this while at work (D had the day off) and texted him at 4pm to let him know dinner takes awhile).  He was glad I told him.  Second, there was no onion taste what so ever.  When D mentioned that he didn't taste the onions, I realized I didn't taste any.  The Pancetta was kind of flavorless too. Pretty much it was a bowl of beans.

I don't think we will have this again.  On the plus side, it did use up the butternut squash we had left over from last week.

Roasted Garlic and Butternut Squash Cassoulet

To get a head start, roast the garlic, caramelize the onions, and even assemble this robust casserole the day before you plan to serve it. Use leftover roasted garlic to flavor soups, or combine with olive oil as a spread for toasted baguette slices. Pancetta is Italian unsmoked bacon. You can substitute regular smoked bacon, but use less, as the smoky flavor is more assertive.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 3/4 cups)

Ingredients
1 whole garlic head
4 ounces pancetta, chopped

2 cups vertically sliced onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
4 1/2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 2 pounds)
1/2 cup organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson Certified Organic)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (16-ounce) cans cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1 bay leaf
2 (1-ounce) slices white bread
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.

Remove white papery skin from garlic head (do not peel or separate the cloves). Wrap garlic head in foil. Bake at 350° for 1 hour; cool 10 minutes. Separate cloves; squeeze to extract garlic pulp. Set half of garlic pulp aside; reserve remaining garlic pulp for another use. Discard skins.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add pancetta; sauté 5 minutes or until crisp. Remove pancetta from pan, reserving drippings in pan. Add onion and 1 tablespoon oil to drippings in pan; sauté 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 25 minutes or until onion is very tender and browned, stirring frequently. Stir in vinegar.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Add garlic pulp, pancetta, squash, and next 6 ingredients (through bay leaf) to onion mixture, stirring well. Place bread in a food processor, and pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure about 1 cup. Combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and 1/2 teaspoon olive oil; sprinkle evenly over squash mixture. Cover and bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until squash is tender. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes or until topping is browned. Discard bay leaf. Sprinkle with parsley.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 259; Calories from fat: 27%; Fat: 7.7g; Saturated fat: 2.6g; Monounsaturated fat: 3.6g; Polyunsaturated fat: 1.4g; Protein: 9.5g; Carbohydrate: 38.8g; Fiber: 8g; Cholesterol: 11mg; Iron: 3mg; Sodium: 679mg; Calcium: 131mg

Cooking Light NOVEMBER 2006

Sesame Chicken With Asian Slaw

This was kind of a weird one.  I wouldn't have paired everything together; however, I also didn't mind that it had a whole meal assembled so no thought of a side was required. 

D made it.  It looked like I could have done it (at least the slaw).  We even left the oranges in although he said Mandarin would have been better.  Would have again.

Sesame Chicken With Asian Slaw

Prep: 30 minutes; Cook: 12 minutes.

Our pan-fried chicken dinner slashes 824 calories and 72 grams of fat, compared with a traditional meal of deep-fried chicken, biscuits, and coleslaw.

Yield: Makes 4 servings (serving size: 1/4 pound chicken, 3/4 cup noodles, and 1 1/4 cups slaw)

Ingredients
Slaw:
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon chili oil (used Vegetable oil and red pepper flakes)
6 cups packaged coleslaw
1 cup orange slices
Used 1 TBSP Sambal Oleek

Chicken:
8 ounces soba noodles (used Vermicelli because we had it... also would have used whole wheat spaghetti)
3/4 cup panko (Japanese) breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound chicken breast tenders
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 teaspoons honey
1/4 cup chopped scallions

Preparation
1. To make slaw, combine rice vinegar, sugar, kosher salt, and chili oil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Toss with coleslaw and orange slices; let the mixture sit 10–15 minutes before serving.

2. Cook the soba noodles according to the package directions. Drain the noodles, and rinse them under cold water.

3. Combine the panko, sesame seeds, and salt on a plate.

4. Dip the chicken breast tenders into the egg white. Then dredge the chicken breast tenders in the panko–sesame seed mixture.

5. Heat 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breast tenders and cook 4–5 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Wipe out pan.

6. Add the remaining sesame oil to the pan. Stir in the garlic and ginger; cook, stirring, 30–45 seconds until soft. Remove from heat and stir in the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and honey. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the sauce and toss the remaining with the soba noodles and scallions.

7. Place chicken on top of the soba noodles and drizzle with reserved 2 tablespoons of sauce. Serve the Asian slaw alongside.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 515; Fat: 10g; Saturated fat: 2g; Monounsaturated fat: 4g; Polyunsaturated fat: 4g; Protein: 38g; Carbohydrate: 72g; Fiber: 6g; Cholesterol: 63mg; Iron: 3mg; Sodium: 915mg; Calcium: 112mg

Health SEPTEMBER 2007

Gazpacho with Shrimp and Avocado Relish

I thought I found this recipe when I was looking for a new recipe for cucumber.  Turns out it was not the same recipe but this one will do. It was very good.

D and I made this together.  We sort of followed the recipe...all the ingredients stayed the same, but I like chunky gazpacho, so we didn't puree everything.  It was very easy.

We would have again. We had with Corn Bread.

Gazpacho with Shrimp and Avocado Relish

Photo by ALB

Enjoy a cool summer soup with freshly cooked shrimp and a creamy avocado relish for a quick weeknight dinner. The shrimp add protein, making this the perfect one-dish meal. Pair with a warm slice of grilled garlic bread, perfect for dipping.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup soup and about 1/3 cup relish)
Prep time:30 Minutes

Ingredients
Soup:


1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp
3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons chopped red onion
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon salt (didn't use)
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 pound plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 medium cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove
1 (11.5-ounce) can low-sodium vegetable juice (used Zing Zang), and added more, at the end

Relish:
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 ripe peeled avocado, diced

Preparation
1. To prepare soup, cook shrimp in boiling water 2 minutes or until done. Drain and rinse under cold water; coarsely chop shrimp.

2. Combine 3/4 cup bell pepper and next 9 ingredients (through vegetable juice) in a blender (we chopped the red bell pepper, cilantro, onion, and cucumber and put the rest of the ingredients (not shrimp) in the blender); process until smooth. Stir in shrimp.

3. To prepare relish, combine 1/4 cup bell pepper and remaining ingredients. Top soup with relish.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 250; Fat: 9g; Saturated fat: 1.4g; Monounsaturated fat: 4.6g; Polyunsaturated fat: 1.7g; Protein: 26g; Carbohydrate: 17.5g; Fiber: 6.2g; Cholesterol: 172mg; Iron: 3.9mg; Sodium: 675mg; Calcium: 105mg

Cooking Light AUGUST 2009