Mexican Shepherds' Pie

I love Shepherds' Pie! I especially love the vegetarian recipe I have, Lentil Shepherds' Pie. Recently I saw a cooking segment that featured Mexican Shepherds' Pie and was intrigued, so I went looking for the recipe. I had intended to make it for Super Bowl dinner, but we filled up on chips and dip, so the MSP didn't get baked until Monday. What a success! We will undoubtedly being adding this to the rotational repertoire for winter meals. 


Unfortunately I have no pictures as the casserole was devoured almost instantaneously, but here is the tweaked recipe.


2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 lbs. ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix (or your favorite taco spices)
• 2/3 cup hot water
• 1 (11 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 2 (8.5 ounce) package Jiffy corn muffin mix (or your own recipe)
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 (2.25 ounce) can sliced black olives (optional)
• 
  
• Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Break off chunks of ground turkey and place in skillet when oil is hot. Add onions and garlic. Allow turkey to brown, only breaking it up as it begins to brown. 
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9x13 casserole.
• 
  
• Once turkey is browned, sprinkle on taco mix and stir. Add tomatoes, water and corn (frozen corn may be used instead of canned). Bring to a boil and allow to cook until thickened (at least 5 minutes). Transfer contents to casserole and top with 1 cup cheese and black olives (if using). 
• 
  
• Mix cornbread according to package directions and spread over meat mixture. Top with remaining cheese and bake 15-20 minutes, or until puffed and golden.
• 
  
• Serves 8 they said we only got 7!
• 
  
• Happy eating!

Hot Spinach Balls

The Annual Christmas Party was the Annual After Christmas Party this year. We held off until one of our regulars got back in town from an out of town work assignment. So last Saturday we all met up at LB's and ate ourselves silly! That meant that I had to pull out the de rigueur hors d'oeuvres recipes. It is imperative that the following items appear at the Annual Christmas Party (hereafter known as ACP). So on Saturday I made pumpkin bread, pigs in blankets and spinach balls. 


I don't remember the first time I had these, but I know the original recipe came from a lady in Memphis. I don't like cooked spinach, but I could just about live on these things!


2 10-oz. boxes frozen chopped spinach, cooked and drained well
2 cups Pepperidge Farm herb bread stuffing mix (the blue bag)
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon thyme


Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Using a small spoon or cookie dough scoop, form into 1-inch balls. Place on cookie sheets and freeze. At this point they can be stored in the freezer in Ziploc bags or in freezer boxes. When ready to serve, bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Makes about 5 dozen. (These will keep in the freezer for several months.)


It occurred to me while making this last batch, that I could spread the mixture in a greased casserole and bake it as a side dish. May have to try that one soon!

Here they are sitting in the freezer.

And here are the remains after the platter had been ravaged!

(this batch should have baked a little longer, but the natives

were getting restless!)

Happy Eating!

Melanie's Bean Soup

A little while ago I mentioned in a post that I had recently made my first batch of Bean Soup for the fall. I had intended to post the recipe shortly thereafter, but suddenly it's past Thanksgiving and I still haven't posted it! So without further ado here is the recipe.

2 cups dry beans, soaked overnight or quick soaked (I use a blend of 5 or 6 of my favorite beans; you can also buy bean soup mix on the bean/rice aisle in the grocery -- just throw out the seasoning packet!)
2 quarts broth (I usually use chicken or vegetable, but you could use water and bouillon cubes in a pinch!)
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons dried onion OR 1/3 cup chopped onion sauteed in a little oil or butter
8-10 oz. ham, chopped or shredded (this can be leftovers, canned ham or deli ham)

Drain beans from overnight soak. Place all ingredients in dutch oven or slow cooker. If using a dutch oven, bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for at least 2 hours. Check periodically to make sure the liquid level is good. Add water or broth if needed. Check bean tenderness to make sure soup is ready.

If using a slow cooker, follow manufacturers instructions. In my 6-qt. slow cooker I usually set it on low and let it cook all day (8-5).

Garnish with cheese and serve with cornbread or muffins.

Serves 6-8 the way we eat it. You might get more or less depending on how much people like it!

Happy Eating!

Milk Salad

My mother created this recipe over 40 years ago. It is her "signature" dish. It appears on her table in one form or another for every major and some minor holidays. Any fruit will work -- blueberries, strawberries, peaches, bananas, etc. Just don't try raw pineapple or kiwi -- they interact with the gelatin and it won't set up. For some reason, men in particular love this salad. My son will only eat it with the mandarin oranges.

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. almond extract
dash salt
1 1/4 cups milk
8 oz. Cool Whip
fruit (we always use mandarin oranges 2 - 11 oz. cans thoroughly drained. You can do strawberries, blueberries or bananas as well.)

Measure water in pyrex measuring cup and place measuring cup in sauce of water on stove. Sprinkle gelatin over water in measuring cup and stir with fork. Heat saucepan on medium heat and stir gelatin until melted and clear. Blend together cream cheese, sugar, salt and extract. Once smooth, add milk and dissolved gelatin alternately while beating with mixer. Chill this mixture until slightly thickened (3-5 min) and fold in thawed Cool Whip and fruit. Spoon into 1 3/4 qt mold or 9x9 pyrex dish. Chill until firm. (This is half of what Mother usually makes, so double it if you want it to look like hers and feed a crowd!)

Happy Eating!

Ham & Cheese Muffins

The other night I decided it was time for the first batch of Bean Soup. This is a recipe I created years ago, that has become a winter staple around here. I usually make cornbread to go along with it, but I had been flipping through cookbooks, and ran across this recipe. I decided to branch out and try these with the soup. I think they are a nice alternative. They would also go well with beans and rice or even a big salad. Enjoy! 

1 cup cornmeal (I prefer yellow)

1 cup unbleached flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon baking powder

2 large eggs

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 cup milk (I used fat free)

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard (I used Grey Poupon Country French)

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated (I used the Mexican blend)

1/2 cup shredded ham (I used Boar's Head Black Forest Ham -- about 4 oz. run through the food processor)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease muffin tins. Mix dry ingredients. In another bowl, mix wet ingredients including cheese. Combine dry and wet until just moistened. Fold in ham. Fill muffin tins 2/3rds full. Bake for 15-20 minutes. 12-18 muffins.

The original recipe said 10-12 muffins and to bake for 20 minutes. I got 18 muffins, and I think they should have baked more like 15-18 minutes, but it probably depends on your oven.

Happy Eating!

It's Officially Autumn!

Around my house, it's not officially autumn until pumpkin bread is baked. Well this week I baked pumpkin bread. I've been making this recipe since I was about 12 or 13 years old. I love it! The flavors and texture are just what I want in a sweet bread. Now I am a purest where pumpkin bread is concerned -- no nuts, no raisins, and certainly no chocolate chips! The point of pumpkin bread bread is the PUMPKIN and the SPICES. Nothing else should interfere with these flavors. So's here's my recipe. My kids demand mini loaves now, but when they were little they were all about the mini muffins. If you make full size loaves, cut them in half long ways to serve in smaller slices (this is accepted way to serve THIS bread! LOL!) Warning: We can knock back one whole loaf straight out of the oven!

Pumpkin Bread

4 eggs                                                       

3 cups sugar                                            

1 cup oil                                                    

½ cup water                                            

2 cups canned pumpkin

2 t. baking soda

1 ½ t. cinnamon

1 ½ t. nutmeg

1 ½ t. salt           

3 ½ cups flour

Spray 3 loaf pans or 5-6 mini-loaf pans. Preheat oven to 350°. Beat eggs in large in large mixing bowl with electric mixer until light. Add sugar gradually, beating all the time. Add oil, water and pumpkin. Mix well. In a separate bowl, mix all dry ingredients. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Divide batter among loaf pans, filling each 2/3 full. Bake on middle rack of oven for 45 minutes. Check for doneness by sticking a toothpick in the center. If not done, bake up to 15 additional minutes checking every 3-5 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Wrap in foil and store in refrigerator. May be frozen. Yield: 3 standard loaves; 5-6 mini-loaves.

(This is the remaining loaf of the SIX I made on Wednesday)

My Favorite Chicken Marinade

I've been looking for this recipe for the last couple of weeks and finally found it! I've had it for years and it is my go to marinade because I always have the ingredients on hand, and it taste marvelous on chicken or pork.


Tonight I marinated chicken tenderloins and grilled them. Our side dish was Amish tomato basil noodles with sauteed spinach, grape tomatoes and garlic topped with Parmesan cheese. Tasty and lovely!


Chicken Marinade


4 Tablespoons canola oil
4 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon basil
3 whole cloves
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
dash of coarse ground black pepper


Mix all ingredients together and pour over 1 pound chicken (breasts, tenderloins, pieces -- whatever!). Marinate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. Grill or bake chicken. Serves 4.


Happy eating!