Sweet and Simple: Cherry Crisp!

        Lisa's Dinnertime Dish has moved.  Please visit me at my new and improved blog site!  The new address is http://lisasdinnertimedish.com.  I look forward to seeing you at the new site!!


      I was REALLY craving something sweet the other night when I happened upon a recipe for apple crisp on Everyday Mom's Meals.  It sounded so good and the recipe was incredibly easy!  The unfortunate thing was...I didn't have any apple pie filling in the house.  But then I realized I had cherry pie filling, so the wheels started turning and I thought, "hmm I bet cherries would work just fine in the recipe."  So I got to work and in no time at all I had myself some cherry crisp.  It was fantastic!  I still can't believe how easy it was!

    I think this recipe would be good with just about any pie filling that you have on hand.  I'm thinking peach or blueberry would be especially tasy.  You can go to  Everday Mom's Meals to see the apple version of this recipe, but for the cherry version, read on.

 Cherry Crisp



• 1 can cherry pie filling
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds, crushed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Spread the pie filling in the bottom of the baking dish.

In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, oats, butter, almonds, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Mix until crumbly.

Sprinkle over the top of the cherries.

Bake for 35 minutes, until brown and bubbly.  Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Doesn't that look delicious?  ENJOY!


Shared at This Chick Cooks on 10/4/11
Shared at Recipes For My Boys on 10/7/11

Clarity at the Nail Salon: The Perfect Chicken and Rice Dish

       Lisa's Dinnertime Dish has moved.  Please visit me at my new and improved blog site!  The new address is http://lisasdinnertimedish.com.  I look forward to seeing you at the new site!!


       Yesterday while I was at the nail salon, I had an epiphany.  For weeks I have been trying to come up with a recipe for a chicken and rice dish, but I was coming up completely dry.  I was searching for recipes online and in my cookbooks and magazines, but nothing seemed quite right and I really wanted something that was my own.  Why, you ask?  I don't know, sometimes I just get an idea in my head and it then becomes a personal challenge (or obsession), which is exactly what happened here.  I really felt that I needed a chicken and rice dish in my repertoire.

    So who knew  you could have such clarity while in a nail salon?  But there I was, sitting there, when all of a sudden the answer became so clear.  I knew exactly what I needed to do.  I would make a chicken and rice dish based on my recipe for cheesy hashbrowns.....why hadn't I thought of this sooner?!

     I have this really great recipe for a cheesy hashbrown casserole (or as we folks in Minnesooota call it, a hotdish) and I figured it would be very adaptable for a chicken and rice dish.  So this is what I came up with,  I sauteed cut up boneless chicken breasts and chopped onion and garlic.  For rice I used brown rice.  As I little side note, I used Minute brown rice for the first time and I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was and it cooked up SO much faster that regular brown rice.  I figured it needed some veg, so I added some frozen broccoli.  For the sauce I used cream of chicken and cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, sharp cheddar cheese and a little thyme.  Oh....and butter.  I don't often use cream soups in recipes, but this is one where it just works.  So if it works, don't mess with it!

     This recipe would be great to make ahead and freeze before you bake it.  Then on a busy day, just defrost and pop it in the oven and let the oven do all the work for you!

Cheesy Chicken, Rice and Broccoli Bake

• 1 lb boneless chicken breasts (you could also cut up a rotisserie chicken, if you prefer)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 clove garlic, minced
• 5 tbsp butter, divided (I know that's a lot, but it's makes a BIG pan)
• 4 cups brown rice, cooked according to package directions (I used Minute brown rice)
• 12 oz frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
• salt and pepper
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream (I usually use light)
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese ( I use light)
• 1 tsp dried thyme



 Cook rice according to package instructions and chop up your onion and garlic

Cut the chicken into chunks and season with salt and pepper

Preheat a skillet over medium high heat.  Melt 2 tbsp on butter in the pan.

Saute chicken until browned and cooked through.



Remove from pan and set aside.  Melt 1 tbsp butter in pan and add onion and saute for about 5 minutes, then add galic and cook for 1 more minute.

Remove from pan and set aside.  In a large bowl, combine soups, sour cream and final 2 tbsp butter, melted.  Add thyme and stir in.

Add cheese.

And the chicken, onion, garlic, broccoli and rice, mixing well to combine.

At this point you can either transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for later....

...or you can spoon into a 9x13 pan.

And bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees until brown and bubbly.

ENJOY!



Shared at Everyday Mom's Meals on 10/2/11
Shared at It's a Keeper on 12/08/11
Shared at Miz Helen's Country Cottage on 12/08/11
Shared at Family Fresh Meals on 12/11/11

A Rainy Day Means a Big Pot of Chicken Tortellini Soup

       Lisa's Dinnertime Dish has moved.  Please visit me at my new and improved blog site!  The new address is http://lisasdinnertimedish.com.  I look forward to seeing you at the new site!!


      I thought that yesterday was supposed to be sunny and nice, maybe I'd even go for a walk.  Instead, I woke up to rain and gloominess.  So what better way to spend the morning than making a big pot of soup.

    Chicken Tortellini Soup is a nice twist on chicken noodle soup and it makes a HUGE pot.  Which I think is great because there are always plenty of leftovers.  I like to freeze the leftovers in individual portions for lunches or a quick dinner.  The recipe calls for cooked chicken and I happened to have some in the freezer.  If you don't have any on hand, a rotisserie chicken would work great.  I hope you try it because it is delicious AND easy!



 Chicken Tortellini Soup

Adapted from "Frozen Assets, Lite and Easy"

• 8 cups low sodium chicken stock
• 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 large stalks celery, sliced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1-28oz can diced tomatoes
• salt and pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
• 2 cups cheese tortellini (I have used both dried and fresh, either is fine)
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh basil. chopped

Start out by chopping all of your vegetables and herbs.

Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat.

Add carrots, celery and onion to pan.

Add thyme to the vegetable and saute for about 5 minutes until onions are translucent.  Add garlic and saute for one more minute.

Add chicken stock.

Add salt and pepper to taste, increase heat to high.

Add tomatoes and chicken, cover and bring mixture to a boil.  Once it comes to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

After soup has simmered, taste broth to check for seasonings.  Add more salt and pepper if necessary.  Then add tortellini and increase heat to medium high.

And the herbs

Let the pasta cook for about 5-7 minutes, until it's tender.

ENJOY!

Shared on Amee's Savory Dish on 9/30/11

Shared on Miz Helen's Country Cottage on 10/6/11

Shared on Family Fresh Meals on 11/30/11

Shared at Easy Natural Food on 1/8/12

15 Minute Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich

       Lisa's Dinnertime Dish has moved.  Please visit me at my new and improved blog site!  The new address is http://lisasdinnertimedish.com.  I look forward to seeing you at the new site!!


      I am always trying to make things that I can freeze, both finished meals as well as ingredients like cooked chicken or roasted vegetables and so on.  It is such a time saver when you are in a pinch to get dinner on the table.  It can be the difference between having a healthy home-cooked meal and ordering pizza delivery.

     I was able to take advantage of my well stocked freezer last night.  Steve was going out of town and had to leave for the airport by 5:30, so dinner had to be early (early for us, anyway), so I really wanted something that I could put together quickly.  After rummaging around the freezer, I found beef au jus (click on the link for the recipe) some roasted peppers and onions and some hamburger buns.  In the refrigerator, I had some provolone cheese slices.  So, in no time at all, I had Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches!

15 Minute Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches



• 1 1/2 cups cooked, shredded beef ( if you don't have any, you can use deli roast beef)
• 1 cup roasted peppers and onions (if you don't have any, you could use jarred roasted red peppers and omit the onion)
• 4 slices provolone cheese
• 4 hamburger buns, split
• olive oil

Heat both the beef and the peppers in the microwave.  Meanwhile, preheat broiler on high and put buns on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil.

Put under the broiler until toasted.  Remove from broiler and top the bottom half of each bun with 1/4 of the beef, 1/4 of the peppers and onions and one slice of cheese.

Remove the top half of the buns from the cookie sheet and put back under the broiler until the cheese is melted.

Dinner is ready!  I told you it was quick. 

ENJOY!

A Fabulous Sunday Supper

    Lisa's Dinnertime Dish has moved.  Please visit me at my new and improved blog site!  The new address is http://lisasdinnertimedish.com.  I look forward to seeing you at the new site!!


   On Sunday afternoon, I was looking through some recipes and I came across a Rachael Ray recipe for piccata-style fish.  It sounded really tasty and I already had most of the ingredients.  So off I went to the store, first to the mall (a girls gotta go shopping every once in a while) and then to the grocery store for some tilapia.

     I have had veal and chicken piccata before, but never fish piccata.  But fish and lemon, I mean they just go together, so I thought it had to be good.  There wasn't too much prepping, either.  The only things that needed chopping were the garlic and the parsley and then just a few other things to get ready.  And it was a good thing I had everything ready before I started cooking because it cooked up FAST!  I had to get Steve and Alex involved to get everything on the table at the same time.  So Steve threw the salad together and Alex broiled some multi-grain garlic bread.




!

Alex working on his garlic bread.  It was good!

      Once we got everthing on the table, it was delicious.  The fish was nice and flaky and it  had a nice lemon flavor, it was not over-powering at all.  I will definitely make this one again!

Piccata-Style Fish with Pasta

From Rachael Ray



• salt and pepper
• 8 oz thin spaghetti (I used whole wheat)
• Old Bay seasoning
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup corn starch
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp butter
• 2 large clove of garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 lemons, zest and juice one and thinly slice the other
• 1/4 cup drained capers (I only used about 2 tbsp)
• a handful of flat-leaf parlsey, finely chopped

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Meanwhile, pat the fish dry and season with salt, pepper and a little Old Bay.

 On a plate, mix the flour and cornstarch. Coat the fish in the flour mixture.

Make sure the rest of your ingredients are out and ready to go.  I find it helpful to put each ingredient in a small bowl and then put them right by the stove.

Here we go, we're ready to cook!  In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter and let it foam up, then add the fish fillets and cook, turning once, until golden-brown and firm, 3 minutes on each side. Transfer the fillets to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

 Wipe out the pan and return to the heat. Add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 turn of the pan, and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to melt. Stir in the garlic for 1 minute, then stir in the wine for another minute. Add 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel and the juice of 1 lemon. Thinly slice the remaining lemon and stir the slices into the sauce, along with the capers and parsley. Spoon the sliced lemons and half of the butter sauce over the fish. (Sadly, I have no photos for this, I was so busy cooking, I forgot that I was supposed to be taking pictures, too.)

Add the reserved pasta water and the pasta to the skillet. Add the remaining butter sauce and season with salt and pepper; toss. Transfer the pasta to a platter.

Serve the fish with a little pasta alongside.  ENJOY!




Shared on http://thischickcooks.blogspot.com/2011/09/these-chicks-cooked-link-party_28.html on 9/28/11

A Relaxing Evening and Veal Osso Buco: What a Combo!

       Lisa's Dinnertime Dish has moved.  Please visit me at my new and improved blog site!  The new address is http://lisasdinnertimedish.com.  I look forward to seeing you at the new site!!


    Our Saturday evening was completely open, so I thought it would be nice to hang out at home and have a nice relaxing evening and make veal osso buco for dinner, which is another one of my favorite meals. The great thing about osso buco is that it is mostly hands off.  After you do some chopping and sauteing, it cooks low and slow for a couple of hours.  So it is a great dish to entertain with because it doesn't require a lot of last minute attention.  It just simmers on the stove until you're ready to eat, which is also great when you want to have a leisurely evening with your family.

    Osso buco is a rustic dish made with veal shanks and simple ingredients that you probably have on hand.  When you serve it, you top it with gremolata, which is a mixture of chopped parsley, garlic and lemon zest, it's super flavorful and makes the dish pop.  I found the recipe that I use years ago in a Reader's Digest cookbook, of all places and it is absolutely delicious!

     Veal Osso Buco

Adapted from Reader's Digest "Great Recipes for Good Health"



• 2 tbsp butter
• 4 veal shanks (2 to 2 1/2 pounds)
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 medium carrot, chopped
• 1 medium stalk celery, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 medium ripe tomato, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup parlsey
• zest from 1 lemon
• 8 oz orzo pasta, cooked according to package directions

Start by chopping all of your vegetables, so everything is ready to go.

In a heavy, deep 12- inch skillet or a 5 quart dutch oven, melt 1 tbsp of the butter over medium high heat, when pan is very hot, add the veal and brown about 2 minutes on each side.  Transfer to a plate.

Please excuse my VERY well used dutch oven!

 Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining butter, the onion, carrot, celery, and half the garlic to the skillet and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft.

Once the vegetables are tender, add the wine

Boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally to loosen any browned bits, for about 2 minutes.

Return the veal and its juices to the skillet and add the tomato, bay leaf, thyme and salt and pepper to taste. 

Cover and simmer over low heat for 2 hours or until the meat is tender, but not falling off the bones.

Stir the basil in, right before serving.

To make the gremolata, take the chopped parsley, remaining garlic and lemon zest and combine.  With a large knife, continue chopping the ingredients until very finely chopped and combined with each other.

Beautiful, isn't it!

To serve, put some of the cooked orzo into a shallow dish, top with a piece of veal and some of the vegetables and sauce.  Sprinkle 1 tbsp of the gremolata over the top.  ENJOY!



Shared at Everyday Mom's Meals on 10/2/11