Recipe Review from 9/11/2017

Woot!  What a week!  Weather was fantastic Monday through Thursday, with temps easily hitting 80* - unusual for us!  Tho alas, weather turned cool and wet on Friday.  Went to a Gin Blossoms and Soul Asylum concert on Friday night.  Did a the Beer Train on Saturday. Watched some college and NFL football.  Made a few dishes. Welcome to Fall!



The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) leftover Chinese   (S) Bacon and White Cheddar Risotto
Sun (L) leftovers  (S) Slow cooker Santa Fe Meatloaf
Mon (yoga) leftover meatloaf
Tues (trap shooting) leftovers
Wed - Skillet mushroom mac n cheese
Thurs (yoga) leftovers
Fri - (Soul Asylum and Goo Goo Dolls concert)

Lunches - butternut squash soup and sandwiches

White Cheddar and Bacon Risotto  (Ckng Lght Sept 2017) vegetarian option, gluten free
This was tasty enough - I like risotto, I make an acceptable risotto, so I was happy.  I think this would have been a tich better if I could have found a sharp white cheddar, so this was a bit on the bland side for me.  Not that there is anything wrong with bland, I just like a bit more flavor.

This could be converted to a vegetarian dish very easily by swapping out the chicken broth for vegetable and skipping the bacon.  Bacon really didn't add anything so...((shrugg)).

Oh, I did use a frozen pea and carrot mix because I like the added color. 

4 cups unsalted chicken stock (or vegetable)

2 fresh thyme sprigs

photo from cookinglight.com

2 bacon slices (skip if vegetarian)
1 1/4 cups diced onion
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
3 ounces white cheddar cheese,shredded (3/4 cup)
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

1) Bring stock and thyme sprigs to a simmer in a saucepan over medium; keep warm over low.

2) Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium for 4 minutes or until crisp. Remove from pan; crumble. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes. Add rice; cook 1 minute, stirring to coat. Add wine; cook 2 minutes or until liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently. Stir in 1 1/2 cups stock; cook 4 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring frequently. Add 2 1/4 cups stock, 3/4 cup at a time, stirring frequently until each portion is absorbed before adding more. Reserve remaining 1/4 cup stock; discard thyme sprigs. Stir in salt and pepper.

3) Stir in peas, chopped thyme, and cheese; cook 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat; stir in reserved 1/4 cup stock. Divide rice mixture among 4 bowls; top with green onions and bacon.

Slow Cooker Santa Fe Meatloaf (Ckng Lght Sept 2017)
I'm not a huge meatloaf fan, but I know the Husband likes the dish every once in a while.  This dish was a winner.  This is a mix, plop and walk away from meal - do NOT skip the parchment sling in the slow cooker as this will make final assembly so much easier!

I had one "oops!" - I inadvertently grabbed diced jalepeno's instead of diced green chilies, so this had a bit of zing to it, which was totally fine with us.  Usually I'm commenting on how bland something is.  Stick with mild diced green chilies for little taste buds.   I also used some of the leftover white cheddar from the risotto dish instead of a Mexican shredded cheese blend.

This is something I would make again - the Tex-Mex flavor was a nice change of pace from traditional ketchup or BBQ sauce.  I made some fried potatoes to go along side, but some cornbread, green beans or even a corn and black bean salad would also be tasty.

Recommended!

photo from cookinglight.com

1 1/2 pounds 93% lean ground turkey
(I ended up using 2lbs)
2/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp. mild red enchilada sauce, divided
1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp. fresh or frozen corn kernels, divided
5 tablespoons canned unsalted black beans, rinsed, drained, and divided
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 (4-oz.) can mild chopped green chiles, drained well
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 garlic clove, crushed or grated
1 1/2 ounces preshredded Mexican cheese blend (about 1/3 cup)
1 jalapeño, thinly sliced (optional)
Cilantro leaves (optional)

1) Cut parchment paper to about 15 x 9 1/2 inches to form a sling to allow you to easily insert and remove the meatloaf from your slow cooker.

2) Combine turkey, 2 tablespoons enchilada sauce, oats, onions, 1/3 cup corn, 1/4 cup black beans, chopped cilantro, cumin, salt, onion powder, chiles, egg, and garlic. Mix everything well using clean hands, and then shape into a 9- x 5-inch oval loaf flattened slightly on top. Place loaf onto prepared parchment paper; while holding edges of paper, carefully insert into a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker (make sure lid closes well without the paper getting in the way). Cover, and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.

3) Pull loaf out of slow cooker using parchment sling; set aside. Wipe parchment clean; drain liquid from bottom of slow cooker. Return loaf to slow cooker using parchment sling. Cover loaf with remaining 2/3 cup enchilada sauce, cheese, jalapeño (if using), remaining 1 tablespoon corn, and remaining 1 tablespoon black beans. 

4) Cover and cook on high until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Garnish with cilantro leaves, if desired. Pull loaf out of slow cooker; cut into 12 slices.

Skillet Mushroom Mac n Cheese (Ckng Lght Sept 2017)  vegetarian
For once, a dish that was actually assembled in the time the magazine allotted!  Recipe said 40 minutes, this was ready in 40 minutes if not a bit less.

Tasty?  Oh my goodness YES!  I didn't even do any notable substitutions or changes!  This is just darn good and would be worthy of company - serve with a side salad and some artisanal bread and olive oil.

Recommended!

8 ounces uncooked whole-wheat elbow pasta (I used regular cavatappi pasta)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

photo from cookinglight.com

1 (8-oz.) pkg. cremini mushrooms, cut into quarters
4 ounces shiitake mushroom caps, cut into halves
5 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
2 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup)
2 ounces low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided (about 1/2 cup)
3 cups baby spinach
2 tablespoons whole-wheat panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1) Preheat oven to 375°F.

2) Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

3)Heat oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high. Add mushrooms; cook 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in 1 tablespoon thyme and salt; cook 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over pan; cook 1 minute. Add milk; bring to a simmer. Add pasta, Gruyère cheese, and 1 ounce mozzarella cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in spinach. Spread pasta mixture in an even layer in pan; sprinkle with remaining 1 ounce mozzarella cheese and panko.

4) Bake at 375°F for 10 minutes. Carefully remove pan from oven; sprinkle with remaining 2 teaspoons thyme.