Chili Mac and Cheese

Ditch HH boxes and skip the preservatives and ingredients you can't pronounce!

Chili Mac and Cheese

8 ounces pasta (you can use macaroni or here I used GLUTEN FREE penne)

2 pounds ground beef

1 to 2 Tablespoons oil 

3/4 cup diced onion

3/4 cup diced green pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-1/2 to 2 Tablespoons chili powder

1/2 Tablespoon cumin

28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes

3/4 cup water (or pasta water if you can remember to keep it)

8 ounces Mexican blend cheese, shredded

Chicken Fried Steak and Gravy

Please see new posting here:

http://www.inthekitchenwithjenny.com/2014/09/chicken-fried-steak-and-gravy.html

Thank you!!

Green Chili Cornbread Casserole

Green Chili Cornbread Casserole                                                        Printable Recipe

1 cup plus 3 Tablespoons cornmeal, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 eggs
1 can creamed corn
1 cup milk 
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 to 2 pounds ground beef, cooked and drained (I used 2 here)
Your favorite flavors like cumin, garlic, pepper, or taco seasoning.
1 - 4 oz can green chilies (you may want 2 cans instead of 1)
2 - 3 Tablespoons grated onion

2 cups shredded Mexi blend cheese or cheddar 

Optional: 8 ounces tomato sauce
1/2 to 1 can light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Sprinkle 9"x 13" baking dish with 1 tablespoon of corn meal.  Set aside.

Mix together beef, chilies, and grated onion until well combined.  If you don't you will have hot and spicy parts!  Stir in the tomato sauce and beans here if you are using them.

In medium bowl add eggs, corn, milk, and oil.

 Combine.

Add pre-mixed dry ingredients (cornmeal 1 c plus 2 T) baking soda, and salt.  Stir just until combined.

 Pour 1/2 of the corn mixture into pan.  It will be quite runny.

 Add all of your beef mixture.

Top with cheese (I only used 1 cup here.)

Add remaining corn mixture pushing down on beef to cover.  I think coverage would be better if you only used 1 pound of beef but we wanted more meat to make it a main dish.

 Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and not jiggly. Let set for 5-10 minutes before cutting.

Pin it:  http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746086783536/

Cheeseburger Rice

Cheeseburger Rice

1 pound ground beef
1/2 small onion diced or 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
2-1/2 cups water**
1/2 cup ketchup
2 Tablespoons prepared mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
Few cracks black pepper
3/4 cup INSTANT brown rice (if you want to use instant white use 1.5 cups each rice and water)
1/2-1 cup shredded cheese

This can be made two ways.  You can start with raw beef cooked with the onion and drained or here I had already precooked hamburger and used onion powder.  Add rest of ingredients except cheese and stir.

Bring to boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes for brown rice.  Watch the water and add any if needed.  Test rice and cook until tender.  If you use white rice bring to boil and cover and let set for 5 minutes until rice is tender.

Turn off heat, sprinkle on cheese

 and place lid on top to melt cheese.

**Amount of water correlates with the directions on your box of rice.  I found out through a friend who made this dish that not all rices are created equal! Her rice required less water than mine and she had to cook it longer to get the liquid out.

Cottage Pie

In honor of the Royal wedding

Cottage Pie

2 Tablespoons oil
3/4 cup diced onions
3/4 cup diced (or shredded) carrots
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1/3 cup flour (gluten free option)
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups beef or chicken broth
1/2 Tablespoon Kitchen Bouquet*
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2-1/4 pounds potatoes (white or I used sweet potatoes)
1/4 cup heavy cream (I used 2% milk)
1 egg yolk
4 Tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
dash of white pepper
1 cup grated cheese

Heat oil in large sauce pan and saute onions and carrots until soft. 

Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink (or add precooked hamburger and heat.) 

 Stir in flour and cook for a minute or so.

Add broth, stirring as you pour since it will thicken.

Add thyme, broth, Kitchen Bouquet, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for 25-30 minutes until everything is soft and sauce thickens.  I had to add a little bit of water as I went since the sauce was very thick and my carrots were not soft yet.  Next time I will shred my carrots.

Pour into baking dish.  This is my deep dish stoneware from Pampered Chef.

 While the meat is simmering, slice potatoes and place in large pot of cold water.  Cover pot and bring to boil.  Simmer until tender, about 20-25 minutes. 

 I used my Pampered Chef 1 Qt Micro Cooker and microwave for 16 minutes. Perfect every time! 

Dump into large mixing bowl and mix. 

Add cream, egg yolk, butter, and salt and pepper.

 Mix until nice and smooth.

 Cut hole in corner of gallon bag and drop in a frosting tip large enough to squeeze potatoes through.  Tape tip to bag so it does not slip. Dump potatoes into bag and seal. 

 My sweet potatoes were too soft that even though I piped it on the top the shape did not hold so I ended up smoothing it out.  White potatoes will do better. If you don't want to pipe you can just spread it on top.

Sprinkle with cheese (optional) and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

*Kitchen Bouquet is a "browning and seasoning sauce" generally found in the ketchup/Worcestershire sauce aisle.

Chiles Rellenos de Pollo

Chiles Rellenos de Pollo

2-4 medium poblano peppers
1/4 cup water

1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts (I am sure you could use ground beef)
(I just wing it with these spices...you'll soon figure out  what and how much you like of each)
cumin
cayenne pepper
salt
pepper
garlic powder
onion powder

Approximately 1 cup of a combo of diced onion and diced red, green, and/or yellow peppers
Pkg steamed brown rice
1 cup frozen or fresh corn
1-1/2 cups shredded Chihuahua cheese (or Mexi-blend)




If you want some heat but not too much cut your peppers in half (like mine) taking out the seeds and use 1/2 pepper per person.  Otherwise slit them on one side and take out the seeds.  Put in baking dish and cover with saran wrap.  Microwave for 6-8 minutes or until soft.

Dice veggies and add with chicken to a non-stick pan and cook until veggies are soft and chicken is cooked through.

 Meanwhile steam your brown rice.

  Mix cooked chicken, veggies, about 2 cups of rice, and 1-1/4 cups of cheese.

 Place poblanos in bottom of baking dish, pile on the stuffing as best you can or stuff your pepper.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

 Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted and filling is hot.

Steak and Gravy

Steak and Gravy

1 pound round steak, tenderized
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup diced onion
1/3 cup diced carrot
1/3 cup diced celery (optional)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 cup water (or milk)

Chop your veggies.

Beat egg in shallow bowl and put bread crumbs, salt, and pepper in another.

Dip steak in egg.

Then in bread crumbs.

Heat oil in non stick pan. Fry meat on both sides until golden brown.

Add veggies to pan.

Mix together soups and milk or water.

Pour over meat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes or until veggies are soft and meat is cooked through.

To serve scoop a piece of meat onto plate and ladle gravy over the top.