Day 38: Parmesan Tilapia

It used to be that whenever I was under the weather (whether a simple flu/cold or a chronic condition), we'd have to order out, or worse, make something quick and easy like pre-packaged burritos or Banquet pot pies. The problems with any of those solutions are they get old really fast and they aren't really healthy, like, at all!

Then, I got the brilliant idea to teach Jay (he was 13 at the time) some simple meals that he could make when I was worthless. That idea blossomed into my own personal chef that can probably out cook me! He also is way more willing to try pretty much anything! Win-win!

Seriously, Jay (who is almost 16 now) made this meal! He also is able to make pretty much anything I've posted so far, and is scouring the cookbooks and internet for his own ideas so he can show me up.

I love that even when I am unable or unavailable to cook, my family doesn't have to resort to unhealthy choices! And that Jay is gonna make some girl REALLY happy some day! And not starve when he's in college!

Ingredients:

6 Tilapia filets
3/4 cup butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dry Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 Tbsp basil
2 Tbsp thyme
2 Tbsp oregano
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Either in a microwave or a small saucepan, melt the butter with the garlic. Allow to cool slightly.

3. In a separate bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, thyme, basil, oregano, salt and pepper thoroughly.

4. Dip a tilapia filet in the butter mixture then the bread crumb mixture. Place into a 9x13 baking dish. Repeat with the rest of the filets.

5. Bake until golden brown and flaky, about 15-20 minutes.

Day 37: Irish Stew

We had a good friend from church bless us with something like 30 pounds of beef. (Not really sure, but it seemed like that much!) My freezer is stocked!! 

Some of that beef was stew meat, which was perfect for this recipe! (Also the stroganoff I made a few nights ago!) 

The beef was the best cut I've ever seen! It didn't take a lot of effort to cut, which is really saying something since all my knives need sharpened pretty badly! And after it was cooked, it simply melted in your mouth! If she wants to keep blessing us with this stuff, who am I to complain?! From the bottom of our hearts (and stomachs), we thank you, LeAnn!

And, look at the first thing we did with it:

Part of this recipe involved Guinness beer. I know some people frown on the use of it, but since the alcohol cooks off, I don't see the harm in it. (If you do have an issue with it, you can substitute non-alcoholic beer or even just water with no big problem.)

Guinness is a very... let's say flavorful beer. Definitely not a weak drink! I admit I did try some when I went to Ireland a few years back, and I gotta say, it was awful! So, I was kind of worried the stew would retain too much of the beer strength so I added potatoes to help soak it up a bit with their starch. And, really, what is an Irish dish without the potatoes??

Worked like a charm! And the Guinness made the celery (a veggie low on my likes list) so tasty! Seriously, folks! This stew brought tears to my eyes, tears of joy! So, so good!! Every hearty bite melts in your mouth!

I am totally adding this recipe to my list of all-time favorites!

This also gave me an excuse to use the cast iron dutch oven that used to be my Dad's bean pot! I love that pot!

(I think I need an exclamation point intervention!)

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 pounds beef (or lamb) stew meat (I cut mine into 1-inch chunks)

3 cups beef broth

1 1/2 cups (12 oz) Guinness beer (we used draught in a can)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

3 celery stalks, sliced into 1/2-inch chunks

1 large onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1/3 cup water

Directions:

1. In a large soup pot, heat oil over high heat. Stir in stew meat and cook 8 to 10 minutes, or until the meat is browned.

2. Stir in the broth, beer, garlic, salt and pepper; bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.

3. Add carrots, celery, potatoes, and onion; mix well, then cook for 1 hour, or until meat is tender.

4. In a small bowl, mix flour and the water; stir into the stew and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce is thickened.

Day 36: Nutella Filled Sugar Cookies

Saturday, I had a couple of friends over knowing these friends have a love for Nutella that equals my own. I'm always on the lookout for recipes involving Nutella! So when Karly over at Buns in My Oven posted this recipe, I had to invite my Nutella-lovin' friends over and make these!

My husband had a similar reaction to hers. In fact, I had to force him to get this picture before he ate them, and it about killed him!

It's a simple stuffed cookie recipe that absolutely will knock your socks off! So so good!!!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Nutella
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups plus 1/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
14 Tbsp (1 3/4 sticks) butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Using a teaspoon measure, scoop out Nutella and place in small drops on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

4. In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat together the butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar on medium until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and add in the vanilla.

5. Turn the mixer to low and gradually beat in the flour mixture until just combined. Make sure to scrape the bowl to ensure everything is mixed in well.

6. Place 1/3 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl. Use 2 tablespoons cookie doug for each cookie. Split the piece of dough in half and slightly flatten the bottom half by pressing it together with the palms of your hands.

7. Use a small metal spatula to lift the mounds of Nutella from the baking sheet and lay on the bottom half of the flattened dough. (If the Nutella starts to soften, place it back in the freezer for a few minutes.) Cover the Nutella with the other piece of cookie dough and seal the edges with your fingers and roll the ball in the sugar to coat it. Place on the prepared baking sheet.

8. Repeat with the remaining dough and Nutella mounds, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart from each other.

9. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, rotating from front to back halfway through the baking. The edges will start to turn brown when they are finished, about 10 to 13 minutes. The centers should still be soft and puffy.

10. Remove the cookies from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes then cool on a rack. They can be served warm.

Day 35: Beef Stroganoff

It's been an amazing March weather-wise! So warm, in fact, that I don't want to run my oven. (Which is a shame since I have a zillion recipes that call for baking!)

So, I scoured my list of dishes I want to blog about for something that didn't require the oven. Stroganoff jumped out of the box and into my hand, forced my feet into the kitchen and placed itself onto my microwave. (I magnet the recipes on the microwave since it's over the stove.)

The only place I've had "from scratch" stroganoff has been restaurants. I did make stroganoff from a Hamburger Helper box a lot before my skills improved, but that really does not count in the "from scratch" category! So, I was sufficiently intimidated by this meal.

I totally shouldn't have been intimidated! It was simple and the pre-packaged stuff just doesn't compare to this!

Plus, I got to use fresh mushrooms and onions, which I've been craving, so win!

Look at those lovely freshly chopped beauties!

This was simply sautéing the onions and mushrooms, adding the beef, then the other ingredients and simmering for 40 minutes. The sour cream gets added after you take it off the heat and then you pour the stroganoff mixture over the noodles and viola!

I'm loving the "no pre-packaged if I can make it myself" rule! It's revolutionized my meal plan!

Ingredients:

1 pound beef stew meat, cut into 1" cubes
3 Tbsp flour
Kosher salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
2 1/2 Tbsp canola oil
1 small white onion, sliced
14 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 1/2 cups beef stock
3 Tbsp sour cream (additional for garnish may be necessary)
8 ounces egg noodles, cooked and drained

Directions:

1. Toss beef in flour, salt and pepper. Set aside.

2. Heat skillet on medium heat. Add 1/2 Tbsp oil. Sauté onions until almost transparent and add the mushrooms. Continue to sauté until the onions are transparent.

3. Add remaining oil and, once heated, add beef. Brown on all sides.

4. Add the tomato paste and cook to carmelize. Add the beef stock and deglaze the pan. Lower heat to a simmer.

5. Simmer for 40 minutes, until beef is tender.

6. Turn off heat and add sour cream, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

7. Top cooked noodles with stroganoff mixture and garnish with additional sour cream, if desired.

Day 34: Irish Grilled Cheese

In honor of St Patrick's Day, I thought I'd dress my food up in green.

All you have to do is mash 4 tablespoons of softened butter with 2 tablespoons each chopped parsley, scallions, and chives. Spread the mixture on 4 slices of white bread. Top each slice with sliced cheddar cheese and bread-and-butter pickles. Cover with 4 more bread slices. Spread plain butter on the outside of the sandwiches and fry in a skillet until golden on both sides. Spread the remaining herb butter on the warm sandwiches; slice into quarters and press the cut sides in more cut herbs.

It was an easy way to pep up a simple everyday grilled cheese!  And it was so so tasty!

Idea courtesy of Food Network.

Day 33: Sausage and Peppers

This Saturday is St Patrick's Day and growing up, I was never really a fan of the traditional corned beef nor cabbage. (Although now, I love them!) My mom, having a large group of children who wouldn't eat the traditional Irish meal, fed us sausage! Usually, it was in the form of Lil' Smokies, you know, the tiny smoked sausages, and macaroni and cheese. Not very Irish, but we loved it, and since they weren't the cheapest item, it was a rarity! Also, when the house smelled of cabbage, we knew we were gonna get the little wienies.

I have a hard time eating the little things today, not to mention the way I find boxed mac n' cheese gritty. My taste buds have matured. (Or I'm a food snob, whatever!)

Now, at least once in the month of March, I make sausage and peppers! This meal is so simple, yet so flavorful and, well, just yummy! So tasty, yet so simple, too!

I have it pictured up there with mashed potatoes, but that was because we had leftovers. Usually, I'd serve these with roasted, however, we are having a very warm March and that means the least amount of time I can have my oven on the better.

Ingredients:

1 pound Ekrich Smoked Sausage, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced julienne
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced julienne
1 medium yellow onion, sliced julienne
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil.

2.  Add the garlic and cook until slightly browned.

3. Add in the bell peppers and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally for two minutes.

4. Add in the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage and peppers are heated through.

5. Serve immediately.

Day 32: Frozen Peanut Butter Pie

Happy Pi Day!! (3-14)

To celebrate, I made frozen peanut butter pie! (I've mentioned before my love of peanut butter?) The recipe called for a normal 9 inch pie, but that wasn't enough for me. So, I doubled the recipe and made it in my 9x13 Pyrex.

Now that I've tasted this heaven, I wish I would have made two...

Sticking to my "if I can make it, I don't buy the pre-made" plan, I whipped the heavy cream myself. It was my first time doing that, and it really wasn't as hard as I was thinking it was. Which really is a scary thought cause I could have whipped cream all the time now!

I didn't make the peanut butter or the sandwich cookies, even though I do have recipes for them. I just really wanted to make sure this turned out first before I started playing with what I could or could not make happen.

Also, I topped it with a crushed king-size Snickers bar. Also have a recipe for that, but see the previous paragraph.

I used my Ninja blender that I got for Christmas (I've been using this for so many things and I LOVE it!) to crush the cookies for the crust, but you could simply use a quart-size Ziploc baggie and a rolling pin.

Then, I whipped up the cream, added the peanut butter and some condensed milk, crumbled the Snickers (also using the Ninja) on top. Voila!

Hardest part of this lovely was the four hour wait time as it froze. Why must all good things have a wait time?? Perhaps so we won't be tempted to make an excess of them?

Ingredients:

3 cups finely crushed Oreo cookies (about 30 cookies)
6 Tbsp butter, melted
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup peanut butter
1 (3.29 oz.) king-sized Snickers candy bar, coarsely crushed

Directions:

1. Either in a food processor, blender, or Ziploc baggie, crush the cookies until they are finely crushed.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the cookie crumbs and butter; mix well. Press into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish; set aside.

3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Add sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter, and beat until thoroughly mixed.

4. Spoon peanut better mixture evenly onto the cookie crust. Sprinkle chopped candy on top, cover and freeze at least 4 hours before serving.