Pasties

Another Recipe from Dining on a Dime Cookbook.  These are sooooo good, though we don't have them often because they are a lot of work!  But well worth it if you have the time!  I've included the dough recipe but I usually just use the ready made pie crusts.  I like to serve these with fries and brown gravy, though my husband likes to put ketchup on his!

Filling:

1 Tbsp water

4 Tbsp butter or margarine

2 chicken bouillon cubes

1 1/2 cups carrots, chopped (I actually dice mine)

4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2-1 lb ground beef, browned

salt and pepper to taste

Dough:

1 cup shortening

3 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt

6 Tbsp water

In a saucepan simmer the carrots in the water, butter and chicken boillon cubes.  Add potatoes, onion, ground beef and salt and pepper.  Divide into fourths.  Mix dough ingredients and roll into four 10 inch circles.  Put the meat mixture on one side of the dough.  Fold the other half of the dough over and seal with fingers or a fork.  Bake 1 hour at 375.  Serves 4-6.

Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's Pie is another traditional British recipe that has been Americanized - but not by me!  I still prefer the English version but this is a good second, though pretty much totally different!  It's from an awesome book I own called Dining on a Dime Cookbook.  This is a MUST have cookbook if you are looking for ways to save money while still serving awesome food!  It's not only full of great recipes it also has money saving tips, and gift ideas for you to make yourself.  

This recipe reminds me of chili actually in taste.  It's very good and even better as a leftover dish.  If you are interested in experiencing a traditional British Shepherds Pie Meijer's sells the seasoning mix in their World Foods section, along with a lot of other tasty treats directly from Britain.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb ground beef

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots diced

1 can peas, drained, or 1 can mixed vegetables for carrots and peas (I omit the diced carrots and simply use 1 can of mixed vegetables.  Otherwise you have TONS of carrots!)

1 15 oz can tomato sauce (I prefer Hunts)

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp sugar

2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp chili powder

4 cups mashed potatoes

3/4 cup grated Cheddar Cheese

Brown ground beef and onion.  Add carrots and cook until tender.  Drain grease and add peas or mixed vegetables.  In a casserole dish combine tomato sauce, salt, pepper, sugar, onion powder, garlic powder and chili powder.  Mix well and add the beef mixture.  Mix again thoroughly.  Top with mashed potatoes then grated cheese.  Bake in the oven at 350 for 15 minutes or until the cheese melts.  Serves 4.

Frog in the Ditch - an Americanized Version of Toad in the Hole

I love British food and having a British husband has opened all kinds of new food experiences and recipes to me!  My mother in law is quite possibly THE best cook in the world, when we visit England I live for her home cooked meals.  She makes an awesome Toad in the Hole, which, if you are not familiar with it, is basically sausage in a pastry like batter.  When my husband moved to America he brought some pretty good British cookbooks with him and I've had fun trying to replicate the recipes.  NOT an easy task though since American ingredients differ greatly from British ingredients!  Take sausage for instant.  In Britain they have the most wonderful sausage full of flavor.  It has a lighter texture than American sausage (their hot dogs are different as well).  Problem is you can't find British sausage here, at least not where I live!  And believe me, we have looked!!!  The same with flour.  With American flour you get a tougher, flakier pastry than what you get with British flour, which gives you a softer, more substantial pastry.  This is why the bread you find in British grocery stores is soooo good!  Not the light squidgy stuff we get here.  British bread makes the best toast!  The closest I have been able to find here to British bread is Italian or the specialty bakery bread that costs $$$$.

It's so disappointing that there is a common misconception that British food is bland and tasteless.  NOTHING could be further from the truth!  Trust me, I am just about THE pickiest eater you will find, and I love pretty much everything I've ever had to eat in England.  (exceptions being Branston, Marmite, Christmas pudding and Blood pudding! Ick!)  

So on to the recipe!  The traditional Toad in the Hole, prepared correctly, is delicious but it takes a lot more work and patience than I currently have!  Plus like I said, I don't have the proper ingredients.  Still, Glen and I have managed to come up with what we think is a suitable substitute to have here in America.  When we visit England we get to have the real thing from Glen's mom!  This recipe has been adapted by yours truly from Delia's How to Cook Book One.  Hope you like it!

Ingredients:

1 tube of breakfast sausage (I use the mild but it's up to you)

3/4 cup white flour

1 large egg

3 fl oz. (75 ml) semi skimmed milk (I am guessing this means 2%)

2 fl oz. (55 ml) water

salt & pepper

1 onion, sliced and separated into strips

2 teaspoons oil

1 teaspoon sugar

Pre-heat your oven to 425.  Mold the sausage into links (I usually get 5-6).  Cut your onion.  Mix oil and sugar in a bowl and toss the onion to coat.  I use a small rectangular (glass) baking dish (sorry can't remember the measurements, smaller than the 9x13).  Spread your onions on bottom of pan, place sausage links inside.  Cook in oven till done, I usually give them 30 minutes just to be sure they are done!  

Now you are ready to mix up the batter.  Sift the flour into a large bowl, make a well in the flour with a large spoon, break the egg into it and add salt and pepper.  (I also had a sprinkle of onion powder).  Whisk the egg into the flour.  Measure your milk and water into a measuring jug and gradually add the liquid, whisking  until smooth.    When your sausages are done, pour the batter over them and return to the oven.  Cook for another 20-30 minutes, be careful or it will burn and you won't be able to cut it!  

I make a brown gravy to serve over top (usually just the brown gravy packets).  A typical serving is two sausages in the batter.  It may be tough to cut so use a sharp knife (thanks again to American flour!)  Serve with mashed potatoes and for that authentic British twist baked beans on the side!    

Not sure how many this serves, it's perfect for Glen and I so if you have a bigger family you will want to double the recipe and use a bigger pan.

Now I'm sure there are better American versions of Toad in the Hole out there, I haven't looked, but this is the one we use and enjoy.  You can use a link sausage if you like, but in our experience it lacks that authentic British flavor.  Feel free to tinker around with your recipes, that's what makes them fun!!!

Southern Baked Beans

This recipe is from Paula Deen and it is sooooo good!!!    (and no, this is NOT a low fat recipe, LOL!)

Ingredients:

1/2 pound bacon

1 large onion, diced

1 16 ounce can pork and beans

3 tablespoons yellow mustard

5 tablespoons maple syrup

4 tablespoons ketchup

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a skillet fry bacon until crispy and crumble.  In the same pan using the bacon drippings, saute the onion until brown.  Mix bacon, onion and drippings with the remaining ingredients.  Pour into a baking dish and bake covered for 45-60 minutes.  

Yield:  4 servings

Bill Knapp's Chicken Marinade

Anyone remember Bill Knapp's restaurants??  One of my favorite places to eat, so disappointed when they closed!  I always ordered the marinated chicken breasts & found this copy cat recipe online.  I have grilled and baked it, I prefer it grilled but if you don't have an indoor grill baking is fine.  You may also fry it, haven't tried that way though.

Ingredients:

1/2 c. honey

1/2 c. apple juice

2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

2/3 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup cider vinegar

2/3 cup vegetable oil

Mix all ingredients together in a blender and let chicken set in marinade overnight in fridge.  You can grill, pan fry or bake the chicken.  If pan frying add a little oil to the pan and let excess marinade drip off.  Cook in medium high heat pan till done (test for doneness)  To bake remove from marinade and place chicken in baking dish, bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until done.

Onion-Herb Pork Chops

This is one of my absolute favorite recipes, though I haven't made it in awhile unfortunately!  It was featured in Taste of Home's Cooking for 2 magazine in 2007.  I am not a big pork chop fan but the onions and herbs make this soooo good, not to mention the parmesan cheese!  This is one of those dishes that looks impressive and hard to make but in reality it's quite simple!  Good with scalloped potatoes and fresh green beans on the side.  

Ingredients:

1 tsp. plus 2 tablespoons butter, divided

1 medium onion, chopped

3 tablespoons chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon

1/8 teaspoon dried thyme

2 boneless pork loin chops (3/4 inch thick and 5 ounces each)

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 pepper

3 tablespoons dry bread crumbs

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 

In a small skillet, melt 1 teaspoon butter over medium heat.  Stir in the onion, broth, tarragon and thyme.  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes or until onion is tender.  Meanwhile, sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper.  In another skillet brown chops over medium heat in 1 tablespoon butter.  Spoon half of the onion mixture into a baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray; top with pork and remaining onion mixture.  Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese; sprinkle over top.  Melt remaining butter; drizzle over crumbs.  Bake, uncovered at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until meat juices run clear.  Makes 2 servings.

No Ricotta Lasagna

I am no fan of Ricotta cheese!  I feel it dulls down the flavor of lasagna and for years I made lasagna and included the ricotta simply because the recipe called for it.  Back then I was afraid to not follow recipes to the T no matter what!  Then I realized how stupid it was to include an ingredient I didn't like, so now I make my lasagna with no ricotta and we love it!  I substitute extra mozarella and cheddar cheese for the ricotta and the result is a wonderful, delicious cheesy lasagna!

Ingredients:

1/2 lb ground beef

1/2 lb ground italian sausage

1 onion, chopped fine

12 no boil Barilla lasagna noodles

2 jars Prego spaghetti sauce (I like the meat flavored)

dash of garlic powder

2-3 cups shredded mozarella cheese

1-2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese

parmesean cheese to taste

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a 13 x 9" glass baking dish with non stick cooking spray.  Chop onion finely.  Add onion to ground beef with dash of garlic powder and brown, meanwhile in a second frying pan brown sausage.  Drain both ground beef and sausage and add to 2 jars of Prego sauce in a large sauce pan.  Heat sauce through.  Spread about 1 cup of sauce on bottom of baking dish, then add 1 layer of lasagna noodles.  Spread more sauce over noodles, then add handful of mozarella and cheddar cheese, with a sprinkle of parmesean.  Repeat layers until you have used up all the noodles.  Finish with a toping of all three cheeses, try to reserve enough sauce to dollop around the top of the lasagna here and there.  Cover with aluminum foil that you have sprayed with non-stick spray.  Bake 50-60 minutes, then uncover and bake another 5 minutes.  Let sit 15 minutes before cutting.  Serve with garlic bread and side salad.  Serves 6-8.

Mom's Homemade Chili

My mom used to make this for my dad all the time.  She'd put the normal amount of chili powder in then he would dump a whole lot more into his bowl!  He said if your eyes and nose aren't running it's not chili, LOL!  Mine's not quite that hot, but feel free to kick it up a notch if you want it hotter!

Ingredients:

1/2 lb hamburger

1/2 lb ground sausage (I use mild Italian)

1 bottle Campbells tomato juice

2 cans dark kidney beans (I use Bushes)

1 onion, diced

1/4 cup chili powder

Garlic powder

Onion powder

Salt

Pepper 

Cumin  (the spices I'm not sure how much I use, I just sprinkle it in, maybe 1/4 teaspoon each??)

Brown the hamburger with the onion, I put all the spices, with a dash of chili powder into the hamburger as I cook it.  Brown the sausage in a separate pan. Drain grease from hamburger & sausage.  Drain and rinse kidney beans (some people don't do this but I do)  Put all ingredients into your crockpot, including your spices  - this is when you want to put in the 1/4 cup chili powder.  You can use more or less chili powder depending on how spicey you like it.  Cook on high 6-8 hours.  Serve with corn bread on the side.  

Chicken 'N Dumplings

To Poach Chicken Breasts:


You'll need boneless, skinless chicken breasts, seasonings of choice.


Place chicken breasts in baking pan in single layer.  Sprinkle liberally with seasonings.  Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil (covered casserole dish may also be used) Put in 350 degree oven, they will poach in their own juices.  Test for doneness.  


Once done, using two forks shred the chicken and set aside.


Remaining ingredients:


2 cans Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
3 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
2 cups chicken broth


Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Using a whisk mix the soup and broth, set aside.  Spray a 9 x 13 glass baking dish with non stick cooking spray.  Separate the crescent rolls into triangles and place a small amount of shredded chicken in the middle of each triangle.  Fold the triangle's up over the chicken to create a little "pillow" making sure all the chicken is encased in pastry.  Place chicken filled crescent rolls into the baking dish, folded sides down.  Pour soup and broth mixture over the top.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Serve with rice or potatoes. 

Classic Macaroni & Cheese

Instead of macaroni I use Cellentani pasta, which is a longer, curlier macaroni noodle. The cellentani holds the cheese really well so you get a nice cheesy piece of pasta in every bite! I have about ten different mac & cheese recipes but this is my favorite! I can't keep Maddie out of this when I make it, she says she likes it better than Kraft, which is saying a lot for my picky girl!

Ingredients:

1 8 oz package of cellantani (or macaroni if you prefer) I sometimes add a bit more

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

2 cups milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 8 oz block SHARP Cheddar cheese, shredded & divided (I actually shred a little more than 1/2 of the block, then cut the remainder in chunks.

Prepare pasta according to package directions, drain & keep warm. Melt butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium low heat; whisk in flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk, and cook whisking constantly for 5 minutes or until thickened. (It helps to have all your ingredients pre measured so you don't have to keep stepping away from the stove) Remove from heat. Stir in salt & pepper and 1 cup of the shredded cheese, the chunks of cheese and the cooked pasta.

Spoon pasta mixture into a lightly greased 2 qt. baking dish, top with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 2-3 main dish or 4-6 side dish servings.

* a lot of the time I double this recipe because it's so good everyone complains that it's gone too soon!