Cookin’ the Book: Pioneer Woman’s “Penne alla Betsy”

Wednesday I made a new recipe from The Pioneer Woman Cooks.  I’m attempting to cook every one of her recipes (in the book, not her site!) by June 2010… however a series of illnesses and a couple of injuries in my family caused me to fall off the ol’ wagon for about 6 weeks.  Then, I completely forgot about it for another couple of weeks… We shall see how this affects my goal.  :)

Pasta alla Betsy, so named because it’s Pioneer Woman’s sister’s recipe, seemed like a good way to put my toes back in the water with this cookbook.  After thinking for a while, I realized I could serve the shrimp & tomato cream sauce over cooked greens for my carb-avoiding husband, and serve it up as written for the rest of us.

It’s a great, straight forward recipe.  I have to admit I was kind of underwhelmed, and I think were I to make it again, I’d try to tweak it to help the sauce be more flavorful.  That said, it did that ‘so much better the next day’ trick when I had leftovers for lunch.  I’ll give it a thumbs-up, but not ‘way’ up.

You can find the recipe, along with detailed photos of its preparation HERE.  Mangia!

Cookin’ the Book: Pioneer Woman’s Red Velvet Cake

While chocolate-chocolate-chocolate often receives very well-deserved top billing as a go-to Valentine’s Day treat, I’d argue that red velvet cake should fight for that spot.  Well, if fighting was a) in the spirit of a day about love and b) cake could or would even want to fight.  I think cake is generally a lover, not a fighter.   Maybe that’s the problem!  Cake needs to learn to stand up for itself!  C’mon cake, you’re worth it!
Why yes, I have been cooped up for 6 days straight with 3 kids, none of whom were simultaneously sick, so as to stretch out the fun for as long as possible!  Why do you ask?
Anyway, back to the cake, man.  I’ve been working my way through Ree Drummond’s The Pioneer Woman Cooks, one recipe at a time, in my own chosen order, and long ago earmarked red velvet cake for Valentine’s Day.  I love-love-love chocolate, truly, I do.  But I get my cake and I get to eat it, as every year, 3 days before Valentine’s Day I have a chocolate birthday cake.  Everyone’s a winner!

I decided to make cupcakes, following the recipe exactly, but reducing the bake time a little for the ‘baby’ cakes, and used only a little frosting on some of them, piping little hearts and Xs.  I didn’t have a whole bottle of red food color--a BOTTLE, not a vial in those 4 packs… think the size of a bottle of vanilla extract, that is what it calls for—so I used what I had, a little more than 1/4 ounce.  As a result, I suppose I made pink velvet cake.  :)
The cake itself was very tender and light.  Paired with cream cheese frosting, it’s delightful.  Thumbs up!

Cookin’ the Book: Pioneer Woman’s Lasagna & Olive Cheese Bread

Oh, how I love lasagna!  I’ve officially tried every recipe that could be considered low carb in The Pioneer Woman Cooks, and have been eying the ‘good’ stuff with apprehension.  Finally I realized I could spread the joy and beg my neighbors to help a sister out by eating yummy food.  My neighbors, so far, seem up to the challenge.  We have a meal, then any leftovers are shuttled off post haste.
So…. LASAGNA!  Yeah, baby!  While I was at it, I figured, “Why not try this Olive Cheese Bread, too?”  And I did.  So there.  ;)
Both came together easily, and I found the length of my pan allowed for an noodle-free end, which helped my husband feel a little better about the splurge—and the slice of olive bread he gobbled down.
Simple and straightforward, this lasagna recipe probably would make anyone happy, as long as they’re down with the idea of cottage cheese in it.  The one other time I ever made lasagna in my adult life, there was a bechamel layer on top, and I do think I preferred that to the parmesan on top of PW’s version.  However, this is the fun of trying recipes as written – it helps me break out of the ‘what I already know I like’ mold.

For me, the olive cheese bread was the clear ‘wow, what a great food’ award winner of the night.  I halved the recipe, and then cut the bread slices in halves, and it was still perhaps a little too rich.  Not bad – RICH.  I’m going to have to make this again, for sure… for a crowd.

Both these recipes are available on the Pioneer Woman website HERE and HERE.  Give ‘em a try!

Cookin’ the Book: Pioneer Woman’s Comfort Meatballs (Could be a GREAT Super Bowl Appetizer!)

I admit it. I only watch the Super Bowl for the commercials, and I truly do enjoy them! I also like the concept of nibbling on yummy food for 3-4 hours and washing it all down with a cold one (be the ‘one’ a soda or beer). The game? I’m pretty happy with the results regardless because I am such a sports fan, don’t you know?

Anyway, completely unrelated to the upcoming world championship of a sport barely played outside of the US and select areas of Canada I made another recipe from The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Comfort Meatballs. To recap, I am attempting to try every recipe in the book by June 2010—get this—as written. The ‘as written’ part is tricky for me, because I am a turd and never make recipes ‘as written’. I thought it would be a good exercise in discipline to actually follow directions.

As The Venerable PW states, these are not Italian meatballs. They’re closer in flavor to meatloaf, with a savory-sweet tomato sauce covering the lot. It’s an easy, but not really quick recipe because the uncooked meatballs are put in the fridge on a tray to firm up for half an hour or so, then browned on the stove before being covered in sauce and baked for another 45 minutes in the oven.

My family’s reaction was favorable, but not overwhelmed. As my husband said, “They’re good, but I like the meatloaf more.” However, later that evening he commented, “You know, those meatballs would be really good as an appetizer at a Super Bowl party or something like that.” The man is a genius… yes, that would be just the way to let these puppies shine.

However, we had them for dinner with fauxtatoes (steamed cauliflower mashed/pureed with some butter/smart balance and light cream cheese). It was quite a yummy meal and we all gave it the thumbs up.

Perhaps Comfort Meatballs won’t make it into the rotation of meals in our house, but I am pretty sure they’ll around a couple of times a year. Seems like they’d freeze perfectly, and also make a great meal to deliver to a sick friend or family with a new baby.

Cookin’ the Book: Pioneer Woman’s Spicy Shredded Pork & Sherried Tomato Soup

 

That week after Christmas is a hard one sometimes.  It’s the in between time, when the kids have been home too long, the toys have all been played with, everyone is probably technically ready to get back to a normal routine, but the normal routine is not ready to return to you.  Summer vacation always seems to fly by, but the second week of winter break is glacial in its passage.

With the long days however, came an opportunity to try one of the “all day” recipes from The Pioneer Woman Cooks.  I make Carolina-style pulled pork a few times a year, so pork shoulder and I know each other well.  Hers is such an easy recipe that I decided to try one of the more interesting sounding sides as well.

Ever since she posted it on her website, Sherried Tomato Soup has been tempting me.  Paul and I had dinner the night we became engaged at a wonderful restaurant in Carmel called L’Escargot, and as odd as it may sound, their tomato soup is what I remember best from the meal, which was divine from start to finish.  I’d never really liked tomato soup in spite of being served it approximately 57,000 times as a child.  Campbell’s Tomato Soup is an icon, but I really don’t like it.  L’Escargot’s soup was divine!  I would happily eat it every day for a long time before even becoming a little bit tired of it.

Yet, I’d never made tomato soup myself.  In my imagination it seemed like it would have to be time consuming, or complex to be SO good.  It was time to get over that!

PW’s tomato soup is made almost entirely with stuff you would already have on hand, with the possible exception of the sherry and cream.  In my experience, a bottle of sherry keeps for years and lends a necessary taste to some surprising things—it’s excellent in some Asian recipes—so the cream was the only ingredient bought special this time.

It’s wonderful soup.  It’s not even remotely dietetic.  Make it for a special meal, and be advised a small cup is plenty.  Even my ravenous husband found it to be extremely rich.  This is not a complaint, mind you!  Keep it in mind when ladling it… a cup really is enough.

A couple of days after I made these recipes we had friends over for a very impromptu dinner and served the leftover pork and soup with some other sides I made on the fly.  It was a hit the night I made it, and, I daresay, even better two days later.  The only tricky part was reheating the soup slowly enough to avoid curdling the cream.

You can find recipes and photos illustrating how to make the recipes HERE and HERE.  I hope you try these and enjoy them!

Cookin’ the Book: Pioneer Woman’s Rib-eye Steak with Whiskey Cream Sauce

I have a bit of a backlog of recipes from The Pioneer Woman Cooks! I’m working my way through the book in no particular order, attempting to make every recipe by June 2010, and making more progress than apparent… my life is not about these (yummy!) recipes, and I’m loathe to only write about them, ya know?
At any rate, this seemed like a special meal, so we had it way back in 2009. Okay, it was New Year’s Eve. :) We drove around as a family, enjoying the holiday lights set up in a local park, then came home and rang out ‘09 with a little feast.
Rib-eye steaks are yummy just about any way you make ‘em, and this simple, yet just different enough pan sauce worked up quickly. I served this to my hungry brood with creamed spinach if my memory serves me… sheesh, you’d think I made this a year ago, not about 2 weeks ago! I do know this much: my husband and I, plus the two children who actually eat really enjoyed it!
As with her meatloaf, this recipe is not on her website. I’m happy to pass it along individually to a friend who would like to try before you buy, so to speak, but will refrain from posting here. Let me know if you want the recipe—you will not be disappointed!

Cookin’ the Book: Pioneer Woman’s Chili

Last Thursday I tried a new recipe from The Pioneer Woman Cooks.  I’m trying to fit in at least two recipes a week with the goal of trying every one of her recipes (in the book, not her site!) by June 2010.
Simple, Perfect Chili is well named.  I fought every ‘mess with this recipe’ instinct and made it as Ree wrote it, adding only the can of diced tomatoes with chilies (I used Trader Joe’s fire roasted tomatoes) and a can of kidney beans, which were listed as optional additional ingredients.  I did not, however have masa, and really didn’t want to buy a bag of it just to make this recipe, so I allowed the chili to cook down more instead of thickening it.
The verdict:  it is a tasty chili!  Paul and I agreed we like ‘my’ recipe more, but I can see this, made without the tomatoes or beans, as a killer ‘topping’ chili for hot dogs.  And, to quote Paul, “If you can’t cook, like my Aunt Tony, then this recipe is a great improvement.”  I think he means, if one is lacking a good chili recipe, this a great one to use.
Chili is personal.  There are a thousand and one ways to make it well.  PW’s way is good.  Another thumbs up!
Since this recipe is not on her site, I am thinking she only wants it in the book, as it is something she is selling.  Sorry for the lack of a recipe – if you want it, I’d be happy to email it to you.

Cookin’ the Book: Pioneer Woman’s Enchiladas

I have a pretty great enchilada recipe.  I love it, the kids (who eat food) love it, and my husband complains to me about how good it is, because that makes him forgo his carb avoiding ways because they’re just too good to resist.
PW has an enchilada recipe in her book.  Thankfully for me, it is a beef recipe, and ‘my’ enchiladas are chicken.  It’s always nice to add to the simple recipe reservoir, so I decided to try out her way this week.
You can find the recipe and oodles of beautiful photos HERE.
Preparing this recipe was easy-peasy.  I dropped off my daughter at swim practice (three minutes late because I was so tired I made a very costly wrong turn on the way there), dashed home, prepared the sauce and meat, then let it all hang out while I returned to pick her up, finally assembling the enchiladas and putting them in the oven when we got home again (after I put away my mom’s-gypsy-taxi-uniform).
Since the sauce and meat had cooled off a bit, warming in the oven took a little longer, but the extra time was worth it.  As luck would have it, my youngest waddled up to me and said, “I stinky!” right as I was serving dinner, so I was not there for the first bite verdict from Bun and my husband.  However, I heard their groans of delight from down the hall.  It was declared another ‘keeper’.
I can  totally see making both the beef and chicken versions for a casual dinner with friends with homemade refried beans and some rice… and maybe that Sangria!

Cookin’ the Book: Pioneer Woman’s Meat Loaf

Along with about a bajillion others, I bought Ree Drummond’s cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks, named after the cooking portion of her website—on preorder, even. Her style is casual, yet she makes everything look delectable while also completely doable for the average home cook.
I decided it might be fun to ‘cook the book’—to try out each recipe in the book—though it might take me a while, as there are, to my quick and distracted by three kids home the day before Thanksgiving count, 62 recipes. Some are sides, one is sangria… might take at least until May 5 to find reason for that last one. :)
Anyway, last night I made my first recipe from the book: meatloaf (pp 150-151). And it was a definite success! I had to alter it a bit, as I felt totally wrapping the meatloaf in bacon was a little too rich. Ree may have a house full of cattle ranchers working cows all day, but we don’t! So I used half slices just along the top, and I also cut down the bread and milk to 2/3 of what was called for, to not be over the top carby, in semi-respect for my husband’s dietary preferences.
The meatloaf was moist and simple to assemble. I’ve never been a huge fan of tomato sauce on meatloaf, but this worked out wonderfully, too. I dropped off my daughter at swim, came home, assembled and put the meatloaf in the oven, and when I returned home… oh MAN, the fragrance greeting me as I opened the door was drool worthy.
Paul said this should be our new meatloaf recipe, and declared it a keeper. I agree. 1 down, 61 to go. :)
Edit: This just in! Pioneer Woman has shared her recipe for this awesome meatloaf. Find it HERE. Yay.

Menu Verdict: Chicken Tacos with Mango & Avocado Salsa

Last week I tried out THIS recipe from the current issue of Cooking Light. Normally my husband is not the biggest fan of chicken breasts, but this is a hit!
I thawed a lot of chicken breasts and made more meat than the recipe called for to have extra for the next day. Paul's not generally one to eat tortillas, so I made him a salad version, which also is awesome... and I served my own tacos with lots of lettuce in them for extra crunch and veggies. Definitely worth trying!

*Note* I omitted the red pepper in the rub, as I worried it would be too spicy for little mouths. Still very flavorful for adults, and even the one year old gobbled the meat. Of course, he polishes off most foods, but still....

Recipe Verdict: Italian Egg Drop Soup with Meatballs

I went off menu last night – I had planned to make shrimp gumbo, but just wasn’t feeling it, Dog.

After a quick perusal of my options, I spied a bag of Trader Joe’s mini meatballs in the freezer. These suckers are really tasty. So I decided to see what kind of meatball soup I more or less had the ingredients for and found THIS recipe. More or less meaning I had to change it a wee bit, which is not exactly a shock for me even if I plan to make something ahead of time…

I didn’t have escarole on hand (gee, must’ve just run out, hahaha), so I subbed a bag of frozen cut spinach, and I only had to thaw the meatballs in the nuker instead of making them by hand.

This was my first time making any kind of egg drop soup, and I was pretty delighted when it came out—and easily! It’s gotta be high protein with the meatballs, chicken broth, and eggs, and all that spinach (which was very mild and as Bunny said, ‘not bad like spinach usually is’) made it a nice one pot meal. A keeper.

Recipe Verdict: Bacon and Lentil Soup.

...can be found HERE on the blog my sister and I share. Hint: it's gooooood.

Recipe Verdict: Chicken Slaw

I have made Chicken Slaw a few times, and it's becoming a favorite here. Bunny actually gobbles it down, which is kind of hysterical, because the first time I made it, you'd have thought I gave her a plate of poop by her blunt refusal to eat a bite. Paul was not having her attitude and there was a real struggle for her to eat, encompassing HOURS, because she can certainly choose to not eat. But then she is choosing to be hungry or eat that very meal later. Anyway, when she relented, the little so and so declared it delicious. Laugh or cry, laugh or cry...

Anyway! I don't make it the same as the recipe. Any surprise there? I omit the radishes, which are too peppery for our tastes, and I add perhaps 2-3 T of mayonnaise, some chopped apples, and some chopped almonds. Additionally, I bake cornbread fresh (box of Jiffy, come on, easy--just adding about a cup of frozen corn kernels to it to make it seem fresher) and leave off the cheesy topping.

It's awesome, a meal all in one, and a keeper. Try it out sometime! Mess around with the ingredients--because this is cooking people! You can play with it. Baking is chemistry, and you better know your stuff if you're going to make alterations. Cooking? Play around and add what sounds good to you.

Verdict: Pork & Bell Pepper Stir Fry

Sorry about the weird post below of a huge, cut off magazine scan. ;) I scanned and uploaded to Google Docs, then instead of publish, I hit the publish to blog button. Bah.

Anyway, the entire recipe is HERE. I am sure in a few days the Rachael Ray site will have the recipe, but as of yesterday there was nada. They send their magazine out WAY early the month before and then update the site a few weeks later.

Aside from the scorching heat in the kitchen, and a need to drink a quart of water while cooking, the recipe was very easy. The one thing I would change is to cut the eggplant smaller than they recommend. The 1" dice left it too uncooked when done for the specified time, so it was pretty chewy. Also, since I don't buy premade stir fry sauce, I mixed my own up with a basic recipe (soy sauce, cornstarch, Splenda (sugar), ginger). It ended up thickening more than I liked, and I kept adding additional chicken broth to thin it. If I make this again, I'd use less cornstarch in my homemade sauce.

However, it was a pretty good stir fry, over all. Bun was not the biggest fan, and Carter, well he's Carter and had just some plain pork and some baby carrots. We grown ups liked it. :)

Verdict: Open Faced Greek Burgers

Open faced Greek Burgers

It's a week of nearly all new recipes here Chez Moi. Tonight we had the Greek Burgers. I made them per the recipe, but with beef instead of lamb (just don't like lamb, sorry), and we had them without the bread on the bottom.

They were delicious! The combination of portobello, burger with feta and oregano, grilled red onion, and balsamic vinegar was great. I will say the presentation of it all stacked, while pretty, was unmanageable in reality for eating. The onion falls apart and we just shoved it to the side, sliced it and jabbed it with a fork to get some. I dare say if it were further stacked with a piece of bread under it all, it would have been even harder to actually eat. However, that is not the point -- Paul and I enjoyed it a lot and it's a keeper.

The kids? They ate something else. I don't believe in not eating something we adults want just because it's not particularly kid friendly. I knew before I even wrote it on my calendar Carter would not touch it, and I generally give Bunny the choice of eating our meal or something else (which is simple, like PBJ or spaghetti).

Verdict: Pastrami - Tomato Frittata

Recipe: Pastrami - Tomato Frittata

We had this tonight. The good news was that it cooks up more quickly than a crustless quiche (which is a baked frittata). Bad news is it was too brown on the bottom for my liking. I believe I will make it again, but bake it for 35ish minutes at 350. This method also results in a fluffier egg mixture.

However, the flavors were really good! I subbed green onions for the chives, since I have no use for chives the rest of the week and didn't want to buy herbs when I'd only use 1/3 of a package (and likely chuck out the rest in a week when I rediscover them in the crisper).