Braised Chicken and Sausage Tray Bake (Scarpariello)

This rustic Italian dish is great because you can add or take away ingredients you like or don't and it still comes out delicious! And bonus, this can make two meals... chicken, potatoes and veg one night and sausage, potatoes and veg the next!

Ingredients:
4 bone-in chicken thighs
salt and pepper
4 hot Italian sausages
3 tbsps olive oil
2 lbs potatoes, diced
2 large onions, thick sliced
1 sweet pepper, thick sliced
2 tbsps fresh minced garlic
1/4 cup white wine
1 tsp dry oregano
1 tsp dry rosemary
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup chicken stock
4 small thai peppers
1/2 cup black olives
1 tbsp capers with some of the brine
1 tbsps slivered sundried tomatoes
2 tbsps butter
fresh parsley

Can you believe the size of this ↓ potato! It was one whole pound all by itself!

Anyways... to start salt and pepper the chicken thighs, then heat oil in large skillet. Brown the chicken 4-5 minutes per side and remove to a plate. Add sausages to the skillet and brown 3-4 minutes. Remove those to the plate as well.

Add the potatoes to the skillet and toss with the pan juices to coat. Cook 10 or so minutes stirring occasionally then take the potatoes out of the skillet. You want them nicely golden and almost cooked.

Finally add the onions and sweet pepper to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes adding the minced garlic in the last minute. De-glaze the pan with the white wine and remove the skillet from the heat.

Toss the potatoes with the onion mixture and add the oregano, rosemary, balsamic, chicken stock, thai peppers, black olives, capers and sundried tomatoes.

Oil a large and deep baking pan and empty the skillet into the pan. I used a 16 X 11 X 2" pan. Lay the chicken and sausages on top with a few sprigs of parsley. 

Cover with foil and bake at 400°F for 30 minutes. Remove foil, stir the vegetables and spoon some of the juices over the meat. Return to the oven uncovered for about 15 minutes. Check to see if the potatoes, chicken and sausages are cooked and return to the oven a few minutes if not. If chicken is done before the potatoes remove to a plate and keep warm until the potatoes catch up, and vice versa.

Make a space in the center of the pan and add the butter to the juices, stirring through to make a sauce.

Serves 8 (or 4 twice!)

Adapted from: afamilyfeast.com 

Shrimp St Jacques Tortillas

Does anyone remember the old Magic Pan restaurant? This recipe is reminiscent of their Crepes St Jacques which I loved but with tortillas instead of crepes. Kale tortillas... did anyone even use kale in the 70's?!?

Ingredients:
1 lb cooked shrimp, cut in 1/2" pieces
1/3 cup white wine
1 tbsp chopped chives and/or garlic shoots
1 tsp minced garlic
3 tbsps butter
3 tbsps flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1  1/2 cups 10% cream
3/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
paprika and parsley to garlish
12 tortillas, store bought or homemade

First off I have to tell you about these garlic shoots.  My garlic was starting to grow so I stood a few buds in a small glass and they started to grow taller. I just snipped some of the shoots off for a mild garlic flavour. But you could use all chives instead.

Ok so combine white wine, chives/garlic shoots and minced garlic and simmer 3-5 minutes. 

Remove from heat and add the shrimp.

In a large skillet melt the butter, stir in the flour, garlic powder and salt. Cook over medium heat for 1 minute then whisk in the cream and cook 2 minutes or until thickened. Add the shrimp mixture.

For the assembly, spoon about 3 tbsps of the filling into each tortilla and fold into a packet. Place on a parchment lined sheet seam side down.. I used my Fresh Homemade Kale Tortillas and have linked the recipe at the end of this post, but use any tortillas here.

Spoon any remaining sauce/shrimp on top then add the cheese...

and a sprinkle of paprika

Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes or until cheese melts.

Garnish the plate with parsley and more shrimp.

These packets may be frozen. Just defrost in the fridge overnight before re-heating.

Link to Fresh Homemade Kale Tortillas
https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2020/02/fresh-homemade-kale-tortillas.html

Fresh Homemade Kale Tortillas

Here's a healthy twist on plain old tortillas. Kale! And not just the juice because not everyone has a juicer. Straight up kale leaves... this couldn't be easier!! 

Ingredients:
3 oz kale (3 medium leaves, stalk removed)
3 cups flour
2 tsps baking powder
1  1/2 tsps salt
5 tbsps olive oil
water

Start with the kale... submerge it in a pot of boiling water and let it simmer 5-10 minutes or until the kale turns a bright green. Remove the leaves to a bowl of cold water and reserve the hot kale water.

Squeeze the water from the kale and gently pack into a measuring cup.

 Add hot kale water enough to measure 1  1/2 cups.

In a food processor pulse the flour, baking powder and salt together. Add the oil and kale, then slowly add the water in the measuring cup while running, until...

a ball forms and comes away from the sides of the bowl.

Turn the dough out onto a floured board. Divide into 12 equal balls. Cover and let rest 10 minutes then roll each out into a 6-8" round (or sometimes square in my case)

Cook each tortilla in a hot and dry frying pan (no grease) for about 20 seconds per side or until you see a few golden spots. Keep the uncooked stack covered so they don't dry out.

I think I could've rolled these a little thinner but not bad for my first attempt at tortillas. They can be kept in a ziplock baggie for a few days.

Stay tuned... next up Shrimp St Jacques Tortillas!

Adapted from: www.delightfuldeliciousdelovelyblog

Sixty Minute Rolls

In literally sixty minutes you can have bakery-worthy buns on the table!

I used to make these every other week or so, then for some reason I stopped making them. Last night I decide to pull this recipe out again and, WOW... why haven't I been making these!?! My daughter said they were like store bought. Then she said, no because store bought is not as good as home baked. Bakery made...that's what they're like!

(Thanks to my friend, Dianna, for giving me this recipe many moons ago!)

Ingredients:
3 1/2 - 4 cups flour
3 tbsps sugar
1 tsp salt
2 pkgs dry yeast (or 4 1/2 tsps)
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter or margarine

In a large bowl mix 1  1/2 cups flour, sugar, salt and undissolved yeast. Combine milk, water and butter in a saucepan. Heat over low heat until thermometer reads 120° - 130°F. Butter doesn't need to fully melt.

Pour the milk into the large bowl with flour mixture, combine well. Gradually add 1/2 cups of flour until it makes a soft dough. I used just the 3 1/2 cups. Beat 4-5 minutes or knead if you like.

Place in a oiled bowl, turning to grease all of the dough. Cover and sit bowl in a pan of hot tap water for 15 minutes.

That's all the time it needs to rise.

Turn the dough out onto a floured board. Divide into 12 equal pieces. Tuck in edges to form a ball and sit in a greased muffin tin. Cover and let rise 15 minutes.

You can bake them as a ball but I like to snip an X into the top with scissors. You can snip almost halfway through.

Bake at 425°F for 12 minutes

Then let them rest 5-10 minutes before removing from pan.

Ready for a big slab of butter!

And if you're not careful they'll be gone in 60 minutes!

Epic Beef and Mushroom Pie with Bacon

Inside this golden crust hides a rich and meaty filling... a traditional winter classic.

You'll need about 3 1/2 hours to make this beauty, but it's time well-spent. Use pre-made pie dough to save some time like I did!

Ingredients:
2-3 tbsps olive oil
2 lbs stewing beef, cut in cubes
2 cups button mushrooms
1 tbsp fresh minced garlic
1 cup finely diced onion
1  1/2 cups diced carrots
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 slices bacon
2 cups beef broth
2 tbsps tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
3 tbsps cornstarch
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp marjoram
1 tsp celery seed
2  bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
pie dough for 2 - 9" pies
1 egg and 1 tsp water for egg wash

9" cast iron skillet for baking the pie

Begin by cooking the bacon in a skillet on medium until crispy then remove to a plate. Remove all but about 1 tbsp bacon drippings from the pan and add the mushrooms. Brown for about 5 minutes deglazing the pan with 1-2 tbsps of liquid (water, broth or wine). Break up the bacon and return to the skillet. Set aside.

Heat 2 tbsps olive oil in pan and brown beef, then drain off any excess liquid and remove the meat to a plate. In the same pan add 1 tbsp oil and brown the onion and garlic on medium heat 2 minutes, then add the carrots and peas for another 4 minutes of cooking.

Mix the cornstarch with the tomato paste. You can add a little of any of the liquids here too.

Mix it into the vegetables...

and add the broth, red wine and worcestershire sauce stirring to dissolve the cornstarch. Bring to a boil to slightly thicken.

Reduce heat to a simmer. Add the thyme, marjoram, celery seed, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Return the meat to the pot. Cover and keep on a gentle simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

Haven't forgotten about the bacon and mushrooms! Add them back to the pot and simmer another 15-20 minutes.

Remove the bay leaves.

Roll the pie dough out and place one round in the bottom of the cast iron skillet with a good amount of overhang.

Pour and pile up the filling. This pie is loaded!! 
Brush the edge with beaten egg wash.
Roll out the top crust and lay it on top.

Seal the edges with a fork or spoon or however you like. Trim off the excess pastry dough.  I thought I might get fancy and add a twist around the edge (glued on with egg!)

Brush the entire crust with the egg wash and don't forget to cut some air holes in the top.

Bake at 425 F for 22-25 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool 5 minutes before cutting.

Are you drooling yet?