Riso Alla Pitocca (Chicken and Rice)

photo by Emily Hale

I love the Create channel, especially since I don't have cable and the Food Network. Lidia Bastianich is one of my Create favorites and I've been watching her for a couple of years. Tonight was the first time I made one of her recipes though. I don't know why it took me so long. I've seen the episode at least three times and salivated throughout each viewing. My family and I were very happy with the results. Think risotto meets chicken and rice casserole only more flavorful and better for you (not to knock cream of chicken, but I always appreciate NOT using it). Plus it's easier than traditional risotto, because you add all the liquid to the rice at once instead of adding some, stirring, adding some...

If you've never seen Lidia, you should know that she insists on caramelizing EVERYTHING (even tomato paste). So notice the instructions and do what she says!


The veggies are ground up either in a blender or food processor and their flavors infiltrate the whole dish delightfully. I don't love bay leaf and didn't have fresh parsley, but I think it turned out mighty fine without.

Riso Alla Pitocca from Lidia's Italy (serves 4)

1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts cut into bite size chunks
1/2 C onion, cut in 1-inch chunks
1/2 C carrot, cut in 1-inich chunks
1/2 C celery , cut in 1-inch chinks
1 garlic clove
2 Tb olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 fresh bay leaf
1/2 C dry white wine or chicken stock
2 1/2 C hot chicken or turkey stock, plus more if needed (use a good, organic brand)
1 C Italian short-grain rice, such as Arborio
1 Tb butter
1/3 C parmesan cheese, grated

Using a food processor or blender, mince the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic into a fine-textured "pestata". Pour the olive oil in the saucepan, and set over medium-high heat. Stir in the pestata, and season with 1/2 tsp of the salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the pestata has dried and begins to stick to the bottom of the pan.

Toss in the chicken pieces and the bay leaf, and sprinkle over it the remaining tsp salt. Tumble and stir the chicken in the pan until browned and caramelized all over, about 4 minutes. Raise the heat, pour in the 1/2 C white wine or stock, and cook, stirring and scraping up the browned bits in the pan, until the liquid has almost completely evaporated.

Pour in the hot stock, stirring, then all the rice. Bring to the boil over high heat, cover the pan, and reduce the heat to keep the riso bubbling gently. Cook for about 14 minutes, or until both the rice and the chicken chunks are fully cooked and the consistency is creamy. You can cook away the liquid if you prefer a firmer dish, which I do. Just take off the lid and turn oup the heat for an extra minute. Lidia prefers hers to be soupy.

Turn off the heat, drop in the butter , and stir vigorously until thoroughly amalgamated, then stir in the parsley grated cheese. Spoon the riso into warm pasta bowls and serve immediately,passing additional grated cheese at the table.

Turkey and Quinoa Florentine Bake

This is the first time I've used Quinoa. I wasn't able to find a family friendly recipe online anywhere, so I came up with one. We all liked it, and I look forward to other experiments with this "mother of all grains". It's a complete protein source and is rich in fiber. It's a good alternative to rice, white or brown.

Turkey and Quinoa Florentine Bake

1 Lb ground turkey
chopped onion
salt
Greek seasoning mix, optional

1 C. Quinoa, uncooked
2 C. Chicken Broth
1 C. Alfredo sauce
(see tip for homemade, my preference, or use pre-made)
1 C. frozen chopped spinach (but also great with broccoli about 1 1/2 C)


In a large nonstick frying pan cook turkey with onion, seasoned with salt and seasoning until done. In a large bowl combine turkey with the rest of the ingredients. Pour into greased casserole dish (glass cake pan) and bake at 350 covered with foil for 35 minutes. Uncover and stir, bake uncovered an additional 15-20 minutes or until done (liquid is incorporated.)

*** to make Alfredo sauce: Over medium heat melt 2 TB butter in a saucepan, add 2 TB flour and cook for a minute. While whisking, slowly add 1/2 C. cream and 1/2 C. milk. Season with salt and pepper, and add 1 C. shredded Parmesan cheese until melted.

Merry Merry Mac n Dairy

Here's a mac and cheese recipe that doesn't need a white sauce. I got it from allrecipes.com and it's called Chuck's Favorite I think. I like my name better. Sour cream, cottage cheese, and cheddar... mmmm. Pretty easy and definitely satisfyingly comfortable. You could add ham, peas, or whatever other cheeses you might like. Sharp cheddar would really make this yummier, but all I had was mild cheddar and it worked out just fine.


Merry Merry Mac n Dairy

1 (8 ounce) package elbow macaroni
1 (8 ounce) package shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (I used 3 C shredded mild cheddar)
1 (12 ounce) container small curd cottage cheese
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
1/2 C milk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for topping (canned works fine)
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 glass pan, or a little smaller is even better (keeps from excess drying). Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta until done. Combine cheddar, cottage cheese, sour cream, milk, Parmesan and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add hot noodles and combine. Pour into prepared pan, and sprinkle with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 min or until top is golden.

Sharon's Macaroni and Beef Bake

This yummy casserole seems to always be a hit whenever I serve it. My husband, Rob, remembers as a kid coming home from football practice in the cold and eating his mom's Mac and Beef Bake and warming up real fast! The original recipe doesn't call for corn but sometimes I throw some in with the cheese.

Sharon's Macaroni and Beef Bake
2 lbs ground beef (if I add corn I lessen the amount of meat)
2/3 C chopped onion
1 C uncooked elbow macaroni
4 C tomato juice
1 can tomato soup
1 1/2 C cheddar cheese
1 1/2 tsp chili pwd
salt and pepper to taste

Brown the meat, onion and uncooked macaroni. Add the tomato juice and soup. Mix together. Pour in to 9x13 pan. Stir in cheese and chili powder. Add salt and pepper if desired. Bake for about 40 minutes in 350 degree oven. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Easter Pizza Piena

photo from MarthaStewart.com

I saw this on Martha Stewart, not sure why it's called pizza because it's more like a quiche. It's really good because it's packed with cheese. On the show they had a special dough for the crust, but we didn't like it. Next time I'll make it with a plain pie crust. I couldn't find dry Italian sweet sausage, I've never seen it, so I just cooked and crumbled a little less than half a pound of the raw stuff, which we like anyway. This makes a 9 x 13 casserole, or if you halve it, a square pan works well. Make sure you let it sit for a little while before you eat it, so it can settle and not burn your mouth. We were in a hurry to get to church...


Easter Pizza Piena

• 8 large eggs
• 2 pounds fresh ricotta cheese
• 7 ounces sweet Italian dry sausage, very finely chopped (or cooked sweet Italian sausage)
  
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 pound fresh unsalted mozzarella cheese, chopped
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Pie crust dough or Pizza Piena Dough
  
• 1 large egg yolk, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out larger disk of dough into an 1/8-inch thick rectangle about 19 by 15 inches. Fit into a 13-by-9-inch baking dish leaving a 1-inch overhang; set aside.
3. Roll out second smaller disk of dough to about 1/8 inch thick and cut four 15-by-1-inch strips; set aside. Cut remaining dough into three 11-by-1-inch strips; set aside.
4. Place eggs and ricotta in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix until well combined. Add sausage, parmesan, mozzarella, pepper, and parsley; continue mixing until well combined. Pour mixture over dough in baking dish.
5. With the long end of the baking dish facing you, place the three 11-inch strips of dough vertically over the top of the filling, spacing evenly apart. Starting in the middle, weave one of the 15-inch strips over and under the vertical strips (folding back every other vertical strip makes this easier). Continue weaving the remaining three 15-inch strips until lattice is complete. Fold over the overhanging pieces of dough and press with a fork to seal.
6. Brush dough with egg yolk and transfer to oven. Bake until golden brown, about 1 hour and 10 minutes, or 55 minutes for a square pan if using only half the recipe. Serve warm.

SHEPHERD'S PIE

I love shepherd's pie! Here are 2 recipes - a traditional Irish recipe and a more contemporary one. I have played around with the latter recipe for years. Traditionally, shepherd's pie is made with leftover meat (beef or lamb), gravy, tomato puree, with no veggies and garlic butter topping the mashed potatoes instead of cheese. But I don't think there's anything wrong with tweaking recipes - in fact, experimenting is the best part of cooking, right?

IRISH SHEPHERD'S PIE

1 lb minced cooked beef
1 T butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 T flour
1 2/3 cups stock and leftover gravy
1 t tomato puree
1 T chopped parsley
1 t thyme leaves
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 lb potatoes, cooked and mashed
2 T. melted garlic butter

Melt the butter in a frying pan and add the onion. Cook over a slow heat for 5 minutes until soft but not browned. Add the flour and cook until brown. Pour in the stock, and bring to a boil. Add the tomato puree, chopped parsley, thyme leaves, salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the meat to the sauce and bring to a boil. Put in a pie dish, cover with the mashed potatoes and score the top with a fork. Drizzle the garlic butter over the potatoes. Reheat in a moderate oven (350) for about 30 minutes.


SHEPHERD'S PIE ALA GRAMMUH

1 lb. extra lean ground beef
1/2 c. diced onion (optional)
1 can tomato soup
1/2 can water
1 t. Worcestershire sauce (you can substitute 1 beef bouillon cube-either are optional)
1/4 t. thyme
1/2 t. salt
1 cup carrots, diced
1 cup green beans, diced (I like fresh but canned is fine)
4 or 5 medium potatoes, cooked and mashed
1/2 cup grated cheese (Irish cheddar or Old Dubliner is the best!)

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef with the onions using 1 T. olive oil (I also add a little garlic-infused olive oil). Add the carrots and green beans and continue cooking until the veggies are fork-tender.
Add soup, water, and spices. Cover and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes or until flavors have had a chance to blend.

Pour beef mixture into a deep baking dish and cover the top with mashed potatoes. Finish it off with the grated cheese and bake uncovered in 375 degree oven for 20-30 minutes or until bubbly.

Indian-Spiced Chicken with Wild Rice

I made this recipe for Valentine's Day two years ago and I remember that David and I really liked it, but for some reason I never made it again until tonight. Everyone really enjoyed it (Gracie even ate some and she doesn't like many dinner foods besides pizza). It tastes kind of exotic to me with Indian spices in it!

Indian-Spiced Chicken with Wild Rice

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, sliced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 package (6 ounces) long grain and wild rice mix (I used an Uncle Ben's original recipe mix)
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup raisins
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Combine salt, cumin, black pepper, cinnamon, and turmeric in small bowl. Rub spice mixture on both sides of chicken. Place chicken on plate; cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 9-inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken; cook 2 minutes per side or until browned. Remove chicken; set aside.

Place carrots, chopped bell pepper, celery and garlic in same skillet. Cook and stir 2 minutes. Add rice from mix; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add broth and seasoning packet from rice mix; bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat; stir in raisins. Pour into prepared dish; place chicken on rice mixture. Sprinkle with almonds.

Cover tightly with foil and bake 35 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center, juices run clear and rice is tender. Makes 4 servings.

Quick, Crustless Quiche

photo by Emily Hale

We had this for dinner last night with a salad. It would be good for a weekend breakfast or brunch too. Abby liked it a lot, and we were glad because it's packed with spinach! We all thought it was very tasty. There is no pie crust so it's easy to whip up. The baking mix makes a sturdier quiche, which is why it doesn't need a crust. I halved the recipe using a square pan and it worked just fine; I just cooked it for less time (about 40 minutes). I used cheddar cheese and grated more than I needed, so I put some on the top before baking. It made a nice chewy top. I like that. I thawed all the spinach, but only used half, so I'm going to use the other half to make a cheese dip for Superbowl. (I celebrate the snacks more than the game.)

Quick, Crustless Quiche

1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
8 eggs
3 C milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 C chopped onion
1/2 C butter
1 1/2 C baking mix (like Bisquick but generic works fine)
2 C grated cheese (Monterey Jack, Swiss, or Cheddar) plus a little more for top
2 C diced ham (but it would be good without ham, too)

Preheat oven to 350. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Stir in milk and salt. In small bowl, microwave butter and onion for 3 minutes; let cool and stir into egg mixture. Whisk in baking mix. Add spinach, cheese and ham. Pour into a greased 9x13 dish and sprinkle extra cheese on top. Bake for 50 minutes or until cooked through. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. Makes 12 servings.

Stuffed Shells

Jon said this was a keeper last night, and I agree. It's nice to have something other than lasagna, but just as tasty and comforting. I have a feeling kids will like these too. Abby was teething last night (she has 3 now!) so she wasn't too into dinner.

Stuffed Shells

16 jumbo pasta shells, cooked according to package direction, rinsed and drained.
1 (10 oz) package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed, water pressed out
1 1/2 C low-fat cottage cheese
2 C shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 C grated onion
2 C favorite jar of marinara sauce**
1/4 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Combine spinach, cottage cheese, mozzarella, and grated onion. Stuff pasta shells with cheese mixture and place in a greased casserole. Pour marinara sauce over the shells, and top with Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.

** Make your store-bought marinara better by sauteing half an onion and a clove of garlic in olive oil. Add a fresh chopped tomato or canned diced tomatoes (drained) and 1/4 tsp each of oregano and thyme (or 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning.) Add your jarred sauce and simmer for a few minutes while the pasta boils.

Mom's Cheese Enchiladas

When Andy and I moved to Maryland, Mom sent me a roasting pan like hers and a bunch of recipes. I'll never forget the first roast beef I made, and how anxious I was to get home from church and take it out of the oven. Later I made my first Thanksgiving turkey in that same little apartment in Laurel (pictured here).

Here is Mom's recipe for cheese enchiladas. I made it recently and, to my surprise, it was a huge hit with Andy, Sophie and David. (At our house you can't please ALL of the people ALL of the time--unless you serve poundcake.)

Mom's Cheese Enchiladas

(My additions to the original recipe are in italics.)

Filling:

1 lb. cottage cheese

1 small can chopped olives

1 small can chopped chilies (I used mild)

10 small corn tortillas - cook in oil to soften or wrap 6 at a time in a damp paper towel and heat in the microwave for about a minute.

Sauce:

1-12 oz can enchilada sauce plus 1-12 oz can tomato sauce or 20 oz. can mild enchilada sauce

Topping:

1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese or colby-jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Spray each side of a warmed tortilla with cooking spray. Put about 2 tablespoons of cottage cheese mixture into the prepared tortilla and roll up. Secure with a toothpick before placing in a greased 9 X 12 casserole dish. Repeat with each tortilla. Cover enchiladas with sauce and top with 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or colby-jack cheese. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through and bubbly. Serve with sour cream and chopped lettuce and tomatoes.