Cooking in Pajamas

Enchilada Casserole

GwennW — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 09:38:06 EST

I make this casserole when I am in the mood for enchiladas, but do not have the time or patience to roll them out. Or I make it when I have some free time, because it freezes beautifully. It is delicious, filling and healthy. I usually make it with lean ground beef, but you can substitute almost anything for the protein like leftover chicken or shrimp. My favorite vegetarain substitution is brown rice which makes a wonderful bean and rice enchilada casserole (add in an extra can of beans to up the protein and fiber content).

It is a foolproof recipe and everyone will love it!

Enchilada Casserole

1 large onion, chopped
1 # lean ground beef, ground turkey or ground chicken
2 1/2 cups salsa
1 can (15 ounces) black beans or red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup reduced-fat Italian salad dressing
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium taco seasoning
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
6 whole wheat tortillas (8 inches) or corn tortillas
1 1/4 cups of frozen corn (I like Trader Joe’s Fire Roasted Corn)
3/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream, plus extra for serving
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

In a large skillet, begin to cook the onion over medium heat . After the onions begin to soften (about 5 minutes) add in the meat. Stir and cook until meat is no longer pink; drain.
Stir in the salsa, beans, dressing, sour cream, corn (optional), taco seasoning and cumin.

Spoon a generous layer of meat mixture on bottom of 9 X 13 baking dish. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
Place a whole wheat or corn tortilla on top of meat mixture. Layer with half of the meat mixture, and cheese. Repeat as many layers as you like.

Top the casserole with as little or as much grated cheese as you want.

Cover with foil that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and bake at 400° for 25 minutes, or until hot & bubbly.

Let stand for 5 minutes before topping with lettuce, tomato and cilantro.

Smoky Broccoli Stuffed Potato

GwennW — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 05:22:00 EST

I seem to have a renewed interest in broccoli and cauliflower lately. I am not sure why, but my "go-to" side dishes for the past few months have been either roasted broccoli or roasted cauliflower. If you are normally a lover of steamed veggies or microwaved veggies, I urge you to try roasting. Here's my recipe: Throw any veggies on a roasting pan with olive oil, sea salt and pepper and roast at 400 for 30 minutes. The only prep work involved is washing the vegetables and cutting into bite size pieces (both steps can be done ahead of time).

Anyway, last month I had several stalks of broccoli, but wanted somethig a little more substantial than just plain broccoli. I wanted lots of flavor and wanted it to be filling.

Anything stuffed into a potato with cheese is going to be delicious. Although it requires a little pre-planning (the potatoes have to bake for 50 minutes before stuffing) this whole dish can be made ahead of time. Everyone loves these potatoes.... men, women, teenagers and kids. You can make a big batch and the potatoes will save in the refrigerator for 3 - 5 days.

Smoky Broccoli Cheese Twice Baked Potatoes

6 medium baking potatoes
1/2 c. sour cream
3 T. butter, softened
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1-1/2 cups cooked chopped broccoli
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese, reserve ¼ c. for topping
¾ c. shredded smoked Gouda, reserve ¼ c. for topping
smoked paprika

Pierce potatoes and bake at 425° for 45-60 minutes or until soft. Cut potatoes in half. Scoop out pulp and place in bowl. Mash potatoes; add sour cream, butter, salt, pepper, onions, broccoli and ¾ cup cheddar and ½ c. smoked Gouda cheese.

Refill potato shells; top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 425° for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.I

Meatless Monday: Vegetarian Mexican Pizzas

GwennW — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 08:05:30 EDT

These pizzas are the perfect way to start the week. Make a few extra so you will have leftovers for lunch.

Vegetarian Mexican Pizzas

8 corn tortillas
1 T. grapeseed oil (or olive oil)
1 can fat free refried beans
4-5 scallions, chopped
chopped green chiles, use as many as you like, canned or fresh
1 tomato, diced
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
½ tsp. cumin
1 can Mexican style corn, or fresh
sliced black olives
shredded Mexican blend cheese
sour cream

salsa

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the oil in a skillet.

Place a corn tortilla in the oil and let it sizzle for about 15 seconds, then flip it over and do the same on the other side. Take it out and let it drain the excess oil onto a paper towel on a plate. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

In a small bowl, combine refried beans and cumin. You can get creative here. I used a bold taco seasoning that I purchased from Penzey’s Spices. If you like it spicy, add some cayenne. You could also use chili powder or just season the beans to taste with salt and pepper.

Place bottom layer tortillas on a cookie sheet and top with a layer of the beans. Sprinkle top with scallions.

Put second layer tortilla on top and add corn, olives, scallions, green chiles, tomatoes, cilantro, and cheese.

Stick it in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Top with more tomato, cilantro, salsa and a dollop of sour cream.

Meatless Monday: Tomato and Spinach Pasta Bake

GwennW — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 02:12:00 EST

This is a great "base" recipe. As you can see, the recipe is simple, and there are not many ingredients. That leaves lots of room for creativity. For example, I love garlic, so I like to add more than the recipe originally called for (1 clove). If I plan ahead, I'll add a whole head of roasted garlic to the sauce. Of course, you can add any vegetable to the bake. Sauteed mushrooms, squash, roasted carrots, string beans or asparagus would all be lovely in this dish. I have also added canned garbanzo beans or canned cannellini beans. Whatever you have sitting around the house can be added in.

It can be made way ahead of time. Refrigerate is using within 24 hours, otherwise freeze for up to 3 months.

Tomato and Spinach Pasta Bake

(recipe adapted from Shape Magazine)

2 c. whole-wheat penne
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced (I like using 3-4 cloves)
4 c. baby spinach
3 c. diced tomato, divided
1 T. dried oregano (or any herb)
Pinch coarse salt
3⁄4 c. shredded low- fat cheddar cheese, divided
optional: pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente, about 12 minutes. Rinse penne under cold water and drain; set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a skillet over medium. Add garlic and stir until fragrant. Add spinach and 2 cups of tomato; cook for 4 minutes, until spinach wilts.

In a medium bowl, combine remaining 1 cup of tomato, herbs, salt and red pepper flakes. Transfer the cooked tomato mixture to the bowl and stir well. Add pasta to tomato mixture and combine thoroughly.
Stir in 1∕2 cup of the cheese.

Grease bottom of baking dish with remaining 1 teaspoon oil. Pour tomato pasta mixture into dish.

Bake uncovered for 15 minutes, then remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining 1∕4 cup cheese. Bake until cheese melts, about 4 more minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Meatless Monday: The Ultimate Vegetarian Chili

GwennW — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 01:18:13 EST

Meatless Monday is back baby! It never actually went anywhere, I just kept forgetting to blog about it.

In my quest to get healthy and lose a few pounds before my 20th anniversary trip in April, I have been testing out a plant based diet. I keep going back and forth on whether I want to include fish in my diet. I am thinking of limiting it to once or twice a month. While I decide, I am loving some of the vegetarian dishes I have made. For lunch yesterday I made a polenta pizza...a grilled slice of polenta topped with a slice of heirloom tomato, shredded mozarella, garlic and basil.

This chili will knock your socks off. Not only is it healthy, it is a flavorful and spicy bowl of vegetables, beans, chiles, spices and wine. You can easily serve this to the die-hard meat eaters in yor house, and it will be gobbled up.

This chili is also vegan, which means it contains no dairy products. If you are not into the vegan thing, feel free to top your bowl of chili with sour cream and sharp cheddar.

The chili is quite spicy. As you see it has a jalapeño AND a chipolte chili. If you would like a more mild version, use half of the jalapeno with the seeds removed. Try not to cut back on the chipolte because it adds a deep, smoky flavor.

Vegan Chili

recipe courtesy of Foodista

10 ounces package firm tofu
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 1/2 cups liquid reserved from the cooked red kidney beans
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions chopped
3 garlic cloves chopped
2 teaspoons cumin
4 teaspoons chili powder
1 jalapeño chopped
1 smoked chipotle pepper chopped
1 can (5.5 ounce) of tomato paste
2 cups chopped tomatoes
2 bay leaves
2 cups cooked brown lentils
3 1/2 cups cooked red kidney beans
1 large zucchini diced
4 cups water (for flavour use reserved liquid from the cooked beans and some
1 tablespoon salt

The night before, wash and soak the red kidney beans.

Cook the beans which have soaked overnight in unsalted water (very important not to add the salt as it will slow the cooking process). Use enough water (about 8 cups) to cook the beans. This should give you enough liquid when cooled to soak the tofu (1 1/2 cup), and enough reserved liquid needed to cook the chili.

In a bowl crumble the tofu into small pieces to resemble coarsely ground beef.
Pour in the red wine and 1 1/2 cup of the liquid from the boiled beans. Allow to marinate approx 30-40 minutes.
This will give the tofu some color and flavor.

In a large Dutch oven heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil Add the onions. Cook for 4 minutes to allow to brown.
Add the garlic, continue to cook for an additional minute.
Stir in the cumin, jalapeño, chipotle and tomato paste.
Add the chopped tomatoes, the red kidney beans, lentils, bay leaves and zucchini.
Pour in the tofu and marinade, plus the 3-4 cups of reserved liquid and bring to a boil.

Allow to simmer for 35-45minutes to allow the flavours to absorb and the chili to thicken.

Add the salt near the end of the cooking process.

Meatless Monday: The Ultimate Vegetarian Chili

GwennW — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 01:18:13 EST

Meatless Monday is back baby! It never actually went anywhere, I just kept forgetting to blog about it.

This chili is also vegan, which means it contains no dairy products. If you are not into the vegan thing, feel free to top your bowl of chili with sour cream and sharp cheddar.

Vegan Chili

recipe courtesy of Foodista

Meatless Monday: White Pizza with Tomato and Basil

GwennW — Mon, 23 May 2011 02:22:00 EDT

This pizza was a crowd pleaser. I should have made two of them. My mother-in-law loved it, my kids loved it and I loved it. The key to making a super crisp crust is to bake the pizza in a hot oven on a preheated baking stone. If you don't have a baking stone than preheat a cookie sheet and use the bottom (turned upside down) to cook the pizza on.

It is just as delicious as leftovers the next day heated up in the toaster oven. The crust gets even crispier (use the broiler setting).

White Pizza with Tomato and Basil

courtesy of Cooking Light

Ingredients:

1 (10-ounce) Italian cheese-flavored thin pizza crust (such as Boboli)

1 teaspoon cornmeal

Cooking spray

3 tablespoons refrigerated pesto with basil (such as Buitoni)

1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded fresh mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1/2 cup sliced small tomatoes (such as Campari tomatoes)

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup small basil leaves

Crushed red pepper (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat broiler to high.

2. Place a pizza stone or baking sheet in oven; heat for 10 minutes.

3. While baking sheet heats, place crust on another baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Lightly coat crust with cooking spray. Spread pesto evenly over crust, leaving a 1-inch border; sprinkle mozzarella evenly over pesto. Dollop ricotta, by teaspoonfuls, evenly over mozzarella. Slide crust onto preheated baking sheet, using a spatula as a guide. Broil 5 inches from heat for 5 minutes or until cheese begins to melt. Remove from oven; top evenly with tomatoes, black pepper, and basil. Sprinkle with red pepper, if desired. Cut into 8 slices.

Meatless, Make-Ahead, Money-saving Monday: Kolokithokeftethes (aka: Greek Zucchini Patties)

GwennW — Mon, 09 May 2011 02:17:05 EDT

My Nona made the most delicious Keftedes. Keftedes are Greek meatballs, and my Nona's version was a savory combination of leeks and ground beef, seasoned, then formed into patties, and fried in oil. Every Greek family has their own version, like every Italian family has their own marinara sauce. We actually pronounced it kiv-ti-kahs. Who knew if that was correct, but that was the way my Sephardic family pronounced it.

Kolokithokeftethes are actually Zucchini Keftedes. Zucchini Keftedes are actually Greek Zucchini Patties or Zucchini Fritters. Why didn't I just say that in the beginning, you ask? They aren't all exactly the same. Depending on whether the recipe has originated in Turkey or Greece, different versions of the recipe can have subtle differences, such as the addition of fresh parsley and onions in the Turkish version. This version is a very traditional Greek version.

It took me two decades to replicate Nona's recipe, but during my recipe research, I found hundreds of Keftedes recipes. There were endless combinations of meats, herbs, spices, vegetables and cheeses. I was especially intrigued by the vegetarian versions. I got very creative with dipping sauces (almost any food is better with a dipping sauce). Of course, tzatziki is the most traditional, and works with just about every Keftede, but I also tried versions of ranch dressing, honey mustard, spicy dipping sauces, jezebel sauce...the list is endless.

These Zucchini Keftedes are the perfect way to use this healthy summer vegetable. I'll also give you tips along the way to break down this recipe, so you can squeeze it into your busy day. If you have 10 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the afternoon, these can be ready from the refrigerator to the table at dinnertime, in 15 minutes. The leftovers are fabulous! You can reheat the Keftedes, stuff them into a pita, with lettuce, tomato, onion, feta and yogurt. You can serve them on top of a salad, you can melt mozzarella cheese over them and serve them on a roll with some arugula and Dijon. I am sure you can find a creative use for them.

Zucchini Keftedes

adapted from BonAppetite.com

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds medium zucchini, trimmed

1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1 large egg, beaten to blend

1 cup coarsely crumbled feta cheese

Safflower oil or Canola oil (for frying)

Plain non-fat Greek-style yogurt (for garnish)

Additional chopped fresh dill (for garnish)

Preparation

DO AHEAD #1: Grate zucchini on large holes of box grater onto clean kitchen towel. Sprinkle zucchini with 1 teaspoon coarse salt; let stand at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. This step takes 5 minutes!

DO AHEAD #2 Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment or foil. Wrap zucchini in towel; squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Place zucchini in medium bowl. Mix in green onions, 3 tablespoons chopped dill, mint, garlic, lemon peel, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Gently stir in panko and egg, then feta. Using 2 tablespoons zucchini mixture for each, shape mixture into 1 3/4- to 2-inch-diameter patty; place on baking sheet. Chill at least 1 hour. Can be made 6 hours ahead. Keep chilled.

Pour enough canola oil into heavy large skillet to reach depth of 1/4 inch; heat over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add patties to skillet. Cook until golden and cooked through, adjusting heat if browning too quickly, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Using slotted metal spoon, transfer to paper towels.

DO AHEAD #3 I like to have the keftedes ready about half an hour before I serve dinner. I keep them warm and crispy by placing them on a baking sheet in a 175 degree oven.

Arrange keftedes on platter. Top each with dollop of yogurt. Sprinkle each with dill. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Optional: Serve with Ranch dressing on the side or Jezebel sauce.

Moneysaving, Meatless Monday: Spanakopitas

GwennW — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 09:08:00 EST

Here is a recipe that is a perfect dinner for vegetarians and non-vegetarians. You can also make these to serve as an impressive starter course at a dinner party. I grew up eating these spinach pies, but I knew them as burekas, a Greek savory pastry. We would get them from either the Greek bakery in Queens, or sometimes from a lady who would bake them in her kitchen and sell them to the Sephardic community. We always got to choose between spinach burekas, which are filled with a seasoned mixture of spinach and feta, or cheese burekas, filled with just cheese (usually a mixture of feta, ricotta, farmers cheese and/or any kind of white Greek cheese). Sometimes the burekas would have a flakey phyllo dough crust and sometimes the crust would be similar to a traditional pastry crust. In addition to spinach and cheese, some other filling options are meat, mushrooms, or potatoes.

Now, you can find spinach burekas, aka, Spanakopitas, pretty much anywhere. They seem to be the "it" hors d'ouvre with all of the top caterers. They are in every grocery store and they are available in any restaurant that can reasonably put a Mediterranean item on their menu.

They are so easy to make. The big shortcut is using store bought phyllo dough, which many people shy away from because the sheets of dough are paper thin and can break easily. Don't be intimidated. Click here for some tips on working with phyllo dough. Once you realize how easy it is to use phyllo dough, you will open up a whole new world of recipes...strudels (sweet and savory), baklova, tarts, turnovers, stuffed phyllo parcels, etc.

Spanakopitas (adapted from Ina Garten)

printable version

1/4 cup good olive oil

2 chopped yellow onions

3 scallions, white and green parts, chopped

2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, defrosted

4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Plain dry bread crumbs

1 teaspoon grated nutmeg

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cups small-diced feta cheese (12 ounces)

3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

24 sheets frozen phyllo dough, defrosted

1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Flaked sea salt, such as Maldon, for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan, add the onion, and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat. Add the scallions, and cook for another 2 minutes until the scallions are wilted but still green. Meanwhile, gently squeeze most of the water out of the spinach and place it in a large bowl.

When the onion and scallions are done, add them to the spinach. Mix in the eggs, Parmesan cheese, 3 tablespoons bread crumbs, the nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Gently fold in the feta and pine nuts.

Place 1 sheet of phyllo dough flat on a work surface with the long end in front of you. Brush the dough lightly with butter and sprinkle it with a teaspoon of bread crumbs. Working quickly, slide another sheet of phyllo dough on top of the first, brush it with butter, and sprinkle lightly with bread crumbs. (Use just enough bread crumbs so the layers of phyllo don’t stick together.) Pile 4 layers total on top of each other this way, brushing each with butter and sprinkling with bread crumbs. Cut the sheets of phyllo in half lengthwise. Place 1/3 cup spinach filling on the shorter end and roll the phyllo up diagonally as if folding a flag. Then fold the triangle of phyllo over straight and then diagonally again. Continue folding first diagonally and then straight until you reach the end of the sheet. The filling should be totally enclosed. Continue assembling phyllo layers and folding the filling until all of the filling is used. Place on a sheet pan, seam sides down. Brush with melted butter, sprinkle with flaked salt, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the phyllo is browned and crisp. Serve hot.

Meatless, Money-saving Monday: Sweet and Sour Lentils

GwennW — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 18:08:35 EDT

I am always on the lookout for one-pot vegetarian dishes that are hearty enough to make a meal, but also tasty enough to be a delicious side dish to those at the table who are not vegetarian. My friend Deb gave me this recipe last year, and I have been making it nonstop. It is addictive, and I cannot get enough of the tangy, salty, sweetness of these lentils. The recipe makes a very large pot, so I always freeze half, right away, in small portions for a quick lunch or dinner.

Once you have a pot of these freshly made lentils, you can serve them in many ways. My favorite is to just enjoy a big bowl of them, steaming hot from the pot. It is filling, healthy and comforting. It can also be served as a side dish to any meat, chicken or fish dish. It can be spooned over rice, or it can be used as a bed to place a fillet of fish atop. You can put it over a bed of steamed spinach or in a salad. You can even add some to almost any soup you have to make it heartier and more flavorful.

Although you can use any type of lentil for this dish, I use the French Green lentils (or Puy lentils), rather than the brown lentils you find in the grocery store. Most people (including me) think the French lentils have more flavor than the brown ones and won't get mushy when cooked too long. I use the brown ones in lentil soup, but I have to keep a close eye on them. Then turn to mush very quickly. You can find the French lentils at Whole Foods or at Amazon.com.

Sweet and Sour Lentils

1/4 c. Tamari or Soy Sauce

1 large or 2 small bay leaves

3 T. Onion powder

1/2 c. vegetable oil

3/4 c. honey

1/2 c. red wine vinegar

1 tsp. Allspice

1/2 tsp. powdered ginger

4 c. water

3 c. lentils-rinsed

4 - 5 large onions, chopped and sautéed until dark brown

Sauté onions in approx. 2 T. oil until dark brown. Set aside.

Rinse lentils in a colander and drain.

Mix the first 8 ingredients with sautéed onions in a 4 quart pot or dutch oven. Add water & mix. Add lentils. Bring to a boil, then cover, lower heat & simmer for 1 & ½ hours. Uncover, remove bay leaves and stir gently.

Lentils can be served hot, cold or at room temperature. These also freeze easily.